Browsing Tag

cheap things to do in long beach

Long Beach Museum of Art

Posted on March 8, 2019

What Is it?:  The Long Beach Museum of Art is an art museum.  They have free days every Thursday from 3-8, all day Friday, and every 3rd Sunday of the month from 11-3 there is an arts and crafts session for children on the lawn and if the children participate, their admission is free for the day as well.

Fun Tips: 

  • – Bring a sketch pad for older toddlers and children and encourage them to sit and sketch some of the art they view (just be sure you watch them with writing utensils to make sure they don’t draw on anything but their papers!)
  • – Bring a magnifying glass and let your kids look at the different brush strokes on different pieces of art
  • – Pack a lunch and eat on the lawn to stretch out the afternoon
  • – There is a beach behind the museum and a playground across the street and down a block for additional stuff to do after you visit.  (But be sure to move your car from the museum lot to be considerate of other museum patrons.)

Cost:  I have posted the hours for the free days, but normal cost outside these times is $7 for adults, $6 for students and seniors, and free for children 12 and under.

Hours: See above for free days, normal hours are Thursdays 11 am – 8 pm, and Friday – Sunday 11 am – 5 pm.

Stroller Friendly:  You can push a stroller around here, and there are elevators.  I would leave the stroller for an older toddler as the museum is not that big and it isa bit cumbersome to push around, however, if I had a younger toddler who is not yet capable of following directions, I would bring a stroller or carrier just so I had something to strap them into so they didn’t run around touching the art.

Inside/Outside: Inside

Alcohol:  No – unless you go to Claire’s next door and get cocktails.

Parking: Yes. There is a parking lot less than a block from the museum, and parking is free.  There are metered spots along Ocean or at the beach as well if the lots is full.

Active family:  No.

Food:  You may not eat inside of the museum, however, there is a large grassy patch outside that you can eat on.  It would be nice to bring a blanket and have a picnic lunch on the lawn before or after walking around the museum.  Additionally, there is a restaurant on site, Claire’s, with great food and amazing Ocean views.  It is a nice restaurant with breakfasts, soups, sandwiches, and cocktails.  They have a happy hour on Thursdays from 3-6 pm.

Read More: This is an excellent place to take your children to let them experience art and talk to them about what they like/dislike about each piece and how it makes them feel.

The exhibitions rotate so be sure to call ahead to see if they are open because they often close for a few weeks between exhibitions.  This rotation makes it a great place to visit more than once.

In addition to exhibitions by many famous artists, they have a kid’s exhibition in the basement where all the work is done by local elementary school students.

Disclaimer:  The views expressed here are my own and are in no way affiliated with the official Long Beach Museum of Art.  The information I provided is based upon my own experience at the Long Beach Museum of Art and the hours, fees, location, and anything else is subject to change in subsequent years.  Please call ahead to verify any information given before planning your trip.

The Pike Outlets

Posted on March 8, 2019

What Is it?:  The Pike is a shopping and entertainment district downtown.  There are plenty of restaurants and retail stores, but there are also a lot of activities even if you don’t want to shop or eat. The ferris wheel is $4/person and the carousel is $2/person.

Tips: 

  • – Ride the carousel ($2/person), walk around the shopping area, and then split a movie theater popcorn with the kids and eat it at the table outside (smalls are about $6) for a fun and inexpensive afternoon.
  • – You can take either the Aquabus (a water taxi that runs April to October and costs $1/person, 2 and under are free) or the Passport (a free bus) to get between here and Shoreline Village, the Long Beach aquarium, Shoreline Aquatic Park, The Queen Mary, and Rainbow Lagoon.
  • – There is a brand new pedestrian bridge above downtown Long Beach to check out!

Cost:  Free

Hours:  10 am – 9 pm Mon – Sat, and 10 am – 8 pm Sunday

Stroller Friendly:  Yes!  Although some of the stores might be hard to navigate with larger strollers if you plan on shopping

Inside/Outside: Outside with stores/restaurants having indoor space

Alcohol:  Only if you go in a bar/restaurant to eat

Parking: Yes, $1.50/every 30 min with a $24 max

                  Cinemark validation $8/day

                  Retail validation: 90 minutes free, $2 up to 3 hours, $3 up to 4 hours, $2.75 every additional half hour

                  There are meters off of Shoreline Dr with a 2 hour max

Active family:  No

Food:  You are allowed outside food and drinks and there is a grassy area you can sit down in to eat

Disclaimer:  The views expressed here are my own and are in no way affiliated with the official The Pike Outlets.  The information I provided is based upon my own experience at The Pike Outlets and the hours, fees, location, and anything else is subject to change in subsequent years.  Please call ahead to verify any information given before planning your trip.

