SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/45791
Long Beach 2012 Image courtesy of the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. WELCOME TO TODAY'S LONG BEACH S ettled along 5 1/2 miles of sandy coastline, Long Beach is the quintes- sential vacation getaway, boasting both the ambience of a sophisticated urban center and the charm of a seaside commu- nity. Located 20 miles south of Los Ange- les, California's seventh largest city offers visitors a dynamic range of oceanfront ho- tels, attractions, shopping, recreational ac- tivities, art and culture, restaurants and nightly entertainment that make it an ideal destination for any time of the year. Long Beach has emerged as a commu- nity full of matchless neighborhoods and cultural diversity. Located just a mile down Ocean Boulevard is the seaside commu- nity of Belmont Shore, which features Sec- ond Street, a shopper's mecca and premier location for outdoor dining and people watching. Tucked behind Belmont Shore is one of the city's most romantic destinations, Naples Island, where Italian- style gondoliers cruise along the canals lined with picturesque, million-dollar homes. Alamitos Bay is just past Belmont Shore offering waterfront dining and views of rows and rows of sailboats. Downtown Long Beach is a perfect blend of sophisti- cated urban center and charming seaside community, and is filled with a myriad of entertainment choices. For more interna- tional flavors, visitors can discover the city's historic Spanish roots in Bixby Knolls or experience Cambodia Town, the preva- lent community along Anaheim Street that has been recognized as one of the largest Cambodian communities in the world. 30 SportsTurf | November 2011 ATTRACTIONS Discover the city's best known attrac- tions, which range from a historic ocean liner to a sustainable aquarium. One of the most recognized attractions in Long Beach, The Queen Mary, is one of the world's most luxurious ships to sail the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean liner also features a 314-state- room hotel and several fine restaurants. Visitors can explore this majestic ship from the wheelhouse to the engine room before braving the Queen's current attraction, Ghosts and Legends. During this haunted tour, a guide leads brave guests through parts of the Queen Mary that were previ- ously off-limits while the attraction pro- duces floods, flashing lights, and ghostly experiences. Visitors can also explore the mystique of the Soviet submarine Scorpion, which is moored adjacent to the Queen Mary. For a face-to-fish encounter visit the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, a world-class facility that is home to more than 11,000 inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean representing some 500 different species. It also has numerous areas where visitors can touch the animals of the ocean like sting rays, sea cucumbers, starfish and more. Explorer's Cove features Lorikeet Forest where these colorful and friendly miniature parrots can be hand-fed by visitors. Also in Explorer's Cove is Shark Lagoon, where nine species of shark can be viewed from both above and below water. Visitors can actually touch several of the shark species in special touch lagoons. The new Molina Animal Care Center offers enhanced healthcare to animals as well as opportunities for guests to view veterinary medicine in action. A short walk from the Aquarium along picturesque Rainbow Harbor, you'll find two exciting entertainment/dining/shopping complexes, Shoreline Village and The Pike at Rainbow Harbor. Shoreline Village has the look and feel of a charming seaside fishing village, with a boardwalk of specialty and souvenir shops and restaurants. The Pike at Rainbow Harbor is Long Beach's newest attraction, a 300,000+ square foot entertainment center with shops, restau- rants and a multiplex movie theater. Rain- bow Harbor itself is home to boats of all types, including fishing boats, tall ships, lux- ury charter yachts, harbor tour boats, pleas- ure craft and even a replica Mississippi stern wheeler. Just minutes from downtown Long Beach rest several other interesting attrac- tions that will suit visitors of all ages. These "must-sees" include Alamitos Bay, a waterfront dining and entertainment area; Gondola Getaway along the canals of Naples Island; and Ranchos Los Alamitos and Rancho Los Cerritos, two historic parks featuring acres of beautiful gardens and au- thentic adobes. Everything from rollerblades to wetsuits, jet skis to windsurfing equipment, can be rented at various places along the beach. Day and night harbor cruises are also available, offering beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. www.sportsturfonline.com >> WHAT TO DO >> EXHIBITOR LIST >> OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES >> CONFERENCE PROGRAM