There are California getaways that require a plane, a passport and a serious suitcase. Then there is Long Beach.
Just a short drive from Los Angeles, this waterfront city makes an unexpectedly sophisticated weekend escape, with a historic ocean liner, a world-class aquarium, a growing restaurant scene and enough harbor views to make you feel as though you’ve travelled much farther than you have.
The latest reason to make the trip is The Maya, the newly reimagined waterfront hotel that has emerged from a $10.5 million transformation with redesigned guest rooms, refreshed public spaces and a new chapter for its signature restaurant, Fuego. The hotel officially relaunched in June 2026, giving Long Beach a fresh resort retreat just across the water from the Queen Mary.
Here’s how to spend a weekend.
WHERE TO STAY
The Maya
The Maya is the kind of hotel where you can check in and stay on property the entire weekend.
Set along Queensway Bay, the hotel has a distinctly tropical, Southern California personality, with lush landscaping, palms, many outdoor gathering spaces and the water always somewhere in the picture. The renovation brings a more contemporary feel to the property while retaining their relaxed, resort-like character.
The newly renovated guest rooms are available with either garden or bay views, while select accommodations feature balconies overlooking the water. The Water View King Deluxe with Balcony and Water View King with Balcony are particularly beautiful with a huge patios offering views of the Queen Mary and huge bay. Suites offer separate living and sleeping areas and picturesque bay views.
Pool, Cabanas and the Playa
The Maya’s biggest temptation may be outside the guest room.
The waterfront pool is made for lingering, whether you’re swimming laps, ordering a cocktail or claiming a lounge chair and watching the day unfold. Nearby are a whirlpool and a collection of floating cabanas, which turn a pool afternoon into something closer to a resort vacation.
There is also Playa at the Maya, the hotel’s man-made beach area, plus seven firepits where guests can gather as the sun goes down. Guests can easily access the pretty walkway along the bay outside of the hotel.
For a little more activity, the hotel offers jet ski rentals from the waterfront in front of Fuego and shuttles to the Queen Mary for tours and Carnival cruises for those heading for a longer vacation.
WHERE TO EAT
Fuego at The Maya
You don’t have to leave The Maya for one of the weekend’s best meals.
Fuego has been given a fresh direction as part of the hotel’s renovation, evolving into a modern Latin-inspired restaurant, lounge and bar centered around shared dishes, handcrafted cocktails and a waterfront setting. Executive Chef Victor Juarez brings more than three decades of culinary experience to the restaurant.
Fuego’s expansive patio looks toward the Pacific, Long Beach skyline and Queen Mary, making it an attractive place for sunset drinks or dinner outside.
The restaurant’s menu draws from coastal cuisines of Mexico, Latin America and South America. Appetizers include Hamachi crudo, Ahi tuna tostada, poke nachos, guacamole, white bean hummus, gazpacho, patatas bravos and calamari. Mains include a unique Caesar salad with avocado and pepitas, a burger with roasted green chiles, a petite filet and grilled steak with eggs and potatoes. They also offer a variety of tacos with grilled fish, wild mushrooms, carne asada and chicken. Desserts include a coconut flan, churros, chocolate lava cake and a Mexican affogato.
Sunday Brunch at Fuego
Don’t check out too early.
Fuego serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., making it an easy final stop before heading home and an excellent way to extend the weekend. Dishes include steak and eggs, a chorizo breakfast burrito, avocado toast and churro French toast.
Zarapé Cocina & Cantina
For a change of scenery, head to Belmont Shore and Zarapé Cocina & Cantina, a new colorful Mexican restaurant on Second Street.
Its brunch menu is particularly extensive, with options ranging from chilaquiles and huevos rancheros to steak and eggs, chicken pozole, a potato-and-chorizo skillet, machaca bowls, breakfast tacos and a breakfast burrito. Those leaning sweet can choose from house pancakes, Belgian waffles and French toast.
The chilaquiles are an easy choice for a Mexican-style brunch, while the steak and eggs make a more substantial plate. The menu’s variety also makes Zarapé a good choice for a group with very different brunch preferences.
They also have a large cocktail menu including margaritas and signature cocktails.
WHAT TO DO
Step Aboard the Queen Mary
You can’t spend a weekend at The Maya without visiting the Queen Mary.
Permanently docked in Long Beach Harbor, the legendary ocean liner is one of the city’s defining landmarks. For first-time visitors, the Glory Days Tour offers an approximately one-hour introduction to the ship’s history, including its design, engineering, operational years and wartime role. There are also tours focused on the ship’s Art Deco design and its more mysterious reputation.
If you prefer your history with a little adrenaline, the Haunted Encounters experience explores the Queen Mary’s paranormal stories. For the particularly brave, the Paranormal Ship Walk is an after-hours experience that leans fully into the ship’s haunted reputation. Guests can also enjoy brunch or dinner onboard.
Plan a Haunted Fall Weekend
If you’re visiting in the fall, the Queen Mary becomes an entirely different experience.
Its Dark Harbor Halloween event transforms the ship and surrounding harbor into a large-scale haunted attraction with mazes, monsters, live entertainment, themed bars, carnival rides and seasonal food and drinks. The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor
Visit the Aquarium of the Pacific
On Sunday, make your way to the Aquarium of the Pacific. With more than 100 exhibits and 19 major habitats, the aquarium offers plenty to explore, including the Southern California Gallery, Tropical Pacific Gallery, Northern Pacific Gallery, Shark Lagoon, Sea Otter Habitat and June Keyes Penguin Habitat.
Don’t miss the Moon Jelly Touch Lab or Lorikeet Forest, and check the daily schedule for animal presentations and other experiences. The aquarium also offers boat adventures, including whale-watching excursions, for those who want to take the experience outside the building.
A SMART PRE-CRUISE ESCAPE
One of The Maya’s biggest advantages is its location.
The hotel is close to the Queen Mary and Long Beach Cruise Terminal, where Carnival sailings depart from the waterfront. That makes The Maya an especially smart choice for cruise passengers who don’t want to fly into Los Angeles and immediately board a ship.
The appeal of Long Beach is that it doesn’t require you to choose between relaxation and things to do. At The Maya, you can spend an entire afternoon beside a pool in a floating cabana and still be minutes from one of Southern California’s most fascinating historic attractions. You can have brunch overlooking the bay, walk through the Art Deco corridors of the Queen Mary, encounter sea otters at the aquarium and finish the evening with a cocktail beside a fire pit.
