Long Beach?

[LauraAnn630]

We were thinking of staying in Long Beach for a few nights because it looks nice and its close to family.

Will we be disappointed? Maybe we should stay at Huntington or Seal???

We dont want to go any further North.

 

[helpfultraveler]

Long Beach is ok.. I stayed at the Best Western (Golden Sails). It's an old hotel but they give you breakfast, lunch and dinner coupons if you ask them.

Hard beds though.

You can always stay on the queen Mary! Even if you don't stay on the ship, the ghost tour is fun! Check it out

 

[Quest4fun]

We were thinking of staying in Long Beach for a few nights because it looks nice and its close to family.

Will we be disappointed? Maybe we should stay at Huntington or Seal???

We dont want to go any further North.

If you're looking for a good beach you need to head down to Orange County. Long Beach leaves a lot to be desired. Downtown Long Beach is great if you want to eat and sightsee. You can visit the Aquarium of the Pacific and go to the Pike. Pay attention to the older buildings. This area is used to film TV shows and movies. Showtime's Dexter did a lot of filming there as did the movie Anchorman.

I also recommend the Queen Mary if you're a history buff. The ghost tour is a little campy but it's still fun.

Do not go during the Long Beach Grand Prix. It gobbles up a weekend and it's impossible to get around the area. I think it's in April but I can't remember. It's been a good year since I've been in the area.

 

[Eaglefan9727]

Do not go during the Long Beach Grand Prix. It gobbles up a weekend and it's impossible to get around the area. I think it's in April but I can't remember. It's been a good year since I've been in the area.

Long Beach Grand Prix weekend is April 17th through the 20th of this year. I'll be there this year right before I head back home in the the evening of the 20th. The event brings in a couple hundred thousand people a year.

I would not suggest you going to Long Beach the weekend before either as it can be busy in that area as well, So from April 9th though April 23rd. I would suggest that you stay out of the Long Beach area.

 

[LauraAnn630]

Ill be there June 27. How the water? Is it clean? Is it blue?

I was looking at Huntington and Seal beach. Are they much different from Long Beach? Are the seals still there? I heard they wernt.

TIA

 

[Quest4fun]

Ill be there June 27. How the water? Is it clean? Is it blue?

I was looking at Huntington and Seal beach. Are they much different from Long Beach? Are the seals still there? I heard they wernt.

TIA

That all depends on your definition of clean. I'd say for the most part the water appears blue as long as it isn't a cloudy day. Due to the surf the water can be pretty murky.

Huntington and Seal Beach are a little more accessable than Long Beach IMHO. That being said all three are near Bolsa which I believe is the countries most polluted beach. I grew up going to these beaches and I can say one thing. They may be polluted, but my skin was never clearer and my smile was never brighter. I don't recall getting sick as much either.

Seal Beach is pretty laid back. Huntington can be crowded the closer you get to the pier which is the case for most beaches.

If you're expecting Floriday Key's type sand and water you'll be dissapointed. The water isn't very clear and the sand is a little more coarse. The surf is fun. You'll do fine if you're a strong swimmer. If you aren't just don't go out as far.

If you want to see seals I recommend going out to the end of the piers. They tend to float around out there.

 

[SpaceMountain_uk]

We spent a week last August in Huntington Beach.........We stayed at the Hyatt Huntington Beach Resort....It was lovely!! it has its own bridge across PCH to the beach, and the resort is very well designed and has that disneyesq style to it...I would reccommend it!

 

[LauraAnn630]

I was looking for the Florida Keys type beach. Im sure the beach is nice.

What about Malibu? Or any other beach that might have the white sand.

Thanks for replying.

 

[Quest4fun]

I was looking for the Florida Keys type beach. Im sure the beach is nice.

What about Malibu? Or any other beach that might have the white sand.

Thanks for replying.

It's a different ocean altogether hence a different beach. If you're looking for Florida Keys you're not going to find it. Sorry.

Don't get me wrong the beaches are great. My wife is a Florida Keys veteran and she did enjoy playing in the surf and laying out on the sand. I just asked her for her impression.

Wife says, "I liked them both for different reasons. I like the soft sand, clear water, and calm surf of Florida. It was nice to be able to float on a raft. The Orange County beaches were still fun and the high surf was fun to jump around in. The water was freezing though, not what I'm used to."

I took her to her first Southern California beach day when we visited Huntington Beach. It was a stifling 95 degrees so jumping into the substantially cooler waters was a bit of a shock to her. Water temps are usually around 65 to 70 during the Summer months unless there is some high surf then it can be a little colder. The Pacific is a big ocean and the water can be very cold even during the summer. I've had a few warm water days but nothing warmer than 75. Parks and Recreation does the best job they can to sweep the beaches and keep them free of garbage but with the high crowds you're still going to come across the occasional cigarett butt, plastic straw, or other items that don't get picked up. You'll also encounter piles of seaweed but you probably won't notice it.

