Posted: 11/3/2025 12:10:07 PM EDT
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Howdy Cali folks! I am going to be in Long Beach for a couple days in December. Never been to CA, will probably feel like a different country for this Wisconsin guy. Do you all know of anything cool worth checking out when I have free time in the area? Any restaurants that are cannot miss good? I am already planning to check out battleship Iowa, but that's about all I have right now. ' Thanks in advance! |
Joined:
Dec 2022
Posts:
325
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CA, USA
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When going to San Pedro (the Iowa) in December double check to see if the Vincent Thomas Bridge is open. I know they are looking to close it late this year for maintenance. If it is, just take Anaheim Street, or PCH west from Long Beach. There's the Aquarium (always good); https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/visit/tickets_ads?utm_source=google&utm_medium=pmax&utm_campaign=SeaStars&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22002376287&gbraid=0AAAAApG_Q2Qt_yMp0-7l5Zm8Y33ywgefP&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIorX70dDWkAMVhEZ_AB1-zAr9EAAYASAAEgLesvD_BwE Check out the San Pedro Fish Market; https://www.sanpedrofish.com/ They have a Long Beach location too so depending on where you're staying it might be closer. There's a ton of restaurants in San Pedro, Long Beach, and the Naples Island area. When you get here, think of what you'd like, check the Yelp reviews, and it'll be there. Oh yeah, bring shorts. 80 degree days are not uncommon in December  |
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I don't live all that close to Long Beach, kind of surprises me I've never visited the Iowa. Do it, though. The aquarium and San Pedro Fish Market have slipped off our rotation so but used to hit the San Pedro location a lot. The city has been redeveloping that area some but it's very close to the Iowa and I believe re-opened. Wasn't a fancy or too expensive place and was pretty popular. Might suggest avoiding weekends? Their other location is right close to Seal Beach on the east edge of Long Beach and that area does have a lot of restaurant/entertainment type locations. The Seafood Market is in a marina area but not the heavy yuppy area and was easy to get to the last couple of times. Walt's Wharf in Seal Beach has re-opened after being closed due to a fire. It's a higher end seafood place, kind of fancy, not a chain restaurant, family owned, oak grilled specialties a big part of the menu. There may be a submarine service museum and/or memorial on the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station (need to search on that). If you continue down Pacific Coast Highway, you'll get to the Orange County Beach cities. Again dining, beaches, , etc. There are holiday light parades either boats around the bay or boat parades in Huntington Harbor or Newport Bay/Beach. That might be of interest depending on timing. It won't be Wisconsin weather but could be wet at times. Maybe of interest or not, a "Pasadena area" thing, the Rose Parade floats will be in stages of construction and/or decoration, aimed at being perfect for the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years Day. Depends on when you are here, how far along they will be. Most of the floral decoration goes on between Christmas and New Years for peak freshness but some decorations have longer life and can go on earlier. There are several commercial decorating sites and a couple of self built/decorated city floats and if you do some google searching you can find locations and visit times if interested. The Pasadena area is an hour or so north of Long Beach. Between the general year-end holiday school breaks and the Rose Parade/Rose Bowl game, things can get busy at touristy areas, especially the last two weeks of December. Remember 10-12million people live in the greater L.A. area so drives can be extended and busy. What sorts of things might be of interest? "Hollywood" sucks but there are sights there, the Griffith Observatory has a great view over much of the L.A. area but due to popularity can be crowded and a bit congested, so advance planning needed. Lots of museums around the greater L.A. area. Exposition Park has several, can be crowded if sporting events going on in the area. The space shuttle is off display for now. There's another new museum under construction adjacent to the Coliseum - Lucas Museum of Narrative Art which could be worth seeing from the outside if in the area. |
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If you visit San Pedro checkout Busy Bee, awesome samich! Or, Isaac's Cafe, awesome carne asada burrito Also, Burattino Pizza Those are some cool places. And all close enough to the Korean Bell to hang out and check out the ocean. It's also right next to Fort MacArthur |
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My work territory has me in LA a lot and I have been doing all the historically interesting sites. I've been to the crossroads of the Newhall Incident, the Norco bank location, and the North Hollywood B of A and neighborhood. I will eventually hit filming locations like Heat. |
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USS Iowa museum in Long Beach California Science Center has a bunch of airplanes, including the only F-20 Tigershark, and eventually the space shuttle stack, which isn't done yet. Don't know how much of it is closed due to the construction. Western Museum of Flight in Hawthorne has one of the YF-23s If you are coming into LAX, the Proud Bird by the airport. |
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Let me add these few items, as I've been trying to figure out how to help. Petersen Automotive Museum - if you have even the slightest interest in cars, you will love that place. Connie & Ted's - supposedly the best seafood in California. Ouovo - best pasta in Los Angeles, hand made, flown in daily from Italy (within walking distance of Petersen Museum). LA County Museum of Art - they have a very wide collection (also walkable from Petersen). Getty Museum - art from the Middle Ages to today set amid modern architecture, gardens and city views. Getty Villa (Malibu) - my favorite small museum in the world (I've seen a few). Title says "LA", so I posted some Los Angeles attractions. Rereading the thread, I see you will be in Long Beach. The Petersen is about 25 miles north from downtown Long Beach. |
| If you are into the bar scene and walk into a bar and notice it's all guys slowly back out and watch your cornhole. Long beach has a pretty big gay population. Other than that, the Queen Mary is pretty cool if you have not been before, along with the aquarium as mentioned before. I have not lived there in over 20 years, but last time I visited, the ghetto seemed to have moved South into the nicer neighborhoods. |
| If considering farther out, if thinking warbirds, look up the museums at Chino Airport. Not that close to the Long Beach area but interesting. The desert is visitable. Lots of snowbirds in the Palm Springs area but the aerial tramway gets you to 8,500 feet up Mt. San Jacinto. Might depend on the weather if worth the trip, you'd be used to the temps but one goes for the views. Joshua Tree National Park - you're not in Wisconsin anymore! |