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Long beach is the epitome of the Southern California lifestyle: laid-back beach city, open green spaces and palm tree-lined streets with the Pacific Ocean in the distance. Not to mention those stunning cotton candy sunsets that you don’t get to experience in Central LA. According to Newsmax, Long Beach is the seventh largest city in California and ranks fifth on the list of the most diverse cities in the United States (there’s even a Cambodiatown and it’s the fifth city in the US with the most Italian-American population).
I rounded up a list of the places you can’t miss if you go there:
Naples Canals
This place is reminiscent of the Venice Beach canals. I’m not going to compare the two of them, since each of them is so unique, with their own flair, but what a memorable stroll. This is the ideal spot to hang out after a nice dinner date on 2nd Street. This neighborhood also has beautiful waterfront mini mansions, as well as the most adorable Christmas decorations (perfect timing). If you’re going to make the loop, bring your walking shoes. It’s a very family oriented neighborhood. I thought I was going to get attitude for taking photos, but instead, the house owners greeted me with the warmest of smiles.
The Christmas decorations look like they are straight out of a postcard. I drive a lot and have seen plenty of gorgeous Christmas lights in LA, but in this neighborhood they really went all out. I highly recommend to check out Naples Island before the year ends. A great sight was seeing a dad riding a boat with his kids. Did you know you can also rent a kayak and paddle board alongside the canal?
I may have gone overboard with the photos…
2nd Street, Belmont Shore
This bustling street is the perfect spot for food, drinks and mingling with the locals. I love how it’s within walking distance from Naples Island and the Belmont Shore pier. Here, you will find some of the best food in LA, including a great array of ethnic restaurants and sports bars. If you’re in the mood for some amazing Chicago-style pizza, I suggest Rance’s Chicago Pizza. Their pizzas are 14 inches in diameter. I tried the small one and it was insanely good! Caution: the pizzas take at least 40 minutes to make so, if you’re in a rush, call and order ahead before you get there.
If you’re not in the mood for pizza, you may go to Open Sesame to indulge in some delicious Lebanese food. I also happened to stumble across a beautifully decorated French bistro with live piano music: Creperie Café. I haven’t been there, but it looks like they offer amazing breakfasts, brunches and crepes. The options are plentiful! 2nd Street is the perfect hangout spot to enjoy the local Long Beach atmosphere. A far cry from well-known touristy spots, like The Pike. Check out my post The Best Restaurants And Coffee Shops In Long Beach, California.
Recommended restaurants on 2nd Street:
Cafe Gazelle (Italian)
George’s Greek Cafe
Open Sesame (Lebanese)
Nick’s on 2nd (American)
Los Cerritos
As you know, I’m a sucker for visiting filming locations. Established in 1906, this beautiful quintessential American neighborhood has been the backdrop of a handful of iconic movies like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, American Pie and Not Another Teen Movie.
Driving and seeing the stunning colonial houses and the perfectly trimmed front yards will make you feel like you’re in a 90’s/ early 2000’s movie.
Hilltop Park
Located atop a hill, Hilltop Park provides unbeatable panoramic 360-degree views of Long Beach, the Queen Mary and San Pedro on one side, and the DTLA skyline with the ever-present San Gabriel mountains on the other side. On a clear day, you can even see the Hollywood Sign! Additionally, you will find telescopes and nice benches, and if you’re in the mood for a workout, you can park at the bottom and use the trail to go all the way up. Hilltop Park is definitely a must-visit if it’s your first time in Long Beach.
Additionally, make sure the forecast is cloud-free to fully take in the views. Due to its altitude, the winds can be pretty strong. There are also statues and plaques throughout the park displaying information about the history of Long Beach.
Grab a blanket, a good book, lie down on the floor and spend a relaxed afternoon! Don’t be surprised if you see a lot of couples here as it’s a very popular date spot.
El Dorado Park
A new favorite place to add to my list! El Dorado Park is a wilderness oasis, right off the bustling I-605. It’s hard to imagine how such place can exist right off the freeway in LA. This park is HUGE! If you want to get to another area within the park, you might as well drive your car.
The park boasts beautiful greenery, oak trees, flowers, duck ponds and wildlife. It will feel like you’re not in Los Angeles at all.
This is also the perfect place to meditate and quiet your mind. If you’re up for a walk, go to El Dorado Nature Center and pick one of the trails to further enjoy the beautiful scenery this place has to offer.
