The Great Beach Treasure Hunt

The Great Beach Treasure Hunt is the third in a series of articles about having fun in the sun in Long Beach, California.

Long Beach, California features an 8.5 mile long beach. During wartime barriers or breakwaters were built to create a safe harbor for ships. This means that there are no large ocean waves that most beach towns have. The mini-waves make the beach a fun and safe place to take young children or for a novice swimmer to enjoy the ocean. Some people take an old tire tube and fishing pole to spend a lazy day floating while they fish in the calm water. Spending a day at the beach you might spot sea lions and an occasional dolphin swimming offshore.

Another sight on Long Beach beaches is people walking around with metal detectors hoping to uncover treasures such as lost coins, gold watches or silver chains. "The Great Beach Treasure Hunt", however is one of Long Beach's Sea Festival events scheduled for June. The Great Beach Treasure Hunt is sponsored by the local newspaper, The Press Telegram. Clues will be printed in the paper starting on June 24, 2007 and continuing until July 4, 2007. The idea is that the Grand Prize will be found just in time to celebrate Independence Day.

The Long Beach Sea Festival's July 4th activities will take place in downtown Long Beach between Ocean Blvd. and Shoreline Drive. There will be a carnival for the children at Marina Green Park on Shoreline Drive, with adult entertainment across the street at the Rainbow Lagoon. The live bands will feature a patriotic grand finale by the Long Beach Municipal band with fireworks starting at 9pm.

Long Beach has been hosting Sea Festivals for 75 years. My second favorite Sea Festival activity is the Great Sand Sculpture Contest. This year's Sand Castle contest will be held August 11, 2007 from 9am to 2pm on the beach at the Granada launch ramp. Music will be provided by the Blue Steel which plays current and classic rock and roll. Participants in the contest are treated to Alfredo's "famous". Arts & Crafts vendors add to the festive air. After the awards ceremony at 2pm, the sculptures are left undisturbed for viewing until 4pm, when clean-up begins.

I enjoy watching kids of all age building elaborate sand castles, peg-legged pirates complete with Treasure Chest, dolphins, mermaids or a replica of the Queen Mary cruise ship. The Queen Mary is one of Long Beach's most popular tourist attractions. The British ocean liner took her final cruise in October, arriving in Long Beach California on December 9, 1967 where she has been docked ever since. People from miles around come to spend a day at the beach and watch the Queen Mary 4th of July fireworks spectacular across the harbor.

What is my favorite Sea Festival activity? Stay tuned for the next in my series of articles of having fun in the sun Long Beach California style.

The Press Telegram online

Long Beach California Sea Festival

Long Beach California "Guide for Visitors" including Lodging information

RMS Queen Mary, Associated Content article by Norman A Rubin