Local Guide
The first things to know about Long Beach.
A quick read before you go deeper. Everyday life, eating out, staying social, and the planning piece worth watching. Each one links to a source.
Everyday life
Aquarium of the Pacific
An easy, low-effort outing that grandkids love and that you can do at your own pace.
Source: Aquarium of the Pacific
Eating out and guests
Parkers' Lighthouse by the water
A seafood dinner with a real waterfront view is the sort of thing you want when family comes to visit.
Source: Visit Long Beach - Most Iconic Dishes
Staying social
Public courts at El Dorado Park West
Free, city-run courts are the simplest way to find a regular game close to home.
Source: City of Long Beach - Pickleball
Worth watching
City services and the gray season
If you picture sunny beach days every morning in early summer, the gray skies can catch you off guard.
Source: Visit Long Beach - Things To Do
Move tools
Thinking about moving to Long Beach? Run the rough math first.
Use these quick checks to test Long Beach as a retirement move. They are not the full map; they help you decide what deserves a deeper look.
Move math
Compare your state to CA
Tests everyday cost level, broad state tax, property tax, and one-time move setup.
Run move checkMortgage
Test the payment or refi
Compare a current mortgage against a new rate, closing costs, and break-even timing.
Open mortgage checkWeather fit
Mild most of the year
Long Beach has a weather profile that can support outdoor routines without making the best week the whole story.
Avg
63°
Sun
255
Rain
52
Snow
1
Things to do
Things to do in Long Beach
Parks, trails, classes, and easy outings for an ordinary week.
Aquarium of the Pacific
Aquarium of the Pacific
The big waterfront aquarium is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and walks you through the Pacific Ocean, from sea otters to a shark lagoon. It is one of the city's marquee attractions.
Why it matters
An easy, low-effort outing that grandkids love and that you can do at your own pace.
The Queen Mary
Tour the Queen Mary
The retired ocean liner is permanently docked in Long Beach and open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for guided tours like Glory Days and Steam & Steel. It is a piece of real history you can walk through.
Why it matters
A built-in conversation starter and a fine way to spend an afternoon out of the sun.
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
On the CSU Long Beach campus, this traditional Japanese garden is a calm hour of koi ponds, stone paths, and quiet. Most people wander it in 45 to 60 minutes.
Why it matters
A peaceful, walkable green space when you want stillness rather than a crowd.
Gondola Getaway
Gondola ride through Naples Island
Gondola Getaway has been rowing visitors through the canals of Naples Island since 1982. It is a slow, hour-long cruise across Alamitos Bay where you can bring a drink and just float.
Why it matters
A genuinely romantic and unhurried outing that fits a quieter pace of life.
Where to eat
Where to eat
Local spots for an easy dinner or a visit from family. Rough prices included.
Visit Long Beach - Most Iconic Dishes
Parkers' Lighthouse by the water
The visitor bureau calls out Parkers' Lighthouse and its garlic cheese bread burger as a Long Beach classic. It sits right on the harbor with views of the boats and the Queen Mary across the water.
Approx. price
$$$
Known for
Mesquite-grilled fish or the cheese bread burger
Why it matters
A seafood dinner with a real waterfront view is the sort of thing you want when family comes to visit.
George's Greek Cafe
George's Greek Cafe on 2nd Street
A family-run Greek spot in Belmont Shore where you sit out on 2nd Street with grilled lamb, gyros, and big Greek salads. It has been a neighborhood favorite for years.
Approx. price
$$
Known for
Lamb gyro and a Greek salad
Why it matters
It is the kind of easygoing, walkable lunch place you end up going back to without thinking about it.
Ammatoli
Ammatoli for Levantine food downtown
Ammatoli serves Lebanese and eastern Mediterranean plates in a warm downtown room on East 3rd Street. Think hummus, kebabs, and shareable mezze with a little more ambition than the usual.
Approx. price
$$
Known for
Mezze spread with warm pita
Why it matters
When you want a nicer dinner out without driving to Los Angeles, this is an easy yes.
Eater LA - Best Long Beach Restaurants
Cambodia Town for Cambodian food
Long Beach has the largest Cambodian community in the country, and Eater's editors point to the city for some of the best Cambodian cooking around. Cambodia Town along Anaheim Street is where to start.
