If youโre coming to Long Beach for Baja Blast 2027, donโt make the mistake of arriving the day before the cruise just to sleep, wake up, and get on the ship.
Yes, the cruise is the main event.
But if youโve never been to Southern California, you have an incredible opportunity to turn your Baja Blast vacation into a much bigger adventure.
Come early. Stay a few extra nights. See Long Beach. Explore Los Angeles. Visit Hollywood. Eat ALL the things. Then come back to Long Beach, meet your fellow Spicy sailors, and board the ship ready to party.
Because your vacation should start before you ever step on the ship. ๐ดโ๏ธ๐ฅ
Why We REALLY Recommend Arriving Early
First things first: don’t fly into Southern California on cruise day.
Could you? Sure.
Should you? Absolutely not.
Flights get delayed. Bags get lost. Traffic happens. Weather happens. And Los Angeles traffic can turn what looks like a short drive into a much longer adventure.
The last thing we want is for one delayed flight or transportation issue to have you starting Baja Blast stressed out and rushing to the ship.
Instead, give yourself at least two nights in Long Beach before the cruise.
That gives you a buffer AND gives you time to actually enjoy California.
And if you’ve never been to Southern California, we’d go even further:
Make it a 3-4 night pre-cruise vacation.
Long Beach is not just a place where your cruise happens to leave from. It’s a destination in its own right, with beaches, restaurants, nightlife, shopping, museums and a beautiful waterfront.
And then there’s Los Angeles…
๐ Start in Long Beach
Long Beach is one of those cities where you can slow down a little while still having plenty to do.
It’s a great place to recover from your flight, get some sunshine, eat something delicious and start getting into vacation mode.
๐ณ๏ธ Explore the Queen Mary
You can’t really visit Long Beach without noticing the Queen Mary.
This legendary ocean liner has been permanently docked in Long Beach since 1967 and is now one of the city’s most recognizable attractions. You can explore the historic ship, take tours and learn about its fascinating history as both a luxury ocean liner and WWII troopship.
And let’s be honest…
You’re cruise people.
You’re going to want to see this ship.
๐ Visit the Aquarium of the Pacific
The Aquarium of the Pacific is another great option, especially if you love marine life.
It’s one of Southern California’s major aquariums, with thousands of animals and exhibits featuring everything from sharks and sea lions to penguins and other Pacific Ocean wildlife.
It’s also conveniently located near the Long Beach waterfront, so it’s easy to combine with several other activities.
๐น Wander Shoreline Village
This is probably one of our favorite recommendations for your first afternoon or evening.
Shoreline Village sits right on Rainbow Harbor and has restaurants, shops, waterfront views and plenty of places to grab a drink and settle into that “I’m officially on vacation” feeling.
You can stroll along the waterfront, grab seafood, shop, rent bikes or simply sit outside with a cocktail and watch the boats go by.
This is the kind of place where you don’t need a schedule.
Just wander.
๐ฒ Get Outside
Long Beach has miles of beach and a paved coastal bike path, making it easy to walk, bike or simply enjoy the ocean.
You could rent bikes, take a long walk along the water, grab lunch and spend the afternoon doing absolutely nothing.
And honestly?
After travel days, sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
โญ But What About LOS ANGELES?
Here’s where we really want to encourage you to extend your trip.
If you’ve never been to Los Angeles, this is your chance.
Long Beach is only about 25 miles south of Los Angeles, making it a great home base for exploring some of the area’s most famous sights.
And there is WAY too much to see in one day.
So don’t try.
Pick a few things that sound fun to you and enjoy them.
๐ฌ Spend a Day in Hollywood
If you’ve never been to Hollywood, yes…
Go be a tourist.
Take the pictures.
Walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
See the TCL Chinese Theatre.
Check out the Hollywood Sign.
People-watch.
Grab a drink.
Take the cheesy photo.
You’re allowed to be a tourist. ๐
Hollywood is one of those places that you’ve seen a thousand times in movies and television, so seeing it in person is part of the experience. Discover Los Angeles specifically recommends Hollywood for first-time visitors because of its movie history, famous boulevard and iconic attractions.
And if you want to go beyond the touristy stuff, there are plenty of neighborhoods, restaurants, bars and entertainment options nearby.
๐ด See the Other Side of LA
Hollywood isn’t the only version of Los Angeles.
Depending on what you’re into, you could spend your LA day exploring:
Santa Monica – Walk the pier, enjoy the beach and wander the Third Street Promenade.
Venice Beach – People watching, street performers, Muscle Beach and the famous Venice Boardwalk.
Beverly Hills – Rodeo Drive, gorgeous homes and some serious people-watching.
West Hollywood – Restaurants, nightlife, shopping and a completely different energy.
Griffith Observatory – One of the best places to take in the LA skyline and get a great view of the Hollywood Sign.
Universal Studios Hollywood – If theme parks are your thing, this can easily become an entire day.
You don’t have to do all of them.
Pick your vibe.
๐ฝ๏ธ And Then There’s the FOOD…
One of the best reasons to come early?
EAT.
Southern California has an incredible food scene, and you don’t have to spend your entire vacation at fancy restaurants.
Try authentic Mexican food.
Find amazing tacos.
Eat Korean BBQ.
Grab sushi.
Try an LA-style burger.
Find a great brunch.
Have cocktails overlooking the water.
Explore a food hall.
And don’t be afraid to ask locals where THEY eat.
Because sometimes the best meal of the trip isn’t the one with 4,000 reviews on Google.
It’s the little place someone tells you about over a cocktail.
๐๏ธ So How Early Should You Come?
Here’s what we’d recommend.
Minimum: 2 nights before the cruise
This gives you a safety buffer for flights and transportation and gives you at least a little time to enjoy Long Beach.
Our recommendation: 3 nights
This is the sweet spot.
You can have a day to explore Long Beach, a day to explore LA/Hollywood and still have a relaxed morning before the cruise.
If you’ve never been to Southern California: 4+ nights
Why rush?
You’ve already made the trip.
Take advantage of it!
Turn Baja Blast into a full Southern California vacation.
๐ถ๏ธ And Then… BAJA BLAST.
After a few days exploring California, you’ll come back to Long Beach, meet up with your fellow Spicy sailors and get ready to board.
And that’s when the REAL vacation begins.
You’ll already have your California adventures under your belt.
You’ll have eaten the tacos.
You’ve seen Hollywood.
You’ve walked the beach.
You’ve taken the obligatory photo in front of the Hollywood Sign.
You’ve had a cocktail overlooking the Pacific.
And now?
It’s time to get SPICY. ๐ถ๏ธ
Baja Blast 2027 isn’t just a cruise.
It’s an excuse to take a vacation you’ve probably been meaning to take anyway.
So if you’ve never been to Long Beach or Los Angeles…
Don’t fly in and immediately get on the ship.
Come early.
Explore.
Eat.
Drink.
Make memories.
Then come board the ship with us.
๐ด California first.
๐ณ๏ธ Baja Blast second.
๐ถ๏ธ Spicy memories forever.
We can’t wait to see you in Long Beach!
Pro tip: Start planning your pre-cruise stay early. Hotels and popular Southern California attractions can fill up, and you’ll have a much better experience when you’re not trying to cram everything into the 24 hours before embarkation. We also recommend checking out nearby airports. Reach out to someone on the Spicy team for help!
