Highlights of Things to Do During Spring Break in the LBC
- Spring break in Long Beach offers various activities for families, including visits to El Dorado Nature Center and whale watching.
- The Long Beach Museum of Art features free admission on certain days, providing cultural experiences for all ages.
- Numerous free events occur, such as the Cambodia Town Parade and free Sundays at the Museum of Latin American Art.
- The Queen Mary offers guided tours and immersive experiences, appealing to older kids and history enthusiasts.
- Plan visits around operating days, as many attractions open Thursday through Sunday, maximizing fun during spring break.
Spring break is almost here and if your plan is still “I don’t know, maybe the beach?” — let me help you out. Long Beach has a lot going on right now and most of it won’t drain your wallet. Grab a Rose Park Roasters latte, read this, and start planning.
El Dorado Nature Center
This place is seriously underrated and your kids will be obsessed. 105 acres, two miles of trails, turtles, rabbits, over 100 bird species — real nature, right here in the city. Parking is $6 on weekdays, $7 on Fridays, and $8 on weekends. Trails are open Tuesday–Sunday, 8am–5pm (no entry after 4:30pm). Heads up — no pets or bikes allowed inside the Nature Center grounds, so plan accordingly.
If your little one is 2–5, lock in a spot for their Parent & Me Workshop. April 8 is “Feathered Friends” — a morning of stories, nature play, and outdoor exploration all about birds. You and your kid get to investigate the natural world together, discover creatures big and small, and actually have fun doing it. It’s $21 per class, runs 10–11:30am, and one caregiver per child. Pre-register at lbparks.org. They also have spring break camps for older kids. Worth every penny.
📍 7550 E. Spring St, Long Beach
Long Beach Museum of Art
LBMA has two locations now and both are worth your time this spring. Robert Williams: Fearless Depictions is running through May 31 and it’s genuinely cool. At LBMA Ocean, general admission is $15, students and seniors are $10, and kids 12 and under get in free. LBUSD students are also free — good to know.
LBMA Downtown is completely free for everyone, Thursday–Sunday 11am–4pm. Zero dollars, no excuses. Both locations are open Thursday through Sunday only, so plan your visit accordingly.
Claire’s at the Museum is still serving up ocean view brunches and lunches — open Thursday–Sunday 11am–3pm. It’s a good excuse to stay longer than you planned.
📍 LBMA Ocean: 2300 E. Ocean Blvd | LBMA Downtown: 356 E. 3rd St
Whale Watching in Long Beach
Spring is literally peak season for this — gray whales and humpbacks are actively out there right now. Someone spotted two humpbacks and a full dolphin pod on March 1, so the timing couldn’t be better. Harbor Breeze departs right from the waterfront, tours are 2.5 hours, and there’s a naturalist from the Aquarium of the Pacific on every trip. Kids ages 3–11 are $30, adults start at $45, babies are free.
📍 100 Aquarium Way, Dock #2
The Queen Mary
The Queen Mary is open, iconic, and kids genuinely lose their minds over it. General admission is $47.46 for adults, $42.16 for kids, and $44.28 for seniors and military. Every ticket includes a 30–45 minute Embarkation Tour while availability lasts — then the rest of the ship is yours to explore at your own pace. Open daily 10am–6pm.
Want a guided experience? The Glory Days Tour (ship history, WWII, the whole story) and the Steam & Steel Tour both include general admission and a one-hour guided tour. If your kids are into anything spooky, the Haunted Encounters Tour is also an option — all starting at $58. Just note the Paranormal Ship Walk is ages 13+ and the Graveyard Tour is ages 16+, so check before you book.
📍 1126 Queen’s Highway, Long Beach | queenmary.com
Free Things to Do in Long Beach (Because We’re Not Made of Money)
There is actually a lot of free stuff to do in Long Beach right now, so here’s your full list:
- The beaches are quiet and peaceful in March and April before summer hits, and if the weather plays nice, you might even be able to make a day of it. The water will still be freezing, but The Peninsula bayside is perfect if you have little ones and want to pack a lunch and build sandcastles. Rosie’s Dog Beach is a vibe if you have a pup.
- The Cambodia Town Parade and Culture Festival is April 4 — free, festive, and one of the best community events Long Beach puts on all year.
- The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) is free every Sunday. It’s smaller, but culturally rich and a genuinely easy afternoon with kids.
- Rancho Los Cerritos is completely free — admission, parking, all of it. The adobe home and gardens are open Wednesday through Sunday (Saturdays start at 10am, all other days 1–5pm). Take a docent-led tour, do the family scavenger hunt in English or Spanish, stroll the gardens, or just bring lunch and picnic on the grounds. Low-key, historic, and genuinely a nice change of pace from screen time.
- Rancho Los Alamitos is also free — admission and parking both. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 1–5pm (get there before 4:30pm or the gates close on you). Meet the barnyard animals — horses, sheep, goats, chickens, and ducks — wander the historic gardens, and take a docent-guided tour of the ranch house. It’s a 7.5-acre slice of California history that kids actually enjoy. Reservations are recommended, required for groups over 10.
- The Long Beach Public Library runs free weekly storytimes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers at all 12 branches — some branches even have kids reading aloud to therapy dogs, which is the cutest thing I’ve ever typed.
- Bixby Park (130 Cherry Ave) has a great playground and a farmers market on Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Snacks plus playground? Perfect combo.
- The Shoreline Pedestrian Bike Path is a 3.1-mile paved path along the beach — rent bikes from the Long Beach Bike Share and make a morning of it.
Long Beach really said “we’re that girl” and honestly? Correct. Whether you’re chasing whales, letting the kids run feral at the beach, or finally checking out that museum you’ve been driving past for years — spring break here is just different. Go make some memories. And when you’re ready to plan what’s next, check out our calendar for more Long Beach events happening all season long.
FAQs
Honestly, all of them. El Dorado Nature Center and the Ranchos are great for toddlers through tweens. The Queen Mary and whale watching tend to be a bigger hit with older kids. MOLAA and LBMA Downtown are free, so low stakes if your crew has a short attention span.
For the Parent & Me Workshop at El Dorado, yes — pre-register at lbparks.org (class #69632). Rancho Los Alamitos recommends reservations for everyone and requires them for groups over 10. Everything else is walk-in friendly, though buying Queen Mary tickets online in advance is a good idea during spring break week.
More than you’d think. LBMA Downtown, MOLAA on Sundays, Rancho Los Cerritos, Rancho Los Alamitos, the beaches, the Shoreline Bike Path, the Cambodia Town Parade on April 4, and Long Beach Public Library storytimes are all completely free.
If your kids are generally good on boats, yes. The catamaran has indoor seating so it’s not too intense, and a naturalist from the Aquarium of the Pacific is on every trip to keep everyone engaged. Kids 3–11 are $30, babies are free.
Many spots are closed Monday and Tuesday, so plan your week accordingly. Thursday through Sunday is your sweet spot for hitting multiple places in one trip.
El Dorado Nature Center has paid parking on site. Rancho Los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos both have free parking. LBMA and MOLAA have free street and lot parking nearby. The Queen Mary and Harbor Breeze whale watching have paid lots at the waterfront.
