Love, Long Beach: Fun Dates for Valentines
Won’t you be my Valentine? Long Beach is the perfect beachside destination for those struck with Cupid’s arrows; there are so many ways for the starry-eyed to enjoy a day or weekend together! Check out this list of local romantic activities for you and your boo. Love, Long Beach.
You’re My Swan and Only
Float the night away at the romantic Rainbow Lagoon, where you and your date can rent a lit Swan Boat and enjoy a private paddle with the glimmering lights of Shoreline Village and The Pike Outlets as your backdrop. Located at the intersection of Pine Avenue and Ocean Boulevard, the boats are available with shaded canopies for day use or glowing LED lights for night rides through Wheel Fun Rentals.
Key To My Heart
Shoreline Village (429 Shoreline Village Dr.) has its own charming version of “love locks” like those found at the Pont des Arts in Paris on its waterfront boardwalk. It has been a tradition for more than three decades, started by a couple who met and married at Shoreline Village — they now commemorate their love every year by adding locks near the docks, and others do to.
Be My Valentino?
Rowed by gondoliers in classically striped shirts and straw hats, passengers have been serenaded while floating through the Italian-inspired waterways of Naples Islands for more than four decades thanks to Gondola Getaway (5437 E. Ocean Blvd.). The enchanting experience is best at sunset, with the boats meandering through the canals, under bridges and across a calm bay.
Take Love To New Heights
Long Beach’s 90-foot high Ferris Wheel at The Pike Outlets (95 S. Pine Ave.) glows each evening with thousands of twinkling lights. It’ll set your heart spinning — and beating a bit faster at the top! The amusement ride, a longtime tradition at The Pike, offers the quintessential setting for an amorous kiss.
You’re My Rock (Garden)
A dreamy oasis of Japanese black pines and blooming camellias awaits couples at Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden, a 1.3-acre serene public attraction on the campus of California State University, Long Beach. Explore the Zigzag and Moon bridges, Koi Pond, Tea House and of course, the Rock Garden.