Long Beach: L.A.'s Beach Escape

City of Long Beach Photo courtesy Long Beach CVB

South from the metropolis that is Los Angeles sits a city rich in diversity and long in hospitality. Long Beach is a part of the L.A. area that brings to mind resorts, white sand and sunshine. The area has become known as a favored California destination and a haven for watersports enthusiasts, vacationers and retirees. The city remains in the fore among Californian Coastal stops and is now the fifth largest city in California and among the fifty largest cities in the United States. Be it the quiet of the Queen Mary's haunted lower decks or the roar of Grand Prix Racing in the Spring, Long Beach has much to offer in terms of sights to see and adventures to experience.

ORIENTATION

Visitors to Southern California may very well find themselves in Long Beach while exploring the Pacific Coast that borders the city of Los Angeles. Located in a popular spot on the Pacific Ocean, Long Beach lives up to its name with a long, wide beach that is open to the public and includes a bike and walking path that runs parallel to the sandy shore. Long Beach is ideally situated for those visiting the L.A. area and offers all the amenities and services that travelers expect to find in any major U.S. center.

HISTORY

	Long Beach Harbor and City Center Photo courtesy Long Beach CVB

The history of Long Beach dates back several hundred years and is punctuated by events that have helped to shape the city that residents and visitors know and enjoy today.

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo weighed anchor in Long Beach harbor just 50 years after Columbus landed in the present-day United States. Grass and brush was burning on the shore, sending billows of smoke high into the air and flushing rabbits into the waiting hands of the Tongva, the local American Indians. The sight led Cabrillo to christen the area Bahia de los Fumos, or Bay of the Smokes. This first contact was less than auspicious for both the Spanish and the Tongva, as Cabrillo was on a mission of conquest and an attempted takeover of the coast was soon initiated by the Spanish explorers. The subsequent domination resulted in a decimated American Indian population, and Cabrillo was felled by complications from a broken leg sustained in battle. Thus the recorded history of Long Beach began.

The land that Long Beach occupies changed hands several times over the years, eventually welcoming a significant European population that settled the area. The town was first incorporated in 1888 and named for the wide, long beaches that dominate this part of the coast. It was over these expansive beaches that billionaire eccentric Howard Hughes flew the first and last flight of his famous Spruce Goose, the world's largest airplane and a feat of engineering that changed the mechanics of modern aviation. The plane would remain on display until 1983 when it was moved from the largest geodesic dome in the world to its own venue. The dome, now home to Carnival Cruise Lines, is located adjacent to another prominent Long Beach landmark, the Queen Mary steamer.

CLIMATE

The sun is a ubiquitous feature of Long Beach, shining an average of 340 days a year and eliciting an average annual temperature of 74°F(23°C). Like much of California, the climate in Long Beach is conducive to outdoor activities, and visitors are reminded to use adequate protection from the sun's radiation.

Transportation

There are more cars in Southern California than there are cows in India, adding credence to the common saying that nobody walks in Los Angeles. That said, many of the attractions, accommodations and services in Long Beach are accessible by foot. For those with limited mobility, the red Passport Shuttle is free in the downtown core and stops at many of Long Beach's favored destinations.

The Long Beach Airport (LGB) is one of the most heavily trafficked general aviation airports in the world, providing flights from both national and international destinations.

ATTRACTIONS

On the Water

Essentially a part of the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles, Long Beach nonetheless features attractions that entice more than five million visitors a year to seek out this stretch of sandy beach. Resorts abound along the shoreline, with different activities offered depending on the accommodation. Sitting prominently in the Long Beach Harbor is the Queen Mary, a large former cruise ship that has been docked in Long Beach since 1967. The Queen Mary made its maiden voyage—the first of 1,001 Trans-Atlantic voyages—in 1936, sailing from Southampton, England to New York City. The luxurious behemoth was originally slated to be used as a maritime museum, however it was transformed into a floating hotel that opened in the early 1970s, adhering to high standards of accommodation and creating a reputation for comfort that continues to this day. Guests aboard this historical liner have the opportunity to occupy staterooms that once accommodated such celebrities and dignitaries as Walt Disney, Marlene Dietrich and Sir Winston Churchill.

	Waterfront Shopping Photo courtesy Long Beach CVB

History is further presented in neighboring San Pedro at the SS Lane Victory, a World War II-era battleship that is now open to visitors. This ship is also a testament to the presence of the United States Naval Station in Long Beach Harbor.

Aside from the military station in Long Beach, part of the shoreline also features the Carnival Cruise Terminal, a berth that services cruise ships and passengers that was originally designed for the Spruce Goose, Howard Hughes' mammoth flying boat.

Another type of boating experience can be found in the Rainbow Rocket, a speedboat tour that zips riders out to the Pacific Ocean and back to Long Beach at adrenalin-inducing speeds. A more leisurely and relaxed view of Long Beach from the water is available through one of the local Gondola companies, ideal for a romantic excursion or just a calm afternoon.

Two other prominent Long Beach attractions include the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Waterfront. Both are located within a short distance from the ocean and are just two of the myriad of family attractions in the area.

On the Beach

Grand Prix of Long Beach Photo courtesy Long Beach CVB

Feature films and celebrities own a significant part of the modern history of Long Beach. Today, the Long Beach International Film Festival helps celebrate Balboa Studios, one of the first silent film productions studios in the country. A true gem of the silent movie era, Balboa closed for good in 1923, leaving a legacy for future film makers and lovers to follow.

Shopping is well represented in Long Beach as well. There is the Queen's Market Place, a collection of shops and services near the waterfront where visitors can enjoy the atmosphere and layout of a traditional English Village. Later on, nearby Pine Avenue is the center of Long Beach nightlife, offering a plethora of bars and nightclubs to get out and get down.

Museums are popular venues for education and appreciation of culture in Long Beach. The Museum of Latin American Art is dedicated to the exploration of both Hispanic and Chicano culture through paintings, sculpture and more. Artistic expression is also paramount at the Long Beach Museum of Art, which features a collection of fine art from various sources. A more focused art museum is the American Museum of Straw Art, a venue that houses both artistic and practical examples of the age-old art of weaving straw. For a different view of history, visitors are encouraged to investigate the Long Beach Fire Museum, featuring a assemblage of traditional fire fighting equipment.

Long Beach is also home to the Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California, a club committed to the history of trolleys and electric trains as a means of transportation. Another popular moving attraction in Long Beach is the annual Toyota Grand Prix, an auto-racing event that draws enthusiasts from across the country and around the world each April. For visitors seeking a motor-free activity, Long Beach also hosts the International City Marathon every year in support of local charities.