Just wanting to correct some info that was relayed by another reviewer. Julie G. stated that you have to make reservations to take the tour. This is incorrect. You do NOT have to make reservations. The Rancho is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 1:00 to 5:00pm. Just show up and tell them you'd like a tour. That's all you have to do. Only time you must be accompanied by a docent is when you tour the house. If you wish to tour the Rancho Center, the Barn/Stables area and the gardens, you do not need a docent with you. Regarding no photography in the house, this is true. Reason why there are no signs to inform guests who are touring inside the house is because they wish to keep the home "as it was", back when the Bixby's lived in the home. The docent's however usually always inform the guests that no photography is allowed inside the house prior to entering. And last but not least regarding Julie's comment about the docent calling the Native Americans "natives" and presenting them as noble savages --- this is NOT how the docents describe the Native American's, but how the Europeans/Spanish (early settlers) described them. The docent was only relaying that information. read more

This place is so neat. I can't believe how close it is to my house and I never knew about it. The grounds are beautiful with lots of pretty gardens and big trees. There is a barn area with huge horses, goats, sheep, and a few chickens roaming around. Take the tour of the house. It has been amazingly preserved with all the furniture still in it's place. It is a long tour but that's because they let you see so much of the house! I just love this place and I love that it's freee! read more

Very friendly group and very active. There is a vet office on site and that is a great extra. And they do house calls:)

This place isn't just good for kids, it's great for kids. There's plenty of lawns, gardens, pathways, buildings, and equipment to explore. The surroundings are so serene, they make you forget you're in the middle of a metropolis. It gives you a feeling for what it was like in Southern California before the population and building boom after WWII. If you want peace, visit on the average open day. If you want small town fun, visit when they have a fiesta, with cooking, dancing, leather working, and other activities. read more

Nice place to come walk around if you'd like to take an outdoor stroll with some pretty scenery. read more

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Nice outdoor garden tucked in a private community.

I didn't grow up in Southern California, so I'd never visited the Ranchos with my 4th grade class. But when it was time to do something new on a Sunday visit with my dad, I finally let my husband talk us into visiting Rancho Los Alamitos. Due to rainy weather, only a house tour was available. Our tour guide was knowledgeable about the house and the families who'd lived in it. Sometimes she got a little confused with dates and numbers, but that's alright. It was fun looking at the old photos, books, cameras, and medicines as we snooped through the home. Best of all was the kitchen! I'd never seen a pre-electric toaster before and they had a working GE fridge from 1930s. We also got to sneak around to see the horses. The Rancho is on the eve of a big renovation to the barn area, so the menagerie is not as full as it could be. But I loved their beautiful Shires and pair of miniature horses. The main visitors here are elementary school groups, so the staff seemed relieved to have grown ups browsing the grounds. This is a calm, educational place to visit on the weekend. Your tour and wandering should take just over an hour. read more

This place is beautiful!! So many things to see from the animals to the garden to the house, and everything is just wonderful. It's very clean and quiet as well. The staff is all very helpful and welcoming. I am definitely going to be coming back. read more

Rancho Los Alamitos - So pretty!! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Long Beach, California

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I went the day before Easter and took my son. It's Very Pretty..There are two Shire horses there and they are Beautiful.. I bought the most Beautiful a Gazing Ball and some Easter stuff that was on sale for 30% off. You can just walk around and enjoy the Serene Rancho or take Guided Tour. They don't sell food there but I think it makes it more Enchanting. Zayna read more

Coming back to a cool historical place as an adult makes me much more appreciative. My niece loved the animals and had a blast observing them with their natural habits on a ranch. You can take a docent led tour of the grounds. My niece wanted to see inside the house itself but you can only go inside if you were on a tour. The house was amazing. Once inside they do not allow photographs and you cannot sit down on any of furniture. Inside the house we were taken back into time. I kept saying that it reminded me of a very cool Bed and breakfast. You can tell that the volunteers and staff put their heart and soul into preserving the grounds and house! read more

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Really cute place to walk around! They have all types of animals there. My boyfriend and I enjoyed walking through all the gardens and interacting with the various types of animals. They have these amazing horses roaming around the fields. To my surprise, there were bunnies in the very back. My favorite part about this place. Free parking is a plus. read more

