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Shoreline Village and Alamitos Landing
Shoreline Village at Rainbow Harbor
Shoreline Village and Alamitos Landing are two popular spots in Long Beach to spend an afternoon. Both offer many shopping and dining options not just for a boaters and sailors, but for anybody visiting Long Beach.
Shoreline Village is located at 401 Shoreline Dr. at Rainbow Harbor/Marina. It spans the east edge of the marina, and has much more than just shops and restaurants. While at first glance it looks like a large outdoor mall (or tourist trap), it has plenty of the character and charm that makes Long Beach unique. Shoreline Village is home to the first Yardhouse restaurant, opened in 1996 at the north end of the village. The Yardhouse was at the forefront of the craft beer movement, and now has over 60 locations across the United States. At the opposite end of the village is Parker’s Lighthouse restaurant, 2015 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Upstairs from Parker’s Lighthouse is the Queensview Steakhouse, which, as the name suggests, offers amazing view of the Queen Mary and Queensway Bay. The Yardhouse and Parker’s Lighthouse are both just steps away from the public docks in Rainbow Marina, and are very popular with visiting boaters. Also located in Shoreline Village is Shenanigan’s Irish Pub, an OC Weekly 2013 award winner for best bar in Orange County and Cafe Dia, which serves up some of the best Mediterranean food in Downtown Long Beach.
There is more to Shoreline Village than shops and restaurants, though. Pelican Pier Pavilion is a large arcade that also houses a carousel, and is very popular with kids. Wheel Fun Rentals offers not just bicycle/quadcycle rentals, but also Segway tours of the harbor and Pike. If walking around the harbor has you itching to buy a boat, Shoreline Yacht Sales is located upstairs from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate factory, and can get you into a yacht in no time. On the weekends, Smile For the Birdie brings their trained exotic birds to Shoreline Village for some great photo opportunities. Shoreline Village also has special events several times a year. Visits from Santa and the Easter Bunny are the most popular, as well as their Mardi Gras celebration and Civil War reinactment. If you are looking for more fun on the water, Marina Sailing, located next to Wheel Fun Rentals, is one of the largest sailing clubs in the state, and has several yachts available for charter, with or without a captain. They also offer sailing lessons, ASA certifications, and yacht sales.
Alamitos Landing
Alamitos Landing, located on the east side of Long Beach in the Alamitos Bay marina, is a lesser known and more intimate village popular with locals. Even though it does not have the same number of attractions as Shoreline Village has, it makes up for it with the quiet, peaceful ambiance that the other can sometimes lack.
Alamitos Landing is located at the Alamitos Bay Marina at the intersection of Marina Dr. and North Marina Drive. There is a small parking lot, with additional parking available until 10pm across the street in the marina lot. Alamitos Landing has six popular hangouts: Malarkey’s Irish pub, Five O’Clock wine bar, Boathouse on the Bay restaurant, London boat rentals, Long Beach Hydrobikes, and Long Beach Sportfishing. There is also roughly 200′ of public dock space available, split between a north dock in front of Malarkey’s, and a south dock in front of a currently vacant restaurant. The public docks are marked with green paint on the bullrail, and are available for free for a maximum of two hours.
For on the water fun, Long Beach Hydrobikes is one of the more unique attractions in Long Beach. Hydrobikes are almost exactly what you would expect them to be; they are modified bike frames attached to two pontoons with paddles underneath, and a rudder for steering. Visitors can peddle around Alamitos Bay and through the canals on Naples Island, and it is a great way to see Long Beach from the water while getting plenty of exercise. They are located on the south dock in front of the old Khoury’s restaurant. Directly across from them is one of the public docks. On the north dock, London Boat Rentals, formerly Pelican Joe’s, has 18′-21′ electric Duffy boats available for rentals, and is the perfect way to have a relaxing day on the water or experience an Alamitos Bay sunset. London Boat Rentals also shares its dock with the AquaLink water taxi, which takes riders from Alamitos Bay to Rainbow Harbor. Also on the north dock is Long Beach Sportfishing, which offers 1/2 day, 3/4 day, full day and multiday fishing charters.
Alamitos Landing has three (soon to be four) dining options. Malarkey’s is an Irish (kinda) Bar and Grill that has gotten a sizable local following since opening in 2013. Now only does it have some great waterfront views, it also has a public dock right out front, making it perfect for boaters looking for a beer and a burger after a long day on the water.
Next to Malarkey’s is the Five O’Clock Wine Bar and Boathouse on the Bay. The Five O’Clock Wine Bar is a cozy a cozy hangout with a great selection of California wines and craft beers. It serves a small tapas-like menu, and has a heated out door patio with seating and live music on the weekends. Boathouse on the Bay, occupies the former McKenna’s location on the west end of Alamitos Landing. It is a fine dining destination on the water, with lots of patio seating and great views of the bay.
Sandwiched in-between the Five O’Clock Wine Bar and Boathouse on the Bay is the Captain’s Locker, a small shop for basic boat repair parts. It is also within walking distance to the public docks, so it is just a quick walk away when you need to replace a water pump or starter. The guys there are also very knowledgeable, and can help walk you through basic troubleshooting or maintenance.
These aren’t the only places to hang out around the marinas. Places like Pine Ave, Second St, and Main Street in Seal Beach have plenty to offer and are just a short Uber ride away, so go exploring!
