Long Beach, California, a city that speaks to the soul. Located south of Los Angeles, Long Beach is arguably one of the prettiest places in SoCal, offering tons of things to do, beautiful weather year-round, and of course, the friendliest people one could meet. Long Beach has some of the best food, the most fun activities, and well, to put it frankly, the best beaches.
As a top destination for family vacations, Long Beach is the perfect place to bring your kids for some fun in the sun – whether it be in the spring, summer, fall, or even winter! Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite things to do in Long Beach with kids, in the hopes that we can give you some ideas the next time you’re in town!
Excursions & Activities
For a memorable time and an amazing experience, you’ve got to check out these excursions and activities – and yes, your kids are sure to love them!
- Aquarium of the Pacific: As a top tier Long Beach destination for families and kid events, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California offers visitors the chance to see tons of sea creatures, marine mammals, and more! With numerous events and exhibits, Aquarium of the Pacific is a great time for the whole family.
- Long Beach Playhouse: With a slew of productions and performances such as As You Like It and Zoom’s Fairy Tales, the Long Beach Playhouse is a fantastic place to relax, and catch a show.
- Whale Watching Cruises with Harbor Breeze: Not to be too biased, but we’d like to think whale watching is the best Long Beach activity for families and kids alike. Just some of the animals you might see are: blue whales, gray whales, fin whales, humpback whales, killer whales, dolphins, and more!
- El Dorado Park: Looking for a place to relax, maybe ride your bike, or have a picnic? With campgrounds, biking trails, and more, El Dorado is just the place for you!
Museums & More
For some historical fun (and zen relaxation), you’ll want to make sure to visit these popular local spots below.
- The Queen Mary: Although temporarily closed to general admission, The Queen Mary is a great place to dine, stay (it’s a hotel, too!), and learn more about its amazing history.
- Long Beach Museum of Art: Is your kid art-y? Does your family appreciate a nice piece of artwork? Then you’ll be delighted to hear about the Long Beach Museum of Art, a mecca for anything and everything artistic.
- Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden: Take a break, collect yourself, and ponder about your day’s next moves at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden – the perfect place to reflect and gaze at nature’s beauty.
Beaches
You can’t have a list of favorite things to do in Long Beach with kids without including beaches, can you? Although every beach is good in its own way, these are the ones you should consider if you had to narrow down your list to only a few.
- Alamitos Beach: With long stretches of beaches and bike paths, Alamitos Beach is the perfect place to chill with the fam and soak up some rays. Located on the western portion of Long Beach City Beach.
- Granada Beach & Rosie’s Dog Beach: With numerous volleyball courts and an area for dogs to run around and play, both Granada Beach and Rosie’s Dog Beach (located inside/adjacent to Granada Beach) are fantastic places to play in the sand, with or without your furry best friend.
Dining
With all this adventuring, you’ll probably want to grab a bite to eat. And here’s the good news: Long Beach has a ton of great restaurants! However, visiting every one of them during your stay is going to be quite the challenge – so to save you some time, we’ve laid out some of our very favorites!
- Nick’s’ on 2nd: As a favorite for both locals and tourists alike, Nick’s on 2nd brings American comfort food to the next level, offering unique flavors and consistent quality.
- Open Sesame: Delicious, savory, and decadent – all words to describe Open Sesame. Located on 2nd Street, Open Sesame provides iconic Mediterranean meals and flavors, making you want to come back again and again.
- The Attic: Just because you’re on the west coast doesn’t mean you have to eat west coast-styled food. At The Attic, dive into creative southern eating, featuring yummy breakfasts, lunches, and suppers!
- Sweet Jill’s Bakery: Top off your meal with a nice dessert from Sweet Jill’s Bakery. They offer some of the best cakes, muffins, cookies, and pastries around!
Book a Whale Watching Cruise Today
The problem isn’t finding things to do in Long Beach, it’s narrowing them down – for there are only so many things you can do in a day! And if you had to only choose one, well, you should choose Harbor Breeze, of course! As a top Long Beach family activity/kid event, our whale watching cruises in Long Beach take families out to sea on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, searching for the ocean’s most beautiful creatures – whales, dolphins, and sea lions included! For more information regarding times, prices, and more, please visit us online. We can’t wait to see you on board – book a cruise today!
