Overview
The south-facing bay and nearby offshore breakwaters make Long Beach Marina one of the calmest and most popular boat mooring spots in Southern California. It ranks low on the snob-scale, too, making it a much better bet than its sister to the north, Marina Del Rey. The protected enclave and the idyllic boating conditions make sailing the number-one recreational activity in Long Beach, home of the Congressional Cup, Transpac, and the Olympic trial races. The 3,800-slip marina is run by the City of Long Beach and includes Alamitos Bay Marina (562-570-3215), Long Beach Shoreline Marina (562-570-4950),
and Rainbow Harbor/Rainbow Marina (562-570-8636).
Practicalities
Daily parking is available near the marina. Boaters who wish to park in the launch parking lot for more than 24 hours need to visit the Alamitos Bay office and pay for a parking pass in advance.
Launch Ramps & Fuel Docks
Five separate launch ramps serve the Long Beach Marina population. The Granada Launch Ramp (Granada Ave and Ocean Blvd) and the Claremont Launch Ramp (Claremont and Ocean Blvds) are sand launches exclusively for small sailing vessels. Water skiers and larger vessels looking to get in the water need look no further than Marine Stadium (Appian Wy between 2nd and Colorado Aves). Boats in the stadium must be under 20 feet long, have a reverse gear, and travel counter-clockwise within the stadium. Davies Ramp, across from Marine Stadium, is the only launch open 24 hours a day. And last but not least, the South Shore Launch Ramp is a small boat launch ramp near the Queen Mary on Queensway Drive. All launch ramps cost $10 and are open year-round, usually from 8 am until dusk. For more information, call 562-570-8636.
Long Beach has two fuel docks—one in Downtown Shoreline Marina (562-436-4430) and one in Alamitos Bay (562-594-0888). The Alamitos fuel dock stocks propane, snacks, beer, ice, and frozen bait, along with gas and diesel fuels. The smaller Downtown Marine fuel dock features gas, CNG, and limited sundries. Both docks accept credit cards or cash. Fuel dock hours (May 31–Labor Day): Mon–Fri: 8 am–5 pm; Sat–Sun: 7 am–6 pm.
Guest Slips
Guest moorings can be rented year-round for 60¢ per foot per night. While it’s always best to call ahead, it’s only on holiday weekends that reservations are required (with 3,000 slips for rent, you can usually find a spot at short notice on weeknights).
Patrols
The Harbor Patrol looks after the water, while the Marine Patrol guards the land. All Lifeguard/Harbor Patrol boats are run by trained, professional lifeguards and are also equipped for emergencies such as fire, capsized boats, or pump-outs. If you need your boat towed, the Harbor Patrol/Rescue Boats will always oblige, but if it’s not an emergency, they’ll charge you for the towing.
No Boat?
If you’re on a budget but you still want a piece of the action, check out the Belmont Pier at Ocean Boulevard and 39th Place, which offers free public fishing. No license is required as long as you stay on the pier (562-434-1542). If you decide to fish from the beach or the jetties, you’ll need a salt-water fishing license. If you get tired of the salt and sand, you might opt for the Belmont Plaza Olympic Pool (4000 Olympic Plaza Dr, 562-570-1805), or grab a pint and a bite at the Belmont Brewing Company (25 39th Pl, 562-433-3891) on the pier. There are often events held along the shoreline that people enjoy from their boats, such as the Long Beach Jazz Festival. Unfortunately, there’s no swimming allowed at the marina.