Approx. price
$
Known for
Num pang sandwiches and noodle soups
Why it matters
This is food you will not find easily anywhere else, and it is part of what makes the city its own place.
Pickleball and rec
Pickleball in Long Beach
Where to play, drop in, and meet people. Court times, fees, and how busy it gets.
City of Long Beach - Pickleball
Public courts at El Dorado Park West
The City of Long Beach lists pickleball courts at El Dorado Park West on Studebaker Road, plus the nearby El Dorado Tennis Center. These are the easy public option on the east side of town.
Why it matters
Free, city-run courts are the simplest way to find a regular game close to home.
Visit Long Beach - Play Pickleball
College Estates and Bayshore courts
Visit Long Beach points to six courts at College Estates Park on Stevely Avenue and three at the Bayshore Recreation Center near the water on Ocean Boulevard. Four newer dedicated courts also opened at Silverado Park.
Why it matters
Having several outdoor spots around town means you can usually find an open court somewhere.
PowerPlay Pickleball
PowerPlay Pickleball indoor club
PowerPlay is a dedicated indoor pickleball club with nine courts, a practice court, a pro shop, and an athlete recovery center. It is the air-conditioned, play-rain-or-shine option.
Why it matters
Indoor courts mean the gray marine-layer mornings never cancel your game.
Alpert JCC Pickleball
Alpert JCC open play
The Alpert Jewish Community Center runs indoor pickleball with open play seven days a week, plus locker rooms and a pool nearby. It is open to the wider community.
Why it matters
Seven-day open play is hard to beat when you want a game on your own schedule.
Senior help and discounts
Help and discounts for Long Beach seniors
Programs, classes, free city services, seasonal help, and useful local deals.
City of Long Beach - Senior Citizen Program
Long Beach Senior Center
The city's senior center has a ballroom, dining facilities, and meeting rooms, and the parks department runs a full Senior Citizen Program of arts, fitness, dance, and lifelong-learning classes for older adults.
Why it matters
A real hub like this makes it much easier to build a routine and meet people after a move.
What’s coming up
What’s coming up in Long Beach
Local events worth putting on the calendar. Check the host page for dates and parking before you go.
Long Beach Municipal Band Summer Concerts
Tuesdays to Fridays, summer
6:30 p.m.
Municipal Band summer concerts
When
All summer the Long Beach Municipal Band plays free evening concerts in city parks, with shows starting at 6:30 p.m. on weeknights. People bring blankets, chairs, and a picnic dinner.
Why it matters
Free outdoor music a few nights a week is one of the genuine pleasures of summer here.
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
April 17 to 19, 2026
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
When
For one weekend the downtown streets turn into a race circuit for IndyCar and other series, with the cars roaring along the waterfront. It is the city's biggest annual event by far.
Why it matters
Even if racing is not your thing, downtown gets loud and packed that weekend, so it is good to know it is coming.
Visit Long Beach - Farmers Markets
Tuesdays and Saturdays
Tue 3 to 7 p.m., Sat 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Bixby Park farmers market
When
The Bixby Park farmers market runs Tuesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Cherry Avenue. There are several other markets around town too, including downtown on Fridays and Marine Stadium on Wednesdays.
Why it matters
A weekly market gives your routine a friendly anchor and the freshest local produce.
Belmont Shore Christmas Parade
First Saturday in December
Belmont Shore Christmas Parade
When
One of the biggest parades of the year rolls down 2nd Street in Belmont Shore on the first Saturday in December. Families line the street early to grab a good spot.
Why it matters
A hometown holiday tradition that makes the neighborhood feel like a small town for a night.
Visit Long Beach - Annual Events & Festivals
April 4, 2026
Cambodia Town Parade & Festival
When
Every spring the Cambodia Town Parade & Festival celebrates Cambodian New Year with a parade, food, and music along Anaheim Street. It reflects the city's large Cambodian community.
Why it matters
A free cultural day that is a window into one of the things that makes Long Beach distinct.
Long Beach Pride
May 16 and 17, 2026
Long Beach Pride
When
The annual Pride parade and festival fills downtown for a weekend each May with a parade, music, and events across the city. It is one of the longest-running Pride celebrations in the country.
Why it matters
It is a big, friendly weekend that shows off how welcoming the city can be.