Queen Mary

Posted on March 8, 2019

What Is it?:  The Queen Mary was originally a cruise ship that was transformed into a War Ship during WWII.  She was the largest and fastest troopship at the time.  She was retired in 1965 and is currently docked in Long Beach.  You can tour her, stay on board, dine here, or attend one of the many events held here.  The focus of this post is day visits only, as I have not yet had the pleasure to stay overnight.

Tips: 

  • – Go during the week to avoid crowds.
  • – Play Lego at the Lego tables in the room with the Queen Mary Lego brick replica
  • – Check out the Sponge Bob kid’s movie in 4D for an additional fee
  • – Take the tour for an additional fee to learn about the ship, even if you only take it once
  • – You can take either the Aquabus (a water taxi that runs April to October and costs $1/person, 2 and under are free) or the Passport (a free bus) to get between here and Shoreline Village, the aquarium, Shoreline Aquatic Park, The Pike Outlets, and Rainbow Lagoon.

Cost:  Day tickets for adults are around $30, but they have recently launches a So Cal pass for locals that is $33 and available for people living in zip codes 90000 – 93599.  

This pass includes visiting most areas of the ship and 3 hours of free parking per visit, 1 visit per day.

Both the tickets and parking are void for special events, which you can find on their calendar, usually months in advance.

At press time, these passes are not available online and you need to purchase them in person.

Hours: Daily 10 am – 6 pm, check their events calendar to see if there is anything special going on before you visit.

Stroller Friendly: You can fit a stroller, but it limits you to taking the elevator everywhere which can be a pain sometimes.  Bring it if you absolutely need it, leave it in the car if you think you can get away with not bringing it.

Inside/Outside: Inside and outside

Alcohol: Yes – at a couple of the restaurants

Parking: Yes, there is a parking lot.  Parking is $18/day or $8 with restaurant validation.  If you purchase the So Cal pass, parking is free for 3 hours per visit, 1 visit per day.

Active family:  No

Food:  There are a few restaurants on the ship but you can also bring food.  We usually pack a lunch for the kids and then sit outside at the Observation Bar.  I have a beer and the kids eat their sandwiches while we enjoy the view.  Make sure you pick up all your trash.

Read More: There is so much to do on this ship that we find ourselves going several times a month.  I almost don’t know where to start because I don’t feel my words will do it justice, but I’ll try.

         If you visit the D-Deck, you can check out the engine room and the propeller which are really cool (it’s a little dark in here though so maybe scary for little kids.)

         On the M Deck there is a travel bureau exhibit and a silver and China display.

         The Promenade, which is our favorite deck, has the Lego replica, the Observation Bar, the children’s playroom display, and the model gallery.

        The ship is huge, and there are a few other decks, but this is really a ship you need to see for yourself.

Disclaimer:  The views expressed here are my own and are in no way affiliated with the official Queen Mary.  The information I provided is based upon my own experience at Queen Mary and the hours, fees, location, and anything else is subject to change in subsequent years.  Please call ahead to verify any information given before planning your trip.

Shoreline Village

Posted on March 8, 2019

What Is it?:  Shoreline Village is a collection of shops and restaurants with an old-timey vibe that overlooks Rainbow Harbor.  You can stroll along the water and enjoy the marina or check out the various shops like the chocolate shop, comic book shop, or jerky shop.  There are a couple cute quarter rides for kids, as well as a full-size carousel at Pelican Pier Pavillon that only costs $2.  This arcade features skee-ball, claw machines, and other fun arcade games too.

Fun Tips: 

  • – Avoid parking fees by walking, biking or taking the bus.  If you can find a meter somewhere along Shoreline drive, you can park for 2 hours for less than the parking lot fee.
  • – For a cheap family friendly afternoon, we like to do the carousel ($2/kid), get $5 in tokens to play a few games, go for a walk and check out the view and the shops (free), eat a packed lunch at one of the picnic tables (free), and get a little bit of candy from the candy store ($2).  This could be less than a $10 afternoon if you use public transportation.
  • – You can take either the Aquabus (a water taxi that runs April to October and costs $1/person, 2 and under are free) or the Passport (a free bus) to get between here and the Long Beach Aquarium, The Queen Mary, Shoreline Aquatic Park, The Pike Outlets, and Rainbow Lagoon.

