Long Beach: historic seaside city making waves as a new Southern California homeport

Cruise Travel, Sept-Oct, 2004 by Jill Weinlein

Before the glitz and panache of Hollywood developed after World War I, Long Beach was the motion picture capital of the world. Once known for its cheap land by the ocean, ideal Southern California climate, and abundant sunlight, Long Beach provided a perfect setting for the motion-picture industry.

Already a theater town, it attracted many talented actors, directors, and technicians in the early '20s. Along the Pike were eight film houses, two stock company theaters, roller coasters, and bathhouses. Silent-era film stars Buster Keaton and Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle starred in comedies at the Balboa Amusement Production Company, then the world's most prolific silent-film studio. W.C. Fields and other stars lived in fabulous mansions along Ocean Boulevard and First Street. Many of these grand homes are still owned by their heirs.

In 1933, Long Beach was nearly leveled by a powerful earthquake that damaged buildings for miles around. The city gradually rebuilt itself in the '30s and '40s. Then Long Beach was known as a movie-star summer getaway, and residents frequently saw Clark Gable and Carol Lombard walking on the beach. Elizabeth Taylor and Nicky Hilton, son of Conrad Hilton, spent their first honeymoon at the Hilton Hotel (now the Breakers Hotel) in Long Beach.

Another famous "star" moved into Long Beach in 1967 when Cunard's grand dame of luxurious cruise travel, the Queen Mary, was withdrawn from service and sailed into the harbor to become a world-renowned floating hotel and attraction, complete with restaurants, shops, and tours open to the public.

These tours include areas of the 1936-built ocean liner never seen by her cruise passengers--not even her famous ones like Alfred Hitchcock, Dorothy Lamour, Joan Crawford, and Bing Crosby. Today's guests learn that this massive, trans-Atlantic liner served as a troopship during World War II; painted camouflage gray, she was nicknamed "The Gray Ghost." While also serving as Winston Churchill's headquarters at sea, she traveled 660,000 miles, transporting more than 800,000 personnel. She is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Behind the Queen Mary is a massive shipping harbor. Long Beach is the "#1 container shipping port in the world." proclaims the Chamber of Commerce. Adjacent to the liner is a large, white geodesic dome, which once housed Howard Hughes's "Spruce Goose," an experimental wooden seaplane that made but one flight. Some five years ago, Carnival Corporation and Queen's Seaport Development Inc. (operator of the Queen Mary) shared a vision: Why not convert the dome into a modern, efficient, and convenient West Coast cruise facility?

So Long Beach is now the home of the new state-of the art Carnival Cruise Terminal. This $40-million facility, the first built by an U.S. cruise-ship operator, is among the most technically advanced in the world and is able to accommodate many of the company's massive megaliners. Passengers may check-in as early as 8:30 a.m., then are able to spend their free time before setting sail by touring the Queen Mary or enjoying other Long Beach harbor attractions--thanks to the terminal's convenient access to public transportation such as the Passport Bus and the AquaBus, a 40-foot water taxi.

A good way to start the day is a visit to The Vintage Tea Leaf at 969 East Broadway. The Tea Mistress will be waiting for you in this adorable tea house. Sit in one of the overstuffed chairs and choose a teacup from a huge selection. Teas are about $4 a pot, and delicious crumpets are served with thick cream and jam.

A very popular stop is Aquarium Of The Pacific, one of America's newest and largest aquariums with more than 550 species from three Pacific Rim regions. Guests enjoy exploring this bi-level home to sharks, mesmerizing sea dragons, various types of gracefully dancing jellyfish, plus playful seals and seal lions. Families have a great time touching sharks, sea cucumbers, and sea anemones at the outdoor tide-pool areas.

Two restaurants near the Aquarium are recommended lunch stops. P.F. Chang's serves delicious Chinese food, such as crispy honey shrimp and mango chicken, while Gladstones offers a wide variety of fresh fish. Both can be found at the new Pike at Rainbow Harbor. After lunch, this 18-acre Pike development can be an entertainment paradise with its 14-screen Cinemark Stadium Theater, Game Works, and amusement park rides.

Nearby, the charming Shoreline Village has souvenir shopping, arcade gaming, and a variety of dining venues. The Yardhouse restaurant is a fun place for burgers and salads; tables on the outside patio overlook the harbor cruise boats, private yachts, and the city skyline.

Bicycle rental stands are close at hand if you fancy riding along the beach on paved bike paths to the Belmont Shores pier. Above the path on a towering bluff overlooking the Pacific is the Long Beach Museum of Art, housed in the historic Elizabeth Milbank Anderson House (a California Craftsman mansion built in 1929). The museum offers art exhibitions, art-making workshops, and educational programs. With oceanfront gardens and a charming cafe, it's a pleasant place to relax and enjoy an iced tea while viewing the beach, harbor, Queen Mary, and new cruise terminal.