How to Spend 2 Days in Long Beach (Fun Overnight Trip)
Looking for a fun overnight trip in Southern California? Don’t sleep on Long Beach! While this busy port city is without big waves for surfing, it has no shortage of cool neighborhoods, arts and culture, incredible waterfront views, historic landmarks, and great food to make a great 2 day trip!
You could easily spend more time in Long Beach, but sometimes you don’t have the luxury of spending more time in a destination, that’s why we are excited to share an easy itinerary and getaway you can follow for those times you only can getaway for an overnight trip with 2 days in Long Beach seeing historic attractions, eating great food, and checking out some of the best areas to explore (plus exceptional vintage shopping!).
One thing we really loved (and an underlying theme you’ll notice in our suggested Long Beach itinerary) are all the vintage and retro things to do. From vintage shopping, visiting the historic Queen Mary, and spotting Art Deco architecture all around Long Beach – we really were digging the retro-ness feel to Long Beach.
Disclaimer: This guide was done in collaboration with Visit Long Beach. As always, all experiences and opinions are our own.
Fun Overnight Getaway in Long Beach
Breakfast at Republic of Pie
📍 5272 E 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90802
Start your morning with a sweet (or savory) treat at Republic of Pie, a beloved bakery that originally started in North Hollywood and has since brought its famous pies to the neighborhood of Belmont Shore.
Whether you’re in the mood for classic pastries, quiche, or a hearty chicken pot pie, this cozy spot has something for everyone’s taste buds!
We couldn’t resist trying the Fruity Pebbles French Toast, and it was something we won’t forget! It had the perfect crunch from the cereal in the mix! We also tried the Avocado Toast, served on a thick piece of toast and topped with an over easy egg and chili crisp…yum!
And if you’re not ready for pie first thing in the morning, be sure to grab a slice to go—you’ll thank yourself later! We tried a few different slices and shared them with a friend; one standout was the Earl Grey Cream Pie!
After breakfast, take a quick stroll around Belmont Shore‘s charming boutique shops before heading to Downtown Long Beach.
Aquarium of the Pacific
📍 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802
A must-visit on any 2 days in Long Beach itinerary is the Aquarium of the Pacific, the largest aquarium in Southern California. We felt like kids again in awe of the sea creatures here! The Aquarium of the Pacific is home to over 12,000 animals from the Pacific Ocean ranging from playful sea otters, sharks to the mesmerizing moon jellies.
One of our favorite experiences was feeding the colorful lorikeets in the Lorikeet Forest—highly recommend grabbing a cup of nectar and feeding them yourselves. They have such distinct personalities and are so colorful.
We could have spent an hour just staring at the Blue Cavern, the two-story tank that gives you an up-close look at the marine life like rays and sharks! We found the best view to be from the upper level walkway.
The aquarium also plays a big role in marine conservation efforts, including their recently launched Marine Species Report Card, which provides updates on ocean health.
Plan to spend a few hours here—it’s easy to lose track of time when you’re in awe of these incredible underwater creatures!
Lunch at Altar Society Brewing & Coffee Co.
📍 230 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802
Long Beach has no shortage of great food and drinks, and Altar Society Brewing & Coffee Co. was no exception. Housed in a historic 1903 Masonic Temple, this hybrid brewpub and coffee shop is the perfect spot for both caffeine lovers, craft brew lovers, and a nice stop for lunch.
We each ordered our own beer flight to sample a few house-brewed favorites and paired it with a spread of their brew pub dishes, their Altar double cheeseburger sliders were the show stealers for us.
What’s also cool about this stop is that you can see the brewery at work within the tasting room! Head to the balcony, you can even grab a seat here, and see the brew masters at work below the tanks. It’s a really cool layout since you realize you’re sitting in a working brewery!
Take a Stroll Down The Promenade
This six block stretch downtown is great for a stroll to see some of the remaining Art Deco buildings and facades that are beautiful to look at.
There are more spots to eat and drink dotted along the Promenade including cool pieces of public arts including murals by famous artists.
One stand out you don’t want to miss is the glazed tile mosaic from the 1930s. It’s a scene of beach recreation on a larger than live tile mosaic. The piece is titled, “Typical Activities of a Beach and Harbor City.”