Cost:  Free

            *Purchases at shops and restaurants have costs

Hours: June – August: 10 am – 10 pm

              September – May: 10 am – 9 pm

              *Restaurant hours may vary

Stroller Friendly:  Yes, it was easy to navigate with the stroller or wagon, even double stroller, and not to crowded to navigate with a stroller.  Some of the shops and restaurants are difficult to get around with a larger stroller though.  If you are only going to shop or eat, perhaps leave the stroller in the car or bring an umbrella stroller.

Inside/Outside: Mostly outside.  Many of the shops and restaurants have inside and outside.

Alcohol:  Inside the restaurants that serve it only.

Parking: Yes. $2 every 20 minutes without validation, or $1/hour for up to 2 hours with validation (after making a $10 purchase.)

                  After 2 hours, with validation, rate is $2 every 20 minutes with a $16 maximum.

                  Lost ticket fee is $24.

Active family:  Not really unless you plan on renting bikes.

Food:  You are allowed outside food and drinks anywhere besides the shops and restaurants.  There are picnic tables in a common area with some shade.  There are plenty of stands to buy food and drinks from, in addition to sit-down restaurants.

Read More: Even when they aren’t holding an event (of which they hold several), there is always a lot to do here.  There are several sit down restaurants of all types from Mexican at Tequila Jacks, Irish at Shenanigan’s, and Mediterranean at Cafe Dia.

In addition to the sit down restaurants, there are multiple stands that offer fair-type treats like funnel cakes and ice cream.

At Wheel Fun Rentals, you can rent segways, bikes, and surreys for a day of fun.  Most bikes are around $12/hour and kid’s bikes are $8/hour.

There are various day cruises that depart out of Shoreline Village as well.  Whether you just want a quick lunch cruise or to go whale watching, there is surely a cruise for you.

Disclaimer:  The views expressed here are my own and are in no way affiliated with the official Shoreline Village.  The information I provided is based upon my own experience at Shoreline Village and the hours, fees, location, and anything else is subject to change in subsequent years.  Please call ahead to verify any information given before planning your trip.

Earl Burns Miller Japanese Gardens

Posted on March 8, 2019

What Is it?:  The Japanese gardens is a 1.3 acre secluded Japanese-style garden with a koi pond.  It is an amazing place to go alone to unwind, to go with a significant other for a romantic walk, or to go with your family to enjoy the scenery and feed the koi fish and ducks.

Fun Tips: 

  • – You can buy food to feed the fish and ducks but they only take quarters.  Also please do not feed them anything other than the food provided.
  • – Wander around the CSULB campus to stretch out the afternoon (just don’t forget to pay your meter!)
  • – There is little shade so pack the sunscreen
  • – Donations are welcome

Cost:  Free

Hours:  Monday – Closed, Tues – Fri 8 am – 3:30 pm, Saturday – Closed, Sunday 12 pm – 4 pm

Stroller Friendly:  Yes but the gardens are small enough that if your kid can walk, there might not be a need for it

Inside/Outside: Outside

Alcohol:  No

Parking: Yes, there is a parking lot across the street. You can pay with a card at one of the machines and it costs $4/an hour for short term parking (must be in a short term parking spot – directly across from gardens) or $8 for the day.  Parking can be impacted during the school year because it’s on a college campus so walk, bike, or use public transportation if possible.

Active family:  No

Food:  You are allowed outside food and drinks and this is a lovely place to have a picnic.   This is a great way to stretch out the afternoon!  Just be sure to throw away all trash!

Disclaimer:  The views expressed here are my own and are in no way affiliated with the official Earl Burns Miller Japanese garden.  The information I provided is based upon my own experience atEarl Burns Miller Japanese garden and the hours, fees, location, and anything else is subject to change in subsequent years.  Please call ahead to verify any information given before planning your trip.

Colorado Lagoon

Posted on March 8, 2019

What Is it?:  The Colorado Lagoon is a 13 acre urban wetland located in the Belmont Heights neighborhood of Long Beach. You can see all types of aquatic life here including jellyfish, birds, turtles, and fish.  There is a walking path around the edge of most of the lagoon, and a pedestrian bridge that goes across it. The beach area is great for kids because the water is shallow and has no real waves.  There is a playground here with a jungle gym and plenty of sand to dig in.  There are picnic tables to eat at, and plenty of shade.

Tips: 

  • – Don’t forget the sand toys!
  • – Check water quality if you want to swim.
  • – No barbecues
  • – Don’t feed the wildlife
  • – Pick up all trash
  • – The on-site bathroom were under construction at press time so there was a Porta-potty.  I would suggest bringing a few napkins in case it runs out of toilet paper.

Cost: Free

Hours: Daily 8 am – 10 pm.

