It is no secret that there are many Long Beach lifestyles. You can enjoy your days living the beach life or spend your time in the boating world or be the urban loft-dweller or...well, you get the idea.  So here are some of the many things you can do in Long Beach, California.    

Outdoor Life

If  sailing is what you have yearned for the City of Long Beach offers classes through the Park Department.  There are also dozens of other classes, including canoeing, windsurfing and bay kayaking.

The Park Department also offers classes in tennis and golf for city residents.

Bicycles are everywhere in Long Beach -- especially on weekends as cyclists head out on the long bike path on the beach that starts in Belmont Shore and goes to Shoreline Village and beyond.

Art and History

Museum of Latin American Art has one of the best collections of contemporary art from North, South and Central America. 
628 Alamitos Ave. 

Long Beach Museum of Art  has an ever changing exhibition of contemporary art and a superb collection of video art, not to mention an amazing view of the Long Beach harbor. 
2300 E. Ocean

Rancho Los Cerritos contains a collection of early Long Beach artifacts. 4600 N. Virginia.

The Queen Mary is docked in the Long Beach harbor and is a floating museum of an era of luxury sea travel gone by.

Books

There are both Barnes and Noble and Borders bookstores in Long Beach.  Alas, the ever interesting used book store, Acres of Books is closing.

The exterior of the Long Beach Arena is painted with an enormous whale mural by Wyland. It is the largest mural in the world.

The Aquarium of the Pacific in downtown Long Beach has over 12,500 sea creatures to view.

Toyota Grand Prix is a premier racing event with a course that runs through city streets near Shoreline Village every April.  The 2008 Grand Prix may have been the last -- unfortunately.

There are two main dining streets in the City:  Pine Avenue in downtown Long Beach and Second Street in Belmont Shore.  Pine Avenue restaurants range from the upscale to quick food.  On Second Street most of the restaurants offer casual dining.

And if you rave about nightclubs and dance clubs you will find several of them in the downtown area.

There are coffee houses all over the City and not all of them are chains -- many have a unique local flavor.

Of course, there are movie theaters in downtown, in Marina Pacifica and other locations around the City.

In addition there is live theater and world class performances and events at the Terrace Theater near downtown. Small theaters also offer an interesting selection of live shows.

Fairs and Open Air Markets

You can pick out fresh produce at several certified farmers' markets.  Locations and days vary.

Want antiques?  The Long Beach Antique and Collectables Fair is held on the third Sunday of the month.  

Environmental Interests

The Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewards is a local group that focuses on reviving Long Beach area wetlands. 

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