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Hotel and travel for Long Beach

Providing the most up-to-date information to make your travel and onsite experience the best possible.
Long Beach California skyline during SPIE Smart Structures + NDE

Welcome to Long Beach - waterfront fun

Satisfy your inner urbanite at downtown Long Beach’s vibrant waterfront scene. From eclectic neighborhoods to sandy beaches, you’ll find Long Beach to be an urban waterside playground. Visit museums, tour a 1930s ocean liner, and watch sea lions at Long Beach’s aquarium.  Spot dolphins at play on your way to Catalina Island. Or take a short jaunt to Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, or other Southern California attractions. Visit Long Beach

The Hilton Long Beach Hotel

701 West Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, California 90831-3102

This is the conference hotel for Smart Structures + NDE 2024. This contemporary hotel is the perfect setting for business or pleasure and is located in the heart of Long Beach. It offers full amenities: restaurant, fitness center, and swimming pool.

Hilton Long Beach California

Travel to Long Beach

Information is provided for:

  • airport travel
  • shuttle service
  • public transit services
  • taxi, Uber, or Lyft
  • tourist attractions

Explore Long Beach

Visa information

Long Beach California skyline

Travel information


Airport information


Transportation from the airport 

Transportation from the Airport to the Hilton Long Beach Hotel. Prices may vary from what is listed below.

Taxi service:
  • Long Beach Airport - approximately $35
  • Los Angeles International Airport - approximately $65
  • John Wayne/Orange County Airport - approximately $65
Uber or Lyft: 
  • Long Beach Airport - approximately $20-30
  • Los Angeles International Airport - approximately $30-50
  • John Wayne/Orange County Airport - approximately $50-85


Shuttles and public transportation

Below are great Long Beach public transportation options to get to and from the airport or explore the city during your stay. 

  • Metro – rail and bus, $1.75 for 2 hours of unlimited transfers in one direction.

Car Rental

To receive 20% off the retail rate, enter “CDP 2188961” under the ‘add a discount code’ section when making an online reservation.

Parking

  • Parking rates at Hilton Long Beach range from $27 (self) to $32 (valet), rates subject to change. 
  • SpotHero provides reserved parking spaces throughout Long Beach
  • Parkopedia lists all the publicly available parking lots, garages, and information about street parking

Restaurant and city information

  • You will find more than 100 quality restaurants within an eight block radius in downtown, serving everything from hot wings to haute cuisine.
  • Show Your Badge and Save throughout the city. Click the link to access amazing deals.
    (Note: the 2024 PDF will be available soon. The current information will be honored.)

Things to do  

When visiting in Long Beach you just can't avoid experiencing the waterfront. The main drag is Ocean Boulevard which runs right along the shoreline, offering 5.5 miles of beaches to explore.

Here you can experience it all: a deep-sea adventure, whale watching, shopping in one of the city’s many unique districts, a tour of coastal breweries, a vibrant foodie scene, and so much more.  There is always somewhere worth exploring in this seaside city and surrounding area — whether driving, biking, boating, or walking.

  • Explore Catalina Island
  • Visit the many beaches
  • Cruise the harbor
  • Find fun at El Dorado Park
  • Tour local architecture
  • Experience the Aquarium of the Pacific
  • Check out the Long Beach Museum of Art

See a full list of things to do in Long Beach

Don't forget to secure your visa

Be sure to plan ahead and apply to get a visa if it is needed.

Family care while attending the meeting


SPIE believes that individuals with significant caregiving responsibilities should have an equal opportunity to share their research and participate in conferences and symposia.

SPIE Family Care Grants are designed to supplement caregiving costs incurred by SPIE Members who are registered to attend an SPIE meeting, either in person or virtually. See hotel details in the reservation system to find hotels that offer onsite childcare. 

Find information and apply for an SPIE Family Care Grant