Stroller Friendly: You can push a stroller on the path around the lagoon and across the bridge, but when the path ends, it’s sand.  Unless you plan on a short walk, I would leave the stroller in the car.

Inside/Outside: Outside

Alcohol: No

Parking: Yes, there is street parking but not a parking lot.  During busy times, you may have difficulty finding a close spot and may need to take a couple trips from the car if you brought a picnic or beach stuff, so pack things into easy-to-carry bags

Active family:  Yes

Food:  You can bring food and there are shaded picnic tables to eat at. 

Disclaimer:  The views expressed here are my own and are in no way affiliated with the official Colorado Lagoon. The information I provided is based upon my own experience at the Colorado Lagoon and the hours, fees, location, and anything else is subject to change in subsequent years.  Please call ahead to verify any information given before planning your trip.

El Dorado Trails and Nature Center

Posted on March 8, 2019

What Is it?:  El Dorado Park is a park with both trails and a nature center (there are actually several other activities to do there, as the park is huge, but I am focusing on this portion of the park and nature center in this article.) . There is a quarter mile trail, a one mile trail, and a 2 mile trail. All trails are stroller friendly (even double stroller) and easy enough terrain for the little ones to walk some of it too.

Fun Tips: 

  • – There is a scavenger hunt for kids on the trails (pictured).  You can pick up your card at the nature center and if you bring it back completed at the end, you get a sticker or prize.
  • – Dress the kids in clothes you don’t mind getting dirty
  • – Bring some crayons and paper to do leaf rubbings
  • – Bring a magnifying glass for an up-close look at leaves and bugs
  • – Most of the trails are shaded but it never hurts to bring sunscreen

Cost:  Free

Hours: Fall/Winter 7:00am-5:00pm Nov 1- Feb 28

              Spring/Summer 7:00am-8:00pm Mar 1 – Oct 31

              Closed Mondays

Stroller Friendly:  Yes, it was easy to navigate with the stroller or wagon, even double stroller, and not too crowded to navigate with a stroller.

Inside/Outside: Outside

Alcohol:  No

 Parking: Yes. $5/car Mon-Thurs, $6/car Fri, $7/car Sat/Sun, $8/car on holidays.

                 You can also get an annual pass for $60/year for the general public or $35/year for seniors/disabled

                 *Bike, walk, or use public transportation to avoid Parking fee!*

Active family:  YES!

Food:  You are allowed outside food and drinks and there are picnic tables by the parking lot to eat at.  They prefer you don’t eat on the trails.

Read More: There is a ton of wildlife in these trails.  The lakes always have turtles in them and in the summer, the turtles are usually basking on logs.  We have also seen lizards, Ospreys, hawks, ducks, egrets, and plenty of bugs.

There is a nature center at the beginning/end of the trails that has some live animals in terrariums as well.  There are some sensory bins full of pinecones and antlers from various animals that you are able to touch (this was great for our toddler who loves touching!!)

This was a great place to spend a free afternoon.  My kid loved that she could run around on the trails and burn some energy and then finish up the visit looking at animals and playing with nature things. 

 Disclaimer:  The views expressed here are my own and are in no way affiliated with the official El Dorado Park.  The information I provided is based upon my own experience at El Dorado Park and the hours, fees, location, and anything else is subject to change in subsequent years.  Please call ahead to verify any information given before planning your trip.

Long Beach Museum of Art

Posted on March 7, 2019

What Is it?:  The Long Beach Museum of Art is an art museum.  They have free days every Thursday from 3-8, all day Friday, and every 3rd Sunday of the month from 11-3 there is an arts and crafts session for children on the lawn and if the children participate, their admission is free for the day as well.

Fun Tips: 

  • – Bring a sketch pad for older toddlers and children and encourage them to sit and sketch some of the art they view (just be sure you watch them with writing utensils to make sure they don’t draw on anything but their papers!)
  • – Bring a magnifying glass and let your kids look at the different brush strokes on different pieces of art
  • – Pack a lunch and eat on the lawn to stretch out the afternoon
  • – There is a beach behind the museum and a playground across the street and down a block for additional stuff to do after you visit.  (But be sure to move your car from the museum lot to be considerate of other museum patrons.)

Cost:  I have posted the hours for the free days, but normal cost outside these times is $7 for adults, $6 for students and seniors, and free for children 12 and under.

Hours: See above for free days, normal hours are Thursdays 11 am – 8 pm, and Friday – Sunday 11 am – 5 pm.

