Hotel at a Glance: The Queen Mary

After its maiden voyage in 1936, the RMS Queen Mary became one of the most famous ocean liners in the world. In its heyday, celebrities such as Bob Hope, Audrey Hepburn, and Fred Astaire boarded the luxurious ship. During World War II, it was converted into a troopship, and after that, it became Winston Churchill’s carrier of choice. The Queen Mary has since retired to the docks of Long Beach and is now a glamorous floating hotel with an Old-World vibe.

• Elegant dining: Enjoy hearty crab cakes and lobster tails at Chelsea Chowder House & Bar, or try chateaubriand steak amid ocean views at Sir Winston’s Restaurant & Lounge.
• Observation Bar, housed in the boat’s former first-class lounge, is the place to go for classic cocktails. The bar retains its 1930s vibe with torchiere lamps, original artwork, and live jazz music.
• Afternoon tea: Sample sandwiches, fresh scones with clotted cream and jam, and petits fours along with personal pots of tea in The Tea Room.
• Extra perks: This promotion includes: self-parking for one vehicle, Haunted Encounters tour for two adults, Glory Days tour for two adults, and Princess Diana tour for two adults.

Long Beach, California: Art, Architecture, and the Historic Queen Mary

Fewer than 30 miles from much-visited Hollywood and Disneyland, Long Beach offers a quieter experience distinguished by art museums, eclectic architecture, and ocean-front scenery. Take in the sights as you pedal along the Shoreline Pedestrian Bikepath, a paved 3-mile trail that hugs the coastline. The path wends near the Aquarium of the Pacific, which houses penguins, a giant Pacific octopus, and more than 150 sharks, in addition to other mammals and fish that live in the Pacific Ocean.

One of Long Beach’s most iconic attractions floats in the harbor across the bay: the Queen Mary, a former ocean liner and current museum-hotel hybrid. Built in the early 1930s as a luxury liner for the wealthy elite, the Queen Mary was transformed into a troopship and painted camouflage gray during World War II. After nearly two more decades of civilian service, the ship retired to Long Beach. Today, thousands of annual visitors flock to the boat—which is larger than the Titanic—to embark on guided tours along its decks.

Back on land, in the East Village Arts District downtown, independent playhouses and art galleries line the streets. On the second Saturday of each month, the neighborhood hosts an art walk, as galleries, boutiques, and cafés stay open late and local artists display original works. Long Beach’s architecture also has its own distinctive appeal. Geometry buffs may marvel at the distinctive Walter Pyramid sports arena, as well as the aptly named Skinny House at 708 Gladys Avenue, an extremely narrow structure—only 10 feet wide—reportedly built on a bet.

Love to travel? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for travel tips, inspiration, and photos from around the world.