Located a short distance south from the city of Los Angeles, Long Beach in California offers a rich variety of attractions to keep everyone entertained. Surprisingly however, despite its name, the beach is not the main draw for visitors to the city. Instead, Long Beach offers some truly world-class visitor attractions which prove consistently popular with travellers. The incredible Aquarium of the Pacific, home to over 12,000 sea creatures including sharks, jellyfish and sea lions, is a truly spectacular experience. This vast indoor ocean is one of the largest aquariums in the whole of the US and is arguably the most popular visitor attraction in the city.
Anchored just off shore, the historic cruise ship The Queen Mary offers a number of different visitor experiences. In addition to regular guided tours, this magnificent ship boasts its own hotel and features a number of top-class restaurants and a selection of shops. Away from the waterfront, the Downtown area of Long Beach is renowned for its vibrant social scene. Pine Avenue, in particular, is famous for its lively atmosphere after the sun goes down, the plethora of bars, clubs and restaurants which line the street constantly buzzing with life. Often overshadowed by its more illustrious neighbour Los Angeles, Long Beach is a lively destination that never fails to amuse and entertain.
When is the best time to visit Long Beach (US, CA)?
The months of April, May, September and October are the ideal times to visit the city. The average daily temperature remains high during these months but is more bearable than the particularly hot months of June through to August. April also sees the annual Long Beach Grand Prix in the city, where the streets of Downtown are transformed into an Indycar racetrack.