It’s a Saturday morning and the family has been waiting all week to get out on the boat and feel the onrushing breeze as you skim across the water. At many harbors, that would mean having to endure a long, slow trip at slow speeds through no-wake zones before experiencing that coveted adrenaline rush.
That’s not the case for boaters who keep their boats at one of the city-owned marinas in Long Beach, CA. “You get down to your slip, fire up your boat, and you’re in open water in 5 to 10 minutes,” said Todd Leland, manager of the marine bureau for the City of Long Beach.
With thousands of slips available for rent, the city operates Alamitos Bay Marina, Long Beach Shoreline Marina, and Rainbow Marina. All the properties are close to areas that offer shopping, restaurants, entertainment, and much more.
“The best part of our marinas is the proximity,” said Leland. “They abut right up to the sand and beaches, downtown Long Beach, Second Street and Pacific Coast Highway. They have everything you might need as a family.”
Some of the big waterfront events that slip renters enjoy from the water include the Long Beach Grand Prix Indy Car race and concerts like the Long Beach Summer Concert Series, the Vans Warped Tour and more. There’s even a Local Harvest Farmer’s Market at the Long Beach Marine Stadium.
Shoreline and Rainbow marinas are in downtown Long Beach, while Alamitos Bay is a little more tranquil with a calm inner bay that’s popular for activities like kayaking and paddleboarding. The idle through Alamitos Bay is about 15 or 20 minutes before you reach the Pacific. Located 26 miles away, Catalina Island continues to be a popular destination for day and weekend trips. The city offers kayak, board and paddle boat rentals and food concessions at myriad locations throughout all the marinas.
Most of the slips at Long Beach-operated marinas measure between 20 and 75 feet, plus some for boats from 15 to 20 feet and a few for those 85 to 115 feet. All types of boats ranging from power cruisers, performance and fishing models plus sailing vessels make up the fleet. Charter boat owners are encouraged to operate out of city-owned marinas. Slip rentals are available on a first-come first-served basis. There’s a waiting list and it takes about a month to get in at Shoreline; Alamitos, a little longer. Leland said that a boat owner can start out at one marina and get on a waiting list to transfer to another property. All the facilities have electrical and water at each slip and a renter can purchase a Wi-Fi connection.
Monthly slip rates start at $230.13 per month for a 20-foot boat. Jump up to 35 feet and the cost is $659.71 a month. A 50-foot boat runs $1,102.28 each month, while an 80-footer costs $2,147.07 for a month. Dry boat storage costs $115 per month for a boat up to 25 feet long, and for folks visiting from out of town, rates are $1.48/ft per night.
From 2010 to 2015, Alamitos Bay underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation that included the installation of new Bellingham concrete docks and updated power, water and fuel systems. Located on the east side of Long Beach at the intersection of PCH and Second Street, Alamitos Bay has 1,624 slips. Facilities include designated boat-owner parking, mailboxes for liveaboards, showers and restrooms, pump-out services, lockable dock boxes and 24-hour security patrols.
For visitors, public transportation from Alamitos Bay Marina to other Long Beach destinations is available via Long Beach Transit buses and water taxis/shuttles that run seasonally.
With the famous Queen Mary cruise ship and the Long Beach Convention Center as its backdrop, Shoreline Marina opened in 1982 and has 1,624 slips. Its slips range from 25 to 90 feet with side-tie dock space for vessels up to 160 feet long. Facilities offered match those at Alamitos Bay, and Shoreline Marina has two pump-out locations at the harbormaster’s dock and on the public dock near Parker’s Lighthouse restaurant. They are open 24 hours a day and there’s no fee to use them. Instructions are posted on each unit. They should only be used to pump out holding tanks, not gray or bilge water.
Rainbow Harbor Marina is between Shoreline Village and the Aquarium of the Pacific in the heart of downtown Long Beach. The marina has 87 slips serving recreational boaters and commercial operators. The harbor area has a dozen 150-foot docks that are home to sportfishing charters, whale watching boats, harbor and dinner cruise operators, boat and personal watercraft rentals, and more. Rainbow Harbor is steps from Shoreline Village.
The city of Long Beach also owns two marinas, Cerritos Bahia Marina and Marina Pacifica Boat Slips, that it leases long term to private management companies.
For folks to prefer to haul their boats, Long Beach has five public launch ramps, two of which are open 24/7, year-round. South Shore Launch Ramp and Davie Launch Ramp have multiple lanes, public restrooms, short-term and overnight parking, complementary pump-out and coin-operated wash-down stations. If you’re taking to the water from one of Long Beach’s marinas or launch ramps, you’ll be flying across the water in minutes.