Long+Beach,+CA


 * Travel tips for Long Beach, CA:**
 * Long Beach, CA Wikitravel Website:** []
 * Long Beach, CA Wikitravel Website:** []


 * Mike Summers - May 2010:**

My wife and I travel to Orange County (SNA) about once a month. When flights are full to Orange County, Long Beach is a nice alternative. This can easily be done as a two or three day trip (one day is impossible through LGB). Flight 1011 leaves Denver at approximately 8:40 AM. It arrives in LGB around 10:15 AM (Pacific Time). There's a second flight at 6:10 PM to LGB. We rent a car from Avis. If you book it direct from their rental site, you can always cancel without a fee. The Airport is quite small with all passengers exiting down an outside ramp and then walking to the terminal. It reminded me of the movie Casablanca. There are no rental buses to ride. Instead, rental cars are across the street and from bagage claim in little portable buildings. We usually drive to Newport Beach. Once you leave the rental facility, follow the signs at the airport exit to the South 405 Freeway. Once on the south 405, you'll drive for about 30 minutes before you'll see the exit for California Highway 55 (Costa Mesa Freeway). Take the south exit on the 55. You'll drive for approximately 4 miles until the 'freeway' portion of the 55 ends in Costa Mesa (indicated by various traffic lights). Continue on the 55 for another 2 miles where you'll see the exit for California Highway 1 (the 'PCH' or Pacific Coast Highway). If you go north on the PCH, you'll go to Huntington Beach and if you go south on the PCH, you'll go to Laguna Beach. Both are nice, but we prefer to continue on Highway 55 across the bridge into Newport Beach. At 30th Street on the left, there is the Newport Beach Brewing Company. They have a parking lot in the back. Newport Beach Brew Company: [] They have a great breakfast on Saturday's and Sunday's. On Sunday's they have bottomless mimosa's (my wife's favorite) for $6.00. My favorite beers are the "Blonde" and the "Wedge-Weizen". After breakfast continue in your original direction on Newport Blvd. Map: []

Newport Blvd merges with Balboa Blvd. Follow Balboa Blvd. and park anywhere around 15th Street. There are metered parking spaces in the center of the street, but parking is free on either side or on side streets (certain days/times there is no parking for street sweeping -- read those carefully). You can also proceed to Main Street and turn right. There is a city parking lot by the Balboa Pier that Charges $8.00/day. Along the ocean/beach there is a 3 mile cement sidewalk/bikepath that takes you infront of multi-million dollar homes (some of which you can rent -- I have). From 23rd to 28th Street along the path, there are shops and additional restaurants. My wife and I frequent Mutt Lynch's (23rd and Oceanfront) with it's wide beer and wine selection.

Mutt Lynch's: []

Jim Campbell likes the Crab Cooker (22nd and Newport Blvd).

Crab Cooker: [] or []

You can rent bicycles from any number of shops (we usually don't) and ride if you don't want to walk. The bike path ends at 36th Street. It's well worth your time to turn around and head back toward your parked car toward the other end of the bike path. If you do this, you'll find Palm Street. If you turn North on Palm Street and cross Balboa, you'll come upon the "Fun Zone" and the Balboa Ferry. It costs $1.00 per person to ride the Ferry to the island. You can take a lap around the island and see many more multi-million dollar homes such as JC Penny's former place, George Burn's house, and Shirley Temple's (just to name a few). You can also visit the arcade (or 'Fun Zone') and take a harbor cruise where they will point out these homes and visit a few seals in the harbor.

Fun Zone: []

Newport Beach has two piers. The one near Mutt Lynch's and 23rd Street is the Newport Pier. The one near the Fun Zone is the Balboa Pier. Close to the Balboa Pier is the Cabo Cantina, which has a happy hour starting at 4:00 PM. A great place to sit at the bar and have either guacamole and chips or nachos.

Cabo Cantina: []

If flying through Long Beach, you'll need to spend the night because the two return flights are at 6:45 AM and 11:00 AM. Any of the above restaurants are good for dinner, but another place with good food and fast service is El Ranchito, which is located on Newport Blvd and 28th Street as you head toward the airport.

El Ranchito: []

As you head back toward the airport, remember to stop and fill your gas tank before the Long Beach Airport exit. Rental companies will automatically add a fuel fee if you drive less than 50 or 75 miles. If you stop and fill the tank, make sure to get a receipt and show it at the car rental return. I've only found one gas station at the airport exit from the 405. You go north on Lakewood past the airport and take a left on East Carson Street. It's about 2-3 miles on the right. Map: []

If you decide to spend the night, I prefer Hotwire. Prices run from $59.00 to 89.00 per night (usually around $65.00). It's easy and free to join. I've used this site for over three years.

Hotwire: []

If you decide to go into Long Beach instead of south on the 405 take Lakewood Blvd South to the PCH (Highway 1) and turn right (west) to Long Beach. In Long Beach you can visit the Queen Mary (Website: [] ). Long Beach has other attractions (Website: [] and [] ).

Long Beach and Orange County are great places to explore, and they're only a 2 hour flight away. There's much more like Seal Beach and Huntington Beach which are both south of Long Beach on Highway 1 (PCH - Pacific Coast Highway). Feel free to contact me if you have questions. Mike Summers


 * Mike Summers - February 2014 (Long Beach area):**

Headed out to Long Beach and the cruise ship terminal by way of LAX. From LAX you can skip renting a car and take the Super Shuttle (Website: [] ) for $17.00 per person. If you fly out of Denver the day before your cruise, consider spending the night next to the cruise ship terminal on the Queen Mary (Website: [] ). The Queen Mary is a neat experience (Wikipedia: [] ) and is across the harbor from many Long Beach restaurants. A car is the most convenient way to get around Long Beach. Most areas of Long Beach have free parking but be aware that much of Downtown Long Beach has pay parking lots. The free bright red Passport buses (Website: [] ) serves the Long Beach downtown and waterfront attractions. The Passport consists of four bus routes connecting tourist and shopping sites. //Passport A: Belmont Shore//, crosstown from Catalina Landing through Downtown to Alamitos Bay Landing; //Passport B: Village Tour//, in the Downtown area; //**Passport C**: Pine Avenue/Queen Mary//, from Downtown to the Aquarium, Queen Mary, and the cruise ship terminal (Cruise Ship Terminal: [] ); //Passport D: Los Altos//, from Catalina Landing through Downtown to California State Long Beach and Los Altos shopping center. All four Passport routes converge at the downtown Transit Mall (Pine Ave and 1st St), where one can make transfers. Passport B and Passport C are FREE; Passports A & D are FREE only in the Downtown area between Catalina Landing and Alamitos Avenue. For dining, we enjoyed the Belmont Brewing Company (Website: [] ) for their food and beer, it's located south of the Queen Mary. If you're a jogger like me, there's a lot of nice paths along the water to run on. Whether you're cruising or not, check out Long Beach.