Stroller Friendly:  You can push a stroller around here, and there are elevators.  I would leave the stroller for an older toddler as the museum is not that big and it isa bit cumbersome to push around, however, if I had a younger toddler who is not yet capable of following directions, I would bring a stroller or carrier just so I had something to strap them into so they didn’t run around touching the art.

Inside/Outside: Inside

Alcohol:  No – unless you go to Claire’s next door and get cocktails.

Parking: Yes. There is a parking lot less than a block from the museum, and parking is free.  There are metered spots along Ocean or at the beach as well if the lots is full.

Active family:  No.

Food:  You may not eat inside of the museum, however, there is a large grassy patch outside that you can eat on.  It would be nice to bring a blanket and have a picnic lunch on the lawn before or after walking around the museum.  Additionally, there is a restaurant on site, Claire’s, with great food and amazing Ocean views.  It is a nice restaurant with breakfasts, soups, sandwiches, and cocktails.  They have a happy hour on Thursdays from 3-6 pm.

Read More: This is an excellent place to take your children to let them experience art and talk to them about what they like/dislike about each piece and how it makes them feel.

The exhibitions rotate so be sure to call ahead to see if they are open because they often close for a few weeks between exhibitions.  This rotation makes it a great place to visit more than once.

In addition to exhibitions by many famous artists, they have a kid’s exhibition in the basement where all the work is done by local elementary school students.

Disclaimer:  The views expressed here are my own and are in no way affiliated with the official Long Beach Museum of Art.  The information I provided is based upon my own experience at the Long Beach Museum of Art and the hours, fees, location, and anything else is subject to change in subsequent years.  Please call ahead to verify any information given before planning your trip.

Bayshore Library Toddler Playtime

Posted on March 7, 2019

What Is it?:  Toddler playtime is a half hour block set aside for kids around ages 1-3 to play together at the library. They get out stuffed animals, books, and sensory toys.  This is a great way for stay at home moms to bring their kids to play somewhere other than the park.

Fun Tips: 

  • – It can get a little crazy with so many kids playing so keep an eye on your little one’s fingers and toes.
  • – There is free WiFi with a library card.
  • – There are a ton of kids’ books to check out!
  • – Bring some sand toys and head across the street to the beach after.

Cost:  Free

Hours: Thursdays 11-11:30

Stroller Friendly: They have stroller parking inside but it’s easier to leave it in the car if you can

Inside/Outside: Inside

Alcohol: No

Parking: Yes.

Active family:  No

Food:  There are picnic tables outside but they would probably prefer you not eat inside.

Disclaimer:  The views expressed here are my own and are in no way affiliated with the official Bayshore Library.  The information I provided is based upon my own experience at the Bayshore Library and the hours, fees, location, and anything else is subject to change in subsequent years.  Please call ahead to verify any information given before planning your trip.

The Pike Outlets

Posted on March 7, 2019

What Is it?:  The Pike is a shopping and entertainment district downtown.  There are plenty of restaurants and retail stores, but there are also a lot of activities even if you don’t want to shop or eat. The ferris wheel is $4/person and the carousel is $2/person.

Tips: 

  • – Ride the carousel ($2/person), walk around the shopping area, and then split a movie theater popcorn with the kids and eat it at the table outside (smalls are about $6) for a fun and inexpensive afternoon.
  • – You can take either the Aquabus (a water taxi that runs April to October and costs $1/person, 2 and under are free) or the Passport (a free bus) to get between here and Shoreline Village, the Long Beach aquarium, Shoreline Aquatic Park, The Queen Mary, and Rainbow Lagoon.
  • – There is a brand new pedestrian bridge above downtown Long Beach to check out!

Cost:  Free

Hours:  10 am – 9 pm Mon – Sat, and 10 am – 8 pm Sunday

Stroller Friendly:  Yes!  Although some of the stores might be hard to navigate with larger strollers if you plan on shopping

Inside/Outside: Outside with stores/restaurants having indoor space

Alcohol:  Only if you go in a bar/restaurant to eat

Parking: Yes, $1.50/every 30 min with a $24 max

                  Cinemark validation $8/day

                  Retail validation: 90 minutes free, $2 up to 3 hours, $3 up to 4 hours, $2.75 every additional half hour

                  There are meters off of Shoreline Dr with a 2 hour max

Active family:  No

Food:  You are allowed outside food and drinks and there is a grassy area you can sit down in to eat

Disclaimer:  The views expressed here are my own and are in no way affiliated with the official The Pike Outlets.  The information I provided is based upon my own experience at The Pike Outlets and the hours, fees, location, and anything else is subject to change in subsequent years.  Please call ahead to verify any information given before planning your trip.