Activities for the Family in Long Beach, California
Rainbow Harbor
419 Shoreline Village Drive at Pine Avenue Long Beach, California 800-432-2201 Climb on board the tallship Californian, a full-scale re-creation of the 1848 Revenue Marine Cutter, C.W. Lawrence, one of fastest and grandest cutters on the California coast. Kids jump right into the adventure of clambering around the riggings and exploring below decks. If you really love tall ships, there are day cruises available.Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way Long Beach, California 562-590-3100 Open daily 9:00am - 6:00pm Admission Charged Over 5,500 species, from moon jellies to sharks, in 17 exhibits from the Bering Sea to Southern California to tropical barrier reef environments. The huge, three-story-high tanks are the most popular exhibits, but don't miss the Soft Coral Lagoon's Plexiglass underpass: peer up at tropical fish weaving through the coral and watch divers feeding the fish. Ready for a rest? Have a seat in the theatre, and watch a documentary on sea life.Mothers Beach
At Marina Park (Appian Way) If you have toddlers, head for "Mother's Beach". Lifeguards on duty in summer, sandy beach and gentle waves, barbecue grills, grassy areas, and a whale to climb on that spouts water.El Dorado Regional Park and Nature Center
7500 East Spring Street Long Beach, California 310-570-1771 Open Daily from 7am - dusk Admission Charged There are 3 fishing lakes with pedal boats, and ducks that love to be fed. There is an archery range, (you must bring your own equipment) a model glider field, a Frisbee golf course (byo), playgrounds, and bike trails. Steam train rides too.El Dorado Nature Center
Near the El Dorado Regional Park 7500 East Spring Street Long Beach, California 310-570-1771 Open Daily from 7am - dusk Admission Charged The Center has streams and lakes and hiking trails, making it a great place to stretch your legs. The Center is set in a meadow surrounded by trees and is home to everything from turtles to weasels to rabbits. Bicycling and walking are free, but there is a small parking fee. At the Center Museum, children will love the hands-on exhibits and workshops.Rancho Los Alamitos
6400 Bixby Hill Road Long Beach, California 90815 562-431-3541 Open Wednesday through Sunday with tours every half hour Admission Charged The 7-1/2-acre ranch has an adobe house built in 1800 and barns with draft horses, goats, sheep, and other farm animals. It is set in four acres of gardens, and has a working blacksmith shop. This is a great way to spend a couple hours watching farming demonstrations (you'll have the opportunity to take part in some yourselves!) pecial events are held all year long. Call for details.Rancho Los Cerritos
4600 Virginia Road Long Beach, California 90805 562-570-1755 Call for additional information Admission Free Originally a Spanish land grant of 27,000 acres; the ranch has shrunk to 4.7 acres. It contains an 1844 Monterey-Colonial adobe house and historic gardens. Have fun taking "Tea with Margaret Bixby." You'll enjoy a Victorian tea and find out about 19th century ranch life from "Margaret Bixby" in a living history presentation.Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
6300 State University Drive Long Beach, California 90815 562-985-5930 Hours: Tuesday - Friday: 8:00 a.m.- 3:30 p.m., Sunday: 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. Holiday and Seasonal Closures: Winter: Mid December to the end of January; Spring Break: The week before Easter Summer Holidays: The Fourth of July; Fall: Thanksgiving Day through the following Sunday On the Cal State University Long Beach campus, you'll find quiet beauty in this large Japanese Garden. Enter through a tiled roof gate modeled after one in Kyoto, Japan and emerge in another world. Explore a three-tiered Buddhist pagoda, wander the path in the White Birch Woods, and don't miss the ceremonial teahouse where you pass through the sliding shoji doors to more wonders. There's also a wonderful koi pond, bonsai gardens, waterfalls, and a "zigzag bridge" built to ward off evil spirits (which, legend holds, can only travelin straight lines).Queen Mary Seaport
At the end of I-710 Long Beach, CA 562-435-3511 Call for additional information Admission Charged One of the main attractions in Long Beach is this huge ocean liner with its opulent public rooms and staterooms. This ship is one of the glories of the 1930s deco design period with gorgeous woods everywhere (even the decks are made of teakwood). Some believe that the ship is haunted!