Nestled between Los Angeles and Orange County, Long Beach is one of the country’s top maritime centers and is composed of many neighborhoods, including Downtown, Shoreline Village, Bixby Knolls, Belmont Shore and Craftsman Village. Our first stop on a weekend getaway was a shopping district with two nicknames: Retro Row and Funky 4th Street. Stretching along 4th Street from Junipero to Cherry streets, Retro Row features shops selling vintage clothing, antiques, books and collectible furniture mixed among restaurants, bars and coffee shops. Art Theatre, which has been restored to its 1924 Art Deco glory, offers state-of-the-art entertainment as well as gourmet coffee and wine bars.
After giving our legs a good stretch browsing the shops along 4th Street, we hopped back in the car and headed to the legendary Queen Mary, which made her maiden voyage in 1936 and has been permanently docked in Long Beach since 1967. We began in the lower levels of the ship, following a self-guided tour detailing the history of the Queen Mary that gave us a glimpse of the engine room and replicas of the ship’s dining rooms and bedrooms.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Next, we headed upstairs to check out the view and have a cocktail at one of my favorite places in Long Beach: the Observation Bar & Art Deco Lounge. Embracing 1930’s style, the bar originally served as the first class lounge and continues to entertain guests with signature drinks and small plates. Friday through Sunday the bar hosts live music and entertainment, showcasing local artists in styles ranging from jazz and blues to Top 40.
From the Queen Mary, we made a short drive to our accommodations for the night, the Hotel Maya. Latin America meets Southern California at this DoubleTree by Hilton property situated across the harbor from downtown Long Beach. Our corner room was spacious and comfortable — and had a wonderful view of the Queen Mary and downtown.
It took all our effort not to settle into the chairs on our balcony and call it a day, but we had places to go and bikes to ride. Hotel Maya offers bicycle rentals for its guests so we hopped on two and headed over the bridge to Shoreline Village and the Pike at Rainbow Harbor, two great venues for dining, shopping and entertainment. The Shoreline Pedestrian Bike Path was well marked and easy to navigate; it’s a great way to get from point A to point B or to just get some exercise in while enjoying the beautiful scenery.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
After our bike ride around downtown, we took a quick dip in the Hotel Maya pool before dinner at the on-site restaurant Fuego, which was enjoyable from start to finish. It began with a table for two at the edge of the patio overlooking downtown Long Beach and the Queen Mary. From there, we toasted to a successful Saturday in Long Beach with a Playa Largo Margarita — house mix, silver tequila, fresh lime juice and triple sec on the rocks — for my husband and a glass of Colomé Malbec Valle Calchaqui from Salta, Argentina, for me. We settled our growling stomachs with house guacamole, made with lime, cilantro, shaved red onion and pico de gallo, before our entrées arrived: ropa vieja, a Cuban-style braised flank steak with black bean purée, fried corn tortillas, cabbage jalapeño cilantro slaw, caramelized plantains and agave cream sauce, and coffee-rubbed filet mignon, an 8-ounce filet served with ancho chili sauce, mushroom ragout and sweet potato purée.
We were filled to the brim with goodness but still made a little room for dessert. How could we not when coconut flan was an option? The dish was delicious, topped with cajeta caramel sauce, cinnamon crisp and seasonal berries.
On Sunday morning, we said goodbye to the Hotel Maya and made our way to the Aquarium of the Pacific for the Behind the Scenes Tour. An additional cost on top of entrance to the aquarium, the tour gives visitors a look at daily operations in areas not normally open to the public. We fed fish above the Tropical Reef, the aquarium’s largest exhibit, and learned fun facts about the 11,000 animals that live at the aquarium.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
After the tour, we paid a visit to the adorable Magellanic penguins at the June Keyes Penguin Habitat, a permanent exhibit and home to the first penguins in the aquarium’s collection. We also stopped by to see the sea otters, sea lions and several other animals in the aquarium’s many exhibits.
It was a jam-packed weekend and there was still more we didn’t have the opportunity to see. Good thing Long Beach is never too far away; I know we’ll be planning a trip back there soon.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
