Long Beach is one of the most fantastic cities I have ever been in! We are part of Southern California, close enough to LA to visit, but not too close to be swamped with smog and tourists. Just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Disneyland and home to beautiful beaches and fantastic food! For some reason, the LBC still gets quite a bit of hate from non-Long Beachers! Here are 15 things to re-spark your Long Beach pride!
1. On average, we get 345 days of sunshine per year!
That leaves not even three weeks of partly cloudy or fully cloudy days. Who can complain about that when places like Bellingham, WA, only have 157 days of sunshine, and the average city is only blessed with 205 days? No sun, no thanks!
2. We have 81 miles of beaches to enjoy!
81 miles! That is quite a bit of beach! Sure our surf might not be the greatest, but there are so many other fabulous activities to do at the beach, and with 81 miles to do it on, who could ask for anything better?
3. Long Beach is the 5th largest city in California, with a population of 490,166!
Not the biggest, not the smallest, Long Beach is the perfect size for a big city that is not too overwhelming!
4. 53 percent of the people who live in downtown are under the age of 35!
Think of the incredible dating and night-life opportunities! The youngness of our city gives us a unique situation with jobs and innovation. Not to mention everyone here is fantastic!
5. We host Cal State Long Beach!
Go CSULB! Long Beach State is not only the second largest CSU campus within the state, but it is one of my favorites (though I might be a little biased since I found my home there)!
6. The nation’s skinniest house was built here!
As highlighted on Ripley’s Believe it or Not, the nation's skinniest house is located on Gladys Avenue, Long Beach! The house was built in 1932 by Nelson Rummond on a bet and still stands proudly today!
7. Long Beach has a pyramid!
That’s right! A pyramid! Any Long Beach local or Cal State attendant is familiar with the Walter Pyramid! It is one of the only pyramids within the United States, and we have it! It’s big, it’s blue, and it hosts riveting basketball and volleyball competitions!
8. See us on TV! Long Beach, the rising star!
Because of our amazing sunshine, wide variety of architecture, and easy-to-get film permits, Long Beach has stood in on a number of notable movies and television shows as cities from all over the globe! Long Beach can be spotted in, among others, Dexter, CSI Miami, NCIS: Los Angeles, Criminal Minds, Medium, The Six Million Dollar Man, Glee, "Fast and Furious", "Anchorman," Star Trek, "Iron Man," two of the "Transformers" movies, "Bones," "A Cinderella Story," "American Pie" both one and two, "Inception," "Rush Hour 3," "The Girl Next Door," and "This Means War!"
9. The Aquarium of the Pacific calls Long Beach home!
If you have not been to the Aquarium of the Pacific yet, then when you finish this article get out there and visit it! With more than a million visitors per year, the Aquarium is one of the most incredible and beautiful ways to explore the world of our underwater friends!
10. Long Beach is super dog-friendly!
Our furry friends have options in Long Beach that are not offered in most other California cities, at least not to the same extent! Not only do we have dog-friendly restaurants and hotels, but we have the only off-leash dog beach in LA County. Three acres of beach and park space for our four legged loved ones to run around and have a blast!
11. Famous people represent!
Long Beach has produced and housed some very influential celebrities, athletes, and politicians over the years! Some of these, but not all, include Tony Gwyn, Nicholas Cage, Eva LaRue Callahan, Cameron Diaz, Snoop Dogg, Eric Wilson, Adrian Young, Justin Turner, Tim Salmon, Tiger Woods, Billie Jean King, Bo Derek, and Daniel James White!
12. The Grand Prix!
Every April, car enthusiasts and locals alike swarm the streets with more than 180,000 fans gathering to watch the finest drivers racing has to offer speed down the streets of this city! If you have not been or watched it on TV, it is definitely worth checking out!
13. We have the world's largest mural!
Environmental marine artist Wyland broke the Guinness Book of World Records twice on the Long Beach Arena, first in 1993 and again in 2009. “Earth, the Blue Planet,” covers the rooftop of the arena totaling a span of three acres.
14. LB has strict rules about E Cigs
Sorry if vaping is one of your hobbies, but because the effects of E Cigs has not been fully explored, the Long Beach Council is erring on the side of caution. E Cigs are being treated much like regular cigarettes: They cannot be sold to minors under the age of 18, are banned from use in restaurants, bars, workplaces, city parks and beaches, and vendors are subject to inspections and potential sting operations by the city’s health department. At some point these conditions may be lifted, but for now, Long Beach is working hard to protect its inhabitants.
15. We host beauty contests — for Bulldogs!
Bull dogs plus costumes plus good food plus photo opts equals the Long Beach Bulldog Beauty Contest! Need I say more?
Next time anyone gives you a hard time about Long Beach, hold your ground, and imagine our sunny beaches and iconic landmarks! No other city is quite as special as Long Beach is! Be proud!
