Top Long Beach Outdoor Activities

Travel to Southern California’s Catalina Island by boat with this round-trip ferry service from Long Beach or San Pedro on the 'Catalina Express.' Enjoy views of the Pacific during the journey, and then spend the day exploring Catalina at your leisure. The ferry drops you in the town of Avalon, the main town on the island, home to shops, restaurants, hotels, activities and more. Select your departure point—Long Beach or San Pedro—when booking. This is a ticket purchase only, not a reservation for travel. To allow guests the flexibility of choosing their own travel time, guests must call in advance to reserve seats on a specific departure and return boat. You may return on the same day or stay overnight. We advise calling to make your reservations as soon as possible as boats often sell out.

This full–day tour of Los Angeles is a popular and convenient choice for cruise ship passengers docked at the Long Beach or San Pedro terminals. After pick–up from the port, your guide brings you to LA’s highlights and hidden gems, from the Hollywood Sign to Marlon Brando’s acting school. The day’s itinerary factors in free time to explore, dine, or shop at your own pace.

Spend the day sightseeing in Los Angeles during this guided tour from Long Beach. With an expert local guide and a small group of 14 people or less, see LA landmarks like the Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica, Venice Beach and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Follow your guide to filming locations of famous movies, explore Hollywood Boulevard and see one of the biggest ports in the US. This tour includes a balanced mix of guided tours and free time and includes round-trip transportation from Long Beach hotels.

See the L.A. coast from a private helicopter with a 30-minute, narrated flight from Long Beach, and take in California’s most iconic vistas. Watch for surfers as you soar over the breaks at Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan beaches, then swoop above the exclusive harbor in Marina del Rey. Enjoy a bird's-eye view of the slender Santa Monica Pier, see the Los Angeles airport from above, and return to Long Beach past Hawthorne, Torrance and the Galaxy Stadium while enjoying sweeping western panoramas of the Pacific Ocean.

See the L.A. coast from the sky with an exciting, 15-minute tour from Long Beach on a private helicopter. Swoop above the iconic Queen Mary ocean liner and hover over downtown Long Beach, see the imposing Battleship Iowa that's moored in the city's bustling port. Enjoy seaward views of Catalina Island and the curving Pacific coastline before touching back to earth at the Long Beach helipad.

The Swan Boats on Rainbow Lagoon are one of the hottest new activities in Long Beach's ionic Rainbow Harbor. Don’t miss this unique way to experience the area and all of its beauty. All of our boats come equipped with shaded canopies for maximum comfort. Our large swan boats feature a roomy back seat for those that would like to forego pedaling and would prefer to just enjoy the view. You are welcome to bring food and drinks on-board the swan boats for a floating picnic (no alcohol is permitted).

Visit sharks, penguins and puffins with admission to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, and explore 19 wildlife habitats from every corner of the world’s largest ocean. Slip beneath a full-sized model of a blue whale, and catch the eye of a fierce leopard shark. Travel from a Sea of Cortez kelp forest to the ice-crusted waters off Northern Japan; watch sea horses play in a tropical lagoon, pet a shark in a kid-friendly touch tank and listen to the eerie melodies of an undersea whale song. Keeping our guests and staff safe is our top priority. We are limiting the number of visitors, requiring advance timed reservations, and managing traffic flow to ensure social distancing, requiring face coverings and temperature checks, providing numerous hand-sanitizing stations, and much more.

Take a thrilling whale-watching excursion off the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Travel along the coast of Los Angeles and experience marine wildlife up close. Enjoy a glass or wine or beer, a light snack, or other beverage from the boat’s galley. Sit either inside or out on our 45-passenger vessel as you search the Pacific for Gray, Humpback, and Sperm whales, sharks, seabirds, dolphins and sea lions on this memorable outing.

Take in Los Angeles’ scenic highlights from the air with a private, 45-minute helicopter tour from Long Beach. Soar over the L.A. harbor and the iconic Queen Mary, and look out towards Catalina Island from the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Fly up the coast past Manhattan Beach and Marina del Rey, bank over Santa Monica pier then head for downtown. See the city’s sports centers and gleaming sky scrapers and take in views of the Hollywood Hills and the San Gabriel Mountains before touching back down in Long Beach.

This activity is unique because you are welcome to bring your own alcohol and food. Also, it is a private trip only your group on the boat with the captain.

Let’s Roam is the #1 app-led scavenger hunt company. Walk to all the best landmarks and hidden gems, answering trivia questions and solving challenges. Work with your team or compete against them, as you learn new facts and create memorable experiences. Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts are great as an everyday activity, or for bachelorette parties, birthday parties, corporate team building events and more! Each player chooses an interactive role, with challenges varying by person.

Beginner to Advanced Sailing Lesson/ Instruction, for Up to 6 Passengers. No Experience Needed, All Ages, Animals/ Pets Allowed

Let’s Roam is the #1 app-led scavenger hunt company. Walk to all the best landmarks and hidden gems, answering trivia questions and solving challenges. Work with your team or compete against them, as you learn new facts and create memorable experiences. Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts are great as an everyday activity, or for bachelorette parties, birthday parties, corporate team building events and more! Each player chooses an interactive role, with challenges varying by person.

Alley Kat Adventures is an Austin, TX-based event design company offering city scavenger hunts in 60 cities in the US and Mexico as well as custom events worldwide. Our specially hand-crafted, interactive quests are equal parts tour, cultural experience, creative challenge, detective hunt, & social experiment! Guests get to discover hidden gems off the beaten trail while completing fun missions! Get swept off your feet high in the breathtaking Japanese gardens, take a trip back in time searching for a specific oddities on Retro Row, pay homage to Rosie the Riveter and to firefighters, and so much more!