curving coastline, while enjoying a delicious lunch inside a tent on the roof of the 528- room Hyatt Regency Long Beach. After a quick tour of the Hyatt, I sat down
FROM THE AIR, AT SEA, AND ON THE GROUND: From top to bottom —
A bird’s-eye view of the murals atop and
around the Long Beach Arena, the Queen Mary, Hotel Maya, and Long Beach Marriott.
with Mayor Bob Foster, who talked about the “dire straits” the city was in when the U.S. Navy pulled out of Long Beach and tens of thousands of aerospace jobs left the area during the 1990s. The city was forced to “build a different economic base,” he said, focused on inter- national trade — Long Beach is the second- busiest U.S. port and a leading gateway for trade between the United States and Asia — as well as tourism and the medical market. “It is a credit to Long Beach’s political and business leaders that they used redevelopment funds wisely,” Foster said. “Today, Long Beach is a diverse city. ... It has a small-town feel with all of the amenities of a major city.” I next took a behind-the-scenes tour of one of those amenities — the Aquarium of the Pacific. All around me, kids squealed with delight at seeing seals, otters, and all kinds of marine life up close in 50 exhibits. Back at home base, I explored more of the Renaissance and enjoyed a signature cocktail in the sleek, inviting lobby bar. We headed off for a quick drive to the Hotel Maya, a Double- Tree by Hilton hotel that sits on 11 lush acres, with 197 guest rooms in five buildings offering views of the Long Beach waterfront. Groups that meet there have a variety of options to choose from among the property’s 20,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. From there, a quick drive brought us to a
bygone era — the Queen Mary, a combination floating historical hotel, special-event venue, and dining attraction. After a delightful tour of this luxury ocean liner, rich in history and archi- tectural detail, we sat down to dinner onboard at Sir Winston’s, where I enjoyed vegetable Wel- lington, one of the restaurant’s classic offerings. The next morning, I headed back to the Long Beach Airport, first stopping for break- fast, served al fresco on the new patio at the 308-room Long Beach Marriott. With its lush landscaping and views of the Skylinks Golf Course, it feels like you’re in a tropical oasis. You would never know that you’re minutes away from the Long Beach Airport, where my whirlwind trip all began. n
— Michelle Russell
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Read more about Long Beach’s meetings offerings on p. 86.