Attraction of the Week: Long Beach’s Shoreline Village & Rainbow Harbor
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Shoreline Village is a gorgeous, touristy section of Long Beach (the second largest city in the Los Angeles metro area). Beautiful palm trees, meticulous landscaping, and serene views of Rainbow Harbor characterize this village which was modeled after Cape Cod. There are so many fun restaurants, shops, and entertainment options in this area – basically it’s the tourist hotspot of the city.
While living in the city, I had the opportunity to easily walk or bike over to this area. It was so fun and convenient to just hop on my bike and grab dinner, browse a book store, or simply enjoy the views. I really love the scenery and the upbeat vibe of this area and was glad that I had the opportunity to explore so much, so easily while living here.
Most famously, the area is known for its’ incredible views of the harbor and Queen Mary. This historic ship is now open for overnight stays and dining. You can purchase tickets for a historic tour or even a spooky paranormal tour.
This ship is long known to be haunted and you can hear some of these ghostly legends during this tour. Queen Mary was built in the 1930’s and transferred to the Port of Long Beach area in 1967 where it remains today. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places. You can read more about the ship’s history if you are interested.
There is always something to do no matter the time of day. Whether you are looking for a sunny afternoon stroll along a colorful boardwalk or a romantic dinner overlooking the harbor, this is the area to be. In my gude, I will cover a few of the highlights.
Dining & Shopping
This bustling area is home to over a dozen restaurants, including my 2 favorites chains in the area: Tequila Jacks and Yard House. Both offer scenic waterfront seating, excellent happy hour specials, great food, and a modern lively vibe.
Shopping includes a selection of jewelry, clothing, and tourist shops. I picked up the majority of my Long Beach/I love L.A. apparel here at really great prices. My favorite shop is Pirate’s Cove, a unique local gem offering pirate and beach themed souvenirs.
Dining/Shopping Highlights
- Shenanigan’s Irish Pub & Grill: a lively waterfront Irish pub.
- Parkers Lighthouse: Seafood restaurant featuring 360 degree views.
- Tequila Jacks: Great place to indulge in comfort Mexican favorites. I love their waterfront patio!
- Raindance: Specializes in Native American pottery, jewelry, and gifts.
Rainbow Harbor lighthouse
Be sure to walk (or bike) up to the Rainbow Harbor Marina Lighthouse for breathtaking views of the city. From here, you will also experience great views of the Queen Mary and harbor. Taking a night stroll around Shoreline, followed by a trip up the lighthouse to enjoy panoramic views of the city, is one of my favorite things to do.
This lighthouse was first lit in 2000. It continues to serve as a symbol of the Lion’s Club’s dedication to fighting blindness. It’s lit up at night and really beautiful so I recommend checking it out at both times of the day.
Waterfront Recreation
This city is a wonderful destination for fitness buffs and nature lovers. You have many options for recreation including: riding or strolling a gorgeous beachfront bike path, taking a cruise, or lounging at the beach. Those looking to get out onto the water can look into sailing lessons, stand up paddleboarding, and harbor cruises. Spirit offers a variety of cruises including sightseeing and dinner options. Various companies offer paddleboard rentals and lessons.
If you feel like getting in a bit of healthy exercise in the beautiful Southern California sunshine, get your bike out or rent one from Wheel Fun Rentals (offering cruisers, surreys, tandems, etc.). You can either bike around the village or opt for the entire Shoreline Pedestrian Path, a scenic ride that runs directly adjacent to the waterfront.
The very scenic 3 mile journey travels from Alamitos Bay to Shoreline. I really love this path – it’s so flat and fast and I used it for cycling and jogging every morning while living in the city. I biked here more often than the Strand (the iconic L.A. beachfront path) just because of the convenience and easy terrain.
While the beaches in this city are not ideal for swimming, they are great for recreation. I love morning strolls along Alamitos beach before the afternoon heat and crowds arrive.
On a side note, you may notice fancy looking tropical islands in the distance. These are not real islands, but rather artificial islands created to hide oil operations. These man made islands known as THUMS (standing for the oil companies of Texaco, Humble, Union, Mobil, and Shell) look attractive and help hide the industrialization.
