If you’re looking for the conveniences of a modern metropolis to go along with the relaxed atmosphere of a seaside community, Long Beach is your perfect California escape. Popularized in song from Jenni Rivera to Snoop Lion,‘the urban waterfront playground’ is worth singing about. Here you find top notch accommodations; the Museum of Latin American Art, Aquarium of the Pacific and Queen Mary; gastronomically superior restaurants and a beautiful beach to call your own.

Bordered by the Pacific Ocean, with 5.5 miles of beachfront, year-long sun and only 22 miles south of Downtown LA, Long Beach is a world away from the hustle, bustle and traffic found in Los Angeles. And with a brand spanking newly renovated airport, arriving there is a much more pleasurable experience than LAX could ever hope to be.

Long Beach has everything you want…and more. Spending more than a billion dollars over the past decade, the city has gone to great lengths to become bike friendly and create an enviable waterfront and, by doing so, become one of the most exciting seaside towns in America.

Long Beach Airport

The Long Beach Airport has been modernized and experienced a grand reopening last year.
Overseeing the massive task was Airport Director Mario Rodriguez, an hombre who after achieving success in New Orleans came to Long Beach searching for new challenges. And deliver he did, bringing in the project under budget and ahead of schedule. The airport is a pleasure to fly into and symbolizes the future of air travel.

Francisco Romeo at Long Beach Airport

With a city ordinance that limits the number of inbound commercial flights to 41 you can be sure to avoid crowds coming or going. As a matter of fact, Rodriguez assures us that it will be only 20 minutes from curb to concourse. Upon landing you feel that you are truly in California with open air lounges, palm trees and first class restaurants sourced from the most popular local spots in town. It’s clear that Rodriguez and his team have created an airport experience designed to make you feel glad you arrived – and sorry to leave.

HOMBRE TV’s Ashley Van Hoey biking in Long Beach, Ca.

BIKING

Home to a 5 ½ mile beachfront bike path, 45 miles of new bike routes and a progressive community bicycle campaign, biking is perhaps the most enjoyable way to get around.

Thanks to a partnership with Southern California-based Bike Nation to create a privately-funded bike share program there are now 250 kiosks and 2,500 bikes in downtown Long Beach providing an innovative, cost-effective and healthy way to discover the city.
www.bikenationusa.com

WALKING
Named one of the ‘Most Walkable Cities in America,’ Long Beach is also perfect for putting on your comfortable shoes and saying ‘go!’ With hotels, restaurants, attractions, waterfront and beach all nearby you can stroll through much of downtown and discover the sites.

PASSPORT BUS
The Passport is a free bus that connects you to downtown Long Beach’s finest attractions and destinations.
www.lbtransit.com/services/passport.aspx

CAR
Of course all the majors offer car rentals within the airport.

NEIGHBORHOODS

The city is divided into several distinct neighborhoods, each close to the next, culturally diverse and offering unique experiences.

Located just a mile down Ocean Boulevard is the seaside community of Belmont Shore, which features Second Street, a shopper’s Mecca and premier location for outdoor dining and people watching.

Tucked behind Belmont Shore is one of the city’s most romantic destinations, Naples Island, where Italian-style gondoliers cruise along canals lined with picturesque, million-dollar homes.

Alamitos Bay is just past Belmont Shore, offering waterfront dining and views of rows and rows of sailboats.

Downtown Long Beach is a perfect blend of sophisticated urban center and charming seaside community, and it’s filled with varied entertainment choices.

Just across is quaint Shoreline Village, with restaurants, shops, a marina, bike paths and great views of the Queen Mary.

For more international flavors, visitors can discover the city’s historic Spanish roots in Bixby Knolls or experience Cambodia Town, the prevalent community along Anaheim Street that has been recognized as one of the largest Cambodian communities in the world

WHAT TO DO
From award-winning drama and opera to historic museums, visitors will enjoy an exciting range of artistic expressions that comprise the city’s rich heritage.

