Best for first visits and attraction days: the city’s big sights, all on one harbor.
What Downtown and Shoreline are like
This is the Long Beach on the postcards. The Aquarium of the Pacific sits on Rainbow Harbor, Shoreline Village’s colorful waterfront buildings face it across the water, and the Queen Mary is moored across Queensway Bay, lit up at night. A waterfront path links it all, and the city’s first stretch of beach starts just east at Alamitos Beach.
A few blocks inland, downtown proper is a real city neighborhood: Pine Avenue, the Promenade and Broadway for restaurants, bars and patios, The Pike Outlets with its vintage Ferris wheel and carousel, and the galleries and shops of the East Village Arts District.
It’s the busiest part of town and the easiest to plan: pick one big attraction for the day, then fill the rest with the harbor, a meal and a walk along the water.
Plan your visit
- Where
- Downtown Long Beach and its waterfront, around Rainbow Harbor and Queensway Bay
- Big attractions
- Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary, Shoreline Village, The Pike
- Beach
- Alamitos Beach, at Shoreline Drive and Alamitos Avenue
- Parking
- Each attraction has its own; the Aquarium validates in its structure
- Closest airport
- Long Beach Airport (LGB)
Things to do on the waterfront
Four big ones, close enough that you’ll see them all even if you only visit one:
Aquarium of the Pacific
Sea otters, sharks, jellies and a world of Pacific marine life, open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Give it half a day. Our Aquarium guide has tickets, parking and the exhibits not to miss.
Shoreline Village
Waterfront shops, a carousel and an arcade, and restaurants from casual to Parkers’ Lighthouse and Queensview Steakhouse, with views across the harbor to the Queen Mary. Harbor cruises leave from here too. Shoreline Village.
The Queen Mary
The ocean liner that first sailed in 1936, across the water: Art Deco salons, the decks and the history. It’s a separate trip from the Aquarium side, so drive or ride over. Our Queen Mary guide has tours and tickets.
Between them, Rainbow Harbor is the walk itself: boats, the harbor and the waterfront path. Inland, The Pike Outlets has its Ferris wheel and carousel, and Pine Avenue is the place for dinner.
Beaches and water
The harbor is for looking at and cruising on, not swimming. For the sand, head to Alamitos Beach, at Shoreline Drive and Alamitos Avenue: the westernmost of Long Beach’s beaches, wide and soft, with gentle waves thanks to the port and the offshore breakwater. There are free volleyball courts, a concession that rents beach cruisers and tandem bikes, restrooms with showers, and beach access mats year-round. Alamitos Beach.
From there, a paved bike path and a separate walking path follow the beach all the way east to Alamitos Bay: rent a cruiser and ride it.
Check the city’s beach water-quality updates before you swim, especially after rain. Dogs aren’t allowed on the beaches; Rosie’s Dog Beach, further east in Belmont Shore, is the off-leash spot. For paddling, the calm water of Alamitos Bay is the place.
Parking and getting around
Park for your main stop. The Aquarium’s structure is on the water side of Shoreline Drive, with a validated day rate; Shoreline Village has its own lot; the Queen Mary has parking at the ship. For Alamitos Beach, there’s a metered lot behind the sand and more at Marina Green Park.
Once you’re parked, the Aquarium, Rainbow Harbor, Shoreline Village and The Pike are all along the same waterfront path, and Pine Avenue is a short walk inland. The Queen Mary is across the water, so plan it as its own stop. Long Beach Transit has a trip planner if you’d rather take the bus.
Long Beach Airport (LGB) is the closest airport, and downtown is an easy drive from the Peninsula and from north Long Beach.
A waterfront day
- Morning at the Aquarium. Arrive at opening, before the crowds, and give it a few unhurried hours.
- Lunch at Shoreline Village. Walk around Rainbow Harbor and eat with a view of the boats, then ride the carousel.
- Sunset with the Queen Mary. Dinner facing the ship as it lights up, or a ride along the beach path to Alamitos Beach first.
Want both the Aquarium and the Queen Mary? Give each its own day; each is easily half a day on its own.
Downtown and Shoreline questions
Are the Aquarium and Shoreline Village close together?
Yes. They face each other across Rainbow Harbor, joined by the waterfront path.
Is the Queen Mary next to the Aquarium?
It’s in view but across the water, at 1126 Queens Highway, so drive or ride over. Queen Mary directions.
Is there a beach near downtown Long Beach?
Yes: Alamitos Beach, at Shoreline Drive and Alamitos Avenue, with a metered lot, volleyball, bike rentals and a beach path east to Alamitos Bay.
Can you get around downtown without a car?
The waterfront and Pine Avenue are all on foot. You’ll want a car or rideshare for the Queen Mary, the beaches further east and north Long Beach.
Can you do the Aquarium and the Queen Mary in one day?
You can, but each is easily half a day. Give each its own day if you can, and fill the rest with the harbor and a good meal.
Where should you eat downtown?
Shoreline Village for harbor views, and Pine Avenue, the Promenade and Broadway for the widest choice. Downtown Long Beach, Visit Long Beach.
