The best things to do in Long Beach mix big-name waterfront attractions with beaches, museums, canals, neighborhood streets, historic ranches, and surprisingly quiet nature areas. Start with the Queen Mary and Aquarium of the Pacific, then move east through Belmont Shore, Naples, and Alamitos Bay before exploring the city’s gardens and inland parks.
What are the best things to do in Long Beach for a first visit?
- Put the Aquarium of the Pacific and Queen Mary at the top of a first-trip itinerary.
- Walk Rainbow Harbor, Shoreline Village, and Shoreline Aquatic Park together rather than driving between them.
- Save another half-day for Belmont Shore, Naples, and Alamitos Bay.
- Families should prioritize the aquarium, Mother’s Beach, Colorado Lagoon, and El Dorado parks.
- Art and architecture fans get more from MOLAA, Retro Row, the Art Theatre, Bembridge House, and Long Beach Museum of Art.
- Downtown works well without a car, but eastern and northern attractions are easier to combine by car or rideshare. Long Beach’s tourism office also notes that a car isn’t essential for every part of the city.
| Area | Best for | How I would get around |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown waterfront | Major attractions, families, first visits | Walk |
| East Village and Retro Row | Art, shopping, architecture | Walk, bike, or short rideshare |
| Bluff Park and Belmont Shore | Beaches, views, local atmosphere | Bike, walk, or rideshare |
| Naples and Alamitos Bay | Water activities, couples, families | Walk locally; drive between clusters |
| East Long Beach | Gardens, ranch history, nature | Car |
| Bixby Knolls and North Long Beach | History, parks, quieter stops | Car |
Where are these Long Beach attractions on the map?
Most major waterfront sights sit close together around Rainbow Harbor, while Belmont Shore, Naples, the university area, and El Dorado Park spread progressively east. Use the controls below to switch the live map between the city’s main sightseeing anchors without relying on invented coordinates.
Which things to do in Long Beach belong on a downtown waterfront day?
Downtown gives first-time visitors the easiest concentration of attractions, and most stops from the aquarium through Shoreline Village can be handled on foot. The Queen Mary sits across the water, while Catalina Landing and Golden Shore pull you toward the western edge of the waterfront.
1. The Queen Mary
The Queen Mary deserves more than a quick photograph from across the harbor. I prefer exploring the preserved interiors, decks, engineering story, and maritime exhibits because that’s where the ship stops feeling like a backdrop and starts feeling like a piece of working history. It permanently arrived in Long Beach in 1967 and now combines tours, exhibits, dining, events, and overnight stays.
The trade-off is simple: this isn’t the stop to rush. Check current tour options and admission before going, then give yourself room to wander.
2. Aquarium of the Pacific
For families deciding what to see in Long Beach first, the Aquarium of the Pacific is the safest answer. Its galleries cover marine environments across the Pacific, while outdoor exhibits add sharks, rays, penguins, and other animals to the mix. It’s large enough that trying to “finish” every exhibit can turn a good visit into a tired one.
My approach is to choose a few priorities before entering and slow down once inside. Families often get more from two unrushed habitats than from racing through everything.
3. Shoreline Village
Shoreline Village works best as the connective tissue of a waterfront day rather than a destination demanding several hours. The boardwalk puts restaurants, small shops, rentals, marina views, and Rainbow Harbor in one easy stop, with the aquarium within walking distance.
Come here when you want to eat, sit near the water, or reset between attractions. After dark the reflections and harbor lights improve the atmosphere considerably, so couples often get more from an evening visit than a midday shopping run.
4. Shoreline Aquatic Park
One of the better free things you can do near the major attractions is walk out into Shoreline Aquatic Park. The open waterfront park occupies the space between the arena area and Downtown Shoreline Marina, giving you broad harbor views without buying another ticket.
This is also where I’d pause before deciding what comes next. From the grassy areas you can orient yourself toward the aquarium, lighthouse, Rainbow Harbor, and Queen Mary instead of staring at directions on your phone.
5. Lions Lighthouse for Sight
The white Lions Lighthouse sits on the raised point inside Shoreline Aquatic Park and gives photographers a clean foreground for harbor and skyline shots. You don’t need a separate sightseeing block for it; combine it with the park and waterfront path.
The better angle is often found by walking around the point instead of stopping at the first viewpoint. Wind can be stronger here than several streets inland, which matters if you’re visiting in light clothing after sunset.
