Thanks to its location near the Los Angeles/Orange County line, the Southwest Long Beach area provides residents with easy access to all of Southern California. To the south lies Seal Beach, Surfside and world-famous Huntington Beach. North is downtown Long Beach with world-class attractions such as the Queen Mary, the annual Long Beach Grand Prix, Shoreline Village and the newly opened Aquarium of the Pacific. The convergence of the 605, 22 and 405 freeways provides residents with easy access to inland areas.

Downtown Long Beach has undergone revitalization over the past decade. Pine Avenue is a cosmopolitan commercial district featuring fine restaurants, night clubs and specialty boutiques that bring an eclectic mix of bohemian nightlife as well as fine dining. The new Long Beach Mall offers a variety of department and specialty stores. The Blue Line provides inexpensive transportation to Los Angeles and Hollywood.

When it was founded in the late 19th century, Long Beach was a resort town. In the 1920s, Long Beach became an oil town, and the development of that natural resource has shaped its future ever since. During World War II, Long Beach became a Navy town and a port of call for ships throughout the world. Today, Long Beach is California's fifth largest city. It offers a unique combination of strategic location, excellent climate, shoreline beauty, and Southern California lifestyle, wrapped in one package.

From the emphasis on the "three T's" (Trade, Tourism and Technology), to the city's bountiful array of business and residential neighborhoods, it's no wonder Long Beach is quickly becoming one of the leading regions for business, tourism and community in the west.