Long Beach vacation rentals

Experience Long Beach in vacation home rentals

For blond sandy beaches, historic ships, and a wealth of marine life, look no further than Southern California's Long Beach for your next vacation. This vibrant city is famous as the home of the historic Queen Mary ocean liner and the Aquarium of the Pacific, and is the launch point for trips to Catalina Island. If you book a Long Beach vacation rental close to Downtown, you'll also have the best of the city's bars, restaurants, and museums, on your doorstep. After dark, head down to the hip East Village and sample some good old Californian nightlife.

Long (Beach) live the Queen Mary

Once a world-class ocean liner, the Queen Mary has been an iconic sight in Long Beach since she was docked here in 1967. Decked out in all her 1930s finery, the Queen Mary is now a hotel and tourist attraction. There are various guided tours on offer, or really push the boat out (excuse the pun) and book dinner onboard. If you prefer to explore life beneath the ocean, head to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Rainbow Harbor. Come face-to-fin with sharks, penguins, and even otters in this state-of-the-art aquarium.

Live long and prosper on Long Beach

As the name may suggest, life in Long Beach is centered around the miles and miles of blond sands the city gets its name from. Grab a picnic and settle down for a day on the beach. Or book a dolphin or whale spotting cruise from the harbor and make a day of it. It's also the launching point for boat trips to Catalina Island and Naples Island. In the summer, Long Beach is awash with festivals and events, while in winter, it's all about visiting the city's popular museums and aquarium.

Long Beach says boo to June Gloom

Southern California doesn't do badly in the weather stakes. Famous for its almost-year round sunshine and mild, Mediterranean climate, in the summer, Long Beach sees average temperatures around 70-80 degrees. It's the peak time to visit the city, and the best Long Beach vacation rentals tend to get booked up in advance. Spring and fall are equally pleasant times to visit, although beware of June Gloom, when it can get a little gray. In winter, the skies are still bright, but the temperature drops a little to below 60 degrees, so a light jacket is often needed.

Long Beach—combining the best of nature and the city

Long Beach may be a large city, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in nature and wildlife. Angeles National Forest - San Gabriel Mountains National Monument is just a short drive away from your Long Beach vacation rental, and has plenty of hiking trails to explore the wonderful forests that blanket the rolling hills. There’s a choice of beaches to choose from along the coast, and Channel Islands National Park is a great place to enjoy scuba diving and other activities. For a touch of Zen, visit the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden.

Traveling to and around Long Beach

Fly into Long Beach Municipal Airport (LGB), the closest airport, located 4.4 mi (7.1 km) from the city center. If you can't find a flight that's convenient for your trip, you could book a flight to Los Angeles Intl. (LAX), which is 17 mi (27.4 km) away.

You can see more of Long Beach by jumping on the metro at Downtown Long Beach Station, Pacific Avenue Station or 1st Street Station.