Long Beach Story Ideas

MEDIA CONTACT: communications@longbeachcvb.org

TOP LONG BEACH STORY IDEAS

LONG BEACH: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 BLOCKS
Who needs to hop aboard a plane when the International City beckons? Long Beach offers several worldly experiences ranging from romantic rides in sleek Italian gondolas followed by dinner at one of our fine Italian restaurants, Michael’s on Naples and L’Opera Ristorante, to tasting tapas, sipping Sangria and watching live Flamenco dancers at our famed Spanish eateries Café Sevilla or Alegria Cocina Latina. These are just a few of your choices for world-class cuisine in Long Beach. Experience transatlantic history aboard the majestic Queen Mary or observe wildlife from throughout the Pacific Rim at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

LONG BEACH HAS ‘SOLE;’ A PEDESTRIAN PARADISE
There’s plenty to discover with so much to do and see for a walkable waterfront getaway. Named one of the “Most Walkable” Cities in America by Walkscore.com, Long Beach boasts more than 120 quality restaurants within an eight-block area in our downtown waterfront, several top hotel brands, along with dynamic shopping and entertainment options along the shoreline. Stroll the 5 ½ mile beach path that boasts stunning views of the Pacific coastline. For those looking to shop, The Pike Outlets feature name brand merchandise at great prices, or take a stroll down 4th Street’s Funky Retro Row or Belmont Shore’s 2nd Street, two popular districts offering a myriad of boutique shops and eclectic restaurants.

SUMMER FUN ALL WINTER LONG
Averaging 345 days of sunshine per year Long Beach, with its comfortable Mediterranean climate, is ideal for a winter escape to defrost and decompress. Offering big city amenities alongside the visitor friendly charm of a small town, visitors will find first-class accommodations, shopping, dining, attractions and seaside sightseeing along 11 ½ miles of picturesque beaches, bays and inland waterways. Also offered is a smorgasbord of water sports and action including kayaking, water skiing, motor boating, paddle boarding, kite surfing and personal water crafts. Whale-watching excursions are popular and harbor cruises tour the historic waterfront under sunny skies all year long. (more) Long Beach Top Story Ideas Page 2 of 4

LONG BEACH: A DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC CITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS
Long Beach, a city rich in history and diversity, is not only the well-known residence of The Queen Mary and the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. Here you will find an eclectic and dynamic mix of neighborhoods, each with a story to tell. Fourth Street (Retro Row) offers a vibrant collection of vintage shops, restaurants and coffee houses. Belmont Shore, the quintessential Southern California beach community, is just steps from the ocean and features charming shops, eateries and is pet-friendly. Bixby Knolls is a community where the charm of the past is alive with a vision for the future. Home to one of the largest Cambodian communities in the world, Long Beach’s Cambodia Town has authentic restaurants, galleries, and jewelry stores. Downtown Long Beach is an exciting waterfront urban destination, a haven for art, dining, retail, and entertainment.

LONG BEACH IS ‘SPOKED’ TO BECOME BIKE FRIENDLY
Home to a 5 ½ mile beachfront bike path, 45 miles of new bike routes and a progressive community bicycle campaign, Long Beach is listed as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the U.S. An expanding Bike Share program is available to residents and visitors. With a simple swipe of a credit card, visitors can rent bikes at a nominal fee and explore throughout the city. Additionally, the bikes can be returned to any bike station throughout the city.

LONG BEACH: “THE URBAN WATERFRONT PLAYGROUND”
Centrally located between Los Angeles and Orange County, Long Beach boasts the ambiance of a sophisticated urban center and the charm of an ocean side community. Long Beach’s downtown waterfront sets a new standard for “walk-ability,” with first-class accommodations, shopping, dining, and seaside sightseeing, just steps from each other. Located 40 minutes from Universal Studios and 30 minutes from Disneyland, Long Beach’s attractions include: The Queen Mary, featuring a hotel, exceptional restaurants and historical tours, Aquarium of the Pacific, a world-class facility home to more than11,000 inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean, several museums including the Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA) and Second Street in nearby Belmont Shore, the quintessential beachfront community. With 345 days of sunshine, the Mediterranean climate makes Long Beach the ultimate year-round playground.

EASY AIR ACCESS AT LONG BEACH AIRPORT
Long Beach Airport serves nearly three million commercial airline passengers annually, offering direct flights throughout the United States with easy domestic and International connections, with service by Alaska Airlines, Jet Blue, Delta, Allegiant and Frontier. Located in the center of Southern California with quick access to nearby freeways, the airport’s “Easy In, Easy Out” convenience has become popular with frequent flyers. Additionally, Long Beach Airport is undergoing a $136 million renovation and modernization project to be complete in 2013.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, LONG BEACH!
With its sparkling waterfront, diverse architecture and film-friendly weather, Long Beach has been a popular location for filming television and movies, including recent features: Iron Man, Knight and Day, Transformers 2 and 3, and Star Trek.

