California’s Summer Surprise: Waterfront Delights & Less Crowds In This Revamped City

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With LA tourism numbers dropping like flies and much of the Golden State ready to dent your wallet, it should be no surprise that one often overlooked city is surging due to affordability, less crowded beaches, and a recent glow-up drawing in more visitors like moths to a flame.

Sandwiched between LA and Orange County lies Long Beach, a city we may all know the name of but may not know much about.

That's partly due to the fact that Long Beach was formerly known as ‘Iowa by the Sea'. Des Moines probably isn't high on your wishlist, huh?

Well, after a much-needed revamp, it's being reported that Long Beach is thriving and more welcoming than ever!

Putting the boring vibes to bed, Long Beach is a decent-sized city of 450,000 with a small-town feel and prettier beaches than given credit for, and some delightful attractions waiting to impress this summer.

20 Miles From LA: Welcome To California's Easiest Day Trip

Long Beach has its own airport, but it's almost as if you'd never know it, hiding in LA's vast shadow.

Located just 20 minutes from downtown LA (well, if you can beat the unbearable traffic), Long Beach is perhaps California's most leisurely day trip and well worth risking 405 gridlock.

Even if you opt to head back to Los Angeles, Orange County, or wherever you're coming from, you won't leave disappointed from the sounds of all the latest upgrades, as well as classic attractions that have anchored Long Beach for years.

No, there's no Hollywood sign for selfies or Rodeo Drive, but there are plenty of things to see, do, and eat while you're visiting this under-hyped city.

You'd be surprised by not only the number of attractions here, but how cool they are. Take the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), for example, which showcases over 1,000 works of art from Latin American artists.

A few weeks away (July 26) is Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival, one of the city's most fun and cultural festivals — the perfect excuse for a drive down from numerous surrounding cities to take part in this Chinese-rooted tradition of racing dragon boats.

Arguably Long Beach's most popular attraction though is the Aquarium of the Pacific ($45 admission), a nonprofit haven for aquatic life and Southern California's largest aquarium.

Long Beach's Glow-Up: New Hotels & A Buzzing Food Scene

If the aquarium isn't Long Beach's most acclaimed locale, it's gotta be the Queen Mary. This historic British ship-turned-hotel sees over 450,000 visitors per year and no telling how many selfie-takers, especially after an extensive overhaul, including room upgrades taking place in 2023.

Cheerio then!

There are some other notable revamps too:

• City Center Hotel
• Breakers Hotel (Now rebranded as Fairmont)

The food scene is buzzing too. Wanna know a place that will blow your mind?

I've been to Long Beach one time and had to visit King's Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant (yes, that King's Hawaiian) in nearby Torrance.

But that was then and this is now — Long Beach has changed since I last visited. There's a completely different vibe than the Iowa-esque snoozefest, lackluster restaurants I experienced (besides King's Hawaiian, of course)

According to local experts at Longbeachize, these are the 3 most exciting new restaurants opening up shop this year:

• Due Fiori
• Midnight Oil
• NYC Chop Cheese

Does Long Beach Live Up To The Name?

Truth be told, Long Beach does boast scenic shores, but it's not quite Laguna Beach, La Jolla, or Malibu level (well, maybe now….).

What people really enjoy about Long Beach is enjoying time outdoors. There are lush green parks, such as Shoreline Aquatic Park, offering grand views of the Pacific, and there are bike paths lining the coast, perfect for a morning or midday ride before taking in the sunset.

Though, if you are making a day trip or weekend getaway, feel free to bring Fido along to toss a frisbee at Rosie's Dog Beach or if you have the kiddos with you, Mother's Beach is known for calm waters and as clean of a public beach bathroom that there can be, according to TripAdvisor reviews.