Affordable Summer Fun in Long Beach

Summer in Long Beach is packed with lots of low-cost or free activities for the whole family. From concerts and outdoor movies to relaxing at the beach or park, you can plan a special outing every week with plenty of summer magic, all without breaking the bank.

MOVIE SCREENINGS

Moonlight Movies on the Beach, produced by Alfredo’s Beach Club, hosts screenings at Granada Beach in Belmont Shore as well as both Long Beach City College campuses with food trucks and a kettle corn vendor. The PCH Movies and Moonlight series at the 2nd & PCH shopping center (6400 Pacific Coast Hwy.) features sunset screenings along with free airbrush tattoos and churros for sale. Movies in the Park, put on by the Long Beach Parks, Recreation, and Marine Department, shows movies in parks throughout the city all summer with free popcorn.

Credit: Richard Grant

CONCERT SERIES

The Long Beach Municipal Band is celebrating its 114th year and will be spreading musical cheer throughout the city with a series of free summer concerts. Catch the band at a park near you this summer playing tunes from famous movie themes to Sousa marches. There are also free live music events at 2ND & PCH, Shoreline Village, and other locations throughout the city. Read about dates and locations in our round up.

BEACH DAYS

Looking for a calm spot with little to no waves? Check out Mother’s Beach (5839 Appian Way) and Colorado Lagoon (5119 E Colorado St), which also feature playgrounds if the kids need a break from the water. Junipero Beach is also an ideal spot for a family beach day. It has a large playground located next to Saltwater Deck (2630 E Ocean Blvd), which serves breakfast and lunch. Bigger kids will enjoy the inflatable playgrounds in the water at Alamitos Beach and Bayshore Ave. Known as Wibits, these aquatic play structures are available every day for free from June 14 until September 4.

PLAY AT THE PARKS

Long Beach is home to an award-winning park system, with relaxing green spaces and updated playgrounds for kids spread throughout the city. El Dorado East Regional Park (7550 E Spring St.) offers bicycle rentals, fishing ponds, and El Dorado Frontier, a small amusement park with a carousel and train ride. Dinosaur lovers should check out the recently remodeled playground at Recreation Park (4900 E 7th St), where you can climb on a T. Rex and look for fossils in the Dino Excavation Zone digging area.

Credit: City of Long Beach

RIDE THE BIKE PATHS

There are four major bike paths in Long Beach that are separated from roads, making for a relaxing, traffic-free ride. These are located on the beach between Alamitos Bay and Shoreline Village, along the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers, and in El Dorado and Heartwell parks. For an interactive map of bike paths, visit the City’s Go Active LB website. And for more suggestions on biking around Long Beach, check out our blog post.

CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY

Thousands of people come to Long Beach to enjoy the fireworks show on July 4. Make a day of it at the beach, ride your bike on the beach path from Downtown to Belmont Shore, or get lunch at one of several beach cafes. Just make sure you’re back by sundown to catch the show–you’ll have a great view anywhere on the water from Shoreline Village to the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier.

GO FOR A SWIM

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine operates three swimming pools, Belmont Plaza, Martin Luther King Jr. Park and Silverado Park Pool. The fee for open/recreation swim sessions is $3 to $4 for adults, depending on location, and $1 for kids under age 17. Check the Parks Department website for schedules and details.

About the Author

Claire Atkinson

Claire Atkinson is a Southern California native who has lived in Long Beach for nearly 20 years. She spends her free time visiting local parks, farmers markets, and museums, and loves learning about Long Beach history and culture.