You'll still have a good time. Just be prepared for a different experience. Comparing the two is like apples and oranges. They're both sandy (fruit) and have water (skin) but they taste quite different. That last part is quite literal. The Pacific is doesn't taste as salty as the Atlantic so if you do get hit by a large wave and drink a little water it won't bug you too much.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

 

[LauraAnn630]

I got ya! Thanks for the great explanation. We are planing to go to Huntington and Seal. As you walk into the water is it sand or rocks? Should we wear water shoes? I think thats my last question. DH says "Doubt it!"
(about that last question) lol

Thanks!

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

Go to Huntington Beach. Bring quarters for meter parking.

From the Long Beach area take Pacific Coast Highway south, and drive. You'll pass Seal and Sunset Beach and then be in Huntington Beach. There is a dog beach where people can take their dogs to play in the sand and water. There are walking and biking paths as well. I recommend closer to the pier, but it will be a lot more crowded. You can go south of the pier and it will be less crowded but not as many amenities.

 

[Quest4fun]

I got ya! Thanks for the great explanation. We are planing to go to Huntington and Seal. As you walk into the water is it sand or rocks? Should we wear water shoes? I think thats my last question. DH says "Doubt it!"
(about that last question) lol

Thanks!

It all depends on your feet. Flip flops will protect them from the asphalt and occasionally hot sand. Don't worry about rocks. You won't encounter any so water shoes won't be necessary.

Huntington has paid parking if you go a little farther South on PCH. It's less than a mile from Main Street and you can park the whole day without worrying about feeding a meter. It's a little pricey since most people make a day of it so meter parking on PCH is a little more cost effective. If you don't mind crowds and want to have lunch I have another handy tip.

There is a parking Garage on the Southwest side of the Main Street area in Huntington. If you like Mexican food you can have lunch and save some money on parking. Fred's Mexican Cafe has really good food (best salsa in the world) plus a great view of the pier if you get a table outside. They also have a fantastic selection of tequila if you are so inclined. They'll validate for that underground parking structure since it's located in the same building I think you get an hour for free. After that it's pretty cheap as far as parking goes.

You're in for a treat if you like food by the way. You'll find so many great restaurants along that stretch. Here are some of my favorites.

Long Beach
Yard House - This is located in shoreline village and they have a great menu. If you or your significant other loves beer then this will become their Mecca. I believe they have over 200 types of beer on tap. The bar is huge. It's one of my favorite restaurants.
555 Steakhouse - This is more in the downtown area. Fantastic Steaks though I would not say it's child friendly. Quiet atmosphere which is great for a quiet dinner.
King's Fish House - Also downtown and a little more child friendly. Slightly noisier atmosphere but the food and atmosphere is great.
Rosco's Chicken and Waffles - Better than it sounds.

Huntington Beach
Fred's Mexican Cafe - Great Mexican food and an impressive tequila selection. Also a very fun atmosphere.
Huntington Beach Beer Company - Another great independent restaurant. The owners are very good people and treat everybody well.
Jamba Juice - Not really a restaurant but if you love smoothies and you've never been I recommend it. I love them.

Seal Beach
Hennessey's Tavern - Fantastic Reuben sandwhich.
Finbar's Italian Restaurant - It's all good.
Mahe - Good steaks and seafood. Small beach restaurant with a Japanese theme.

Newport Beach
21 Oceanfront - Good but pricey and they don't allow beach attire. Not child friendly.
Mutt Lynch's - Right off the beach. Usually crowded but they have great sandwhiches and huge beers. I like beer in case you didn't notice.
Pretty much every restaurant near the Newport Pier is fantastic.

I could go on and on. You could probably guess that I work in the restaurant industry. My company deals with most of the big names in the area and I recommend most of them very highly. There are a few stinkers but I won't mention names. You name the city and I'll tell you what's good.

You could spend a few days visiting all the beaches. I haven't even gotten to Dana Point, San Clemente, and Laguna Beach.

 

[LauraAnn630]

GREAT! I probably would of asked for restaurant suggestions next!

No rocks is a very good thing!

We wont have our children with us. We are going to Vegas first and decided to make this an adult trip. Its also our anniversary.

We plan to do some partying that we hardly ever get to to.
Yes, I will start at the airport with a long island iced tea! Maybe 2.
I really hate to fly. This will be the longest flight we ever took.

Vegas for 4 nights
beaches for 2 days
DL and DCA 2 days
1 day to see Hollywood's - Mans, Kodak and Walk of Fame
Back to Vegas for 1 night
Then home for the 4th of July long weekend!


Im going to print out your last post. Yard House sounds pretty interesting.

We do like Mexican food. What about Bubba Gumps? I'm thinking I can skip it. They do have one at City walk Orlando. Ill be going back there next year anyways. Well try something on your list. I don't know when well be back to California.

Thanks for taking the time! This trip is really important to us. We usually do not take trips without our 2 boys ages 5 and 11. So , this is our BIG trip! I want it to be as nice a s possible. I was in California when I was 16 but that was 22 years ago.

Right now Im in Cleveland Ohio we are in the process of receiving a foot of snow!! I bet we have a good 8 inches now.
I am California Dreamin,

Are we going to be able to find t-shirts that say Long/Huntington beach on them in a 2 x? I was looking on line and didnt see anything.

 

[LauraAnn630]

Quest4fun, We did go to Freds and it was really good. We sat on the patio and it was a perfect day!

The beach was great and the water cold!

Thanks for the tips!