long beach information needed

willy

I will be going to long beach california in March for a show and would like to know where I should fly into. LAX or LGB airports.
and how to get from the airport to the convention center I will be staying at one of the following hotels. The Hyatt regency, Westin or renaissance all at the convention center any recomendations.

Also I will have my wife and two daughters with ages 11 & 13 anything special we should see or do well in California this will be are first time there. We will be staying for at least 8 days, and any information on the area will be greatly appreciated.

Sorry this is off topic but I know that alot of members attend shows in long beach a couple of times a year and I would like to make this a special trip for the wife and kids.

Thank You

Willy

JamminJ

Hi Willy,

I live about 25-30 mile South of Long Beach.

I'd advise you to do whatever you can to avoid flying into LAX. Without a doubt its the 2nd worst airport in America (after o'Hare): big, busy and crowded. Long Beach is far smaller but has a limited flight schedule. You may also want to look into Orange County John Wayne Airport, a bit to the South but still closer than LAX.

Most hotels run shuttle vans to/from the airports, just let them know when you'll be arriving and a van will pick you up. Do you plan on renting a car? Very tough to get around on public transportation in California (one light rail which run between Long Beach and gangland and buses), so without a car you'll be quite limited in what you can do. Long Beach does have the Queen Mary, but I found that to be a depressing relic from a time long gone. Fishing day trips leave from Long Beach and are quite fun, you can rent everything right on the boat. The waterfront has some nice shops and resturaunts and a minor league hockey team plays right by the convention center.

With a car there are many more things within range of daytrips. Disneyland and a host of lessor amusement parks are in Anaheim and Buena Park. It's a good ride to the Getty Museum, but worth seeing if you like painting and sculpture. San Diego (two hours away) has a great zoo and wild animal park. Plan on eating some ethnic food, authentic and often quite good food from all over the world is present in large quantities. Rollerblading or biking along the beaches is a great way to spend a day. Golf is year round.

Hope this helps, if you have any additional questions feel free to shoot me a PM.
-JamminJ

FrattLaw

Where are you coming from? Sometimes choosing LAX over LB airport makes a difference in regards to price. Check both if airfare is a concern.

As for ease, LB Airport is closer, but it is very old. It was originally a testing airfield for the local manufacturers. I don't think it's been refurbished in the last 50 years. It is kinda cool though.

As for hotels, all that you chose are fine. All are pretty close to the Convention Center.

As for entertainment, with young children you really can't beat Disneyland. You can also try Universal Studios in Studio City (about an 1 hr drive from Long Beach) There's also obviously Hollywood. It's making a comeback like Times Square in NYC, but it still as a way to go. I would also put Beverly Hills and Santa Monica on the list. And don't forget Long Beach itself. There's an Aquarium there and the Queen Mary, not to mention nice cafes and shops. And finally, I would also recommend a short trip via boat to Catalina for the day. If you are really adventurous, try driving to SeaWorld or the SanDiego Zoo in San Diego. It would be about a 1-2 hr drive, and you probably do at least one of them in a day trip.

Lots of choices, now you just got to narrow it down.

Good-luck and have fun!

Michael

airplanenut

I'd recommend LAX... far greater variety of planes (especially international) to see

Elcontador

The Long Beach Aquarium is walking distance from the Convention Center where the coin show is held.

If you want to see lots of animals, do a day trip to the San Diego Zoo. Actually, you can spend several days there and visit the Zoo, Sea World, and if interested, the nearby Wild Animal Park. Oldtown in San Diego is also worth a visit. Balboa Park is a nice place to walk, have a picnic, run, etc. You can also visit the neat old Hotel Coronado and Coronado Island itself is worth a look.

Jammin' James is the expert re Orange County, so I'll defer to him re his home turf.

The Los Angeles area has many fine beaches. It's all here; it really depends on what interests you. "All That Jazz" is playing in downtown Los Angeles, and I'll be seeing it in a few weeks. As mentioned earlier, you can get all sorts of ethnic food here. You can do the 21 mile scenic loop on the Palos Verdes peninsula, stopping for photos as you please. Your best bet is doing your activities during the week and during the day time to avoid the biggest crowds.

Sent me a PM if you have other questions.

AACoinCo

LAX is my choice coming from the east coast and the shuttle from the airport is not bad. WIth a family you can rent a small car for under $20 a day on priceline. Hotels: Run $60-80 on priceline for the Westin, Hyatt, Mariotte and Renisance at least this has worked the last nine shows. Try Four and then Three stars to get these. Caution: Don't go lower than three as you will get a junker. Good luck and see you at the show.

cherrypickincoin

I live less than 5 miles from the Long Beach Airport. I live in the Bixby Village Golf Course here in Long Beach, behind the university. Though the Long Beach Airport is much closer to where the coin show will be held, you will likely not get a very good rate flying into LB. You are more likely to get cheaper rates flying into LAX but if you can find a comparable rate flying into LB, I'd fly through that. However, since part of why I love to travel so much is the actual airports I get to see, LAX is by far a more wonderful experience. When you're in Long Beach, there is tons to do. You can visit the Aquarium, visit the Queen Mary, go to the coin show, walk down Pine Street, Ocean, etc. You can also fly into John Wayne, as someone mentioned above. Enjoy!