While You’re in Town, Explore these Fun Things To Do in Long Beach, California

Long Beach, California is more than just one of the greatest year-round vacation destinations in the US, with a daily temperature averaging a delicious 74 degrees; it’s also the home to the next CannaCon West Expo.

Grab your tickets for CannaCon West Aug. 4-5. Hopefully, you’re a smart cookie who has already made use of the early bird pricing and snagged tickets, but whether you’re a proactive pre-planner or a spontaneous last-minute type, if you will be in Long Beach for the nation’s leading B2B cannabis conference, and you’re looking for things outside the CannaCon seminars and top cannabis industry exhibitors to enjoy, here is a list featuring fun things to do in Long Beach California.

The Queen Mary

No list of Long Beach attractions would be complete without a mention of the Queen Mary. One of the largest and most elegant British ocean liners of its time, the Queen Mary was actively in service from 1936 to 1967, when it was retired and transformed into a floating hotel, attraction and event venue. Home to three world-class restaurants and offering exciting and informative tours daily, the Queen Mary is among the fun things to do in Long Beach California that are definitely not to be missed.

Are you brave enough to stay in one of their 347 original first-class staterooms and suites overnight while you enjoy CannaCon during the day? After all, the ship is rumored to be a paranormal hotspot, prone to hauntings! Day or night, the Queen Mary offers shopping, dining, history and adventure for all who come aboard.

The Pike

A unique waterfront location in Long Beach downtown, the Pike offers breathtaking harbor views and an open-air marketplace with more than 30 restaurants and retailers. These Long Beach downtown attractions include a cinema, a boutique hotel and the legendary comedy club The Laugh Factory. While there, you can also take a ride on a classic wood carousel that has been operating since 1920 and a giant Ferris wheel with 20 gondolas that hold up to six people each, offering an amazing way to watch the sunset.

Aquarium of the Pacific

Celebrating its 25th Anniversary with new exhibits, events and programs highlighting the remarkable natural world right outside its doors, this is not only one of the most unique things to do in Long Beach, but also Southern California’s largest aquarium.

The Aquarium of the Pacific displays around 12,000 animals, including sea otters, sharks, sea jellies, frogs and more. It contains more than 100 exhibits that celebrate the Earth’s largest and most diverse body of water, the Pacific Ocean. It is also home to the Pacific Visions wing, a 29,000-square-foot, two-story sustainable structure that contains an art gallery, a state-of-the-art immersive theater and a culmination gallery with game tables and interactives. See for yourself why more than 1.7 million people visit the aquarium each year.

Harbor Breeze Whale Watching Cruise

A fun thing to do in Long Beach, California that you will remember for years to come is joining Harbor Breeze on a journey where you can view some of the largest mammals on the planet up close and personal. Each whale watching cruise offers an adventure on the water with a knowledgeable captain who not only expertly mans your vessel, but offers comprehensive info about all the marine life you will see.

In addition to whales, there is a good chance you will also see dolphins, sea lions and harbor seals. With comfortable accommodations and relaxing views and the opportunity to meet some incredible people, a Harbor Breeze cruise offers fun and excitement and is a must-see as far as Long Beach attractions go.

Pigeon’s Roller Rink

From the outside, Pigeon’s looks like just another stylish boutique, but behind the fashionable wood slats is a sizable roller rink offering skating as well as lessons. This one-of-a-kind venue specializes in providing a fun and safe skating experience for people of all ages and all skill levels. Passionate about what they do, Pigeon’s is hosting an 80s skate night for all ages from 7-10 p.m. on Friday, August 4, and an “Island Vibes” event with DJ Nylaa Baybee for those 18+ on Saturday, August 5.

Dark Art Emporium

One of the most unique things to do in Long Beach, Dark Art Emporium is open Fridays and Saturdays from noon until 7 p.m. and Sundays from noon until 5 p.m. and houses an ever-evolving eclectic mix of fine art and oddities. Filled with pieces that are rarely found in other galleries, you can feast your eyes on everything from taxidermy to human skulls, from new contemporary art to dark surrealism. The elaborate rooms of the Dark Art Emporium can only be found by pushing through a door located at the back of the bar within The 4th Horseman, another Long Beach downtown venue worth checking out, which offers craft beer, fine wine and apocalyptic pizza.

The Exhibition Room

If you’ve made it this far down this list of fun things to do in Long Beach California, you deserve to be rewarded with a real hidden gem. When it comes to Long Beach activities that only insiders know about, a visit to The Exhibition Room sure fits the bill. Doing its best to stay hidden, The Exhibition Room is located in the back of Roxanne’s Bar and, in true speakeasy fashion, can only be accessed through a false wall in a retro phone booth by using a password obtained after making a reservation. With an authentic old-timey look and feel, this 40-seat bar serves up cocktails both classic and craft and holds special events on the weekends — sometimes live music, sometimes burlesque and sometimes comedy.  Shhhhhhhhhhh.

Make the Most of your Weekend with Fun Things to do in Long Beach California

It should be noted that August 5 and 6 is also the weekend for The Long Beach Pride Celebration, one of the largest in the world and the third-largest Pride festival and parade in all of California. For those within the LGBTQ+ community as well as the allies who support them, attending LB Pride on Saturday after attending CannaCon or all day Sunday is a great way to educate, encourage and celebrate pride, inclusion and respect for humanity.

While you can always, of course, use your time outside of CannaCon West to pay a visit to the best dispensaries in Long Beach, we hope this list of Long Beach attractions and activities also helps you enjoy your stay while you’re in town.

For those looking to thrive within the California cannabis industry or anyone else looking to amass countless contacts and forge business deals while gaining strategic insights and unrivaled access to industry knowledge, CannaCon is the way to go. No other marijuana expo even comes close. If you haven’t already, get your tickets today.