Long Beach Jazz Festival
August 8 and 9, 2026
Long Beach Jazz Festival
When
The Long Beach Jazz Festival returns for its 36th year on the waterfront with two days of jazz, classic R&B, and smooth grooves. Bring a chair and settle in by the water.
Why it matters
A relaxed, grown-up music weekend that does not ask you to stand in a mosh pit.
Worth knowing
Worth knowing about the area
City services, neighborhood updates, seasonal notes, and the everyday details that matter.
Visit Long Beach - Things To Do
City services and the gray season
Visit Long Beach is the easiest front door to city attractions and services. The one seasonal quirk to plan around is the marine layer, locally called May Gray and June Gloom, when mornings near the coast stay cloudy and cool well into summer.
Why it matters
If you picture sunny beach days every morning in early summer, the gray skies can catch you off guard.
City decisions
City decisions to watch
Council agendas, hearings, and public meetings that can change access, housing, services, or costs.
LA County Assessor - Homeowners' Exemption
How property taxes work here
Long Beach sits in Los Angeles County, so the LA County Assessor handles your property assessment. If the home is your main residence on January 1, you can file once for a Homeowners' Exemption that trims $7,000 off the assessed value and saves about $70 a year.
Why it matters
California caps how fast assessed value can rise, so knowing the rules helps you size up a home's real yearly cost.
Health and Medicare
Health and Medicare
Care, Medicare counseling, caregiver help, transportation, and the local senior support to line up.
LA County HICAP - Medicare Counseling
Free Medicare help through HICAP
Los Angeles County HICAP gives free, confidential one-on-one Medicare counseling, usually by appointment and available by phone, online, or in person. They help you sort plans without trying to sell you anything.
Why it matters
Unbiased and free help with Medicare choices is worth a lot when the options feel overwhelming.
MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center
MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center
The main hospital in town is MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center on Atlantic Avenue, a large nonprofit that ranks among the top hospitals in LA County and runs a 24-hour emergency room.
Why it matters
Knowing where the nearest full-service hospital sits matters more as the years go on.
Common questions
What people ask before retiring in Long Beach
Short answers to the questions most people ask first. The full source trail sits in the guide above and the sources panel below.
Is Long Beach, CA a good place to retire?
Plenty of people do retire here, so it is a real option to look at. The honest version is whether the home costs, the health and senior support, the activities, and the family side of life all fit yours, not just whether it ranks well on a list somewhere.
Source: George's Greek CafeWhat costs should you check before moving to Long Beach?
Price the month, not the postcard. Keep separate lines for home, property taxes, insurance, utilities, transportation, health, and everyday spending. A low-tax headline can quietly hide a high insurance bill, or the other way around.
Source: LA County Assessor - Homeowners' ExemptionWhere do you find things to do in Long Beach?
Parks and rec, the local event calendar, the visitor bureau, the senior center, and the restaurants people actually go to. The thing worth checking is whether they are close enough and often enough that you would really use them, not just visit them once.
Source: George's Greek CafeWhat health and senior support matters in Long Beach?
Medicare counseling, the nearby hospital systems, pharmacy access, transportation, caregiver help, and an emergency contact. These can change whether the move works even when the lifestyle side looks great on paper.
Source: Long Beach Senior CenterWhat should your family ask before you move to Long Beach?
Driving, airport access, local services, who to call in an emergency, care backup, home upkeep, and how often help would be needed. The goal is to see the move as a real support plan, not just a nice address.
Source: LA County Assessor - Homeowners' ExemptionRetirement Life Score
A quick read on the life you would actually live.
Long Beach scored across eight things that decide whether a move feels good: monthly affordability, home costs, restaurants and outings, activities, parks, health and senior support, weather, and getting around. The full numbers are below.
Long Beach Retirement Life Score
82
Strong fit with tradeoffs / 75-84
Outdoors is the strongest daily-life fit. Home costs is the piece to verify before treating the move as settled.
A city looks livable and useful for many retirees, but one or two planning areas need a closer look.
Strongest fit: Parks & outdoor life
Verify first: Home, taxes & insurance
Everyday affordability
Counts a lot64/100
How the ordinary monthly life could feel once taxes, insurance, fees, utilities, meals, and errands are in view.
