Long Beach City is an often overlooked corner of California state, being in the same state as tourist hot spots like San Francisco, San Diego, and, of course, Los Angeles.

However, for those people that are looking to book a vacation or city visit outside of the state’s big hitters, you’ll find that Long Beach is an absolute delight to check out.

From distilleries across the city and area, the long and storied history that you’ll find dotted across the city, to the many, many water attractions that you’ll find here, there’s plenty to fill a vacation itinerary with.

There’s so much to do, that it’s kind of intimidating to just try and narrow down your options to a shortlist, especially if you’re only here for a few days.

Well, that’s where this guide comes into the picture!

Here, we’ll not only share some of our favorite things to check out and know about Long Beach city before visiting.

Obviously, as spirit and distillery enthusiasts at heart, we’ve also included a few of our favorite hotspots for fine drink aficionados, with some of the best distilleries in the city too!

About Long Beach

Before we start getting into the nitty-gritty of things to do on a city visit to this place, we should probably cover a little bit of information just about the city in general.

History

Like many states in the Western United States, the land around Long Beach has been inhabited by various indigenous people for thousands of years before European settlers eventually started building in the region in the mid-17th century.

The first settlers to enter the region were Spanish colonizers, who occupied and controlled the land through the early and mid-19th century until much of California was conquered after the American/Mexican War of 1842 by the United States.

From here, the city of Long Beach was officially incorporated into the new state of California in 1897, where the city became known as a popular tourist resort in the late 19th and early 20th century.

However, thanks to its oilfields, strategic location for trade and commerce, and navy shipyards, it also became a hub of industry in the mid-20th century.

To this day, Long Beach maintains a balance between its tourist-friendly seafront atmosphere and a workhorse of shipping and shipbuilding on the West Coast.

Climate/Geography

Being located on the South West Coast of the United States, Long Beach is known for its overall high temperatures all year, comparable to other semi-arid regions of the United States, or coastal Mediterranean areas in Europe and North Africa.

The summers can get pretty hot, with average temperatures reaching over 82 degrees (with heatwaves going above 90), and mild winters, making it a joy to visit all year round (with proper care in the summer, of course).

What It’s Famous For?

Probably the thing that most Americans will recognize Long Beach for, as we’ve already talked about here, is its large seafront and corresponding industries.

With plenty of water-based attractions, tourism to Long Beach is one of the biggest draws for visitors here, especially with attractions like the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Of course, the port and the many industries that are attached to it are another part of the city’s identity. At one point, Long Beach was even known as ‘the Iowa of the West coast’, thanks to its strong industries of oil and productions that come out of its shipyards.

It’s home to the Long Beach Pride Festival too, among many other events.

Local Distilleries

So, with the groundwork covered, let’s take a closer look at the distillery scene of this West Coast city!

Portuguese Bend Distilling

One of the most popular distilleries in the area, Portuguese Bend Distilling is a distillery that is the place to check out if you’re interested in European-styled distilling and spirits.

Thai distillery runs its entire spirit-crafting process, from growing the grain to distilling it into amazing spirits that visitors can sample and taste for themselves, alongside going into its gastropub.

Plus, with an amazing range of talent from across the city, it is a distillery that represents the best of Long Beach!

Wille’s Tin Shop

Now, if you’re looking to check out a distillery with some history and pedigree behind it, then you need to check out Wile’s Tin Shop.

Don’t let the name fool you. This is a high-grade distillery, through and through!

First opened in 1906, it has long been renowned for its creativity in delivering goods, its rigorous attention to detail, and amazing customer service. In many ways, it’s kind of emblematic of the city itself!

Plus, it’s not a brewery that is content to sit on its laurels and history. It’s always prepared to try something new, something that you’ll get a taste of when you visit their distillery.

Ballast Point Brewing Long Beach

Ballast Points is more of a brewery than a distillery, like the other two places we’ve mentioned (the clue is in the name, after all).

However, when it comes to the brewing process, and trying new flavors and ideas out, as well as the tours that they offer, we can’t recommend them enough!

Accessibility

One of the aspects that can often get overlooked when planning a trip to a city is how accessible it is, especially when it comes to people that have mobility issues.

It’s not an issue that many able-bodied people have to contend with, but a city visit is no good if you can’t get around to see it, after all.

Fortunately enough, Long Beach’s accessibility is great for a city of this size, making it accessible for all visitors to enjoy.

To start with, the transportation system throughout the city is up-to-date, and in line with ADA regulations. Getting around on services like the LA Metro is very easy to do, among many other services.

Plus, many of the main attractions that the city has, such as the Long Beach Grand Prix, also have disability-access wheelchair users in the grandstand, so everyone can enjoy the amazing high-octane action.

Things To See

Of course, being able to get around Long Beach is important, and distilleries are always a treat for enthusiasts to visit. But what else is there to do in Long Beach besides checking out a few spirit distilleries?

Well, quite a lot, as it turns out. When you’re still located on the same warm coastline as LA and San Diego, you’re going to have quite a lot to do and see on the waterfront!

Long Beach Grand Prix

As we’ve already mentioned, the Long Beach Grand Prix track is one of the main attractions in the city when it comes to sports, and with good reason.

Thai street-racing circuit hosted both the older Formula 5000 series, and then the Formula 1 series races in the late 1970s, and has been a popular racetrack for the sport ever since.

The track also claims the record as the longest street racetrack in the United States to this day, making for exciting endurance races between competitors!

RMS Queen Mary

Once the sister cruise ship to the famous RMS Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mary was an ocean liner that was owned by Cunard Lines through the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, both as a wartime troop transporter in World War 2 and as a prestige passenger cruise liner after the war.

The ship was purchased by Long Beach after it was retired from service in 1967, and now sits on Long Beach as a luxury hotel, restaurant, and museum in Long Beach harbor!

Monuments

With a history as long as Long Beach has, both as a US state, Spanish colony, and indigenous land before that, there are a ton of monuments to the many people, places, and events that the city and area have seen.

Rancho Los Alamitos is a place that you should check out if you’re interested in the Spanish-controlled period of Long Beach and now holds a museum here in this pre-American ranch.

With its strong naval shipyard history, the Naval Memorial to the Navy soldiers and officers that served in World War 2 is a place where anyone who has an interest in history pays their respects.

There is also the 125-foot-long mural tribute to singer Jenni Rivera in the Jenni Rivera memorial park that is worth a visit.

Food & Drinks In Long Beach

Of course, what is a visit to a beautiful seaside city without some good food for good measure?

Given that Long Beach is a city renowned for its seafront, seafood is a big part of local dishes and cuisine. And given the warm climate, outside dining is almost always an option for people looking to eat with a view!

Final Notes – Should You Visit Long Island?

So, in short, would we recommend a visit to Long Beach for a City retreat?

Well, unless you haven’t read the rest of this guide, the answer should be pretty obvious, at this point. With tons of history, entertainment, good food, and, of course, distilleries, we can’t recommend a visit here enough!