Understand

Long Beach is a very large city with a (you guessed it) long coastline. It is situated at the very South-East edge of Los Angeles County, abutting Orange County.

You may hear different people say both wonderful and horrible things about the city. This is because the city is so large that it encompasses everything ranging from a large industrial area to extremely exclusive communities.

Long Beach is recognized as one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United States, with immigrants from all regions of the world calling it home.

Long Beach isn't typically the primary target of someone's tourist visit, but it is centrally located to just about everything else that you'd want to see in Southern California. That said, Long Beach does have some nice people-gathering areas as well as genuine tourist attractions such as the Queen Mary floating museum and a world-class aquarium.

The area code for Long Beach is 562. For emergency services, dial 911 from any phone.

Sports

Long Beach has two minor league sports teams, the Long Beach Armada baseball team and the Ice Dogs hockey team. Long Beach State has a Division 1 program competing in 18 sports, including men's and women's volleyball and basketball, baseball and women's soccer and softball.

Get in

By plane

Long Beach has its own airport which is rapidly growing and is the home to JetBlue's Southern California hub. The Orange County/John Wayne Airport and Los Angeles International airports are each about a half-hours drive away.

By rail

The only rail service directly to Long Beach is via the Metro Blue Line light rail service from downtown Los Angeles.

Amtrak and Metrolink service Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. To reach Long Beach from Union Station, take the Metro Red Line to the 7th St./Metro Center station then transfer to the Blue Line into Long Beach.

From Orange County

There are several easy ways to get to Long Beach from Orange County if you don't have a car. The most direct way is to take Orange County Transit Authority's Route 50 bus servicing Katella Avenue, which passes between Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center. The western terminus of this route is Cal State U-Long Beach. If you are in the Beach Cities, take Route 1 servicing the Pacific Coast Highway and also terminating at CSULB. Alternatively, you can also take Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner or Metrolink's Orange County Line to LA Union Station and transfer to Metro Rail as already described.

Get around

A car is the most convenient way to get around Long Beach. Most areas of Long Beach have free parking but be aware that much of Downtown Long Beach has pay parking lots.

There are several transit agencies with bus routes in Long Beach.

• Long Beach Transit - 591-2301
• Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) - (800) 266-6883 (includes Blue Line light rail to downtown Los Angeles)
• Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) - (800) 636-7433

See

• Queen Mary; 1126 Queens Highway; 435-3511; . Mon. - Thurs. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Fri. - Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. The Queen Mary is a historic Cunard White Star ocean liner whose past includes being a troop transport in World War II and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Several different tours of the ship are offered including a Ghosts and Legends tour. The Queen Mary also boasts a hotel, several restaurants and a shopping promenade. General Admission (includes Ghosts and Legends Tour, Self-Guided Queen Mary Shipwalk Tour and access to all open exhibit areas): Adult - $22.95, Senior/Military* - $19.95, Child (5-11) - $11.95. There are several other tour packages including a Combo ticket with the Aquarium of the Pacific. (Pay parking)
• Russian Foxtrot Submarine: "SCORPION"; 1126 Queens Highway (next to the Queen Mary); 432-0424, Fax: (909) 336-5938, e-mail: russianscorpion@charter.net. Mon. - Thurs. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Fri. - Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. A self-guided tour of a Cold War Soviet submarine. A retired Russian submarine officer is at the submarine five days a week to answer questions. Call ahead for days and hours he will be available. Be aware that the passageways and hatches are very small so this is not for those who are claustrophobic. Adults - $9.95; Seniors (55+), Children (3 to 11), Military (With ID)- $8.95; Under 3 are Free. (Pay parking)
• Aquarium of the Pacific; 100 Aquarium Way; 590-3100, Fax: 951-1629, e-mail:aquariumofpacific@lbaop.org. Open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day of the year, except December 25 and during the weekend of the Grand Prix of Long Beach. The Aquarium of the Pacific is one of the largest aquariums in the United States. Its nearly 1,000 species fill 19 major habitats and 32 focus exhibits and take visitors on a journey throughout the Pacific Ocean's three regions: Southern California/Baja, the Tropical Pacific, and the Northern Pacific. General Admission: Adult - $18.95, Child (3-11) - $10.95, Senior (60+) - $16.95. General Admission Plus Behind-The-Scenes Tour (ages 7 and up only): Adult - $29.95, Child (7-11) - $22.95, Senior (60+) - $28.95. There is also a Combo package with the Queen Mary. (Pay parking)
• Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden; On the campus of California State University Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Boulevard; 985-5930, e-mail:jgarden@csulb.edu. Tuesday through Friday: 8am to 3:30 pm, Sunday: Noon to 4PM, Closed : Saturdays and Mondays, Please call to verify hours as university events sometimes require early closures. The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is a 1.3 acre Japanese garden with a traditional tea house and koi ponds. A self-guided tour book is available for $1. Tours for groups of 10 or more may be arranged by calling the garden office at 562.985.8420. The suggested donation is $2 for adults.
• Long Beach Museum of Art; 2300 East Ocean Boulevard; 439-2119 fax: 439-3587. Tuesday, Saturday & Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. A small art museum featuring 20th Century art and decorative pieces with a focus on California artists.
• Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Adobe; 4600 Virginia Road; (562) 570-1755. Parking and Admission: free, donation. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. except holidays. Saturday and Sunday, the adobe ranch house may be visited by free docent-led tours only, on the hour with the last tour at 4 p.m. Self-guided tours only Wednesday through Friday. Groups of 10 to 60 should make reservations at least two weeks in advance for a guided tour of the house or gardens. Built in 1844, Rancho Los Cerritos is a two-story Monterey-style adobe home furnished to reflect occupants and lifestyles from the 1860s-1880s. The site, a National, State and Long Beach Historic Landmark, includes historic gardens and a research library and archives. Special events and programs are listed on the website. Free "Living History Tours" are held on the last Sundays of the month, led by costumed characters who share distinct stories about the Rancho from their lifetimes between 1840 and 1940. Check the website calendar or call to confirm hours and for directions.

