{"id":54334,"date":"2021-06-01T06:00:36","date_gmt":"2021-06-01T13:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/?p=54334"},"modified":"2025-08-19T06:33:33","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T13:33:33","slug":"long-beach-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/long-beach-california\/","title":{"rendered":"ULTIMATE GUIDE TO LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Long Beach is located south of Los Angeles and is a coastal city with a great waterfront in Southern California. This port city has many unique and wonderful attractions, including the retired Queen Mary, the islands of Naples, fabulous beaches, and it is a great place to take part in a variety of water sports.<\/p>\n

From surfing to paddle boarding, renting a boat or Duffy, water skiing, and even riding in a real Venetian Gondola, Long Beach has many ways to get out on the water. But it’s not all about watersports; Long Beach has hundreds of great restaurants, wine bars, cocktail bars, and incredible brunch spots that make it a foodie destination in itself.<\/p>\n

To help you make the most of your visit to this magical destination, we have created this ultimate guide to Long Beach sharing the best places to stay in Long Beach, where to eat and drink, the top activities in and around the city, plus a 3 day recommended weekend itinerary!<\/p>\n

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Top 10 Things To Do In Long Beach<\/h2>\n

There are plenty of things to do in Long Beach, each time you visit you will find something new to do. But with so many options, where should you begin? Here are our top 10 things to do in Long Beach that we recommend for first time visitors to the city.<\/span><\/p>\n

1) Hire A Duffy On Alamitos Bay<\/h3>\n

A Duffy boat ride is a must in Southern California, and cruising around Alamitos Bay and the canals in Long Beach is the perfect place to do it. There are a few Duffy rental options including<\/span> Boathouse On The Bay<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>London Boat Rentals<\/span><\/a>. We went out for a 2 hour cruise with Boat House On The Bay and couldn’t recommend them enough.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Duffy is big enough for a group and has a deck at the back with extra seating. You can bring your own snacks or arrange for these beforehand with Boathouse On The Bay – treat yourself to some prosecco and oysters and turn your ride into a luxury cruise! <\/span><\/p>\n

2) Take A Boat Tour Around Long Beach Harbor<\/h3>\n

Harbor Breeze Cruises<\/span><\/a> offers a scenic boat tour of Long Beach Harbor, which is a great way to get out on the water and see the area from the ocean. These tours also visit Rainbow Harbor, Shoreline Village, Point Vicente Lighthouse, the Port of Long Beach, and go past the Aquarium of the Pacific.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can often spot bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, seals, orcas, gray whales, and more from these boat tours.<\/span><\/p>\n

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3) Go Kayaking In Belmont Shore<\/h3>\n

If you want to take to the water but want a more tranquil experience, you can rent kayaks in Belmont Shore and explore the calmer waters around this area. You can even paddle past the incredible mansions and through the canals in Naples. If you prefer to relax and have someone else do the work you can even<\/span> take a ride in a genuine Venetian gondola<\/span><\/a>! <\/span><\/p>\n

4) Visit Retro Row And Visit The Unique Stores<\/h3>\n

Retro Row or Fourth Street is an area of the city with many restaurants and bars and unique boutique stores selling vintage products, retro furniture, and quirky gifts. This area also has the historic  Art Theatre, beauty salons, and spas.<\/span><\/p>\n

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5) Take A Walk Around Belmont Shore<\/h3>\n

Belmont Shore<\/span><\/a> is a great location to take a walk around or hire a bicycle and has a large array of restaurants and markets to stop for lunch or pick up some fresh produce.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is also a beach path to walk along the oceanfront, or you can relax on the beach. You can even take to the water and try sailing, paddle boarding, kayaking, water skiing, go swimming, or stick to the dry land and have a game of volleyball.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the summer, Belmont Shore has live music and local art displays on Thursday nights and many other events happening throughout the summer months. <\/span><\/p>\n

6) Visit The Attic On Broadway For Brunch<\/h3>\n

No weekend or girls’ getaway would be complete without a stop for brunch, and a great place to have brunch in Long Beach is at <\/span>The Attic on Broadway<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This southern-style Instagrammable brunch spot opened in 2012 and is located within a 1920s’ style building. The idea and feel of the location are to remind visitors of a family brunch with the traditional favorites and some unique additions, including the famous MacNCheetos.<\/span><\/p>\n

They also have an incredible Bloody Mary, which comes with an entire slider stacked on. They have great traditional southern cocktails famous in New Orleans – the hurricane and the Mexican michelada. And, of course, mimosas!<\/span><\/p>\n

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7) Purchase Some Souvenirs At Cityology<\/h3>\n

If you are looking for some gifts from your friends or family from your trip,<\/span> Cityology<\/span><\/a> is the right place to stop as it sells everything you can imagine and more. Other great shopping spots close by are the women\u2019s boutique <\/span>Elison Rd<\/span><\/a>, the gift shop Luna, <\/span>House of Intuition<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>Blue Windows<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

8) Visit Long Beach’s Answer To Italy In The Naples Neighborhood<\/h3>\n

If you miss Europe or want to get a feel of Italy, head to Long Beach’s Naples neighborhood. Fitting to its name, Naples resembles the infamous Italian city of Venice, divided into three islands, surrounded by canals and connected by beautiful arched bridges.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even the street names in Naples are Italian. There is also Bella Flora Park within the neighborhood, which is home to the La Bella Fontana Di Napoli, a three-tiered fountain built in 1971.<\/span><\/p>\n

A great way to explore Naples is to wander around the streets or take to the water on a paddleboard, kayak or gondola.<\/span><\/p>\n

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9) Learn To Roller Skate <\/h3>\n

Before visiting Long Beach I had no idea that they had such a skating community. You will quickly discover that roller skating is one of the most popular Long Beach pass times due to the 5.5 mile beach path that makes the perfect skating lane. <\/span><\/p>\n

As well as the beach path there are several roller skating rinks, such as Bayshore Roller Rink and The Rinks. If you really want to get into the Long Beach lifestyle stop by Pigeons Roller Skate Shop<\/a> on 4th street and pick up a pair of your own! <\/span><\/p>\n

10) Explore El Dorado Nature Center<\/h3>\n

El Dorado Nature Center<\/span><\/a> is a 105-acre park perfect for getting back to nature and away from the city streets. The center has an abundance of flora and fauna with two miles of trails by lakes, streams, and forest areas. The nature center has an educational center, art gallery, and small gift shop.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other Things To See in Long Beach:<\/h3>\n