Best Thing To Do In Long Beach

Long Beach is not a normal beach town.

It’s a port city. A food city. A place where a haunted ocean liner sits next to a shark aquarium.

So what’s the best thing to do here?

Rent a bike. Ride the Shoreline Pedestrian Bikeway. Then eat until you need a nap.

Why Bikes Win

Walking is lovely. Driving is fine. But bikes are the sweet spot.

You cover more ground. You feel the salt breeze. You can stop for tacos without hunting for parking.

Also, ringing a bike bell at seagulls is weirdly satisfying.

The Path: Flat, Easy, and Full of Weird Stuff

Start at Shoreline Village. It’s a cluster of shops, snacks, and tourists taking selfies.

Look across the water. There’s the Queen Mary.

She’s a retired ocean liner. She’s a hotel. She’s supposedly very haunted.

Fun fact: the Queen Mary is longer than the Titanic.

Pedal south along the sand. The path is flat. The views are not.

You’ll pass palm trees, volleyball courts, and skateboarders who make you feel old.

Rosie’s Dog Beach: Chaotic Good

Keep an eye out for Rosie’s Dog Beach. It’s an off-leash paradise.

Dogs sprint. Dogs dig. Dogs steal tennis balls from each other.

It’s impossible to watch without grinning. Even cat people crack.

Belmont Shore and Naples: Fancy-ish

Roll into Belmont Shore. It has boutiques, coffee shops, and brunch lines that defy logic.

Then head to Naples. Yes, there are canals.

You can ride along them. You’ll see kayaks, paddleboards, and maybe a gondola.

A gondola in Long Beach. It’s silly. It’s also delightful.

In December, the canals light up with holiday decorations. It’s a fever dream in tinsel.

Look Offshore: Fake Islands?

Glance at the water. See those islands with palm trees?

They’re oil islands. THUMS islands, to be exact.

They’re disguised to look pretty. Only in Long Beach.

The Main Event: Cambodia Town

Long Beach has one of the largest Cambodian communities outside Cambodia.

Top Things to Do in Long Beach California - Yoho Mobile

That means incredible food. No skimping. No shortcuts.

Head to Anaheim Street. It’s not flashy. It’s just honest and flavorful.

Get beef skewers. Get nom banh chok. Get a noodle bowl that makes you forget your own name.

Wash it down with a Thai tea or a coconut drink.

Then maybe nap on the beach. You earned it.

Sweet Finish: Long Beach Creamery

If you still have room, hit Long Beach Creamery.

Try honey lavender. Try churro. Try both.

You rode a bike. Calories don’t count. That’s science.

Too Lazy to Pedal? Take the Water Taxi

The AquaLink is a boat that acts like a bus.

It hops between Shoreline Village, Belmont Pier, Alamitos Bay, and more.

For a few bucks, you get a breeze and a new angle on the city.

It’s a bus. But wet. And way more fun.

Other Weird Long Beach Things to Brag About

The Aquarium of the Pacific has sharks, penguins, and sea otters.

It’s a great backup if the marine layer decides to drizzle on your parade.

The Grand Prix of Long Beach turns downtown streets into a race track.

Vroom. Do not bike on the course. You will lose.

The Long Beach Airport has a retro terminal that looks like old Hollywood.

It’s tiny. It’s cute. It makes LAX feel like a shopping mall with anxiety.

Quick Tips Before You Ride

Bring sunscreen. The marine layer lies. It burns through.

Lock your bike. Even in paradise, people need bikes.

Rent from a shop near Shoreline Village if you don’t own one.

Go on a weekday morning for fewer crowds. Or go at sunset for maximum drama.

34 Things to do in Long Beach, California | Ultimate Bucket List

If you hate bikes, walk. If you hate walking, take the AquaLink.

A Loose Plan

10 a.m. Coffee at Shoreline Village.

10:30 a.m. Bike the path. Stop for every dog.

11:30 a.m. Rosie’s Dog Beach. Try not to adopt a dog.

12:30 p.m. Naples canals. Pretend you’re in Italy.

1:30 p.m. Cambodia Town. Order too much food.

3 p.m. Long Beach Creamery. Regret nothing.

4 p.m. Nap on the beach. Wake up salty.

One More Weird Detour: The Pike

The Pike used to be a giant amusement park. Roller coasters. Arcades. Chaos.

Now it’s an outlet mall and cinema. The name is a ghost.

The Spruce Goose Slept Here

Howard Hughes’s gigantic wooden plane, the Spruce Goose, was once displayed next to the Queen Mary.

It flew exactly once. For about a minute.

Now it lives in Oregon. Long Beach still claims the bragging rights.

Art by the Ocean

The Museum of Latin American Art sits in the East Village.

It’s the only U.S. museum focused on modern and contemporary Latin American art.

Why This Is the Best Thing in Long Beach

It mixes ocean air, quirky history, dog chaos, and world-class food.

You can do it cheap. You can do it fancy. You can do it solo or with a crew.

You end the day salty, full, and slightly sunburned. That’s a win.

Long Beach isn’t trying to be Santa Monica. It’s not trying to be Venice.

It’s its own strange, wonderful thing.

And the best way to meet it is on two wheels.

So grab a bike. Ring the bell. Point at the Queen Mary. Eat the noodles.

That’s the best thing to do in Long Beach. Probably. Definitely.