What’s good: Lower-tax signals, visible discounts or free programs, ordinary-cost dining and errands, and practical transportation backup.
What to check: High housing pressure, insurance or storm costs, HOA or assessment friction, resort pricing, and thin cost evidence.
Price the month, not the postcard.
How this factor is scored
Signals checked: Public courts at El Dorado Park West · Watch: Long Beach Senior Center
Evidence weighed: Tax, housing, insurance, senior-service, transportation, and local deal sources.
Weight in the total: High weight
Home, taxes & insurance
Counts a lot47/100
Property taxes, assessments, homeowners insurance, storm exposure, maintenance, and local housing friction.
What’s good: Clear assessor or property-appraiser sources, homestead or senior relief signals, and plain-language housing-cost context.
What to check: Coastal or wildfire exposure, insurance pressure, high home prices, amenity fees, HOA or district assessments, and missing local tax sources.
Separate the house from the lifestyle.
How this factor is scored
Signals checked: City services and the gray season · Watch: LA County Assessor - Homeowners' Exemption
Evidence weighed: County assessor, property appraiser, tax collector, insurance, emergency management, and housing sources.
Weight in the total: High weight
Restaurants & outings
89/100
Restaurants, coffee, arts, downtown meals, family visits, and low-friction places to go without over-planning.
What’s good: Specific restaurants, coffee shops, arts districts, downtown routines, visitor-hosting ideas, and source links that feel repeatable.
What to check: Only generic visitor copy, heavy seasonal crowds, hard parking, expensive dining signals, or no specific local outing ideas.
Look for repeatable evenings, not only famous spots.
How this factor is scored
Signals checked: George's Greek Cafe on 2nd Street · Watch: George's Greek Cafe
Evidence weighed: Restaurant sites, tourism boards, chambers, downtown groups, event venues, and local dining guides.
Weight in the total: Supporting weight
Activities & social calendar
94/100
Events, clubs, classes, pickleball, senior programs, volunteer options, and the weekly social rhythm.
What’s good: Dated events, parks and rec classes, senior-center programming, clubs, pickleball options, volunteer leads, and repeatable weekly activities.
What to check: Undated or stale calendars, few senior-friendly programs, heat or traffic timing issues, and no clear way to register or show up.
Make sure the week has more than errands.
How this factor is scored
Signals checked: Parkers' Lighthouse by the water · Watch: Aquarium of the Pacific
Evidence weighed: City calendars, recreation departments, senior centers, libraries, clubs, parks districts, and community event pages.
Weight in the total: Core weight
Parks & outdoor life
96/100
Parks, trails, beaches, gardens, preserves, water access, golf, and everyday outdoor routines.
What’s good: Specific parks, trails, beaches, gardens, water access, golf, outdoor classes, and low-friction places to be outside often.
What to check: Extreme heat, smoke, flooding, storm seasons, winter driving, crowding, parking friction, or thin park-level detail.
Check whether outdoor life works in the season you will actually live there.
How this factor is scored
Signals checked: Parkers' Lighthouse by the water · Watch: Visit Long Beach - Most Iconic Dishes
Evidence weighed: Parks departments, park districts, conservancies, recreation sources, tourism sources, and trail or beach authorities.
Weight in the total: Supporting weight
Health & support access
Counts a lot83/100
Medicare help, aging agencies, caregiver backup, transportation support, pharmacies, and local service depth.
What’s good: Area Agency on Aging, SHIP or SHINE counseling, senior services, caregiver support, transportation help, and credible health-resource depth.
What to check: Weak care-radius evidence, no benefits counseling source, unclear transportation backup, or hints that specialist access requires long drives.
Do not let a fun town hide a weak care radius.
How this factor is scored
Signals checked: Ammatoli for Levantine food downtown · Watch: Long Beach Senior Center
Evidence weighed: Area Agencies on Aging, county health and human services, senior services, Medicare counseling, transit, and hospital or clinic sources.
Weight in the total: High weight
Weather comfort
95/100
Heat, storms, flooding, smoke, winter, seasonal swings, and how much resilience planning the move demands.
What’s good: Evidence that outdoor life works in ordinary seasons, plus clear planning sources for heat, storms, winter, smoke, or emergency readiness.
