Directly south of downtown Los Angeles, the city of Long Beach (pop. 461,522) is the second-largest of L.A.’s constituent cities, but it feels more like the Midwest than the cutting-edge West Coast. Long Beach is probably best known as the home of the cruise ship RMS Queen Mary, one of the largest and most luxurious liners ever to set sail. Impossible to miss as it looms over Long Beach harbor, the stately ship is open for self-guided tours ($25; 562/435-3511).
In place of Howard Hughes’s famous “Spruce Goose” airplane, which used to stand next door, there’s now a Cold War–era submarine, and across the bay on the main downtown Long Beach waterfront, the Aquarium of the Pacific (daily; $18.95; 562/590-3100) explores the diverse ecosystems of the Pacific Ocean, from tropical coral reefs (shown off in an amazing, 360,000-gallon display) to the frigid waters of the Bering Sea. The tanks full of jellyfish of all kinds, colors, and sizes are the main event.
Along with the annual Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix, an Indy Car race held on the city streets every April, other Long Beach attractions include the world’s largest mural, a 115,000-square-foot painting of whales on the outside of the Long Beach Arena, and the self-proclaimed Skinniest House in the USA, at 708 Gladys Avenue.
Long Beach also marks the southern end of L.A.’s reborn streetcar and subway system, and you can ride the Blue Line north to downtown. It’s an inexpensive base for exploring the Los Angeles area, especially if you avail yourself of the $15-a-night HI South Bay Hostel (310/831-8109), on a hill overlooking the harbor area at 3601 S. Gaffey Street. There’s also a Best Western ($80; 562/599-5555) at 1725 Long Beach Boulevard, directly across from a Blue Line train stop.
For more information, contact the Long Beach visitors bureau (562/436-3645 or 800/452-7829).