6. Rainbow Harbor
Rainbow Harbor is where downtown Long Beach feels most connected to the water. Boats, promenades, the aquarium, Shoreline Village, and views toward the Queen Mary all meet around the same basin, making it useful even if you never book a cruise.
Visitors looking for outdoor things to do around downtown should walk the harbor rather than repeatedly moving their car. The distances feel shorter on foot, and you notice far more of the marina than you would from Shoreline Drive.
7. Harbor Breeze Cruises
A whale-watching trip gives you the one perspective the waterfront itself cannot: Long Beach from offshore. Harbor Breeze operates from the Rainbow Harbor area, and Visit Long Beach highlights seasonal whale and dolphin viewing as one of the city’s signature water activities.
Wildlife is never guaranteed, which is the trade-off. I’d book because you enjoy being on the Pacific, not because you expect one specific animal to appear on command. Bring a layer even when downtown feels warm.
8. Rainbow Lagoon Park
Rainbow Lagoon is a quieter counterpoint to the busy harbor. Its landscaped water, islands, bridges, lawns, and position beside the downtown event district make it a good decompression stop after the aquarium or convention center. The city describes the lagoon as a remnant of the older Rainbow Lagoon system, now landscaped around connected islands.
Don’t schedule a special cross-city trip for it. Walk through while you’re already downtown and let it connect other stops.
9. The Pike Outlets
The Pike is useful for restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and its recognizable Ferris wheel near the waterfront. Visit Long Beach specifically includes it among downtown’s primary visitor districts.
But here’s the popular stop I find disappointing if it’s treated as a major historic attraction: the shopping complex itself isn’t why I’d travel to Long Beach. Use it for a meal, movie, or evening break. Spend your irreplaceable sightseeing time on the harbor, ship, museums, and neighborhoods.
10. Catalina Landing
Catalina Landing matters even if Long Beach is only the starting point for your next adventure. Ferries leave from this waterfront area for Catalina Island, turning the city into a practical base for travelers who want an island day trip.
Don’t squeeze Catalina into a day already filled with the Queen Mary and aquarium. The ferry journey and island deserve their own block of time. For a short Long Beach trip, I’d stay on the mainland and save Catalina for the next visit.
11. Golden Shore Marine Biological Reserve
Golden Shore is for travelers who enjoy the quieter edges of cities. The reserve protects wetland habitat near the Los Angeles River mouth and gives bird watchers a reason to walk west of the busier tourist waterfront. City information specifically describes it as habitat for birds and local aquatic life.
You won’t find the entertainment density of Rainbow Harbor here. That’s the point. Bring binoculars if birding matters to you and approach it as a short nature stop.
12. Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park gives downtown visitors something many waterfront itineraries miss: a neighborhood-scale public space beside the civic center and Billie Jean King Main Library. The reconstructed park reopened as part of the newer civic center development.
I like it as a break between architectural wandering and Pine Avenue rather than as a standalone attraction. Travelers visiting Long Beach alone will find this part of downtown easy to fold into a self-guided walk without committing to another ticketed activity.
A mistake I wouldn’t repeat: trying to drive from parking lot to parking lot around Rainbow Harbor. Once you’re in the waterfront cluster, walking is usually less annoying than repeatedly dealing with garages, intersections, and traffic. Save the car for Belmont Shore, Naples, the ranches, and El Dorado.
What should art lovers do around East Village and Retro Row?
Move inland and Long Beach changes quickly from major waterfront attractions to independent cinema, cultural museums, historic architecture, and locally owned shops. East Village and Retro Row are close enough to pair, but give the museums proper time instead of treating the area as a drive-through.
13. Museum of Latin American Art
MOLAA is one of the strongest cultural reasons to leave the waterfront. The museum focuses on modern and contemporary Latin American and Latinx art, making its collection and exhibition program distinct from the general-purpose art museums found across Southern California.
This is one of my preferred indoor things to do in Long Beach when beach weather turns gray. Check the current exhibition calendar before visiting because rotating shows can change the experience considerably.
14. Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum
Across from MOLAA sits a much smaller museum with a sharply defined purpose. The Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum focuses on Pacific Island peoples of Oceania, using art and cultural material to connect objects with ancestry, community, and history.
Its scale is an advantage if you’re tired of sprawling museums. Read the interpretation instead of walking past the cases quickly. Pairing PIEAM and MOLAA creates one of the city’s best compact cultural afternoons.
15. East Village Arts Park
East Village Arts Park is a small public-space stop that makes the most sense while you’re already walking the district. It gives the neighborhood room for community programming and adds an outdoor pause between galleries, coffee stops, architecture, and shops.
