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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Long Beach
Give Long Beach 2 nights if you want the aquarium and Queen Mary; 1 night works as a port or cruise stop. Skip it as an LA base unless you have a car.
Long Beach is a port and coastal city at the southeast edge of Los Angeles County, about 35 km from LAX and 37 km from John Wayne Airport. It has a world-class aquarium, the Queen Mary, a cruise terminal and a walkable downtown waterfront. It is not a substitute for Los Angeles sightseeing: the two are separate trips, and a car makes the difference.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (inland heat, coastal fog), Grand Prix weekend in April
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $90–140 excl. bed · Mid $150–240 excl. bed · High $260+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $4–6 |
| Casual lunch | $12–20 |
| Dinner, mid-range | $25–45 |
| Beer, draught | $7–10 |
| 5 km taxi or rideshare3.1 mi taxi or rideshare | $15–25 |
| Metro A Line ride | $1.75 (check) |
| Aquarium or Queen Mary entry | $40–50 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LGB · Long Beach Airport
- In the city, about 40 daily flights, mostly Southwest; Route 111 bus to downtown runs hourly
- LAX · Los Angeles International
- About 35 km; Metro A Line plus transfer, or taxi/rideshareAbout 22 mi; Metro A Line plus transfer, or taxi/rideshare
- SNA · John Wayne, Santa Ana
- About 37 km; car or shuttle is easier than busesAbout 23 mi; car or shuttle is easier than buses
Typical fares
- LGB → downtown, Route 111 bus
- about $1.25, hourly (check)
- LGB → downtown hotel, taxi
- $30–40 one-way (check)
- Metro A Line, downtown Long Beach → LA Union Station
- $1.75, about 1 h (check)
Get around
A car is the most convenient way to reach the beaches, Belmont Shore and the neighborhoods north of the 405. Downtown and the waterfront are walkable, and the free Passport bus links the Queen Mary, Aquarium, Pine Avenue, Shoreline Village and downtown hotels. Metro's A Line runs from downtown Long Beach to downtown Los Angeles.
See and do
Known for
- Aquarium of the Pacific
- Queen Mary
- Long Beach Grand Prix
- Cambodia Town
- Naples canals
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Catalina Island | Ferry from Long Beach | About 1–1.5 h crossing |
| Los Angeles | Metro A Line from downtown Long Beach to Union Station | About 1 h |
| Disneyland, Anaheim | OCTA Route 50 bus along Katella Avenue, or car | About 1–1.5 h |
| Santa Ana / Orange County | Car via the 405, or OCTA Route 1 along PCH | About 45 min by car |
Sleep
- Downtown Long Beach
- Convention center, Pine Avenue, Pike and City Place; walkable to the aquarium and waterfront.
- Shoreline Village / Rainbow Harbor
- Closest to the Aquarium of the Pacific and the lighthouses; pay parking.
- Belmont Shore
- Beachside east of Redondo, 2nd Street bars and restaurants; a car or bus ride from downtown.
- Bixby Knolls / California Heights
- Quieter residential north of the 405, near the airport; good for longer stays with a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Excuse me / Sorryexcuse me |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much is it? | How much is it?how much is it |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card?can I pay by card |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet?where is the toilet |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Downtown and shoreline parking is mostly paid; most other areas have free parking.
- The A Line passes through Compton and Watts and has no guards on every train; avoid it late at night.
- Belmont Shore's 2nd Street has had a crime wave in the early 2020s; watch your bag at night.
- The 710 freeway is a heavy freight corridor and can fog over; allow extra time.
- The Los Alamitos Traffic Circle is a complicated roundabout where PCH and Lakewood Blvd meet.
Long Beach is a large city with everything from industrial areas to quiet suburbs; downtown and the waterfront are fine by day, and Belmont Shore's 2nd Street has had a crime wave in the early 2020s. Avoid the A Line late at night and keep to lit streets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Long Beach yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Aquarium of the Pacific
- Queen Mary
- Long Beach Grand Prix
- Cambodia Town
- Naples canals
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Long Beach: www.longbeach.gov/
- Visit Long Beach: www.visitlongbeach.com/
- Long Beach Transit: ridelbt.com/
- Wikivoyage: Long Beach, revision 5282860 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5282860
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Long Beach
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Most countries have consulates in Los Angeles; check the address before you go.
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/long-beach). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.