I have been looking for a place to take wedding photos for so long with a beautiful nature setting and I stumbled across this place which is also down the street from my house. It was so simple from the moment I walked in to ask if it was possible to the day we took the photos. They turned out gorgeous! I highly recommend this place as it has so much history and the people there are always so friendly! Thank you for making my special day magical! read more

Super cute. It is bigger than I originally expected it to be. I went with a friend and a docent generously volunteered to take us on a private tour. It's always interesting to learn about California history. Beautiful gardens, house tour, as well as the barn and a few other smaller buildings. read more

A really lovely experience. I started out in the history room which had beautiful big photos of the ranch from right in the beginning. They then had a 16min short movie of the ranch with lots of information. There was then a guided tour of the adobe house and the barns, I was shown around by Joanne who clearly knew a lot about the ranch and shared lots of little bits of info I am sure we would have missed had we been with someone else. A really worthwhile visit, quiet and quaint. The only thing that could have improved this is a small tea room. read more

We love visiting the rancho! My preschooler enjoys exploring the gardens and visiting the animals. The Rancho is a tremendous treasure that is worth a visit. We usually spend about 2 hours walking the grounds. We go several times a year and always have a great time! read more

Who knew Long Beach such a beautiful historical property! Another landmark I've been meaning to visit for a while and I've finally gotten around to it. This is another historical property in the Bixby family. The grounds, animals, and Adobe are an absolute delight. The thing I was bummed about is that you aren't allowed to take pictures of the inside of the Adobe so that is a disappointment. read more

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This place feels like home away from home. It was so nice to spend time outdoors with the animals all while getting a history lesson. The ranch has horses, chickens, goats & amazing landscapes. Its a lovely way to spend the day without having to spend any money (although people are welcomed to donate) the house where the bixby's lived is inspiring and interesting to see. If you go make sure to take a walk through the gardens, there is a creek and beautiful plants. read more

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This was a very nice and quiet. The ladies and men were very kind and welcoming. It was a free tour and it was very informative and quite interesting. There was also many small animals like gooses and chickens that roam freely, which I personally enjoyed. This would be a nice place to take peaceful walks or learn more about the ranch. read more

This is such a beautiful place!! We had a great time at their harvest festival today. I am so grateful for beautiful places like this to take my family to. read more

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This place is humble place. It has a great garden, animals, and not to mention, hidden paths. We first walked in, unknowingly staring at majestic horses that came from England. There were goats, rabbits, roosters, chickens, and lambs. There is so much greenery and scenery. This place is so peaceful. There was a stream and rose garden; there is a lot to do here. Great place for a date, kids, or just to unplug from society. read more

Everytime I come here with my child at least one of the volunteer docents will pick on my child. My daughter loved the water fountain and just innocently placed a couple of leaves in it. The lady working the gift shop on Thurseday, September 20, 2018, blew a gasket! She literally raced over to my child, hovered over her and quickly snatched up the 3 little leaves that were in the fountain just outside the shop. It was ridiculous how she completely overreacted to the situation! All she had to say was, "Please don't place leaves in the fountain." Children will be children. The Bixby Ranch is beautiful and kids are little scientists who love to explore! The docents there are crabby and have literally nothing better to do with there time, than to pick on the young and innocent. It's disgusting! The Ranch docents need to go through a training on how to properly engage with the visitors that come through there. read more

Love this place so very much! It's a poignant part of my childhood and I drag anyone who is important in my life here! It's such a special historical landmark. Long Beach is blessed to have it. read more

Had a great day here with our group. Did the tour and thank you to the guides for dealing with us and all the questions. Look forward to coming back again read more

We attended a private birthday party yesterday evening and it was terrific! The docent did an outstanding job on our tour of the updated facilities (I hadn't been to the rancho in a couple of years and the changes they've made are excellent!) Then we had appetizers and drinks which were very good. The amazing weather we've been having lately (for August, no less) didn't hurt either. Being one of only two Ranchos that are both free and open to the public (Cerritos being the other one), it represents a great value and an excellent way for kids and adults to learn some history. read more

I came here with my office for a tour of the facilities. Unfortunately it was raining so we just saw the flower room and the old house that was occupied by the Bixby family. If ws great to lear about the history of Long Beach and how some of the major streets in Long Beach were named. Its FREE to visit and they always have events going on so I definitely would like to come back and get a chance to see the barn yard. read more

This historical ranch & gardens are a hidden gem! I loved the cactus garden which had the largest plant I have ever seen in a cactus garden. The artichoke flower was a delight - have never ever seen one before with the flower intact. The grape vines and the creek were awesome....Saw chickens and goats at the time....will definitely be back for a quick stroll, again:) - likely in the Spring! read more

Very Friendly, informative, and attentive staff. I absolutely love it. I plan on stopping by more often to roam through the gardens. I highly recommend especially if doing research on the history of Southern California Ranchos. read more

Really nice place to relax and appreciate the grounds. The tour was pleasant. Tour guides were sweet. A very wholesome lovely place.