Prices vary depending on the day and it’s cash-only. The free option is to leave your car outside the park and walk all the way to the park, but it’s going to be a veeeery long walk.
Entrance gate: 7555 E Spring St, Long Beach
The Pike
The Pike Outlets were named after the amusement park The Pike. This amusement park was created to compete with Disneyland and it operated from 1902 to 1979. Crowds from all over the country came to enjoy thrill rides and the famous wooden waterfront rollercoaster, Cyclone Racer. The best thing about it was, unlike Disneyland, there was no admission fee and it was right by the ocean. This is what it looked like back then:
By the late 70’s, when the contract with the city ended, The Pike was no longer a hotspot destination, and most of the business stalls were either in disrepair or out of service. With this being said, The Pike was officially demolished in 1979. Today, what once was a revolutionary amusement park is now an outdoor mall that includes outlet stores and a Ferris wheel. However, remnants of the Cyclone Racer have been preserved in the form of a pedestrian bridge. This will evoke a sense of nostalgia for those baby boomers who got to experience the park in its heyday.
Shoreline Park
This is the main sightseeing attraction in Long Beach. My mom and I went there to see the fireworks on the 4th of July and had a blast. Take a delightful stroll along the marina and admire the beautiful yachts, sailboats, houseboats and, of course, the world-famous Clyde steamer boat, Queen Mary! If you want to opt for a five-star meal experience, go to Parker Lighthouse to enjoy fresh seafood and spectacular views of the Long Beach skyline and Queen Mary. It is touristy and a little pricey, but you’ll get high-quality service, top-notch food and exceptional views!
My favorite area is the lighthouse, which is on the other end of the park. Before you get there, there’s a beautiful palm tree lined-path and a spiral pathway that goes around the lighthouse. It’s the perfect spot to catch the sunset and watch the Shoreline village filled to the brim with tourists.
I also recommend taking the Harbor tour. It’s 45 minutes long and takes you along the Long Beach coastline, including the oil rig island. On this tour, the guide shares interesting facts about the history of the Port of Long Beach, which is the second busiest port in the United States, and serves as a major gateway for US-Asia trade (80% of the container import movement comes from China). They also explain the process of how the shipment containers are delivered from the cargo ships. If you’re lucky, you may get to see the cute sea lions lying on the docks!
Bluff Park
As most of the sights in Long Beach, this park is super laid-back and crowd-free. It is also the perfect place to get your workout in by running up and down the stairs that lead down to the beach, or jog alongside the pedestrian beach path.
If you want to further enjoy Long Beach, you can also check out The Museum of Latin American Art and Los Cerritos Mall. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a nice swim or catch some waves, head down south to Seal Beach or Laguna Nigel in Orange County. Long Beach doesn’t have any good swimming or surfing beaches due to the breakwaters that block the tides from coming in. Also, since Long Beach has a lot of cargo ship traffic and oil rigs, the water is not the cleanest either.
Long Beach one-of-a-kind sunsets (taken by me)
On Dec 10th, 2017, Mother Nature gifted us with one of the most breathtakingly beautiful sunsets I’ve seen since I moved here. Needless to say, Long Beach sunsets never cease to give me the goosebumps. Thank you to @shutthekaleup for capturing this moment. I was in Long Beach that day, but in a different location.
Mother’s Beach
Take a picture at the Walter Pyramid Long Beach
The Walter Pyramid is a collegiate athletic facility located at Long Beach State University. It officially opened on November 30, 1994, and cost approximately $22 million to build. It rises 18 stories high and measures 345 feet along each side of the base.
2ND & PCH
6400 CA-1, Long Beach, CA 90803
I remember driving by this mall when it was still under construction. What a beautiful job they’ve done! The contemporary ambiance with pops of color were perfectly designed for a stress-free shopping experience. The best thing about 2ND & PCH is that it’s located right across from the marina! Do yourself a favor and park on the second floor to enjoy the views. There are comfortable lounge areas interspersed throughout the mall, and the space is impeccably maintained. Sidenote: there’s a Trader Joe’s less than four minutes away and it truly is the largest and most beautiful Trader Joe’s I’ve ever been to in LA.
Do you want to find out more cool places in Long Beach? Check out my interview with my friend Philip (click here), who’s been a Long Beach resident for 20 years!!
I hope this post was informative and that you could gather some helpful information if you plan on visiting Long Beach. Have you been?
