You know how it goes... I find something on TikTok and the next thing you know, I'm driving over to…read morecheck it out! That's exactly how I ended up at Rancho Los Alamos in Long Beach. It was literally right down the street from where I was, so convenient, and absolutely beautiful! We started by having lunch at the park benches, which was such a nice way to enjoy the grounds. Then we managed to catch the very last tour of the house with the sweetest man ever! He was so kind and gave us so much wonderful information about the ranch and its history.Walking through the house honestly felt like stepping back into the 1930s. Everything has been preserved so beautifully, and because it's a museum, they work hard to keep the house looking just the way it did back in the day. It is absolutely pristine! I loved looking at all the old furniture, decorations, and everyday things people used. Just seeing the way people lived back then was fascinating. Imagine getting to live in a house like that... amazing! The only downside was that you're not allowed to film inside the house, but I completely understand because they have to protect and preserve everything. Unfortunately, we only had time to see the house before they closed, so we are definitely going back! There are still gardens, animals, and so much more to explore. It looks like such a great place to spend the day. Convenient, beautiful, educational, and a fun little trip back in time. I can't wait to return and see the rest! Five stars!

A historical landmark, close & free to visit…read more Originally part of the ancestral village of Povuun'nga, the traditional place of origin of the native Gabrielino-Tongva people of the Los Angeles Basin, named Rancho Los Alamitos when the land was conceded to Manuel Nieto, and finally to Fred & Florence Bixby, whose children donated the family ranch to the City of Long Beach in 1968. To enter, visitors proceed to the Bixby Hill residential security gate at the intersection of East Anaheim Road and Palo Verde Avenue. Entrance is strictly at 1pm, as the guard will not allow entrance prior to that. Operating hours are 1pm - 5pm Wed - Sun. Initial visit, the barn area w/ the livestock was closed off due to a water main break. Tours of the Adobe Ranch is via a docent-led tour, which can be made at the Rancho Center. No photography is permitted. Tom was the docent, and he was quite knowledgeable of the history of Rancho Los Alamitos, allowing passage into each room on the first floor. Second floor was closed to visitors. My favorite room was the kitchen, as I marveled at the various appliances, such as the still operational refrigerator, with the condenser on top, instead of bottom. Also, the heavy, built to last stove, which probably served a countless number of meals for the family & staff working the ranch. There were a few objects which were available to touch, such as an early proto version of a View-Master. The cherry on top of the Adobe Ranch visit was pulling the rope attached to the dinner bell, signifying everyone to "come & get it!". The handsome, well-maintained garden landscape surrounding the property provides natural beauty & plenty of photo opportunities. Second visit was more fun, as the barn & livestock areas were open to the public, again! Preston, a magnificent Shire horse, towers over almost all visitors, and stuns with his majestic beauty. In the world record books, a Shire horse named Sampson is the largest recorded horse ever, at 7' 2.5" tall & 3,360 lbs. Not to be outdone, Fred the donkey bombastically greets people with his hee-haws. A few rescue horses, sheep & a coop full of chickens provided plenty of enjoyment. A pleasurable afternoon can be had at Rancho Los Alamitos. Visitors gaze back in time upon a working ranch, experience how things were built to stand the test of time, opposed to planned obsolescence of most machinery & appliances, today. Visiting Preston, Fred & the other animals, alone, is worth the drive. I look forward to coming back & I highly recommend giving Rancho Los Alamitos a visit.

Omar was my gondolier and he didn't disappoint. He knew the history of our route, and he was very…read moreattentive. He had funny jokes and gave us a great tour. My boyfriend and I were celebrating my birthday and Omar took us under a bridge to sing happy birthday. We even had a turtle pop out of the water to say hi! I highly recommend this tour and ask for Omar

