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Long Beach, California
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Destination
Guide |
North America >
United States > California
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Long Beach,
California’s fifth largest city, is located just 21 miles south of
Los Angeles, at the southern end of Los Angeles County. Long Beach
offers all the amenities of a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city,
while retaining the charm and tranquility of a seaside community.
Visitors seeking the California dream of beach, sun and ocean need
look no further.
Long Beach is the
perfect spot for people who enjoy the sun. Sea kayaking, sailing,
windsurfing and jet-skiing are popular year round. Early in the
year, whale watchers observe the migrating California Gray Whale,
and year-round harbor cruises entertain young and old . The city’s
well-designed beachside bike path is ideal for in-line skating,
jogging, bicycling, or a quiet walk.
Long Beach became
popular in the late 19th century as a seaside resort. Long Beach
Harbor and the neighboring Port of Los Angeles are two of the
busiest shipping centers on the Pacific Coast. The entire area is
rich in petroleum resources, both on land and offshore.
California State
University, Long Beach, is home to 27,000 students. Long Beach
Convention and Entertainment Center at Ocean and Long Beach
boulevards encompasses the Long Beach Arena, Terrace Theater and
Center Theater, where concerts, plays, trade shows and sporting
events are held.
Boat cruises to
Catalina Island leave from near the Queen Mary and from downtown.
Long Beach AquaBus and AquaLink provide regularly scheduled service
to Long Beach's major attractions such as the Queen Mary and the
Aquarium of the Pacific daily from mid-June to mid-September, and
Friday through Sunday the balance of the year.
The roar of Grand
Prix race cars echoes through the city streets in early April during
the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Most Saturday mornings, the
Long Beach Heritage Society conducts narrated two hour walking
tours: of the downtown area the first and third Saturdays of the
month, and of the East Village, (which is being developed as an arts
district), the second and fourth Saturdays. Nearby, eclectic
boutiques welcome shoppers seeking rare treasures, and international
cuisine is served alfresco. Along the waterfront, more than 12,000
marine animals welcome you and your friends to their aquarium home
The Queen's
Marketplace, near Pier J, is an open-air mall designed to resemble
an old English village. Shoreline Village, at the foot of Pine
Street, is a harbor side shopping center with specialty shops,
restaurants, a restored Looff carousel, and occasional live
boardwalk entertainment.
Bring along a good
book you’ve been wanting to read. Get ready to stretch out, relax,
and watch the waves of the Pacific Ocean roll gently toward shore.
Whether it’s a leisurely stroll along the beach, the roar of
world-class stock cars racing in the shadow of glittering
skyscrapers, a picnic at one of the many local parks, or a concert
under the moonlit sky, Long Beach is a perfect vacation getaway.
You can even experience a serenade by gondoliers rowing an
authentic gondola in the Venetian style on a cruise through local
canals. Ocean breezes waft gently off the Pacific along a stretch
of coastal paradise, while in the distance, a tall ship sets sail..
These sights and many more await the visitor to romantic Long
Beach. Time to pack! |