Events

• Long Beach Grand Prix - CART racing on a 2 mile track through the streets of downtown. Held every April. Celebrities often race in the pre-races.
• Gay Pride Festival - Held every May at Rainbow Harbor and the Marina Green.
• Long Beach Sea Festival - A summer long series of events, many of them free, held throughout the city.
• Grecian Festival - Greek food and entertainment. Call 494-8929 for more information. Labor Day weekend.
• Long Beach Blues Festival - 985-1686; e-mail:tix@kkjz.org. Outdoor jazz and blues festival featuring big name artists like Etta James, Los Lobos and Black Crowes. Held at the California State University Long Beach athletic field. Labor Day weekend.
• Long Beach Triathlon 714-978-1528 - A 1/2 mile swim, 11 mile bike ride, 3 mile run race along the oceanfront of Long Beach. September
• Long Beach International Marathon 728-8829 - Scenic marathon along the shores of Long Beach. October.

Sleep

• Best Western Golden Sails Hotel, 6285 E Pacific Coast Highway, +1 562 596-1631, Toll-free: +1 800 762-5333, Fax: +1 562 594-0623.
• Best Western of Long Beach, 1725 Long Beach Boulevard, +1 562 599-5555, Fax: +1 562 599-1212.
• Courtyard Long Beach Downtown, 500 East First Street, +1 562 435-8511, Toll-free: +1 800 321-2211, Fax: +1 562 901-0296.
• Holiday Inn, 1133 Atlantic Avenue, +1 562 590-8858.
• Long Beach Marriott, 4700 Airport Plaza Drive, +1 562 425-5210, Fax: +1 562 425-2744.
• Motel 6 Long Beach - International City, 1121 East Pacific Coast Highway, +1 562 591-3321, Fax: +1 562 591-2152.
• Motel 6 Los Angeles - Long Beach, 5665 East 7th Street, +1 562 597-1311, Fax: +1 562 597-2741.
• Queen Mary (see above), sleep in one of the Sea Queen's grand first-class staterooms.
• Renaissance Long Beach Hotel, 111 East Ocean Boulevard, +1 562 437-5900, Fax: +1 562 499-2509.
• Residence Inn Long Beach, 4111 East Willow Street, +1 562 595-0909, Fax: +1 562 988-0587.
• Holiday Inn, 2640 Lakewood Blvd, +1 562 597-4401.

Get out

• Catalina Express (800) 481-3470 - High-speed boat service to Catalina Island
• Carnival Cruise Lines - Long Beach is the home port for the ships "Ecstasy" and "Elation." Carnival built a terminal next to the Queen Mary. Cruises leave from this port to Baja California and the Mexican Riviera.
• Metro Blue Line - (800) 266-6883 - Travels to downtown Los Angeles. Additionally, transfering to the Red Line will lead you to Hollywood.
• Travel east on Willow Street until it crosses into Orange County and becomes Katella Avenue - Disneyland will be to the left side of the road.