My husband and I lost our home in the Altadena Fire a little over a year and a half ago. Even with…read moreeverything we were going through, we still chose to get married on July 26, 2025. Between rebuilding our lives and our home, we simply didn't have the time or money for a honeymoon. When I saw the gondola ride advertised, I thought it would be the perfect way to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. We made the drive from Rancho Cucamonga, and traffic was horrible. By the time we arrived, we were stressed and running late. From the moment we walked in, the young lady at the front desk (she had blonde hair, and I'm so sorry I forgot your name! ‍) greeted us with the warmest smile. She immediately told me to relax and assured me everything was going to be okay. Then I realized my phone was on only 5%, and I asked if they happened to have a charger. Without hesitation, she handed me a portable charger so I could capture the memories from our very first gondola ride. Our gondolier, Waylon (I hope I'm spelling your name correctly! ), was absolutely amazing. He was kind, professional, and so knowledgeable about the history of the area. He made the experience even more special. At the end of our ride, the sweet young lady surprised me with a beautiful rose. Such a simple gesture meant so much. After the incredibly difficult year and a half we've had, this team completely turned our stressful day around and gave us a first wedding anniversary we'll never forget. Thank you for your kindness, your hospitality, and for reminding us that even the smallest acts of compassion can make the biggest difference.

Beautiful house!! We had tea this morning and got a tour of the house afterwards. The food was…read moregood, if a bit heavy on the sweets. Hibiscus and English Breakfast tea was served with all the little fixings. We also got to meet Charlotte the cat, who is SUCH a little sweetheart. She's a real people lover and won't say no to a good pet. Everyone was so friendly and the tour was very interesting. I think I'll pay another visit sometime, it was so awesome :)

Since my review was several years ago I have not been to any events since. My positive review…read moresuggested they keep past participants informed of events but the lame excuse was that they are volunteers who aren't very technical savvy. My just answered review mentioned a news paper to keep one informed. A little too late! Best of luck . Sorry I have missed out on so many event! Why are you responding at this late date?

This place is so cool.Its a really historical interesting place to tour. It really felt haunted,…read moreand when we viewed the certain room that's supposedly haunted it gave me chest pains. Not going to lie it scared me lol. I love the way they maintained it all these years, keeping the integrity but it's still very old. I was bummed we couldn't go out to see the indoor swimming pool. I understand it's too old. I also enjoyed the museum at the very bottom. And the giant area with the open water I forget what that's called that was super creepy but cool. Highly recommend. Worth every penny!

I've never done this type of tour before, but we really enjoyed it and the best part is you get to…read moreenjoy the whole ship before and after. I'd recommend hitting a bar and grabbing a cocktail and walking the ship to take photos. Parking was pretty easy outside the ship we didn't have any issues at all. It wasn't too spooky and definitely family friendly.

This exhibit "experience" was more then a forensic analysis, very sad to see how Titanic faltered…read moreand then sank. Here at the exhibit, true stories of most of the passengers were told. Artifacts and images , jewelry, furniture , life jackets, letters helped to tell real stores of the passengers who decided to board the titanic . I found it to be very interesting. Although if I could change one thing it would be the headset and earbuds, kept falling off ( due to excessive wear ) I enjoyed this experience, I feel you will too !

This was my first visit to any Titanic show and it was such a fantastic event!…read more According to their Yelp event, Titanic in Photographs is "The in-depth story of the world's most famous ship, told through an exhibition of unique, period photographs, brought to life with a world-class display of priceless original artifacts & images. Located near the engine room on the famous RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA." The photos that have been blown up to mega sizes are a real treat. They are not grainy and there's a ton of detail to pour over while walking through the exhibit. John White and his small crew of tireless workers setup the entire display in a matter of a few weeks and their efforts show. After the exhibit, take a stroll around the Queen Mary. From the bridge to the bilge, you can spend literally all day aboard this massive ship (bigger than the Titanic even). Gift shops, restaurants and a few of bars make the tour much more enjoyable too.

I am so glad I stumbled upon this charming tour on Groupon. Even without the deal I found on…read moreGroupon I would have booked this tour just for the experience of meeting Tom and learning from all of his experiences in Naples. Tom is a lovely man who is just as genuine as he is kind and knowledgeable of Naples. He is a local at heart as he grew up in one of the houses along the canal which is continuously being supplemented by research and inquiries he makes of the other locals he has met in the community. His love for the history of Naples exudes from him and his excitement is contagious. I do not know how many times he has done this tour but it truly sounded as if he was just as invested and excited as if it were his first. The Huell Howser of Naples, this tour is worth the money solely based on Tom. It is an experience well worth the time and money and I look forward to coming to visit Naples again.

We had a wonderful time with Tom. He was obviously a nostalgic local who knew the area. He seemed…read moreto know every person we saw on our tour. Thank you, bro!

