California note
The Queen Mary gives Long Beach a ship with a whole second life
The Queen Mary began as a grand 1930s ocean liner and has been part of the Long Beach shoreline since 1967.
Long Beach has beaches, a port, an aquarium, and a busy downtown waterfront. Then there is the Queen Mary, which makes the shoreline feel like it has a floating chapter of world travel tied to the dock.
The ship made its maiden voyage in 1936, when large ocean liners still carried people across the Atlantic in high style. Since December 9, 1967, the Queen Mary has been part of the Long Beach shoreline, with Art Deco details, exhibits, tours, hotel rooms, and special events.
That second life is the fun part. A ship built for long crossings became a local landmark, a museum-like stop, and a piece of the city’s waterfront identity. It also gives Long Beach a different kind of history than a pier or beach town usually has.
If you are walking the waterfront, the Queen Mary is worth noticing even from a distance. Its size helps you understand why ocean liners felt so impressive before air travel became the easy default.
Where to see it
The Queen Mary on the Long Beach waterfront.
Sources
Sources for this story
Reviewed July 1, 2026
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Open the local directory
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