Don’t judge East Village by one park. Wander the surrounding blocks. Long Beach Heritage even runs architectural walks through East Village and other historic parts of the city, which tells you where much of the value here lies: looking up at the buildings rather than racing between pins.
16. Art Theatre of Long Beach
The Art Theatre is where I’d spend an evening if mainstream multiplexes bore you. The restored movie house on Fourth Street screens independent and first-run films while also hosting special screenings, festivals, talks, and community events. It dates to the 1920s and remains a cultural anchor for Retro Row.
Check the program rather than showing up blindly. The building is appealing, but the right screening is what turns it into one of the more memorable things to do in Long Beach at night.
17. 4th Street Retro Row
Retro Row rewards browsing without a strict shopping list. The district runs along Fourth Street and brings together independent stores selling vintage clothing, records, books, furniture, art, collectibles, and other items that don’t feel copied from a suburban mall. Visit Long Beach says the district contains more than 40 locally owned merchants.
Go slowly. The fun comes from entering stores you hadn’t planned on visiting, then stopping for coffee or food before continuing.
18. Bembridge House
Bembridge House gives architecture fans something the newer downtown cannot: a preserved Queen Anne Victorian residence filled with period detail. Long Beach Heritage operates the house and offers tours and special programs, so access depends on the current schedule rather than constant drop-in entry.
That schedule is the trade-off. Check ahead. When a tour lines up with your visit, the house adds context to Long Beach’s development that you won’t get from the beach or modern skyline.
Where should you go for beaches and Belmont Shore?
East of downtown, the trip becomes less about checking attractions off a list and more about using the coast. Bluff-top parks, the beach path, Belmont Pier, Second Street, and the city’s dog beach fit together naturally, especially if you’re comfortable walking or biking.
19. Alamitos Beach
Alamitos Beach is one of the easiest stretches of sand to reach from downtown and a practical choice if you want beach time without traveling across the city. I like it for walking, cycling past on the beachfront path, or sitting outside near the end of a sightseeing day.
Travelers searching for cheap things to do around Long Beach don’t need to overcomplicate this part of town. Pack water, bring sun protection, and use the coastline itself.
20. Bixby Park
Bixby Park sits above the coast and works as a neighborhood park rather than a polished tourist attraction. The city lists playground, picnic, fitness, recreation, sports, and community facilities here, while the beach lies below the bluff.
The detail many visitors miss is the connection down toward the beach-level paths. Instead of treating Ocean Boulevard as the edge of the neighborhood, use the access routes to link the bluff with the sand.
21. Bluff Park
Bluff Park is one of those places that explains why locals can enjoy the coast without making every outing a full beach day. The long green strip above Ocean Boulevard attracts walkers, runners, and dog owners while giving you open views toward the water.
I prefer it near the beginning or end of the day, when the light is softer and sitting on a bench feels more appealing than hunting for another attraction.
22. Long Beach Museum of Art
The Long Beach Museum of Art adds a strong indoor stop to an otherwise outdoor section of the city. Contemporary exhibitions, educational programs, performances, and special events give it a broader role than that of a static collection.
Its bluff-side setting also makes the museum easy to combine with a coastal walk. Check the current exhibition schedule first. I’d rather visit because one show interests me than enter simply to fill an itinerary slot.
23. Junipero Beach
Junipero, also called Cherry Beach, runs below the bluff between central Long Beach and Belmont Pier. Stairs and a longer switchback route connect the higher neighborhoods with the beach-level walking and cycling paths.
That elevation change catches first-time visitors out. If you’ve loaded a stroller, beach gear, or tired children, choose your access point carefully rather than taking the first staircase you see. Small decision. Large difference on the climb back.
24. Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier
Walk Belmont Pier when you want to move over the water without booking a boat. Fishing and simple strolling are its core uses, and the long pier gives you a different angle back toward the coastline. The city has ongoing renovation work associated with the pier, so check current access conditions before making it the centerpiece of your day.
I enjoy it more as part of a Belmont Shore walk than as a standalone excursion.
25. Rosie’s Dog Beach
Traveling with a dog changes the beach calculation, and Rosie’s is the obvious place to know. The city maintains a designated off-leash dog area along the coast between Granada and Roycroft avenues, subject to posted rules and beach conditions.
Bring your own waste bags and keep a leash available for entering and leaving the zone. Even without a dog, it can be fun to watch for a few minutes from the neighboring path.