We came to Bixby Knoll's First Friday and it was a great event. Live music on every corner, lots of…read moretabling from local organizations and the chance to check out wonderful displays at the Historical Society. We spent a lot of time her speaking with the very knowledgeable gentleman/docent. He showed us all the cool models, pictures, and mostly just told us all kinds of Long Beach stories. It was fascinating. They have a giant old timey map on the wall to see how things used to look in Long Beach. We definitely want to come here again to spend more time looking at all the details!

I finally had the opportunity to check out HSLB during Bixby Knoll's First Fridays. It is located…read moreamong the shops of Atlantic Ave. and the space used to be an old fur coat shop! What initially caught my eye was women's suffrage movement on its window display, and when I walked in, I was busy looking at a model replica of the pike rollercoaster, history timeline of Long Beach, Cambodian population of Long Beach, children's artwork on COVID-19, etc. Every piece inside tells a story about Long Beach, and the historians working there are so knowledgeable. We spent most of our time with Jesse, and he wowed us with many cool stories. For example- did you know that there was a gorgeous auditorium called Crest Theater right across the street from HSLB that is now a shopping mall? Jesse showed us a picture of the old theater at its glory in 1930s, and I was amazed. You can tell that all the historians are excited to share the history and memories of LB to visitors, and I really enjoyed my time here. HSLB is a living archive of Long Beach, and I can't wait to share the word so more people can visit. If you are in the area or want to learn new history about Long Beach, please visit HSLB!

My tour to Saudi Arabia with Distant Horizons and sponsored by The National Trust was a premier…read moretrip and I highly recommend it for both new and experienced travelers. The tour introduced me to a fascinating mix of tradition and modernity, with significant cultural and historical sites. We saw major cities, deserts, and oases. What made the trip special were the knowledgeable guides - local and American - and the meetings they set up with significant people in the governance and development of the country. The Saudi people are warm and welcoming, and the country is safe. It was an honor to explore Saudi Arabia with Distant Horizons.

For 25 years now, Distant Horizons has been taking me to the world's most fascinating places--Iran,…read moreCuba, Uzbekistan, Syria and Jordan. It's the only agency I trust when it comes to rich and distant cultural centers and wherever I'm going, I know its master owner will introduce me to remarkable locals, the deepest and most interesting guides, the most colorful hotels and dozens of sites I would never have known about otherwise. I can't imagine how my life as a traveler would have unfolded without the guidance and brilliance of Distant Horizons. Pico Iyer

May 31, 2026 | Long Beach | While both Taste Around Avalon & The Catalina Wine Mixer events were…read morehappening on Catalina Island, ferries were pretty much booked to capacity! This was my first time taking the Catalina Express Ferry to Long Beach on my way back! Inside | Spacious! Cafe on board, cozy, plush seating, large windows, and a tray to pull down on the seat in front of you! Once we walked off the ferry and into the building, my friends, and I simply walked through to get to the garage! Customer Service | Friendly! Reservations | I highly recommend booking online, and in advance, especially when there's an event on Catalina Island! Seats on the ferry can fill up quite quickly! While booking online to Catalina and ahead of time, I was able to get a seat at my usual San Pedro Port! On the return ferry, also booked in advance, but because of the event, seats were sold out in San Pedro! It was nice to have the option of Long Beach to get to the island! Parking | On several levels of a huge parking garage across the way! Be sure to remember where you parked! Overall | I'm glad there are options to consider when taking a ferry to Catalina Island! Thanks, Long Beach, you saved the day!

We ended up taking one of the 6:00am rides on our way to Avalon. I enjoyed how easy it was to find…read moreparking and how close it was to the office area. As for check-in, everything went pretty smoothly, and from there it was just a matter of waiting in line. On our ride to the island, I enjoyed all the different seating options that were available, whether you wanted to sit up top or somewhere inside. And overall, the views from the windows were really nice, especially the closer we got to Avalon! Later on in the day, we took the 6:30pm ride back, but this time in the Commodore Lounge. I think that for the $20 difference, it was nice to get priority boarding along with snacks and a drink (alcohol included). Plus, since we left around sunset, the views on the way back across the island and ocean were sooo pretty! Overall, I'm definitely looking forward to my next visit back! :)