By Classes may be eternally over for some, but Long Beach has plenty of places for graduates to explore one last time before they say their final goodbye and venture off into the real world.
Whether you’re looking for a place to grab a beer with friends or visit a relaxing and artistic environment, these are just some of the places you can go to connect with the Long Beach community before you are an official alumni.
- All aboard the Queen Mary
Queen Mary’s website
The haunted Queen Mary allows visitors to take tours, dine and stay a night.
Visitors are met with the muted brown and red halls of The Queen Mary upon arrival. Legend has it the historical ship is crawling with ghosts due to its notorious past. Dubbed the “Grey Ghost,” spirits reportedly still hang around the naval ship to haunt visitors. Attraction tours, dining and “Reserve A Hotel Room” packages are up for grabs. If you are leaving the Long Beach after you graduate, make sure to visit on of the cities best-known landmarks. Free admissions is offered after 6 p.m. on May 26, 27 and 28.
- Chug it at the Nugget
Thanks to previous students who voted to allow alcohol on campus, students are able to grab a beer rather than sip on coffee to deal with brutal college life. While the Outpost also offers beer and wine, the Nugget Grill & Pub provides a sports bar environment, complete with billiard tables and a projector screen. Grab a beer and an order of their chicken tenders, find a spot near the TV to kick back and watch a sports game.
- Strike a pose at one of the Long Beach Pow Wow Murals
POW! WOW!’s website
“The Hula” was created in 2016 and is one of the many POW! WOW! murals scattered throughout Long Beach.
If you are looking for a way to spice up your social media feed and set your grad pics apart from the crowd, take a drive around the city and visit some of the 52 POW! WOW! murals scattered throughout Long Beach. The murals are painted by numerous participants who are selected to display their artwork to the city of Long Beach. While most large cities have murals scattered throughout, POW! WOW! is special because the art is meant to draw aspects of the Native American tradition into modern society.
- Take a dip in the “awkward pool”
You aren’t an true Long Beach student until you’ve swam in a pool while your peers walk by, a floor above you. Dubbed the “awkward pool” because of its location near a high foot traffic path, the center provides the best way to cool down after the college experience. Only the daring are willing to hop in, but if you’ve braved through four years of college, you can handle this. The pool is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Pedal around the scenic city
Bike Share Long Beach’s Facebook
Take a cruise and view the scenic areas of Long Beach in a baby blue bike for only $7 an hour.
Long Beach Bike Share’s vacant light-blue basket bikes glisten in the SoCal sun while sitting dispersed through the city and campus. With summer weather at hand and school being over, graduates can get a taste of what the entire city encompasses before saying their goodbyes. Whether it is riding around the shore of the beach or biking up the steep Parkers Lighthouse, these bikes provide the optimal scenic experience of Long Beach. Rates start at seven dollars an hour and $21 for four hours.
