By Bob Diehl
Long
beach is about 20 miles south of
Los Angeles, but close enough to be in Los Angeles County. The Port of Long Beach is the second-busiest seaport in the
United States, and accounts for about one in eight jobs in the city. The historic Queen Mary is docked in Long Beach. The retired ocean liner now offers a 365 room hotel, restaurants, nightlife, tours and other special events.
History
The area that is now Long Beach was first settled in 1784.
Size
Long Beach is the 6th largest city in California and the 36th largest in the United States. The population was 492,642 as of 2008.
In the Movies
Long Beach is a popular location for films. The main house in American Pie, where Jim and his family lived, is located on Cedar Drive. You can find "Ferris Bueller's" house on Country Club Drive.
Fun Fact
Every April, a section of the city near the waterfront is transformed into a race track for the Long Beach Grand Prix. The race is an event on the Indy Racing League calendar, and draws approximately 200,000 people.
Famous Ties
Actress Bo Derek, rapper Snoop Dogg, and tennis great Billie Jean King were all born in Long Beach.
About the Author:
Bob Diehl is a freelance writer living in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pa. He has more than a decade of writing, editing and proofreading experience in television news, sports reporting and marketing copywriting.
