Long Beach Convention Center – Experiences

If you’re attending an event in Long Beach, California, the chances are good that it’s going to be hosted at the Long Beach Convention Center. The chances are also good that you aren’t going to be spending your entire visit cooped up inside the center. Fortunately, being part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area means that Long Beach has lots to do for someone who wants to become familiar with the city.

The Long Beach Convention Center is nestled at the bottom of downtown Long Beach, almost on the water. This means that you’ll be able to enjoy a pleasant walk on your way to some of the city’s best attractions. See a multitude of marine animals at The Aquarium of the Pacific, walk the Long Beach Promenade, and later unwind with a drink at the Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery. Whether your visit to the Long Beach Convention Center is only a day or longer, the city has plenty of things to see, do, and eat while you’re visiting.

Morning

Noon

Night

Morning

Whether you’re spending the day attending your event at the Long Beach Convention Center or taking the morning to indulge in the city, you’ll need some breakfast. While the convention center does have some options for quick on-site dining, their selection doesn’t extend too far beyond standard café food. If you’re just looking coffee and something small to munch on then you won’t have to look hard.

For those with more eclectic taste buds or with more time to eat, the Long Beach Café has you covered. With a large menu and portions to boot, the café is a prime place to grab breakfast while visiting the Long Beach Convention Center. Their menu boasts a huge list of specialty omelets as well as the option to customize your own. Belgian waffles, crispy bacon, and freshly squeezed fruit juice make for a hearty breakfast to keep you going all day.
Keep the Long Beach Café in mind for later too because their lunch selection is just as wide as breakfast. At arm’s reach of the Long Beach Convention Center, the café is a great choice if you want to eat fast while still being able to return to your event at a moment’s notice.

While you’re taking in your breakfast, go for a relaxing stroll through the Rainbow Lagoon Park. Located right next to the Long Beach Convention Center, this emerald-green park is designed with elements of traditional Japanese style. Exploring its twelve acres you’ll find the saltwater lagoon, the central islands, and scenic fountains. Southern California is known for its sunny weather, but the park offers plenty of shaded areas under the trees.

After you’ve walked the length of the park, you’ll only be a couple minutes away from one of Long Beach’s most popular attractions, the Aquarium of the Pacific. The aquarium houses a broad bunch of animals native to the Pacific, including amphibians, mammals, and fish of all shapes, sizes, and colors. In total, the aquarium has nearly 500 species of animals that are kept across 19 habitats.

The exhibits at the aquarium are engaging as well as educational. Some exhibits are even interactive, like touch tanks stocked with horseshoe crabs, jellyfish, and small sharks. Visitors both young and old are known to line up for the Lorikeet Forest, an outdoor habitat for these colorful, coastal dwelling birds. While you’re there you can buy small cups of nectar that are a favorite treat of the lorikeets. The birds aren’t shy and are known to land on patrons to get a sip.

Noon

A morning filled with walking is probably going to leave you feeling pretty hungry. Since you’re so close to the ocean, you’d be remiss not to try some fresh seafood while visiting the Long Beach Convention Center.

Located in the Long Beach promenade, the Big Catch Seafood House prides itself on an extensive selection of fresh-caught sea fare. Gumbos, creamy bisques and chowders are a fan favorite at Big Catch but their salmon burger and Cajun seafood pasta are bursting with flavor. While any lover of fish will find something to enjoy at Big Catch, landlubbers don’t have to worry as they sell wings, salads, hamburgers, and more.

After you’re finished at Big Catch you can take the post-lunch lull to shop around and walk the Long Beach Promenade. A six-block stretch of shops, restaurants, and palm trees, the Promenade is in the heart of downtown so you won’t be far from the Long Beach Convention Center or any local transport.
The length of the Promenade is a pleasant walk, with murals and greenery to see while you shop. Amidst the shops are art installations like sculptures and murals throughout the Promenade’s slice of park. Along the way, there’s also a Starbucks for a quick coffee or snack. At the north end, you’ll find the Harvey Milk Promenade Park, the first public space devoted to Milk and his achievements for civil rights in America. In addition to paintings depicting Milk’s accomplishments, visitors will also get to see a stone replica of the famous milk crate he delivered his speeches from.

Ending your walk of the promenade at the north end puts you only 15 minutes from the Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum. For those interested in the Long Beach Convention Centercultures of peoples of the many islands that dot the Pacific, the museum will be a real treat.

Numerous societies of the Pacific Islands, with thousands of miles between them, are represented at the museum through dress, textiles, and song. The Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum houses over 1,000 artifacts and visitors will be able to see a number of these pieces close-up and marvel at details in traditional carvings and sculpture. With over 1,000 artifacts housed in a variety of mediums, a visit the museum is a proper choice for those who are interested in how different cultures have lived their lives.

Night

Long Beach Convention Center

When it’s dinnertime, make your way by The Auld Dubliner for some authentic Irish cuisine and a cold pint. Start off with some fried chips before you work your way into a toasted cheese and tomato on rye sandwich. Other traditional favorites including shepherd’s pie, and the full Irish breakfast is available all day and night. The Dubliner also holds an extensive whiskey and beer collection with bottles sourced from Ireland and all over the globe. An added bonus is that The Auld Dubliner is a stone’s throw away from the Long Beach Convention Center. If a pub atmosphere is what you’re after then you won’t have to go far.

If Irish offerings aren’t to your fancy a tasty alternative would be George’s Greek Café. At George’s you can find Greek-American fusion dishes as well as classics like lamb gyros, falafel with hummus, and shawarma. Their menu has lots of vegan options too including the falafel burger and creamy lentil soup.

Wine makes excellent company for Mediterranean cuisine and there are over 30 vintages to choose from. Whether you’re having seafood, salad, or red meat, there’s a style of wine at George’s to make any pairing.

When you’ve had a nice dinner, the remainder of your evening should be geared towards relaxation. A lengthy walk probably won’t be on your agenda after a full meal, so it’s a good thing that the Pike Outlets have a Ferris wheel to ride. In the evening, the Pike Ferris Wheel is lit up with thousands of LED bulbs. For one of the best nighttime views in Long Beach, ride to the top of the Ferris wheel and take in the striking scene of lights reflecting off the inky ocean. Calling it a night after the ride isn’t a bad call as the Pike’s proximity to the Long Beach Convention Center means that your hotel should be close by too.

If you’re a in the mood for a nightcap, head over to the Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery. Rock Bottom has 12 kinds of beer on tap with styles and flavors to suit the palate of any beer lover. The brewers at Rock Bottom have a proclivity for freshness; they serve their beer with a tank-to-table pledge with all product made on-site. Their homemade brews are also organized on the menu with brief taste descriptions and are separated into the different avenues of flavor from dark and roasty to fruity and spicy.

A cold brew is best complimented with a hot pairing and the menu at Rock Bottom is packed with bar food favorites, including jalapeño bacon poppers, honey chipotle wings, and fish tacos. In addition to full meal options like pizza and burgers, lighter options less than 600 calories are offered as well. At the Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery, salt, suds, and zest converge for an unforgettable gastropub experience during your visit to Long Beach.