Annual events
You can look forward to a long lineup of events throughout the year including the Long Beach Grand Prix, which just celebrated its’ 50th anniversary in 2025. Other fun annual events include: The Long Beach International Marathon, The Long Beach Yacht and Boat Show, and the Long Beach Zombie Walk.
The Long Beach Half Marathon is the standout here, one of the most scenic and well organized marathons in the country. The Half features a really flat course, with scenic water views the majority of the course, cheering fans and spectators motivating you along, and of course sunshine filled California skies! If you’ve never run a marathon before, this half is an awesome place to start!
To date, this is my favorite half marathon I have ever run and still to this date one of my PRs. I just loved everything about this race – the course was gorgeous, the crowds were so upbeat, and all the runners seemed so motivated. For those booking from out of town, there is so much to do before and after the race!
Nearby fun:
The Pike at Rainbow Harbor is another fun dining, entertainment, and shopping destination in the downtown region. More than a dozen dining options, including popular chains like PF Chang’s and Chili’s provide familiar choices for tourists. However, these aren’t your boring everyday chains.
Most provide outdoor patios, complete with lush landscaping and fabulous views of the harbor. I am not a huge fan of dining at chains (I prefer to keep it local), however, I love enjoying a meal looking out unto the beautiful water.
In terms of nightlife, Sgt. Peppers Dueling Piano Cafe is a fun option. A movie theater, several bars, KDB (Dave and Busters knock off), and The Laugh Factory (a stand up comedy club) round out the entertainment options. Update: Sgt. Peppers and KDB are now closed. However, you can still enjoy the Ferris Wheel, a comedy show at The Laugh Factory, and the movie theater.
I recommend taking a ride on the historic Ferris Wheel. For a small fee, you are treated to amazing views of the harbor, the city, the historic Queen Mary, and Shoreline Village.
This ride offers the best overall view of the area (even better than the lighthouse) as you can see both the Queen Mary and the Lion’s Club lighthouse.
More attractions in the area
Aquarium of the Pacific – This aquarium is frequently regarded as one of the top in the country. It is located on Rainbow Harbor, just a short walk from Shoreline Village. Highlights include a shark lagoon exhibit and Lorikeet Forest, an outdoor aviary.
Whale watching – Harbor Breeze cruises is conveniently located right next to the Aquarium. Both summer and winter excursions are offered. It’s nice to have a year-round option (when I lived in Massachusetts, the window for whale watching was pretty short). In this area, you can see grey and humpback whales in the winter and blue and finback whales during the summer. Learn more about different cruise options.
Catalina Express – A day trip to Catalina Island is the perfect way to spice up any summer day. Scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, biking, and kayaking are just a few of the many activities you can enjoy on the Island. Visit the Catalina Express website to view the schedule for Long beach to Avalon service.
Queen Mary – The legendary ocean liner is now open as a hotel with a variety of rooms and special packages available. The Queen Mary also offers a popular Sunday Champagne Brunch and afternoon tea. Several tours are offered, including a variety of paranormal tours. This ship has been rated one of the top 10 haunted places by Time Magazine. Check the ship’s website for more details, including hotel reservations, special promotions, and annual events.
Tips for visiting
Get around by hopping on the free Long Beach Passport, which conveniently stops at many of the top attractions including Shoreline Village, the Queen Mary, the Aquarium, the Pike at Rainbow Harbor, various hotels and more!
Book a stay at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach, conveniently located within walking distance of all the attractions. Each hotel room features beautiful views of the water.
Check individual websites and Groupon for coupons to local attractions.
Fun Facts
- Long Beach is a filming hot spot. Hundreds of movies and TV shows have filmed at various locations throughout the city. A few notable movies and shows filmed here include: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (my all time favorite!), American Pie, Coach Carter, Glee, and Dexter. It was really fun seeing the iconic Bueller house being that I have been watching this movie for over 20 years. I was surprised to learn that the house’s exterior shots were filmed here, not in the north suburbs of Chicago like the rest of Hughes’ films.
- From 1902-1979, The Pike Amusement Park operated along the shoreline. It was most famous for the Cyclone Racer, which was one of the fastest coaster at that time.
- It is the 5th largest city in California
- The city ranks amongst the most diverse cities in the US. Its’ nickname is “The International City.”