26. Second Street in Belmont Shore
Second Street is the commercial spine of Belmont Shore, with restaurants, boutiques, cafés, and neighborhood businesses stretching through the district. Visit Long Beach describes it as a long shopping, dining, and entertainment corridor rather than a single attraction.
For couples looking for a relaxed Long Beach evening, I’d eat here and walk afterward instead of driving back downtown immediately. Parking can feel more annoying during busy periods, so once you find a workable spot, stay on foot.
What are the best things to do around Naples and Alamitos Bay?
Naples and Alamitos Bay slow the pace further. This is the section I’d prioritize for canals, calm water, paddle sports, family beach time, or a romantic evening, while keeping in mind that Second Street traffic and busy weekends can make short local drives feel longer.
27. Naples Canals
Walking the Naples canals costs nothing and delivers one of Long Beach’s most distinctive neighborhood experiences. Narrow waterways curve past waterfront homes, footbridges, docks, and small boats, giving the area a rhythm that feels completely different from downtown.
Walk quietly and remember that you’re moving through a residential neighborhood. Around the holidays the canals become famous for decorated homes and boats, but I like the area outside event periods because you can actually notice the architecture.
28. The Colonnade on Naples Island
The Colonnade gives you a small public waterfront point from which to enjoy Naples without needing a boat. The city lists it at the southern end of the Colonnade on Naples Island, making it a useful walking anchor for the canal district.
It won’t consume much time. Combine it with canal walking and nearby streets instead of treating each Naples pin as a separate outing.
29. Mother’s Beach
With kids along, Mother’s Beach often makes more sense than exposed ocean sand. The beach sits inside Alamitos Bay and is known for protected, gentle water, a shallow swimming area, playground space, lawns, and picnic facilities. Lifeguard supervision is provided during peak periods rather than something to assume at all times.
Families should still check current water conditions and posted guidance. Calm-looking water isn’t a substitute for paying attention.
30. Colorado Lagoon
Colorado Lagoon blends swimming, picnicking, restoration, and local ecological history in one compact setting. The salt-water lagoon has a sandy swimming area, grassy shores, and a long relationship with recreation in this part of Long Beach.
This is one of the more unusual things to do near the coast because it isn’t simply another strip of ocean beach. Treat the lagoon as its own environment, and always follow current signs regarding water access.
31. Long Beach Marine Stadium
Marine Stadium is part of Long Beach’s long relationship with competitive and recreational water sports. The surrounding water is more interesting when something is actually happening, so I wouldn’t automatically add this stop to every itinerary.
Check for scheduled activity or pair the area with Mother’s Beach and Alamitos Bay. That way, even if the stadium itself is quiet, you haven’t crossed this side of the city for one empty viewpoint.
32. Alamitos Bay Marina
Alamitos Bay Marina shows the recreational-boating side of Long Beach without the cruise-ship scale of the downtown harbor. Marina paths, boats, water views, and nearby dining make it an easy addition to the Naples and Belmont Shore cluster.
This is also where your itinerary should become less rigid. Stop for the view, watch activity on the water, then decide whether you want another walk, a meal, or a water-based rental rather than forcing another museum into the day.
33. The Peninsula
The Peninsula pushes you toward the city’s southeastern edge, where a narrow residential strip separates ocean and bay environments. It’s a good choice for visitors who have already seen the primary attractions and want a quieter coastal walk.
Go for the geography rather than entertainment. You’ll understand how Belmont Shore, Naples, Alamitos Bay, and the open coast fit together far better after spending time near the end of this strip.
Which East Long Beach attractions are worth leaving the waterfront for?
East Long Beach is where a car starts earning its keep. The attractions are more spread out, but they cover several experiences the waterfront cannot reproduce: historic ranch grounds, a Japanese garden, wooded nature trails, and a large regional park.
34. Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch and Gardens
Rancho Los Alamitos is one of the best places for understanding the layers of California history beneath modern Long Beach. Historic gardens, restored barns, ranch buildings, exhibitions, and animals turn the site into more than a preserved house. Visit Long Beach notes that the ranch is open to the public on selected days, so verify the current schedule before driving over.
I’d choose this over another hour of shopping if history interests you even slightly.
35. Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden sits at California State University, Long Beach and packs a surprising amount of visual variety into a small space. A koi pond, carefully arranged plantings, water features, and garden architecture make it particularly useful when you want something quiet after several high-energy attractions.
