10 Instagram Worthy Spots in Long Beach
Do it for the 'gram!
1. Queen Mary
Smart Meetings recently named the Queen Mary one of the most instagrammed locations in L.A. County so you had to know it would make our list! Snap gorgeous photos of our legendary vessel from afar or grab dozens of selfies while on board or at one of their many fabulous events; either way, your #QueenMary pic is bound to rack up likes. Not that we’re trying to tell you how to curate your content, but some of our favorite shots are taken on the bow of the ship!
2. Aquarium of the Pacific
Whether your taking boomerangs of the jellies or Nemos (ahem clown fish), or capturing precious memories of your little ones peering into the penguin exhibit, there’s no doubt that the Aquarium of the Pacific is one of the most Instagrammable spots in Long Beach. Just promise us you’ll refrain from using Finding Nemo quotes in your caption…Pro tip: Tag your photos with #LoveAOP for a chance to be featured on their Instagram page.
3. Rainbow Harbor — Rainbow Lagoon
As you exit the Aquarium, take a stroll along the esplanade for beautiful shots of the marina and waterfront at Rainbow Harbor. This path can take you all the way over to Parkers’ Lighthouse in Shoreline Village if you're ambitious enough! Just across Shoreline Drive sits the quiet Rainbow Lagoon, an equally photographic area, where you can capture the best photos of Wyland’s Whaling Wall at the Long Beach Arena. No, that building is not the aquarium for those you who are new to town; it’s just part of the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center.
4. Lions Lighthouse for Sight - Shoreline Village
We lumped them together because you can actually take really amazing photos of the lighthouse from Shoreline Village & vice versa. Shoreline Village is a must-see when you’re in town, full of fun shops and restaurants housed in adorable colorful buildings along the water. Grab an ice cream cone, funnel cake, crazy hat or any other prop & strike your signature pose in front of one of the many technicolor backdrops! Then turn your camera to the lighthouse just as the sun rays begin to shine behind it. This is true Instagram gold – we wouldn’t lie.
5. Ferris Wheel at the Pike Outlets
A favorite of slow shutter-speed fanatics, the Ferris Wheel at the Pike Outlets is truly a Long Beach icon. This spot is Insta-worthy during the day & night thanks to the recent addition of colorful LED lights!
6. Pow! Wow! Murals
You could cover your Instagram page with all of the different murals you find throughout Long Beach, and TBH we highly recommend that you do. Check out this blog post for a few of our favorite murals or check the Pow! Wow! website for a full list of murals.
7. Beach - Bike Path
We threw this one in the mix even though to us it’s a little obvious…We all know that when you visit the beach, you snap a super enviable beach pic ASAP. But one thing you may not know about Long Beach & that will definitely add a fun twist to your typical beach post is our bike path! PLUS 1 mile of beach is dedicated to the pups, so you can even bring your best bud! Rent a bike and glide along our waterfront path as you shamelessly post all of the pics/boomerangs/videos to your Instagram.
8. Sunset from Ballast Point - Boathouse on the Bay
Ballast Point and Boathouse on the Bay possibly have the best waterfront sunset views in the whole city. Situated at the edge of Alamitos Bay where the channel leads out to the Ocean. this is the end-all-be-all location for your official Long Beach sunset photo-opp. Whether you decide to grab a beer and head up to Ballast Point's rooftop patio or gracefully sip wine & sway to the live music at Boathouse on the Bay, you really can’t go wrong.
9. Gondola Getaway
Though not technically just a location you can roll up to for a quick pic, trust us, it’s worth it to make a reservation for a gondola cruise through Naples. From the authentically clad gondoliers to the picturesque bridges of the Naples Canals, you’re going to have plenty of potential content. You can even bring your own drinks (yes, wine) and snacks on board for added props! We recommend a cute smoochy pic with one of the bridges in the background or a beautiful sunset photo with the prow (front) of the boat in the foreground. Not that we’ve posted either of those to our own pages before or anything…