Museum Of Latin American Art (MOLAA)

MOLAA expands knowledge and appreciation of modern and contemporary Latin American art through its collections, exhibits, educational Programs, and cultural events. This is the only museum in the country to focus exclusively on the contemporary art of Mexico, Central and South America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean.

628 Alamitos Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802
Phone 562.437.1689
Fax 562.216.4190
http://www.molaa.com/

The Long Beach Museum of Art includes the historic Elizabeth Milbank Anderson house and carriage house, oceanfront gardens and a pavilion with two floors of expansive gallery space for changing exhibitions.

2300 E Ocean Blvd  Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 439-2119
www.lbma.org/

Long Beach Convention Center
This is the cornerstone of Long Beach’s tourism industry. The complex has 224,000 square-foot exhibit hall, 83,000 square feet of meeting room space, a ballroom that comfortably seats 1,600; and also includes a 13,600-seat arena and the elegant Long Beach Performing Arts Center.
With a 35 million dollar investment the complex has undergone recent renovations including wiring for high speed technology conferences, pod groupings, LED lighting, enhanced lobbies, meeting rooms, new furniture, carpets, plants, artwork, and for your convenience, free Wi Fi.

300 E Ocean Blvd
Long Beach, CA
(562) 436-3636
www.longbeachcc.com

The Queen Mary

First launched in 1936, the Queen Mary set a benchmark for transatlantic travel at the time. Now this grand ship is a floating hotel and one of the most visited attractions in Long Beach.

1126 Queens Hwy  Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 435-3511
www.queenmary.com

Aquarium of the Pacific

The Aquarium of the Pacific is a highlight to any Long Beach trip. It sees 1.5 million visitors a year and thanks to Marilyn Padilla, the charming Director of Public Relations, has developed several programs specifically designed for a Latino audience.

Spend the day or a few hours and enjoy a collection of more than 11,000 animals representing over 500 different species in exhibits ranging in size and capacity from about 5,000 to 350,000 gallons.

The Shark Lagoon allows you to get up close and personal with sharks, whether it’s seeing them in the 10,000-square-foot exhibit area that houses over 150 sharks and rays or petting them in the three touch pools.

But it’s not all about sea creatures, the Lorikeet Forest walk-through aviary covers 3,200 square feet and houses five subspecies of Rainbow Lorikeet as well as the Violet-necked Lory. Feed them and make new friends.

The June Keyes Penguin Habitat is a permanent exhibit and home to the first penguins in the Aquarium’s collection. It includes an underwater crawl-in space that allows you to view the penguins from within the tank.

100 Aquarium Way  Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 590-3100
www.aquariumofpacific.org

WHERE TO DINE

Ocean Boulevard

The LED light installations on Ocean Boulevard make for a vibrant nightlife scene. The street is teeming with restaurants. Here you have a world of gastronomy offering all kinds of cuisine. As the night goes on you have your selection of bars, nightclubs, comedy clubs, Latin clubs, cigar lounges and live music venues… all near the Convention Center and major hotels.

Here are some of our favorite restaurants:

Beachwood BBQ
For traditional Barbecue Beachwood BBQ is a great option. All meats are slow smoked and dry rubbed, seasoned to allow the true meat flavor to stand on its own. They even brew their own beer on the premises!

210 E 3rd St.
Long Beach, CA 90802
562-436-4020
www.beachwoodbbq.com

L’Opera Ristorante
Elegant and exquisite is how to describe Terry Antonelli’s and Enzo DeMuro’s popular eatery. The menu is a fusion of classic and modern Italian cuisine offering homemade pastas, freshly sourced product and memorable desserts.

101 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 491-0066
lopera.com

Parker’s Lighthouse

Parkers’ Lighthouse rises three levels above the Long Beach Harbor and boasts a beautiful view from every table. The restaurant’s extensive menu features innovative Southern California seafood dishes, as well as creative sushi and sashimi and brand new, two-story wine cellar. Parkers’ Lighthouse is also home to the Queensview Steakhouse,an upscale supper club offers live music and an exquisite menu of prime steaks, chops, lobster, and fresh grilled fish.

