What to do in Long Beach

We're staying on the Queen Mary (hotel) for 2 nights prior to NCL cruise. Any suggestions of what to do while we're there? We wont have a car and dont want to spend a ton on cabs. Any good beaches nearby?

Thanks,

Tony and Debbie

Here is some information on transportation

http://www.visitlongbeach.com/listings/index.cfm?catid=49&navID=30

Rainbow Harbor is suppose to be a cool place

http://www.shorelinevillage.com/index.html

There's an Aquarium.

We're staying on the Queen Mary (hotel) for 2 nights prior to NCL cruise. Any suggestions of what to do while we're there? We wont have a car and dont want to spend a ton on cabs. Any good beaches nearby?

Thanks,

Tony and Debbie

There are tours of the QM, and the Skorpion (a Soviet diesel submarine) is nextdoor. Aquarium of the Pacific is mid-size but good. It's a 10 minute cab ride away. There is an outdoor shopping / entertainment / dining mall next to the Aquarium and the gentrified downtown Pine Ave. is nearby. A lot of nice restaurants there. I heard there is a shuttle that goes around the area....someone else will have to provide the details.

If you want to soak up the rays or swim, the best beach is Bolsa Chica State Beach about 10 miles south. Seal Beach is a little closer but more crowded. The water temperature is a lot colder than Florida, Hawaii, or the Caribbean. 65 is pretty warm even in mid-summer. The surfers wear wetsuits for a reason! Riptides can be bad at Bolsa so discuss conditions with a lifeguard and swim near a lifeguard tower. There are closer beaches if you just want to people watch or be in a beach environment.

We enjoyed the Aquarium. There's a freebie bus that goes between where the QM is berthed and the Aquarium much of the day. We walked from the Aquarium to Shoreline Village along the waterfront there with no trouble.

There's also an amusement park nearby that we may come back to LB to check out.

Is this the free bus???

We have not made a huge amount of plans but the ones we thought we would be able to do seem to be falling thru so I am glad this thread was started.

What are some restaruants in the area that are good and cheaper than the Queen?

How about shopping? Beverage shopping? Sodas, water and wine?

Yes, that's our freebie shuttle. There are 4 lines. A, B, C, D

C is the Link that takes you to all the touristy things at shoreline village, QM, and up and down Pine Avenue. B is a free village tour going through some of the arts district. A&D outside of the downtown area costs 90 cents. (goodness, hope I have this all correct) ... if not.

As for beaches, Alamitos Bay is the first public beach area you'll come to. You can take the Passport bus that goes to belmont shores and get off at the last free stop before Alamitos. There is beach access off of Shoreline just past the Villa Riveria (a great gothic building). While this is a beach, it doesn't have waves to speak of. It tends to get really crowded right by the Shoreline parking lot, and thins out as you move down the coast. There are much better beaches, but this is close by and free to get to. :)

The closest store to get beverages and such would be Wal-Mart. You can get there off of the Pine Avenue Passport. WM Is located at Pine & 6th. To be honest I don't shop at WM ... so not familar with all the offerings on the grocery side of things. If you keep walking down 6th, there's an Albertson's Grocery Store just across Long Beach Blvd. The blocks here are short city blocks.

If you are in town Friday morning, the Farmers Market is good for a stroll, shopping, and inexpensive lunch. It goes from Broadway up to WM, the roads are closed and it's foot traffic only.

There's a lot of places to eat in the area from hot dog carts to fine dining in shoreline village, up Pine Ave and along Ocean Blvd.

Oh ... I'm not real fond of the shopping around the City Place area, I'd recommend paying the 90 cents and heading to 2nd St in Belmont Shores. Lots of shops to roam in and out of.

Yes, that's our freebie shuttle. There are 4 lines. A, B, C, D

 

C is the Link that takes you to all the touristy things at shoreline village, QM, and up and down Pine Avenue. B is a free village tour going through some of the arts district. A&D outside of the downtown area costs 90 cents. (goodness, hope I have this all correct) ... if not.

 

As for beaches, Alamitos Bay is the first public beach area you'll come to. You can take the Passport bus that goes to belmont shores and get off at the last free stop before Alamitos. There is beach access off of Shoreline just past the Villa Riveria (a great gothic building). While this is a beach, it doesn't have waves to speak of. It tends to get really crowded right by the Shoreline parking lot, and thins out as you move down the coast. There are much better beaches, but this is close by and free to get to. :)

 

The closest store to get beverages and such would be Wal-Mart. You can get there off of the Pine Avenue Passport. WM Is located at Pine & 6th. To be honest I don't shop at WM ... so not familar with all the offerings on the grocery side of things. If you keep walking down 6th, there's an Albertson's Grocery Store just across Long Beach Blvd. The blocks here are short city blocks.

 

If you are in town Friday morning, the Farmers Market is good for a stroll, shopping, and inexpensive lunch. It goes from Broadway up to WM, the roads are closed and it's foot traffic only.

 

There's a lot of places to eat in the area from hot dog carts to fine dining in shoreline village, up Pine Ave and along Ocean Blvd.

Thank you Thank you!!! I am so glad the OP started this thread. lol

Thanks for all the great info. We were planning on Disney and maybe Santa Monica but Long Beach sounds more relaxed and we wont have to fight the traffic. No kids this trip so strolling around Long Beach sounds perfect. Thanks again for all the info, especially the transportation tips.

Tony and Debbie

The bus will be outside various areas (we caught it outside the Aquarium) and it dropped us at Shoreline Village (which is where the QM is).

Glad you've found the info helpful. Although I'm a resident here, I'm still a bit of a tourist myself at times. :o