Long Beach

Long Beach is one of Southern California's largest boating cities. The City of Long Beach Marine Bureau runs three public marinas, Alamitos Bay Marina, Long Beach Shoreline Marina and Rainbow Marina, and a network of launch ramps, and the Port of Long Beach, the second busiest container port in the United States, shares the waterfront. A series of breakwaters protects the bay, so most local boating is in sheltered water.

The city marinas

Alamitos Bay Marina, at 205 Marina Drive on the east side near Belmont Shore, is a large slip marina for boats about 20 to 80 feet, with fuel, haul-out and repair, laundry and a swimming area listed by the state. Long Beach Shoreline Marina, downtown at 450 E. Shoreline Drive, has more than 1,600 slips for boats from about 18 to 90 feet. Rainbow Marina, beside the Aquarium of the Pacific, has 87 slips and a three-hour guest dock. The City lists nearly 3,000 feet of guest mooring across its marinas. Alamitos and Shoreline each have a staffed fuel dock, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily by the City's listing.

The port and the breakwater

Three breakwaters span about 8.5 miles across San Pedro Bay. The eastern, Long Beach breakwater was built from 1941 to 1949, and the structures have two openings for ships entering the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach. Treat the entrances as working shipping lanes: stay clear of large vessels, listen on VHF, and keep a lookout for ferries and tour boats near downtown.

Launch ramps

The City runs five ramps, with a fee of $15 per day. South Shore, near the Queen Mary, is open 24 hours with overnight parking. Davies ramp, normally 24 hours, is closed from April 27, 2026 to early 2027 for improvements. Marine Stadium is open 8 a.m. to dusk for boats up to 23 feet. Claremont and Granada are sand launches for small vessels.

Events and Catalina

The Grand Prix of Long Beach, held in April, is the city's largest single event, and the holiday parade through the Naples canals and Alamitos Bay has run since 1946. Catalina Express runs from Catalina Landing downtown to Avalon in about 60 minutes. Boaters can also cross the San Pedro Channel on their own boats, though check the marine forecast first. All motorized operators need a California Boater Card.