With more than five miles of sandy beaches, Long Beach is an urban rarity: equal parts Big City and Beach Town.
Location: Long Beach Waterbikes | 164 N Marina Dr
Want to turn your stationary bike workout into some fun in the sun? Bring your friends and family and try biking on the water. These pedal-powered pontoon vessels are a unique way to explore the bay, especially on a nighttime glow ride. These one-hour rides depart from Alamitos Bay Landing, where you can enjoy brunch, lunch, dinner, or drinks afterward.
Location: Jetski2Catalina | 700 Queensway Dr
You may know them as Wave Runners, Sea-Doo, Jet Skis, or personal watercraft – whatever you call them, they are a whole lot of fun as you scoot over the ocean. Local operator Jetski2Catalina offers expeditions from Long Beach to Catalina Island, with options to land at Avalon or Two Harbors.This 22-mile tour is an adventurous journey across the open ocean, giving you the chance to see dolphins and other ocean life up close.
The company also offers two-hour guided tours of the Long Beach coast, taking riders from Palos Verdes to the Huntington Beach Pier. Excursions depart from Jetski2Catalina’s location at Hotel Maya, and wetsuits, safety equipment, and fuel are included.
Location: SoCal Kitesurfing | 79 Claremont Place
This is the sport that involves people, their feet attached to a board, holding on to a large, usually very colorful “power kite” that catches the wind and propels them over the water, often at remarkable speeds and performing amazing aerial tricks. Long Beach is regularly listed as one of the best kitesurfing spots in the nation. In fact, Granada Beach, where conditions are optimal, is locally known as Kite Beach.
SoCal Kitesurfing not only rents equipment but offers a full menu of lessons, from a 90-minute introduction to a five-day “master kiting” course and a whole lot in between. Instructors get in the water with pupils and have two-way radio helmets to coach students once they’re riding.
Location: Kayaks on the Water | 5411 E Ocean Blvd
One of the most popular and accessible ocean activities, kayaking can be done at your leisure or turned into an extreme sport. Whatever you prefer, Kayaks on the Water makes it easy to get out from its location at Bayshore Beach on Alamitos Bay, directly across from the Naples canals. The bay’s calm waters make for an ideal environment, especially for beginners.
Kayakers can cruise the bay, circumnavigate Naples, or head to a cove that is home to moon-jellies, beautiful and non-stinging jellyfish. A canal trip normally takes about 90 minutes; the moon-jelly excursion will probably take twice as long, but it is certainly worth the time.
Location: California Parasail | 423 Shoreline Village Drive
Parasailing is a relatively passive activity in which participants sit in a harness, attached to a parachute on one side and a boat on the other. But when the boat takes off, and the wind fills the chute, tugging folks high into the sky, the experience no doubt raises heart rate enough to qualify as a cardio workout.
Offering breathtaking, panoramic views of the city and beyond, California Parasail specializes in providing a safe, easy, and memorable parasailing experience. Flights accommodate one, two, and even three at a time. Dedicated to safety, all captains are US Coast Guard licensed.
Location: Long Beach Windsurf Center | 3850 E. Ocean Blvd.
Participants hold onto a sail connected to a board. Depending on the strength and direction of the wind, as well as the skill of the rider, windsurfers can get going fairly fast. Long Beach windsurfers favor Alamitos Bay for the ease of setting off and its calm waters. It keeps things simple. So does the Long Beach Windsurf Center, a one-stop shopping destination that carries a large inventory of boards, sails, and any other accessories the windsurfer may need, including lessons. The Windsurf Center offers group and private lessons.
Location: Paddle Board Rentals Long Beach | 6272 E Pacific Coast Hwy
Arguably the fastest-growing ocean activity of the past decade, paddleboarding presents a lot of options. You can do it at your own speed, with or without someone. It’s a relaxing activity that also presents a great way to engage your core muscles and get a bit of a workout while you glide along. That part of the bay is very calm, and you can push out toward Bayshore or Naples at whatever speed suits you. It’s nice that when you return, there are plenty of options for refreshments of all kinds within an easy walk of a minute or two.
Location: Sports Basement | 2100 N Bellflower Blvd
Itching to get out on the water, but don’t want to buy a new surfboard? You can rent surfboards, bodyboards, stand-up paddleboards, wetsuits for men, women, and youth, and even roof racks at Sports Basement. While you’re there, you can shop for swimsuits, fins, snorkels, and everything you might need for a beach day.
Sports Basement also has a program to buy and sell used gear, so you can shop discounted “pre-loved” items and trade in your equipment for store credit. So really, there’s no excuse for not hitting the water this summer.
