Doc Hop

The semester is over, my apartment is packed, and in about 80 days I will set off a journey to Long Beach, California where I am entirely prepared to live my best and happiest life. As I begin to search for housing, I’ve been doing my research on the area, as well as the local attractions that I hope to check out once I’ve made it to the West Coast. (West Coast is the best coast.)

This list is obviously not exhaustive, but it’s a start. I’ve done a lot of research about the area and it’s attractions, but I’ve barely begun to unmask the possibilities. There are SO MANY things I hope to see and do in Long Beach, that it’s already hard to narrow it down to even a top five. (Good thing I have the rest of my life to do and see it all!)

This is my top five, as a total Long Beach newbie. (NOTE — this list is specific to Long Beach and not Los Angeles, which is much larger. I may do that list later.)

1. Tour the Queen Mary

The RMS Queen Mary (or the “Grey Ghost”) is a retired British luxury ocean liner that served as a troopship and ferried Allied soldiers during World War II. The ship was refitted for passenger service after the war, retiring from service in 1967. The Queen Mary is permanently moored in the port of Long Beach, where she serves as a tourist attraction complete with restaurants, a museum, and a hotel. She’s also super haunted.

Time magazine voted the Queen Mary as one of the Top 10 Most Haunted Places in America. Visitors report seeing the ghost of a sailor who died in the ship’s engine room, witnessing a “lady in white” dancing through the main lounge, and hearing the laughter of numerous children known to have drowned in the ship’s first class swimming pool. The hotel offers a number of tours showcasing the ships “paranormal hotspots,” including twilight tours, paranormal investigations, and séances. I believe it is even possible to rent out the ship’s most haunted suite — the stateroom — for a spooky overnight stay.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I loooooove spooky stuff, and the Queen Mary is definitely one of the spookiest that the world has to offer — right in my (future) backyard! In my various trips to Los Angeles I have checked out the Cecil Hotel a number of times, as well as the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary, which houses the remains of such legends as Marilyn Monroe, Truman Capote, and Natalie Wood, but a haunted ship will definitely be a first for me. I might not be able to afford an overnight stay in Suite B-340, but I will definitely check out a paranormal tour or two!

2. Boat the Naples Canals

It’s giving Italy, ya’ll! And I am absolutely here for it. (At least, I will be soon!)

Naples is an area of Long Beach consisting of three islands, separated by a series of canals that lead out to Alamitos Bay. Second Street is a 15-block shopping, dining, and entertainment district, while Naples Plaza and Marina Beach are known for scenic views and tranquil walkways — by land and by sea. Visitors may stroll the sandy streets, cruise waterways on Venetian gondolas, or cycle the lagoon on hydro bikes.

The Colonnade is home to a large Grecian circular fountain that sits in the center of the city, and is often host to a number of live concerts and musical events throughout the summer. I mean, come on! Can you imagine floating down one of these waterways as the sun sets in the west and you can hear the last notes of live music on Pacific sea air? I just cannot help but to romanticize it and how lovely it must be spend a lazy summer afternoon by the dock.

Naples is also home to a 2.6-mile loop trail near Seal Beach, which I absolutely plan to check out with my bike. Biking has become a daily necessity since I’ve gotten healthy, and I cannot wait to find my sweet spots in Long Beach. I have a feeling this might be one of them. And who knows — maybe by the time next year I’ll be kayaking nut as well! I could definitely get used to cruising those waterways.

3. Visit historic Rancho Los Cerritos

The historic Rancho Los Cerritos, or “the little hills,” is considered the largest and most impressive adobe residence erected in southern California during the Mexican period.

The Monterey Colonial, built in 1844, served as headquarters to a 27,000-acre cattle/sheep ranch. In 1866 Flint, Bixby and Company bought the ranch, which Jotham Bixby, known as the “father of Long Beach,” managed until 1881. Bixby raised seven children at ranch, including Long Beach’s renowned philanthropist, poet, and pacifist Fanny Bixby Spencer.

The US declared Rancho Los Cerritos a National Historic Landmark in 1970, and the site was converted into a public museum, where it remains open for tours. The Los Angeles Times reports that the house is furnished in a Victorian fashion — as would have been the style when the Bixby family resided at the ranch in the 1870s. A visitor center highlights the site’s rich Native American and Mexican-American history. A formal Italian garden homes centuries-old olive, pomegranate, and cypress trees. The site is also home to a 3,000-volume research library on California history.

Living in the south, I have very little (if anything) to be proud of when it comes to state history or state heritage, but that is all set to change when I move to California. I am so excited to become a part of the community, and I want to begin by learning as much as I can about the people who walked the land before me. Rancho Los Cerritos seems like a great place to begin to dive into that rich history.

4. Visit the Aquarium of the Pacific

The Aquarium of the Pacific is the largest aquarium in Southern California, with 12,000 animals across 500 species and 100 exhibits celebrating the Pacific Ocean. According to the aquarium’s website, “its galleries represent the frigid waters of the Northern Pacific, the temperate Southern California/Baja region, and the warm coral reefs and lagoons of the Tropical Pacific.”

Throughout the year the aquarium hosts a number of art exhibits, performing arts shows, and cultural and community festivals. The Guest Speaker Series and Aquatic Academy courses offer visitors the opportunity to learn about the ocean and environmental issues from the scientists studying them. In addition to its public programs and exhibits, the aquarium is involved in a number of conservation efforts, including breeding and rehabilitating endangered species, sustainable seafood, and watershed education.

I haven’t been to an aquarium since I visited Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium in what feels like a lifetime ago. (In fact, now that I think about it, I am pretty sure that was the ONLY time I’ve been to an aquarium, despite living in Florida on and off throughout my life.) I loved it then, and I am equally positive that I would love it now.

I’ve always felt a certain affinity for aquatic life — maybe because I grew up near the coast, maybe because my father was a commercial fisherman and I lost him early, maybe because I’m a water sign. It’s all of these things, but it’s also the fact that humans came from fish and the evolutionary study fascinates me. Regardless of the reason, I cannot wait to check it out. Also — fish are really cool.

5. Walk the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden

This last one will be an easy one to check of my list, as it is located right on the California State University, Long Beach campus! I intended to visit following my on-campus interview, but I put every ounce of energy I had that day into succeeding and securing the job. I was so exhausted and excited from the day and the possibilities following that I went directly back to my hotel and ordered food, hoping with every cell in body that I’d be back to check it once I had landed the job. I did and I now I will!

The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden spans 1.3 acres across campus and hosts a Koi auction and chrysanthemum show each year. Ed Lovell, landscape master plan architect for the university, designed the garden in 1981, taking inspiration from the Imperial Gardens of Tokyo. The garden includes a koi pond, waterfalls, a tea house, and a bonsai collection, and is host to a number of monthly and weekly events, including art days, Japanese calligraphy workshops, and sound bathing.

I plan to find a nice little nook where I can sit with a book and a coffee read the day away. I also happen to know one not-so-little pupper who might want to take a walkie or two around the garden. I know I’m partial, but it certainly beats any campus arboretums I’ve ever been to. Augusta University could NEVER.

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Did I miss something cool? I’m always excited to learn more about Long Beach and the hidden treasures it holds, and I HATE feeling like a tourist, especially once I’m local. If you know of any places I should check out, let me know in the comments. 🙂