Category: Things to do

Long Beach and Santa Monica are both coastal cities in the Los Angeles region, but they offer surprisingly different trips. Choosing between them depends less on which city is “better” and more on what you want to do.

Choose Long Beach for variety

Long Beach combines a working harbour, the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, diverse neighbourhoods and easy access to Catalina Island. Its waterfront is attractive, but the offshore breakwater means you should not expect the classic Southern California surf-beach experience.

The city also has strong local food cultures, including Cambodian cuisine, that reward exploration beyond the tourist core.

Choose Santa Monica for the classic LA coast

Santa Monica offers an exposed Pacific beach, its famous pier and convenient access to the Westside of Los Angeles. If your itinerary revolves around places such as Venice, Malibu and western Los Angeles, its location can make more sense.

Think about the rest of your trip

Long Beach is better positioned for parts of Orange County and the harbour region, while Santa Monica sits much farther west. Los Angeles traffic means that distinction matters.

I would choose based on geography and atmosphere rather than trying to rank the two. Long Beach feels more like an independent port city; Santa Monica is more closely woven into the classic visitor experience of coastal Los Angeles. Both can work brilliantly for the right itinerary.

Long Beach is one of the easier places in Southern California to enjoy without having a car every minute of the day. That does not mean every corner is effortless to reach, but a visitor who chooses accommodation carefully can see many major sights using walking, transit and bicycles.

Stay near downtown

Downtown puts the Aquarium of the Pacific, Rainbow Harbor, Shoreline Village and restaurants within walking distance. It also gives you access to public transport for journeys farther away.

Long Beach is connected with the Los Angeles Metro system, which can be useful if you are arriving from or travelling towards Los Angeles.

Cycle the coast

The waterfront bike path makes cycling particularly attractive. From central Long Beach you can head east along the shoreline towards Belmont Shore, turning transportation into part of the sightseeing.

Buses and rideshare services can fill gaps when destinations are too far to walk comfortably.

Know when a car helps

Places farther from the central corridor can require more planning, and a car remains useful if Long Beach is merely your base for extensive Southern California exploration.

For a short city-focused trip, however, I would not automatically rent one. Avoiding parking and freeway traffic can make the experience considerably more relaxed. Check current transit routes and schedules before travelling, since services can change.

One day in Long Beach is enough to experience the waterfront and one or two of the city’s distinctive attractions. The mistake is trying to include every neighbourhood, museum and beach before dinner.

Morning: aquarium and harbour

Start around Rainbow Harbor and visit the Aquarium of the Pacific if marine life interests you. Afterwards, walk through the waterfront area and Shoreline Village rather than immediately moving the car.

Afternoon: choose your Long Beach

The Queen Mary is the obvious choice if maritime history is your priority. Give the ship enough time to justify the visit rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.

If you prefer neighbourhoods and the coast, head east instead. Belmont Shore and nearby Naples combine Second Street, beaches and canals in a compact area.

Evening: stay local

Finish with dinner in whichever neighbourhood you are already exploring. Cambodian food is another excellent option if you want something particularly connected with Long Beach.

I would not add Catalina Island to a one-day city itinerary. The island deserves its own day.

This plan intentionally leaves things out. El Dorado Nature Center, Retro Row and museums can wait for another visit. Long Beach works better when you spend time in a few places rather than viewing the entire city through a car window.

Long Beach is strongly associated with its waterfront, so El Dorado Nature Center can come as a surprise. The protected area offers trails through woodland and around lakes, creating a peaceful pocket of nature within the city.

If you have spent several days around busy attractions, traffic and the harbour, this is an easy way to change the pace without leaving Long Beach.

Walk rather than rush

The point here is not to collect sights. Choose a trail, watch for birds and other wildlife and enjoy the fact that the surrounding city quickly feels more distant than it really is.

The relatively gentle walking makes the nature center suitable for many visitors who want outdoor time without planning a major hike.

A different side of Long Beach

I would especially consider El Dorado if you are travelling with children, enjoy birdwatching or simply need a quieter morning between larger attractions.

Rules, trail access and opening arrangements can change, so check current information before visiting. Natural areas also deserve a little more care than ordinary city parks: stay on designated routes and leave wildlife alone.

El Dorado Nature Center will not replace a trip into California’s larger wilderness areas, nor is it trying to. Its strength is that you can experience trees, water and wildlife while remaining firmly inside Long Beach.

The Long Beach Museum of Art offers a quieter alternative to the city’s larger attractions. Located near the coast east of downtown, it combines changing exhibitions with a setting overlooking the Pacific.

This is not an enormous museum that consumes an entire day. That is part of its appeal. You can spend time with the art and still have plenty of room for the beach, Belmont Shore or another neighbourhood afterwards.

Art beside the ocean

The museum’s location adds considerably to the visit. Historic buildings and coastal views create a setting that feels distinctly Long Beach rather than like a generic gallery space.

Exhibitions change, so check what is showing before you go if a particular type of art matters to you.

Build it into a coastal day

I would combine the museum with a walk along the nearby shoreline or continue towards Belmont Shore. It works particularly well when you want a cultural stop without leaving the coastal part of the city.

Current opening days, admission arrangements and exhibitions should always be checked before travelling specifically to the museum.

Long Beach sometimes gets reduced to the Queen Mary and aquarium in visitor itineraries. Places like this help broaden that picture and show that the city also has a substantial local arts scene worth exploring.

The Aquarium of the Pacific is one of Long Beach’s major attractions and an easy choice for families, marine-life enthusiasts or anyone looking for a break from the Southern California sun.

Located beside Rainbow Harbor, the aquarium focuses on the Pacific Ocean and its varied ecosystems. Exhibits introduce animals and habitats from different parts of the Pacific rather than trying to represent every ocean on Earth.

More than fish tanks

The strongest visits are the ones where you slow down enough to understand the habitats rather than simply moving from one animal to the next. Outdoor areas and interactive experiences add variety, particularly for children.

Because the aquarium sits directly on the waterfront, it is easy to combine with Shoreline Village, the marina and a walk around Rainbow Harbor.

Plan for busy days

Weekends, school holidays and summer can be popular, so checking current ticket arrangements before arriving is sensible. Opening hours and special programmes also change through the year.

I would allow at least a few hours rather than treating the aquarium as a quick stop. Afterwards, stay around the waterfront instead of immediately getting back into the car.

Long Beach is deeply connected with the Pacific, and the aquarium gives that relationship an environmental dimension beyond beaches, boats and harbour views.

The Queen Mary is the landmark most closely associated with Long Beach. The former ocean liner has been permanently moored in the city since the 1960s, and its enormous profile still dominates part of the harbour.

Even before going aboard, the ship is worth seeing from the waterfront. Up close, its scale is difficult to appreciate from photographs.

A floating piece of history

The Queen Mary entered service in the 1930s and later played an important role during the Second World War before returning to passenger service. Today, exhibitions and tours explore different parts of that history.

The ship has also become famous for ghost stories. Those tales are part of its modern identity, but I would treat them as entertainment rather than the main reason to visit.

Allow enough time

This is not an attraction I would squeeze into half an hour. If maritime history interests you, give yourself time to explore and take in the views around the harbour.

Opening arrangements, tours and access to individual areas can change, so check current information before your visit.

The Queen Mary works particularly well at the beginning of a Long Beach trip. It immediately establishes the city’s connection with ships, the harbour and the wider Pacific world – themes that keep appearing wherever you go along the waterfront.