While there are only a few historic Art Deco buildings left surrounded by all the new development, we found the juxtaposition of old and new buildings to be an interesting contrast.
If you want to try another brewery, check out ISM Brewing, I really liked their hard seltzer.
Shopping at Long Beach Vintage Etc.
📍 737 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813
Vintage lovers like us, this one’s for you! Long Beach is a vintage shopping paradise, which we will cover more of during your overnight trip to Long Beach, don’t you worry!
Long Beach Vintage Etc. is one of the best spots in town for vintage shopping. With over 7,000 square feet of treasures, this multi-vendor space has everything from antique furniture and kitschy collectibles to vintage clothing and jewelry.
We had so much fun browsing through decades of finds and even met Likho, the famous shop cat! Likho even has his own IG page and is even a vendor in the shop.
If you love a good ghost story, ask about Jaffe the ghost, the resident spirit said to linger in the shop and make people feel disoriented when in the room where he tragically passed.
Be sure to visit Toxic Toast Records after if you love collecting vinyl. They have a great selection of both old and new artists and what is most impressive is their collection of Japanese print records. I ended up walking away with a Japanese imported record of Whitney Houston featuring two mixes of “How Will I Know.”
They have a really cool collection in here, my only regret is not picking up more records while in here!
Check into Hotel Maya & Have Dinner
📍 700 Queensway Dr, Long Beach, CA 90802
For a stylish stay on your overnight trip to Long Beach, we highly recommend Hotel Maya, a resort-style hotel with incredible waterfront views of the Long Beach skyline and The Queen Mary. Our room had a fabulous 1970s-inspired feel to it that tied into our love of retro and vintage here in Long Beach.
The room’s balcony with those harbor, Long Beach skyline, and Queen Mary views made it even better.
The hotel has such a cool design and layout. I really like the personality it had, It’s not one of those copy-paste-style chain hotels – everything from the lobby to rooms had a personalized flair to it.
There’s also a heated lap pool, jacuzzi hot tub, sandy lounge area, and fire pits to enjoy around the common areas.
For dinner, we went to Fuego, the hotel’s Latin-inspired restaurant. If the weather’s nice, sit on the patio for scenic views of the Queen Mary while enjoying your meal. We really were into the seafood options on the menu during our visit.
Enjoy an Evening at the Observation Bar on The Queen Mary
📍 1126 Queens Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90802
No overnight trip to Long Beach is complete without drinks aboard the historic Queen Mary. The Observation Bar was once the First-Class Lounge, and it still retains its glamorous Art Deco design.
We visited on a Thursday night for live jazz, and it was the perfect way to wrap up the evening. Guests and the musicians were dressed in period appropriate clothing and it felt like we were in a time capsule!
While at the Observation Bar, be sure to step out onto the deck for breathtaking views of the city skyline at night.
If you’re feeling adventurous, see if you can find the hidden speakeasy aboard The Queen Mary—you’ll need a password to get in! The speakeasy is called N°3 and going to it means you get to get a mini tour of the inside of The Queen Mary!
They also have live music and you’ll want to check out the actual prescription for Winston Churchill on the wall as you walk in, prescribing him the use of alcohol as medicine during the American prohibition from a real doctor so he could drink on his visits.
Also, did you know that The Queen Mary is also a hotel and it’s haunted?! One of these days we will stay aboard The Queen Mary overnight! The most haunted room is known as B340 if you dare to stay.
You can actually take a peek in the room through the porthole in the door if no one is occupying that room for the night during your visit. You can tell if the curtain is open, if it is – you can peek in and see if you spot a ghost!
Breakfast at Rose Park Roasters
📍 455 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
Start your second morning in Long Beachwith some of the best coffee we’ve had in Southern California at Rose Park Roasters. They roast their own beans, and have specialty drinks like their caramel miso latte (a must-try for those who love a little sweet and salty balance).
If you’re indecisive, opt for one of their coffee flights, they have a few options. We both picked one that included an espresso, drip coffee, and nitro cold brew. This really great fuel for the morning – especially after our late night fun on The Queen Mary!
