Planes, trains and automobiles 

No one famous ever said, "All roads lead to Long Beach," but the statement isn't that far off base. With its own regional airport and central So Cal location, Long Beach earns an A+ for accessibility.

By Plane

If you are coming in by plane, your two best airport options are Long Beach Airport (LGB) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Each has its advantages. LGB is small and efficient - that means you won't have to worry about getting lost in the terminal or being stuck in a two-hour security back-up. Check Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways or US Airways for direct and connecting flights into LGB. The airport has several rental car companies  on site is located about 15 minutes from Downtown Long Beach by car.

LAX is the primary air travel hub in the region. Flight and carrier selection are the big advantages of using LAX. Flights are available on major airlines from many domestic and international originations. The drive from LAX to Downtown Long Beach is about 30 minutes without traffic, but can be much longer during rush hour. If you'd rather avoid freeway driving, public transportation can route you to Long Beach as well. Metro Line 232 offers bus service from LAX to the Long Beach Transit Mall. The Transit Mall is located at Pine and First in the heart of Downtown. You can also take a free shuttle from LAX to the Metro Green Line. The Green Line connects to the Blue Line, which also stops at the Transit Mall.

By train

Before there was LAX, there was Los Angeles Union Station. Located in Downtown Los Angeles, Union Station receives long distance Amtrack riders, Metrolink commuter rail passengers and LA Metro light rail passengers. Once you arrive at Union Station, you can take the Metro Red Line light rail to 7th Street Station, and then switch to the Blue Line. The Blue Line has several stops in Long Beach, including the Long Beach Transit Mall.

By car

Long Beach is traversed by three interstates: I-710, I-405 and I-605. Combined, these freeways link Long Beach to neighboring counties and several other major roadways. If you aren't familiar with So Cal's freeway network, you can keep things simple by relying on Interstates 5, 10 or 15 to get you to I-405 or I-605. For example, from points east like Phoenix, you can reach Long Beach by
taking I-10 west to I-605 south. Las Vegas natives can hop on I-15 southbound and take that to I-10 west. From points north and south, you can use I-5, which connects to I-405 in Sylmar and again in Orange County. Northern and Central Californians can take I-5 south to I-405 south, using the Sylmar interchange. San Diego locals would head north on I-5, switching to I-405 north in Orange County.

Plan your trip to Long Beach in whatever manner you prefer - air, rail or asphalt - because getting there is part of your vacation too.