Long Beach itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Long Beach, day by day: Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier, Belmont Shore, Bluff Park, downtown, the Aquarium of the Pacific and the RMS Queen Mary first, then Naples, Alamitos Bay, the Japanese Garden, Rancho Los Alamitos and the Museum of Latin American Art as you add a day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Long Beach in 1 day
Day 1
Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier
Pier in Belmont Shore reaching into the Pacific, popular for walking and fishing and for ocean views along the coast.
Belmont Shore
Seaside neighbourhood with a long beach and busy Second Street lined with independent cafes, restaurants and shops.
Bluff Park
Clifftop park above the shoreline with a long grassy lawn, walking paths and ocean views along Ocean Boulevard.
Downtown Long Beach
The central district with Pine Avenue restaurants, shops, the waterfront promenade and several museums, easily explored on foot.
Aquarium of the Pacific
Large aquarium on the waterfront with Pacific habitats, sea lions, sharks, jellyfish and a lorikeet aviary.
RMS Queen Mary
Retired 1936 British ocean liner permanently moored in Long Beach, now a hotel and museum with tours of the decks and engine rooms.
Long Beach in 2 days
Day 1
Naples
Island neighbourhood built around canals in the early 1900s, with quiet walking streets and gondola cruises.
Alamitos Bay
Sheltered bay in south-east Long Beach with a marina, paddleboarding, boat rentals and the Marine Stadium.
Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier
Pier in Belmont Shore reaching into the Pacific, popular for walking and fishing and for ocean views along the coast.
Belmont Shore
Seaside neighbourhood with a long beach and busy Second Street lined with independent cafes, restaurants and shops.
Bluff Park
Clifftop park above the shoreline with a long grassy lawn, walking paths and ocean views along Ocean Boulevard.
RMS Queen Mary
Retired 1936 British ocean liner permanently moored in Long Beach, now a hotel and museum with tours of the decks and engine rooms.
Downtown Long Beach
The central district with Pine Avenue restaurants, shops, the waterfront promenade and several museums, easily explored on foot.
Day 2
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
Small Japanese garden of ponds, waterfalls and bridges on the campus of California State University, Long Beach.
Rancho Los Alamitos
Historic ranch house of the 1800s with barns, gardens and an exhibit on the area's ranching history.
Museum of Latin American Art
Museum of Latin American and Latino contemporary art on Alamitos Avenue, with a sculpture garden and changing exhibitions.
Aquarium of the Pacific
Large aquarium on the waterfront with Pacific habitats, sea lions, sharks, jellyfish and a lorikeet aviary.
Watch: Long Beach
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Long Beach
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with sunny days and mild temperatures, while summer is warm and brings the biggest crowds to the beach and waterfront. Winters are mild with occasional rain. The Grand Prix of Long Beach takes place in April and the Long Beach Pride festival in May.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Long Beach on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Long Beach on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Long Beach on GetYourGuide
- From the airport: a private transfer in Long Beach with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Long Beach
- The RMS Queen Mary is a floating hotel and museum; the ship tours and ghost tours sell separate tickets, and the dock is across the harbour from downtown, so allow time to get there.
- The Aquarium of the Pacific is popular on weekends and school holidays; buy tickets online and arrive early for shorter queues.
- The AquaLink and AquaBus water taxis and the Metro A Line connect downtown with the waterfront and other districts and save short drives.
- Rancho Los Alamitos is a historic ranch house with gardens that opens on set days; check days before going.
- The Grand Prix of Long Beach is held on the downtown streets each spring; hotels fill and roads close that week, so book ahead.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Alamitos Bay: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY 4.0
- Aquarium of the Pacific: Eric Kilby, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Belmont Shore: Darkest tree, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier: Exiled in California, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bluff Park: Darkest tree, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Downtown Long Beach: Darkest tree, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden: Alan Ray, Public domain
- Museum of Latin American Art: nsputnik, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Naples: Darkest tree, CC BY-SA 4.0
- RMS Queen Mary: RMS_Queen_Mary_Long_Beach_January_2011.jpg : David Jones from Isle of Wight, United Kingdom derivative work: Altair78 ( talk ), CC BY 2.0
- Rancho Los Alamitos: Monacat, CC BY-SA 3.0 us
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