Located less than 30 miles from Hollywood production studios, Long Beach has been and still is the backdrop for many TV shows, including Miami for Dexter and CSI Miami. NCIS: Los Angeles, True Blood and Criminal Minds also filmed in the city. It’s not uncommon to see camera crews in Belmont Shore, Alamitos Bay Marina and on Shoreline Drive for coastal stand-in locations and downtown Long Beach’s East Village Arts District or Third, Cedar and Pine Avenues for urban settings.

SUSTAINABLE LONG BEACH
Don’t be fooled by our blue skies – Long Beach is a green city! Home to the LEED-certified Aquarium of the Pacific, regal Queen Mary and solar-paneled Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA), several green certified hotels, sustainable seafood serving restaurants and much more -- Long Beach is definitely a green city by the sea.

LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
A quick glance at a map of the region will show that Long Beach is truly the center of Southern California, located conveniently between the urban bustle of Los Angeles and the suburban expanses of Orange County. Universal Studios and Hollywood are just 30 minutes to the north and Disneyland and the beaches of Orange County are 30 minutes to the southeast.

THE QUEEN MARY
Arriving in Long Beach in 1967 after a distinguished 30-year career as a Trans-Atlantic liner and a Wold War II troopship, the Queen Mary has become a centerpiece of our downtown waterfront. As the fastest and most elegant ship afloat during the heydays of trans-Atlantic travel, the Queen carried the rich and famous as well as thousands of tourists and immigrants. Today, the Queen can still transport her passengers to a bygone era via history and imagination. Visitors to the Queen Mary can stay on board in one of 360 converted 1st class staterooms, dine in the ship’s restaurants and shop on the Promenade Deck. Guided and walking tours bring back the grand history of this famous ship. The Ghosts & Legends show and tour conjures up some of the ship’s ghostly passengers.

AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC
The Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific is also a world-class educational and research facility. The Aquarium staff received global attention when they became the first to breed weedy sea dragons (a cousin of the seahorse) in captivity. Exhibit areas are divided by Pacific Ocean regions and feature fish, birds, and mammals from each region. At Shark Lagoon visitors can actually touch several varieties of sharks and rays. In the Lorikeet Forest, these colorful little parrots from down under can be fed by hand. (more)

YEAR-ROUND WHALE WATCHING IN LONG BEACH
Join in the fun and excitement of viewing some of the earth’s most incredible sea mammals, year round off the coast of Long Beach. From June through October, visitors can expect to see and learn about Blue Whales, the largest animals to have ever lived on this planet. From December through mid-May the California Gray Whales pass close by Long Beach on their annual migration from the Bering Sea in Alaska to Baja California, Mexico.

THE CALIFORNIA DREAM IS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
From sandy beaches to eclectic neighborhoods, Long Beach offers the great adventures of a big city with the laid-back atmosphere of a resort town. You can be as active as you wish or just sit back and bask in the sunshine. Long Beach gets 345 days of sunshine each year. Seldom is an outdoor activity ruined by weather. Stroll, rollerblade or pedal down our bike path winding along more than five miles of beachfront.

ARTS & CULTURE
Long beach boasts five distinctive museums, The Long Beach Museum of Art, perched atop the bluffs with spectacular Pacific Ocean views, the Museum of Latin American Art, the only museum of its kind in the country, the Pacific Islands Ethnic Art Museum, the University Art Museum on the campus of Cal State Long Beach, and the Long Beach Historical Society Museum. Long Beach aso has two historic Spanish-era Ranchos, complete with adobe ranch houses and formal gardens. Rich in history and diversity, our city offers unique neighborhoods to explore, from the whimsical East Village Arts District, to effervescent Belmont Shore, the ultimate beach community. Long Beach is proud to have its own symphony orchestra, municipal band, opera, ballet and numerous theatrical, dance and performing arts troupes.

LONG BEACH IS “PAWS-A-TIVELY” PET FRIENDLY!
Is Long Beach a pooch’s paradise? No bones about it! Recognized four years in a row by Dog Fancy Magazine as one of the most dog-friendly cities in America, Long Beach is full of treasures that Fido and family alike can enjoy, ranging from pet friendly hotels, shopping, dining to dog parks and the only off leash dog beach in Los Angeles County!

BRING THE FAMILY OR JUST THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE
Long Beach is perfect for visiting families or for an intimate romantic interlude. Enjoy dinner on Pine Avenue or take an evening stroll under the twinkling lights of Rainbow Harbor and Shoreline Village. Window shop along picturesque Second Street in Belmont Shore or take a romantic cruise for two in an authentic Venetian gondola through the canals of Long Beach’s Naples Island.

(7/16)