By Although the life of a Long Beach State student gets busy throughout the semester, it should not stop them from being able to unwind between classes.
The university campus and surrounding areas of Long Beach can offer a litany of things students can do to relax and recharge.
Follow along for a quintessential guide of Long Beach through campus activities, local neighborhoods and beachside outdoor jaunts.
Things To Do On Campus
Long Beach, CA: The University Student Union Building in the center of the CSULB campus features many amenities for students to access.
Photo credit: Lauren Benson
The University Student Union Building
The University Student Union (USU) Building offers a variety of activities students can enjoy located right in the heart of lower and upper campus.
From bowling, air hockey, billiards and the Esports Association Arena, Associated Students Inc. (ASI) offers recreational fun for all students at a low cost.
The Student Recreation & Wellness Center
For those with fitness goals or the sudden urge to try a new and interesting sport, the Student Recreation & Wellness Center is the place for you. Located on the east side of campus, the rec center offers all the amenities that may be found at any commercial gym plus more, such as a rock climbing wall, intramural sports and classes on health and wellness.
The rec center also holds a variety of giveaways and competitions throughout the school year, including their “Owen’s Condition for Tuition Scholarship Challenge” which helps students learn, develop healthier habits and receive a chance to be selected for a scholarship.
Week of Welcome
For students in need of a niche community on campus, Week of Welcome is one of the first places to look.
Week of Welcome is CSULB’s “club rush” featuring over 300 student-run organizations and resources offered at the university, including the Thrift Club, Elbee Racing SAE Team, Hospitality Management Association and many more.
Survey the many student communities and find your own on Sept. 4 and 5 at 2 p.m. in the central quad.
Local neighborhoods to check out
2nd and PCH is a shopping mall located on Second Street that has dining, shopping and lifestyle amenities for people to enjoy.
Photo Credit: Mark Siquig
Belmont Shore/2nd St.
For students who are new to the Long Beach area, one off-campus location to take a look at would be Belmont Shore and Second Street. The location has a large variety of cuisines, bars and small independent shops with unique items.
Between the thrift shops, vintage clothing stores, a gaggle of sushi restaurants and Goodies, a home goods store whose prices are “never over $25,” there is always something to do at the Belmont Shore.
Downtown Seal Beach
This nearby town offers a quaint “small beach town vibe” that allows its visitors to unwind and relax after a busy day.
Grab a slice of pizza at Slice of New York Pizza or find something that catches the eye at one of the many beach boutique shops.
Seal Beach also hosts a boardwalk that allows visitors a view of the sunset in the area.
“Yogulation on the Bluff” offers yoga classes at 11 a.m. daily and 6 p.m. classes Monday through Friday at Ocean Blvd and Junipero. Photo credit: Mark Siquig.
Bixby Knolls
10 minutes northeast of CSULB is where the burgeoning community at Bixby Knolls is located.
The downtown area is host to a large variety of cuisines from around the world, including pad thai and lomo saltado.
Due to its recent renaissance, there is now a large concentration of breweries in the area, making Bixby Knolls a food and drink lover’s paradise.
Outdoor Activities in and near Long Beach
The Beach
The bike path is also a pet-friendly path with many of the riders and walkers soaking up the sun with their pets. Photo credit: Mark Siquig.
It’s quite obvious, with the word ‘beach’ in its name, that the city of Long Beach would be home to some of the most popular beaches in Southern California.
Beach-goers can enjoy the smooth shores of Granada Beach or the coastal air driving down South Pacific Coast Highway to Laguna Beach. Long Beach is centralized between miles of beautiful California coastline.
El Dorado Regional Park
Hidden right by Interstate 605 is Eldorado Regional Park. This public park is a 450-acre complex that includes a nature complex, biking trail, archery range and a variety of sports fields and courts.
El Dorado Park allows its visitors to ride a bike, paddle a boat and have a picnic all in one visit.
Bolsa Chica State Marine Conservation Area
Nestled off of the Southern Pacific Coast Highway lies a little secret nature experience in the Bolsa Chica State Marine Conservation Area.
A nearly one square mile nature preserve across the highway from Bolsa Chica State Beach allows its visitors to see some of Southern California’s wetland Flora and Fauna.
A hiking trail wraps around the large lagoon found at the preserve and plays host to scenes of some of California’s aquatic bird population.
Whether the Long Beach scene is old or new to incoming students, everyone at CSULB deserves the chance to discover its campus culture, vibrant city activity and raw ecological beauty.