A wonderful historic place that takes you back in time. The tour is well worth it and very informative. I go there once in a while to relax and particularly enjoy the ranch with horses, goats, chickens and ducks. read more

The grounds are super beautiful, and the staff is all very friendly and helpful. The new buildings look amazing!

a hidden spot in Long beach! very beautiful tour and walk through a historical landmark! I recommend visiting this place with family because it teaches the history of The divided ranches. read more

This is a beautiful and rare preserved ranch home and gardens. There's currently construction around the property that will last a few more months, but in the spring all of the animals will be brought back home. Right now, though, the gardens are still incredible and tranquil. The knowledgeable, patient docents conduct informative tours of the interior of the house and offices. It's so well kept, really like stepping back in time. read more

We went there for the last tour of the day before 4pm. We signed in and were greeted and shown a map on the floor of Long Beach, where we live and know well, and a horse. Ten minutes later we are told we are not on the tour. We go back to the front desk and are told it is too late to take the tour so we immediately left. This is Long Beach, CA where everything is a little skewed and this place is no exception. So remember to ask for the tour and not follow someone giving you the non-tour. They wasted my afternoon and I won't be back. read more

Five stars because this place actually exists in Long Beach: such a hidden gem! I mean from the garden, trees, little vintage centers, adventurous little paths and gateways, benches and huts to relax at and even barns with animals (big horses, goats, hens, rabbits) ! Did I mention it's also free? Yes, free entrance and free parking: there are quite a lot of parking spaces too! Stop reading reviews and just visit this place! It's all worth it; as everyone said, you will basically enter a gated neighborhood and you will get an entrance ticket with no charge. A great little place for an escape, such a lovely peaceful place!! The workers are also friendly and witty :D read more

I visited Rancho Los Alamitos on June 23rd, 2016 with my parents and children. It was my father's first time and our docent Lola Rizkallah was very knowledgeable. She included the children in our group. She conducted the tour very smoothly and efficiently. She is the best guide I have had in the three visits to Rancho Los Alamitos. At the end of the house tour she guided us to the garden. It felt as if we had been long time friends. My parents spoke Spanish and she waited for me to translate for them. I would definitely return shortly and invite new friends. read more

I came here for an extra credit project. The landscape is beautiful. The people are nice and willing to talk you through it.

This was such a great find (and completely free - no fee for parking, entrance, or the docent-led tour). The hours are limited, but it's definitely a location worth checking out if local history is your thing (even if it's just on the radar). The assistance at the front desk is so helpful. Guests are provided with background information and tours are arranged upon arrival. While waiting for the tour there is 15-minute movie that includes many first-person accounts. The room off the movie theater includes displays that feature photos and historical information that is beautifully displayed. The map room is really interesting. It provides a view of the old ranchos overlaid with current Los Angeles and Orange County areas. The docent-led tour provides access to the house (much of which has been beautifully restored). There are several barns (where a few animals currently reside) an old blacksmith's shop and some beautiful gardens and a stream. Guests are free to roam the outdoor areas and take pictures (no pictures of any kind are allowed inside the house). Be sure to take a look at the cactus garden. There are some incredible species here that are absolutely huge (Jurassic even!). Really ... fit this into the schedule and check it out. read more

Nice place to visit. Interesting history and nice Docent gave me a great tour. It was raining yet they took the time to show me around.

This is such a great place for group events or to just get to experience what it was like back when California wasn't so crowded. They are undergoing a major renovation and I can't wait to see what it is like when they are done. read more

I took my girls, 5 and 7 years old, there today. We loved the horses, especially Crystal, who is a 21-year old white horse. I personally love everything there is to offer--stable, house, landscape, gardens, and more! We toured the house and fell in love with it! However, I was a little disappointed when I found out no pictures were allowed inside the house. read more