435 Shoreline Village Drive
Long Beach, CA, 90802
(562) 432-6500 fax (562) 436-3551
www.parkerslighthouse.com

Michael’s Pizzeria

Michael Dene’s latest creation offers some of the best pizza around. Best of all mostly everything is made daily in-house from scratch; sausages, sauces, dough, cheeses.as well as growing their own herbs and tomatoes.

210 East 3rd Street Suite C, Long Beach, CA 90802
562.491.2100
www.michaelspizzeria.com/

WHERE TO STAY
Spectacular views are offered from many of Long Beach’s best hotels. And with more than 5,000 rooms to choose from throughout the city, there are plenty of options. Accommodations include high end properties to cozy bed and breakfast inns to beachside surf motels. Rates are among the most reasonable in Southern California.

Hyatt Regency Long Beach

After its recent 30 million dollar renovation the Hyatt has upped the luxury ante. You can explore the waterfront, walk to the Convention Center or swing by the Aquarium of the Pacific, all steps away.  With a perfect combination of style, sophistication and comfort, you can count on a relaxing and productive stay at this luxury downtown hotel – the only 4 Diamond Award-winning hotel in the area.
200 South Pine Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562)491-1234
longbeach.hyatt.com/‎

Hotel Maya

For a fusion of Latin American and Southern Californian style choose Hotel Maya. This stylish waterfront resort is situated across the harbor from Downtown Long Beach. Set amidts a lush tropical landscape. Fuego, the in-house restaurant is definitely worth a visit.

700 Queensway Dr  Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 435-7676
www.hotelmayalongbeach.com

The Westin recently underwent a 12 million dollar renovation and is centrally located.

333 E Ocean Blvd  Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 436-3000
www.westinlongbeachhotel.com

The  Long Beach Marriott had a 10 million dollar renovation which included revitalizing the meeting rooms, Grand Ballroom, pre-function areas, fitness center, adding 1,700 sq. ft. outdoor courtyard meeting/event space.

4700 Airport Plaza Dr  Long Beach, CA 90815
(562) 425-5210
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lgblb-long-beach-marriott/

SHOPPING

In Long Beach, you will find a wealth of shopping experiences, from one-of-a-kind boutiques to popular Southern California shops.

On Broadway in the East Village, visitors will discover antique shops, art galleries and rare books. Mid-town’s “Funky”Fourth Street, between Cherry and Junipero, has been dubbed the Retro Wear Capital of Southern California—a vintage clothing hound’s dream.

For the mainstream shopper, Long Beach has several retail centers including Los Altos Market Center, Marina Pacifica, Long Beach Marketplace and the Long Beach Towne Center. Downtown’s CityPlace, Pine Avenue and Belmont Shore’s Second Street are also great shopping venues filled with blocks of specialty and retail shops.

Recreational Activities
Visitors can dive right into a variety of waterspouts such as kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, sport fishing, scuba diving and jet skiing. Everything from rollerblades to wetsuits, paddle boards to windsurfing equipment, can be rented at various places along the beach. Day and night harbor cruises are also available, offering beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.

Each year, from late December to mid-April, visitors can witness the awe-inspiring migration of more than 15,000 Pacific grey whales passing through Long Beach on their way to their breeding and berthing grounds in Mexico.

Events

Long Beach Toyota Grand Prix

One of the most exciting – and largest – events in Long Beach is the annual Long Beach Toyota Grand Prix. Immensely popular across the nation, the Grand Prix attracts more than 200,000 visitors to the city each year. This is an open-wheel race and the longest running major “street” race held on the North American continent. The series merged with the Indy Racing League and is now an event on the Izod IndyCar Series calendar.
http://www.gplb.com/

Photos courtesy of Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Destinations Magazine and Francisco Romeo exclusively for HOMBRE Magazine

Featured Model: HOMBRE TV’s Ashley Van Hoey

Visitor Information
http://www.visitlongbeach.com/