They also have a selection of sweet and savory pastries for a light bite.
Hike at El Dorado Nature Center
📍 7550 E Spring St, Long Beach, CA
Escape downtown for a few hours and enjoy the largest park in the City of Long Beach at El Dorado Nature Center. This park has two sections, one has picnic areas, sporting fields, and even an amusement park.
The other side is where you’ll find the serene trails of El Dorado Nature Center, a natural oasis featuring two lakes, a stream, and a few miles of trails along a forested pathway.
We did the paved .25 mile pathway before doing the one-mile trail (there’s also a 2-mile trail option). The trails are well-maintained and easy walking for all levels and ages. There were parents with strollers on all the trails to give you an idea of the level of ease.
This was such a peaceful walk, there was a beautiful stream that we continued to walk past and gorgeous spots to take a nice break on a bench and enjoy the surrounding nature.
Plus, this is a great spot for bird watching and seeing tons of turtles!
The only thing to note is that there is a $7 fee for parking.
Lunch at Coffee Parlor
📍 2944 Clark Ave, Long Beach, CA 90815
For a casual, quick, and delicious lunch, head to Coffee Parlor, where everything is made from scratch using local ingredients. They have dishes like chilaquiles, sandwiches, burritos, and bowls – we both opted for birria dishes, which were great.
One of their signature menu items is The Quencher, a Mexican Coke topped with a double shot of espresso float which is a nice little afternoon pick me up!
Relax Poolside at Hotel Maya
📍 700 Queensway Dr, Long Beach, CA 90802
After hiking and a lunch, we headed back to Hotel Maya to relax poolside in a cabana. Even during the winter, the lap pool is heated to a comfortable temperature and there’s also a jacuzzi hot tub!
We had cabana service which also included poolside margaritas and a fruit plate! If you’re looking for a little R&R on your Long Beach trip, this is a great place to do it! You also have nice views of downtown Long Beach from the pool area.
Shop Around Retro Row
📍 4th Street, between Cherry & Temple Ave
Long Beach is an absolute gem of a destination for vintage lovers. I mean you’ve got the cool Art Deco remnants of the past in the buildings and Queen Mary and then you’ve got great vintage shopping in all corners of the city.
One place not to be missed for vintage lovers is Retro Row on the 4th Street Corridor. Specifically the blocks of 4th Street (between Cherry & Temple Avenues) is dotted with unique boutiques, antique shops, vintage stores, and quirky finds!
Before getting to the center of Retro Row, we recommend making a stop at Cool Cat Collective just a few blocks down. This is a cat-themed shop where you can buy ‘all things cats’ and hang out with their cats in the back of the shop. These are foster cats and they help some cute kitties find their forever homes.
Then make your way to the heart of Retro Row, we visited during Fourth Fridays which is when the streets also fill up with pop up shops from local artists in addition to the great shops! If you’re visiting during the end of the month, this is something you definitely will want to check out.
We went into just about every storefront on Retro Row, here were a few of our favorite shops (although they were all pretty cool in their own way):
- Meow – Vintage treasures from the 1940s to 1980s.
- Sneaky Tiki Boutique – A fun, tiki-themed vintage shop perfect for getting a tropical shirt. They also had an interesting lamp collection.
- Songbird – not-to-be-missed gift store! It will be hard to not walk out of here for gifts for yourself.
- Far Outfit – cool shop with vintage and sustainable finds.
- Pigeon’s Roller Skate Shop – I don’t even roller skate but I wanted to buy some after visiting here and seeing all their fun roller skate colors and customization options.
- Starday – cool vintage shop with a stunning check out area that’s a vintage beauty bar!
Dinner at The Social List
📍 2105 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814
We ended our 2 days in Long Beach at The Social List, located on Retro Row for its shareable plates and whiskey flights. The poke nachos were a standout, and their build-your-own Old Fashioned is a fun way to personalize your drink.
Enjoyed this guide to an overnight trip and 2 days in Long Beach? Bookmark for later and share the love below on Pinterest!
Looking for more places to visit in Southern California? Check out some of our favorite beaches in Orange County and best things to do in Los Angeles – the great thing about Long Beach is it’s situated between the two and a great base for exploring.
