Long Beach highlights photographed in July 2010:
This large Southern California city is about 20 miles South of downtown Los Angeles and in the same county. Its population of almost 500,000 centers on an attractive downtown next to the Pacific Ocean and the massive ports of Long Beach and San Pedro that serve Los Angeles and much of its area.
Skyline:
Queen Mary:
Permanently docked in the port is this historic cruise ship that features a hotel and restaurants and a tour.
Shoreline Park:
This peninsula in the harbor features a lighthouse on a hill with views around the harbor and downtown.
Shoreline Village:
Also in the harbor is this dining and shopping promenade surrounded by pleasure boat docks.
Rainbow Harbor:
This small inlet is for commercial pleasure boat docks and features a beautiful palm-lined promenade and several plazas, as well as adjacent restaurants and the very fine Aquarium of the Pacific and its parking structure.
The Pike:
The former site of an old beachside amusement park is now occupied by an entertainment and dining center that has a ferris wheel and a rollercoaster-themed pedestrian bridge linking it to Rainbow Harbor. Although much of the layout and architecture is rather clumsy, it creates an active infill area connecting the harbor and downtown.
Recent Downtown Housing:
Many high-density housing areas have been built in a variety of styles.
International Elementary School:
Designed by Morphosis.
Downtown Late 20th Century:
A variety of commercial, hotel, convention center, and housing buildings date from this period.
Long Beach Civic Center:
The city hall, central library, and grounds are a textbook example of contemporary 1970's design.
Long Beach Performing Arts Center:
Long Beach Arena:
This mid-century monster is wrapped with a massive Wyland mural.
Midcentury Housing Group:
Downtown Art Deco:
There is a good representation of buildings from the 1920's to 1940's in a wide variety of styles from streamline moderne to various revival styles popular during the deco period.
Threaded Mode