Access rules can change around university operations and events, so check before going. Don’t assume a campus garden behaves like an unrestricted city park.
36. El Dorado Nature Center
El Dorado Nature Center is the stop that most thoroughly breaks the stereotype of Long Beach as concrete, harbor cranes, and sand. Trails wind through protected habitat around lakes, streams, and wooded areas, with a visitor center near the entrance.
There are specific trail rules because this is habitat rather than an ordinary exercise park. Dogs and bikes aren’t treated the same way they are on a general city trail, so read current rules before entering.
37. El Dorado East Regional Park
The larger regional park surrounding this part of East Long Beach expands the outdoor options dramatically. City facilities include picnic areas, playgrounds, biking routes, fishing lakes, recreational spaces, and several specialized activity areas.
This is a strong choice for residents and families, but visitors with only one day should keep priorities straight. Choose the nature center if you want a defined trail experience; use the regional park when you want a flexible outdoor afternoon.
What should you see around Bixby Knolls and North Long Beach?
Northern Long Beach gets fewer first-time tourists, which is exactly why it works for a second or third day. Historic Rancho Los Cerritos provides the anchor, while neighborhood parks and wetlands reveal a side of the city far removed from Rainbow Harbor.
38. Rancho Los Cerritos
Rancho Los Cerritos is my strongest recommendation in this part of the city. The historic adobe and landscaped grounds tell the story of Spanish, Mexican, and American California through the property and the families connected with it. The City of Long Beach operates the site in partnership with the Rancho Los Cerritos Foundation.
The gardens deserve time after the house. Don’t take the tour and immediately leave; the quieter grounds are part of what makes the property work.
39. Scherer Park
Scherer Park is more local recreation space than sightseeing landmark, and that distinction matters. Facilities include picnic and play areas, courts, recreation programming, and a lake area, making it useful for travelers staying nearby or families who need an uncomplicated break.
You can skip it on a one-day itinerary without regret. On a longer trip, though, ordinary parks often show you more about how a city actually lives than another commercial attraction does.
40. Dominguez Gap Wetlands
Finish the list somewhere completely unlike the Queen Mary. Dominguez Gap is part of the restored wetland network near the Los Angeles River corridor, adding habitat and open space to northern Long Beach. City planning documents identify Dominguez Gap among Long Beach wetland-restoration areas.
This is for birders, walkers, repeat visitors, and anyone who enjoys seeing ecological infrastructure inside a major urban area. It isn’t polished tourism. That makes it an interesting final stop.
What do visitors ask most about Long Beach?
What is Long Beach known for?
Long Beach is best known for its waterfront, the permanently docked Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, active harbor, beaches, and distinctive neighborhoods such as Belmont Shore and Naples. Museums, historic ranches, boating, marine wildlife trips, and a strong arts scene give the city much more range than its port reputation suggests.
How many days do you need in Long Beach?
Two days works well for first-time visitors. Give one day to downtown, the aquarium, Queen Mary, and harbor, then use the second for Belmont Shore, Naples, and one cultural or nature stop. Three days lets you add East Long Beach without constantly watching the clock.
Is Long Beach worth visiting if you are already staying in Los Angeles?
Yes, particularly if you want a coastal city experience that feels different from central Los Angeles. The aquarium, Queen Mary, Naples canals, shoreline neighborhoods, museums, and water activities can easily justify a dedicated day, while a longer stay gives you time to explore beyond the main waterfront.
Is Long Beach walkable for tourists?
Downtown and the waterfront are highly practical to explore on foot, and individual neighborhoods such as Retro Row, Belmont Shore, and Naples also reward walking. The problem is distance between those clusters. For a broader itinerary involving El Dorado, Rancho Los Alamitos, and Rancho Los Cerritos, a car or rideshare is much more convenient.
What are good things to do in Long Beach with kids?
Start with the Aquarium of the Pacific, then consider Mother’s Beach, Shoreline Aquatic Park, Colorado Lagoon, El Dorado East Regional Park, and the beach paths. The right mix depends on age: younger children often need more playground and beach time, while older kids may enjoy marine-life cruises and the Queen Mary.
What is the best area to stay in Long Beach for sightseeing?
Downtown is the most practical base for a first visit because the aquarium, Rainbow Harbor, Shoreline Village, Pike area, waterfront parks, restaurants, and Queen Mary connections concentrate around the same part of the city. Belmont Shore is a better choice when beach atmosphere and neighborhood dining matter more than being beside the major attractions.