Long Beach Tourist Attractions
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Los Angeles CountyLocation and originBordering on Los Angeles to the south, Long Beach extends along San Pedro Bay. The town was founded in 1881 under the name of Willmore City by the Englishman W. E. Willmore as a summer resort for the inhabitants of Los Angeles.
Queen Mary
The Queen Mary was an ocean liner used as a troop ship during the Second World War. It is 1,019.5 feet long and weighs in at 81,237 tons.There is a special exhibit of Titanic memorabilia called "Titanic: The Expedition."The ship can be visited daily. A double-decker bus leaves Downtown Long Beach every half-hour for Pier J where the liner is moored.
Scorpion Submarine
The "Scorpion" is a Russian Foxtrot submarine from the Cold War era. Visitors may tour the submarine and should be aware of steep ladders, small hatches (doorways) between compartments, narrow corridors, raised thresholds, and lowered ceilings.
Sir Winston's Restaurant
Sir Winston's Restaurant is located on the Queen Mary in Long Beach.
Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific
The Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific has more than 11,000 exhibits covering 500 species of sea creatures.On the main floor is the Great Hall, an underwater viewing tank and the Pacific Collections gift shop. On the second floor visitors will find the Southern California and Baja Gallery with seals and sea lions as well as rays and skates. The Northern Pacific Gallery has sea otters and diving birds. In the Tropical Pacific Gallery are coral displays sea dragons, and black tip reed sharks. On the outside, there is the Shark Lagoon and the aviary, Lorikeet Forest.
Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch and Gardens
A site of interest in Long Beach is the Rancho Los Alamitos, dating from the year 1806 (6400 Bixby Hill Road), one of the oldest adobe-built houses in California. The furniture, however, is from a later date.The 7.5 acres is comprised of six agricultural buildings (including a working blacksmith shop), four acres of award-winning gardens, and a adobe ranch house (built c.1800). The barn area is home to a number of farm animals such as draft horses, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens.
University Art Museum
The University Art Museum in Long Beach is devoted to contemporary art exclusively. The collection includes the Hampton Collection of American paintings, sculpture located throughout the campus as well as photographs and prints by such artists as John Baldessari, Jim Dine, James Rosenquist, Robert Rauschenberg, Lorna Simpson, Julius Shulman, and Candida Höfer.
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is located on the campus of California State University. The garden was built through the generosity of Mrs. Loraine Miller Collins in memory of her late husband, Earl Burns Miller, for whom the 1.3 acre garden is named.
Long Beach Museum of Art
By the Pacific Ocean can be found the Long Beach Museum of Art with an impressive collection.The museum is located in a mansion built in 1912. It contains exhibits of contemporary art including videos and photos.
Museum of Latin American Art
The Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach is one of two museums in the United States that focuses on contemporary Latin American art.Located in a 20,000 square foot building which was formerly the Hippodrome skating rink the museum opened in 1996 with a collection of Latin art and a library.
Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site
The Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site in Long Beach is a two-story adobe built in 1844 that is furnished to reflect life in the 1860s-1880s. The history of Spanish, Mexican and American California through historic gardens, a research library and archives.
Skinny House
The nation's skinniest house, according to Guinness World of Records is located on Gladys Avenue in Long Beach.The house can be found on a lot measuring 10 feet by 50 feet and was built by Nelson Rummond who bet that he could build a habitable residence on the lot.
El Dorado Nature Center
The El Dorado Nature Center is an 85 acre wildlife sanctuary in Long Beach. The center has native plant areas, nature trails, and a museum containing ecology displays, hands-on exhibits for children, photographs and artwork.
Long Beach Arena
Long Beach Arena is a typical sports stadium that seats 13,500. It has a memorable difference, a giant mural depicting a variety of whales in the ocean. The mural covers the entire exterior of the facility.
Spruce Goose (closed)
ATTRACTION IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED.This world's largest flying boat built by Howard Hughes used to be exhibited near the Queen Mary in Long Beach, but has now been moved to Washington State.
Long Beach City Beach
Long Beach City Beach is located just off Ocean Boulevard to the east of Catalina Terminal.
Long Beach Children's Museum (closed)
The Long Beach Children's Museum features hands-on exhibits for the kids.
Map of Long Beach Attractions
Map - Long Beach
