If you plan on holidaying in California, you can’t miss this coastal city.
Queen Mary
Whether you’re in Long Beach, 37km southeast of LAX, for a cruise or to rest before or after a flight, a 91-year-old, royal-monikered resident will command your attention. The 310m-long RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Queen Mary has been a hotel, convention centre and tourist attraction since the City of Long Beach bought her in 1967; however, her past lives as a grand, 1957-passenger ocean liner and record-setting Allied troop ship during WWII continue to inform her allure. For about $65, embark on a self-guided tour, taking in exhibits and sites such as the engine room, captain’s quarters, and promenade deck as well as areas sure to fascinate anyone who loves a good ghost story.
In the isolation ward, intended for ill passengers and sometimes used for stowaways, peruse the list of passengers and crew who died on-board. Later, take pics of the eerie first-class Art Deco pool through the entry-door glass as well as B340 stateroom (if unoccupied) to see if any restless spirits reveal themselves. Several guided tours are available. On the one-hour Haunted Encounters tour (about $74, including general admission), your guide will lead you to rooms where strange sightings have occurred, for example, a dark rope locker deep in the bow, where you’ll hear details of a horrific incident involving an escort vessel in 1942.
Catalina Island
A walkable 2km northwest of the Queen Mary is the Long Beach departure point for Catalina Express, which will whisk you south to 19,377ha Catalina Island in just over an hour. Book a seat in the upstairs Commodore’s lounge, which comes with a drink and priority boarding, and arrive in Avalon, on this rugged, lofty island’s eastern end, relaxed and ready to dive into its activities. Options include chilling out on the beach, swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, parasailing and checking out the Catalina Museum for Art & History. But stroll 1.3km northwest around Avalon Bay to the Art Deco, no gambling Catalina Casino and you’ll want to don snorkel or scuba attire.
One-hectare Casino Point Underwater Park offers some of California’s best shore diving and snorkelling with clear waters, giant kelp, a rocky reef and marine life such as lobsters, octopus, moray eels, kelp bass, and the bright orange garibaldi, the state marine fish. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a sea lion or harbour seal swimming amid the kelp forest.
Join a guided snorkel or scuba diving tour or hire equipment from a local operator and explore on your own. Lovers Cove, a few hundred metres southeast of the ferry, is another popular snorkelling spot. After your underwater adventure, work different muscles at the Catalina Casino’s circular, ocean-view Wrigley Ballroom, hiring vintage-style roller skates and gliding beneath chandeliers.
The writer was hosted by the Queen Mary and Catalina Express, assisted by Visit Long Beach.