What to check: Sustained heat, hurricane or flood exposure, wildfire or smoke risk, winter driving, evacuation complexity, and missing resilience sources.
Plan the hard season, not the best week.
How this factor is scored
Signals checked: Parkers' Lighthouse by the water · Watch: Visit Long Beach - Most Iconic Dishes · 63F annual average, 255 sunny days
Evidence weighed: Emergency management, weather-resilience, utility, health, parks, insurance, and local government sources.
Weight in the total: Core weight
Getting around & family visits
77/100
Driving, parking, airport access, golf-cart life, visitor logistics, medical trips, and family backup.
What’s good: Airport or transit access, shuttle or senior transportation, walkable routines, golf-cart usefulness, and simple family-visit logistics.
What to check: Traffic, parking scarcity, seasonal congestion, night-driving issues, long medical trips, or no car-light backup.
Test the drive on an ordinary Tuesday.
How this factor is scored
Signals checked: Long Beach Senior Center · Watch: Long Beach Senior Center
Evidence weighed: Transit agencies, airports, city transportation pages, senior services, tourism access pages, and guide items with location detail.
Weight in the total: Supporting weight
How we keep this current
Sources for Long Beach
A mix of city pages, community calendars, senior services, council agendas, official tourism, restaurant sites, and registration pages. Every claim above links to where it came from.
See the 26 sources behind this guideEvery claim above links to where it came from.ShowHide
community / weekly
George's Greek Cafe
Family-owned Greek and Mediterranean spot on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore.
community / weekly
Ammatoli
Downtown Levantine restaurant on East 3rd Street.
institutional / weekly
Visit Long Beach - Most Iconic Dishes
Visitor bureau roundup of signature dishes including Domenico's pizza and Parkers' Lighthouse.
community / weekly
Eater LA - Best Long Beach Restaurants
Editor list spanning Cambodian, tacos, seafood, and brunch across the city.
institutional / weekly
Aquarium of the Pacific
Major waterfront aquarium, open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
institutional / weekly
The Queen Mary
Historic ocean liner with guided tours, open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
community / weekly
Gondola Getaway
Gondola cruises through the Naples Island canals since 1982.
institutional / weekly
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden
Quiet traditional garden on the CSU Long Beach campus.
official / weekly
City of Long Beach - Pickleball
City listing of public pickleball courts at El Dorado Park West and more.
institutional / weekly
Visit Long Beach - Play Pickleball
Guide to popular outdoor courts at Bayshore, College Estates, and Silverado Park.
community / weekly
PowerPlay Pickleball
Dedicated indoor club with nine courts, a pro shop, and a recovery center.
community / weekly
Alpert JCC Pickleball
Indoor courts with open play seven days a week.
official / weekly
Long Beach Senior Center
City senior center with ballroom, dining, and meeting rooms.
official / weekly
City of Long Beach - Senior Citizen Program
Arts, fitness, dance, and lifelong-learning programs for older adults.
institutional / weekly
Visit Long Beach - Annual Events & Festivals
Master list of yearly festivals with 2026 dates.
institutional / weekly
Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
Three-day street race through downtown, April 17 to 19, 2026.
community / weekly
Long Beach Pride
Annual Pride parade and festival, May 16 and 17, 2026.
community / weekly
Long Beach Jazz Festival
Waterfront jazz and R&B festival, August 8 and 9, 2026.
official / weekly
Long Beach Municipal Band Summer Concerts
Free summer concerts in city parks starting at 6:30 p.m.
institutional / weekly
Visit Long Beach - Farmers Markets
Rundown of weekly markets at Bixby Park, Marine Stadium, and downtown.
institutional / weekly
Belmont Shore Christmas Parade
One of the year's biggest parades, the first Saturday in December.
institutional / weekly
Visit Long Beach - Things To Do
Official visitor guide to attractions, waterfront, and shopping.
official / weekly
LA County Assessor - Homeowners' Exemption
County office handling property assessments and the homeowners' exemption.
institutional / weekly
MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center
Major nonprofit hospital on Atlantic Avenue, top-ranked in LA County.
official / weekly
LA County HICAP - Medicare Counseling
Free, confidential one-on-one Medicare counseling for county residents.
community / weekly
June Gloom explainer
Background on the late-spring marine layer that grays out the coast.