1. Ferris Bueller’s House Is Actually In Long Beach
But wait, you say, I’m a huge John Hughes fan, and I distinctly remember a number of hijinx happening all over Chicago in that flick. Well, you cinema savant, you’re right, but Ferris’s digs were actually located at 4160 Country Club Drive in Long Beach.
Fun fact: the owners of the house actually continued living in the house alongside the film’s entire cast and crew during shooting.
2. Check Out These Haute Dogs
The Bulldog Beauty Contest is held annually in Long Beach, California. If you’ve ever wanted to spend an afternoon watching bulldogs dressed like people getting judged for their looks, this is the place to do it.
3. Craft Jerky: The Next Hip Obsession Has Arrived
The same guy that co-owns The Wine Bar also founded Long Beach Jerky Co. It looks like he’s onto something again because these home-spun packets of dried meaty joy are the next craft comestible.
What’s next, craft roasted peanuts? Wait. Note to self…
4. You Might Get Sand In Your Yoga Pants
Meetup is going to become your best friend for a lot of reasons, the chief one being getting your asana on at the bluff with Dharma from Yogulation. They teach Aryuvedic yoga.
Even when it gets negligibly colder, there’s always a big variety of spiritually-oriented classes at the studio on Broadway.
5. The Tourists Will Be The Ones On The Hydrobikes
There are plenty of novelty water sports to be enjoyed, not just hydrobikes—those are the ones that make your feet look like huge bananas. You can rent them from Long Beach Hydrobikes for a day and take a tour of Alamitos Bay.
6. Long Beach Has The Full Cruise Experience Without The Risk Of Icebergs
What’s with the huge Titanic lookalike sitting out in the bay, you may ask? That’s the Queen Mary, and it’s British and possibly haunted.
Take a tour, spend the night with your honey and recreate the big party scene from that one James Cameron movie everyone cried about.
7. You’re Not A Local Until You’ve Eaten At Joe Jost’s
This family-owned bar is the darling of the neighborhood and purveyor of Joe's Special (a hotdog with pickle, mustard and cheese on rye) and fresh roasted Marmion Peanuts. Also, delicious pickled eggs.
8. Long Beach Is Not In Love With The Breakwater
If you’re in SoCal, you’ve likely come for some “gnarly waves.” Well, keep looking—this town was once called the West Coast Waikiki, but it hasn’t seen any good surf since the Federal Government built the breakwater in the 1940s.
Surfrider Foundation is championing the “Sink the Breakwater” campaign to reconfigure the breakwater and restore the natural flow of ocean currents in Long Beach Harbor.
9. While We’re Talking About It, Yes, The Beach Is Very Long
The ten mile stretch of beach starts at the marina south of Long Beach Café (burgers and omelets!) and goes all the way over to the San Gabriel River and the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (lots of ritzy boats).
10. Long Beach’s Neighborhoods Change Every Two Blocks
And they can go from quaint suburb to something rougher pretty quick. If you’re a cool kid like me, think Belmont Shore. If you’re loaded, think Naples. If you don’t want to live in Long Beach but still say you live in Long Beach, go to Signal Hill.
11. Jongewaard’s Bake And Broil Tops Long Beach's Brunch List
In celebrity chef paradise, it’s nice to know that a small family-owned hole-in-the-wall like Jongewaard’s is packed from dawn to dusk with hungry patrons. Join them and see what all the fuss is about.
Hint: it’s the pastries. No, it’s the sandwiches. Augh, get in my belly already.
12. Dean’s Pizza Is The Real California Pizza Kitchen
Here’s more homemade goodness that provides an alternate to the designer chains. At Dean’s, pizza is not so much food as it is a crazy epicurean experiment.
Your new favorite topping is curry. Deal with it.
13. Bring Your Amigos to Los Compadres
And set their mouths aflame on this seriously spicy stuff. Seems like half the menu is named after “El Diablo,” who apparently has a thing for delicious sinus-clearing hot sauce. Eater beware.
14. Get Discovered At The Long Beach Playhouse
They play the classics and the deep cuts at the Long Beach Playhouse. Between the two spaces, the lobby featuring that guy tickling the ivories over there and the constant features of beloved Broadway hits, it’s a great opportunity for a fantastic evening of theatre.
15. Long Beach's Preferred Art House Is The Cinematheque
Getting to Cannes or even Sundance is pricey, right? Why do that when you can get the full experience at Long Beach Cinematheque?
They’ve teamed up with Lola’s Mexican Cuisine to present Lola’s Outdoor Retro Cinema, which is exactly what it sounds like and a rip-roaring good time at that. Plus, their special events featuring local artists are always a blast.
16. Drink ‘Til You’re As Red As The Leprechaun Is
Aw, mate, you didn’t eat your lamb sliders fast enough, and now you’re feeling a bit knackered after trying to get through all seven delicious brews on tap, are ya? Well, you’ve only t’ blame yerself, now. Pop off home and don’t go diggin’ into any pots o’ gold you’ll be findin’ ‘cause they ain’t real, ya know.
17. You’ll Be Overjoyed To Hear That E-Cigs Are Banned
Maybe you’re a smoker, maybe you’re trying to quit, maybe you like smoke that is grape flavored—whatever you reason may be, you still can’t smoke on the street or in the vape shops in Long Beach.
Doesn’t mean that you won’t get amazing service from any of the shops out here—E-Cig City Long Beach, I’m looking at you.
18. Long Beach Curries Favor With Fried Shark Rolls
Callaloo Caribbean Kitchen features Trinidadian food. I know, right? I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant either.
Turns out it’s the it’s the true definition of “melting pot”—flavors from Africa through to China inform this palate, which you and some friends can enjoy on the deck while listening to funky steel drum players rock it out.
19. Spring Means Grand Prix Racing Right Outside Your Window
You know spring has sprung not by the flowers blooming or the birds singing, but by the insanely loud, fast and awesome city-wide fiesta that is the Toyota Grand Prix. Even if you can’t stand the rednecks that flock to catch a piece of fast car action, the fact that you can drive down the track the week before is admittedly pretty cool
20. Long Beach Salutes Carol C For Her Chicken and Waffles
Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles features a simple combination of fried chicken breast and waffles known as the “Carol C.” To the uninitiated—this is actually an amazing combination. Dig in.
21. MOLAA Keeps Art Lively
MOLAA, the Museum of Latin American Arts, has a very specific focus: to generate appreciation for historic and contemporary Latin American art. Currently offering exhibits of Frida Kahlo’s photos, workshops teaching surrealist painting and Friday night live events, MOLAA is so packed with fun activities that you’ll forget it’s a museum.
22. Park It At Parker’s With A View of the Water
This writer isn’t sure what “supper club” dining is, but if I learned anything from Peanuts cartoons, it’s something to get excited about.
Parker’s Lighthouse & Queensview Steakhouse is right on the water with fine cuisine to boot. Celebrate your new hometown with one of its finest gastronomic offerings!
23. The World’s Biggest Ocean Is At Your Fingertips
Yeah, there are aquariums everywhere, but there’s something special to be said for the Aquarium of the Pacific, which is right on the water where, you know, fish come from. Lends a certain air of credibility, don’t it?
