Car Hire Long Beach - Mini guide to Long Beach

Long Beach is located in the sunny state of California, at the edge of the Pacific. In close proximity to the cosmopolitan jungle of Los Angeles, it makes a great getaway from the hustle, bustle and interminable traffic jams of the mega-city. Here you’ll find packed beaches, museums, a plethora of restaurants and bars, and a palpable sense of wealth.

The Aquarium of the Pacific is ostensibly the best man-made aquatic attraction on the nation’s western coast. The facility houses over 12,000 sea creatures, including sharks, sea lions, sea horses and moon jellies.

The Cruise Ship Museum is another interesting place to visit, and is home to the illustrious Queen Mary. This incredible ship is a giant 81,237-tonne delight of super luxurious proportions. The ship features its original tropical hardwood floors and magnificent staterooms.

The La Brea Tar Pits, situated just outside LA, is an incredible paleontological site. The Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries contains many of the site’s important fossils and explanations of its boiling oil preservation. Some of the fossils date back 40,000 years.

The frenetic city of Los Angeles is less than an hour away by car. The city needs no introduction; with Hollywood, Venice Beach, Malibu, beaches, surfing and crazy nightlife, you won’t be short of things to do. Driving is a bit of a nightmare; nevertheless it’s the best way to see all the sights.

If you’re driving, then I-5, I-405, and I-710 all lead from Los Angeles to Long Beach. The main airports serving Long Beach are Long Beach Municipal Airport, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, John Wayne Airport in Pasadena and Ontario International Airport. Most international passengers will fly into LAX and catch a flight to Long Beach Municipal.

The major suburbs in Long Beach are: Anaheim, Carson, Garden Grove, Irvine, Lakewood, Lomita, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster.