I recently visited Los Cerritos Rancho and had such a meaningful experience. From the moment I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by the staff, who took the time to share the rich history of the landmark, including stories about the Bixby family. Walking through the home and gardens truly felt like stepping back in time. There's something incredibly special about being able to see and feel how people lived in the past--it creates a deep sense of connection and nostalgia that's hard to put into words. For me, the visit was also a moment of reflection--appreciating the lives and efforts of those who came before us, and how their contributions shaped the world we live in today. In such a fast-paced, modern era, it felt especially powerful to immerse myself in a place that preserves history so beautifully. I even remembered visiting here as a child, and coming back as an adult gave me a whole new appreciation for it. It's more than just a historical site--it's an experience that invites you to reflect, learn, and reconnect. I highly recommend visiting. It's a beautiful reminder that Long Beach is full of incredible history and hidden gems worth exploring. read more

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Rancho Los Cerritos is a slightly hidden national historic landmark within Long Beach with Gabrielino-Tongva roots. It was once a sheep ranch, cattle ranch, and even serves as an extension of our public library archives for local history. Entrance is free. Parking is free (and close to the entrance). There are volunteer-lead tours as well as printed maps to help you navigate the property. If you're planning to visit I'd set aside a half hour for everything. Bonus tip: they host events. read more

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A beautiful free activity to do here in Long Beach. It's something you'll probably spend about 30 minutes to an hour on, and it's a great spot to check out the history of the area. We were given a self-guided tour map and were able to explore the estate, most of the rooms, and the garden. Can't complain at all since admission is free! Parking: They have two lots, one at the bottom of the hill and another right in front. Check the closer lot first so you don't have to walk uphill. read more

Rancho Los Cerritos - Museums Near Me - Long Beach, California

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I attended a wedding here and wow, what beautiful venue for a springtime wedding! The nature and historic building work extremely well together. The reception area is a beautiful area of grass with bistro lighting above. Plenty of room to roam and add vendors. The wedding staff did a great job. read more

This place is beautiful and fun for some pictures. There's a parking area once you're inside the area. There's also a little shop on the premises. Plenty to appreciate while you walk around. There's a small area with some chickens and some horses. Great spot for kids to walk and explore a bit! read more

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I finally made it to their Holiday Open House, and wow--what a magical way to celebrate the season! Tickets were only $5, and I was glad I arrived right at the 4pm start because parking filled up quickly. There's a lot across from the festivities, and we were greeted by the kindest gentleman who helped usher us in. From there, it's just a short walk up a small hill to the entrance. I truly can't say enough about all the volunteers--they were incredible. So warm, welcoming, and genuinely enthusiastic, which made the whole experience even more special. A live band playing holiday music set the perfect festive mood, and the ambiance was absolutely lovely. They offered apple cider and cookies, along with fun craft tables that added to the charm. After a short walk to the house and quarters, we were greeted by docents stationed throughout, all fully in character as if they'd stepped straight out of the era. So cool--and incredibly knowledgeable! Such a delightful, well-organized event. I'll definitely be back next year! read more

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Living history, within reach & free to visit/park https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&select=8huRWg4LsxXD63dR14sRJg Rancho Los Cerritos, the homeland of the Tongva, Manuel Nieto, John Temple & the Bixby Estate, is a living backdrop of pre-California to 1955. Reservations can be made online, and walk-ins are easily accommodated. Visitors must first check-in at the Visitor's Center. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&start=120&select=Uk3mxjofAwAAsYKxEbkFwQ Built in 1844, The Adobe Ranch House is the most important artifact at Rancho Los Cerritos. A bedroom, laundry room, furniture storeroom, food storeroom, blacksmith shop, non-circulating library, sunporch, parlor, living room & dining room are some of the sites to see. It was a pleasure to see some of the personal effects of those whom once lived in the house, such as handwritten letters & liniment. The second floor was closed off to the public, at the time. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&start=96&select=V5q72Z3ocD9KusFNQhV9-g Bedroom https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&start=96&select=mk-ehPzzYGfFw0M-XfVEoQ Laundry https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&start=72&select=IG9KM01JNUJaGwB2xJZZ5w Library https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&start=24&select=mSwtQjP2Pp4iSP4AUwbfMA Some objects in the various rooms & around the gardens are labelled as items allowed to be touched. Tactile learning helps immerse the holder into the time period, which photos aren't capable of doing. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&start=72&select=yBwvYhj3KaP5gLyyGWKM8g https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&start=48&select=HkT49sQTcVu2kMoVGXzSZg I'm not sure if these activities are available to the public, or just the schoolkids visiting that day, but there were a butter making station, laundry hanging station, and some playful outdoor game being played on a sunny SoCal day. The butter making station, in particular, I found was a great way to bring the public closer to their food & how it's made. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&start=24&select=-lw6yvb654lWmTVSlD47xA The wisteria were in full bloom, and the encouragement of several of the staff members made a closeup pic an imperative. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&select=rPkBMGOYKn02KpNWXhg8Eg A historical landmark, free to see & free to park. Visiting Rancho Los Cerritos was fascinating and worthwhile endeavor. Taking great pics, and revisiting the past of Californians before me, Rancho Los Cerritos is a must see. The property , while small, is rich with history, and would make a great venue for weddings and what not. I look forward to visiting again, soon. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=xsT4KZTu_KnOVavtuXn4RA&start=0&select=BAlRdJjITrnFeFPSZ3_NBg read more

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The museum is amazing. Learning about these people is so much fun and to experience this with my child is even better. Highly recommend read more

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Another piece of Long Beach history. It's right next to the very upscale Virginia Country Club. There is adequate parking. The grounds are beautiful with old trees. It's free to visit and volunteers lead tours. It is hard to imagine that Long Beach was largely a ranch owned by a very wealthy family at one time. A must visit. read more

Not only is Rancho Los Cerritos an amazing hidden gem of a museum to visit, it's also a lovely event venue space. We had our wedding here in May and we cannot recommend it enough! The space itself is stunning and it made the most beautiful backdrop for our special day. The Rancho Los Cerritos team was also so incredibly helpful and was available to answer all my questions. Please keep them in mind for your future event needs to help support a wonderful museum! read more

Rancho Los Cerritos presents Fire on the Hill documentary and panel discussion. Beautiful venue and friendly staff. Id forgotten about the tours that are available. Lot of history not only about long beach but California overall read more

Rancho Los Cerritos - Museums Near Me - Long Beach, California

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I can't believe I hadn't heard of this historical site before, and the only reason I knew about it was because of my randomly scanning through Google Maps one day. Rancho Los Cerritos (RLC) caught my eye because it was smack dab in the middle of a golf course, and I thought at first, it was like a country club. Well, not too far off, at least distance wise, since it is adjacent to the Virginia Country Club. However, RLC is its own entity that is open to the public albeit limited hours. RLC is located on the west side of Long Beach Blvd north of San Antonio. From San Antonio, simply go north on Virginia, and the historical site will be at the end. There is very limited parking by the site, and I think it's accessible parking only anyhow. However, there's a larger lot on the west side of Virginia that patrons and volunteers can park at. Besides those two lots, the only other lot nearby is for the Virginia Country Club, and I don't think you can park there unless you're a member. When you arrive, you'll have to check in at the Visitor Center. You'll be asked to provide contact information unless you fill out an RSVP form online indicating the day and hour you'd like to visit. On that form, you can also specify if you'd like a house tour, a garden tour, or both. On my first visit, I chose both, but the form doesn't specify how long the tours take. I signed up to visit from 4 to 5 PM on a Sunday, but I arrived a little earlier than that to find parking and my way around. After entering the Visitor Center, I checked in with the hostess, and there was a volunteer docent sitting behind her. The museum shop was next to them, but it's a really small shop. Don't expect anything like the Alamo Gift Shop in San Antonio (the city this time, not the street lol). The hostess asked me if I'd be interested in a tour, and I told her I specified on the online form I was interested in either a garden or a house tour. Since I came about an hour before closing, I was told I couldn't do both tours, but Martin, the volunteer behind her, could give me a tour of the house. At the time of my visit, there was a special event going on, which played really loud music that really didn't fit in with the vibe of a historical museum. Martin did what he could to show me around the adobe house and tell me more about each individual room. He had been volunteering with RLC for about 15 years, so he had an abundance of knowledge to share! Unfortunately, his knowledge base didn't encompass the garden tours, but his wife, Joyce, could give one. However, when Martin tried to call her, she didn't pick up, so he suggested I visit the California Native Garden and see if I could catch up to her somehow. After strolling through the native garden, which wasn't much acreage, I heard Joyce call me and ask if I'd like a garden tour, to which I responded affirmatively. Another visitor was with her, and I tagged along with them. She went through the various gardens around the site and talked about literally each plant there! In the time it took me to walk 5 seconds, she'd take just as many minutes to talk about the plants that I would pass by. During the tour, that other visitor mentioned Rancho Los Alamitos to me, and I made it a point to stop by to see how that one compared to Rancho Los Cerritos. With just a few minutes to go before the 5 PM closing time, Joyce was courteous enough to take me through the gardens all around the adobe house. It felt like a maze! Once the hour hand hit the 5, we had to make our way out of there, but I did get to thank Martin again for the house tour earlier. It was such a pleasure meeting both Martin and Joyce! I went a couple more times after that, both on Thursdays, and I had the pleasure of meeting another volunteer, Tom. Tom was great as well! He led me on a tour around the gardens the first time I met him. I was impressed at his wealth of knowledge of all the plants at the gardens despite the lack of signage. Some signs would have been more than helpful as I learned when I went the following Thursday. After checking in, the hostess offered me a laminated handout of a self-guided tour, which took me around the site and even gave directions along the way! However, I stumbled upon the parlor of the adobe house, which I mentioned to Tom, and he said the parlor was no longer open. He and another volunteer/staffer confirmed that the self-guided tour handout was actually out of date. Hopefully, they can update the self-guided tour soon so I can give it another go! Navigating the gardens was a challenge because I couldn't tell which green door the handout was referring to. There were multiple green doors! That was just one example, and with multiple paths around the gardens, it was tough to tell which section of the garden each paragraph was referring to. Overall, a must visit! The only reason I dropped the 5th star is because the special events can be disruptive to your experience at this fine historical site. read more

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The man the the myth, the soft spoken but very knowledgeable Martin was our tour guide for the impromptu visit! Came upon this place after lunch and wanting to enjoy a nice walk outdoor and found this place on google maps. Driving up to this place, I thought it was part of the country club and I had accidentally navigated to the wrong location. But if you continue to the end, turn left to the parking and walk to the right is the Ranchos Los Cerritos historic location. Martin was such a great tour guide that lead us through the historic site and gave us a background of the location dating back to the 1800s during Spanish rule through to US ownership and onward. It was thought provoking to think that leather was the main export product of the past and steak was the byproduct in the past because refrigeration wasn't a thing. Could you believe that a prized steak and bbq ribs was merely a byproduct of leather production to be burned if not consumed in a timely manner. Just an overall fascinating site that took us through the ages of the location from a ranch to a lived in two story adobe home. Would definitely recommend visiting and picking up a passport booklet so you can learn about other historic sites located in socal to learn more about the history of this land we call home! read more

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Looking for a place to explore and free? Come here! Our plan was to go CSULB Japanese Garden but required reservation and we're not prepared for a last minute spot. Rancho Los Cerritos is perfect to spent our afternoon after lunch. Traveling back in time to 1800s. Love historical site. read more

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Jacqueline made my experience here awesome. I've lived in Long Beach for a while and had heard about this place and finally made it a point to visit. It's beautiful and a great peace of Long Beach history. Perfect place to have a party or event and parking is free! Big thanks to volunteer Jacqueline, a volunteer who gave my group and me a VIP experience! read more

Rancho Los Cerritos - Museums Near Me - Long Beach, California

I was looking for a place that was free & to explore during a Sunday afternoon. I came on yelp & this place came up in my search. I signed up to visit from 1 to 2 PM on a Sunday. After entering the Visitor Center, I checked in with the hostess. I chose the self-guided tour. I visited the California Native Garden & the Adobe house & both were beautiful. The path through the gardens to the adobe house was like a little maze. Entrance is free with reservations. This was a good experience & learning about the historical site. read more

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Beautiful, well-kept grounds. I arrived within an hour of closing. I will return because I heard that if I want a free tour, I should expect to prepare for 1-2 hours. read more

I stopped in this weekend to just unwind and walk the grounds as I made some decisions and was so glad I chose this place to do so. I was unable to do the inside tour but a really sweet docent pointed out many points about the house and I was able to look into many of the rooms which really allows you to get a sense of former ranch life in California. Next to the entrance of the home is a cluster of orchard trees and in the middle of those is a winding pathway that leads to the back of the house. It was prettier than I was expecting and in the middle of it all is a giant Moretown Fig tree; just like the famous one in Santa Barbara. All around the tree are winding tree covered pathways and places to sit. In one corner is an old water tower that really shows the age of the place; it's beautiful in a rustic and worn way. On top of it all it is free. I know they host venues so I would encourage anyone interested in a good location to inquire but i can only truly recommend the experience I had. I was raised here in SoCal so love local history so anyone who would say the same would love this place or anyone looking to see anything beautiful. I see it as a botanical garden in a sort of way although understand why it would not be classified as such. read more

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My husband and I got married at Rancho Los Cerritos this spring, and I cannot begin to describe how perfect this was as a venue. It is absolutely stunning - our photographer loved it, because every single corner of the grounds is a gorgeous backdrop for wedding photos. Mallory, who manages their events, is incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, and easy to work with. The front garden was a beautiful and peaceful place to have a ceremony. Having our reception and dance floor under the majestic tree in the back garden was so special - we even got a painting made of the tree so we can always remember how beautiful it was. We loved knowing the money we had set aside for a venue was supporting a nonprofit that focuses so much on the local community. This is a really special place, and it makes me so happy to know that it's a museum that we can visit throughout the years of our marriage! read more

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Very relaxing location to meander through history. The area is relatively small but great for the size. The staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable of the Rancho history. Great place for a hike with family. read more

Rancho Los Cerritos - Museums Near Me - Long Beach, California

Very nice well preserved Ranch. Very peaceful and quiet grounds. A lot of history here with good exhibits. read more

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I cannot believe I just discovered this place after living in OC most of my life. I don't know what it's like during other seasons but spring is absolutely gorgeous here. The gardens are so well groomed and the flowers are all in bloom. They have picnic tables for you to rest and have a quick snack. The actual adobe is so well maintained. It's fascinating to get a glimpse of life in the past. Restrooms are at the entrance. The grounds aren't THAT big but you should wear comfortable shoes. Entrance is free with reservations. They do take walk ins but they might limit if it's crowded. They do close fir private events so make sure you check the website. And lastly they do take donations. Please bring some cash and support. I took my mom who loves flowers and gardens and she really enjoyed herself. It's now on our list of things to do in OC. I would love to come back on my own and take a tour to learn about the property and the history of SoCal. Can't wait to be back;) read more

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My friend and I took the house and gardens tour with Tom. He shared a wealth of information and made it a nice, relaxing and interesting day for us. The grounds are very well kept and beautiful. read more

Fantastic place. The ranch house was beautiful. I reccomend spending the afternoon here atleast once. Also the gift shop was great.

We learned so much about L.A. and surrounding area history. I highly recommend. Be sure to make an online reservation for a free tour. Donations accepted and well deserved. read more

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Nestled in the middle of a golf course is this historical site, an adobe ranch house from the mid-1800s that was later bought by the Bixby family. It now belongs to the City of Long Beach and is open free to the public (check the website for days & hours). I first stopped in the visitor center to get an overview of the history of the place and then went on the free tour of the home which lasts approximately an hour. The various rooms where work was performed (laundry, blacksmithing) as well as the rooms within the home itself were "decorated" with period proper tools, furnishings and accoutrements. The docent did a great job of explaining how life was lived back in those times and providing interesting local history. Worthwhile if you have any interest in history or artifacts of another era. Or if you just want to do something to entertain yourself for FREE. read more

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This beautiful space is perfect for weddings and events. There are docents on site to give you an informative tour or you can wander on your own. It's free entrance and parking. There is a beautiful flower garden, a native plant garden, an exotic fruit garden, a building where you could see how the ranch was operated back in the day. It's a perfect outing for friends and family when they are in town. The place was small enough to leisurely walk for about an hour. read more

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After visiting Rancho Los Alamitos several months ago and enjoying it so much, it was a lot for Rancho Los Cerritos to live up to, yet it did! We arrived there toward the end of their day on a Saturday. Preparations for a wedding were almost complete. Despite working around that, tours were still available to members of the public stopping by. The main parking lot is at the bottom of the hill, just past the entrance to the Virginia Country Club. This is a part of Long Beach we'd not seen before, and didn't know it existed. Once we strolled up the hill, we entered the Visitors' Center. A clean, modern space with a nicely done gift shop, the hostess suggested that we head downstairs for their video presentation before a tour. A number of the wedding guests were also there. After the conclusion of the very professional video, two docents came. One took the wedding group on a shortened tour, while the rest of us received the regular version. The adobe home at Los Cerritos is large, with a two-story section that's not all the common for the era. Our excellent guide plied us with tales of the various eras of the adobe's history, including when the floors were packed dirt, to later evolutions with more sophisticated finishes. A huge Moreton Bay Fig tree graces the side lawn, which was set up for the reception and dancing that would follow the wedding ceremony. The vows would take place in the inner courtyard of the adobe, with a tranquil water feature and the house as the backdrop. We didn't get to stroll the gardens, but got a glimpse of part of them on the house tour. This is a venue I'd like to return to for a more leisurely walk around the grounds. The Rancho occupies a special space as a local high point of land. Development in the area is quite high end, thanks to the Country Club. Uniquely designed large homes on big lots with wide streets are also part of the neighborhood scene. All were a pleasant surprise to discover as we traveled history's road. read more

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Totally a hidden gem, with history and gardens. Be sure to take a docent led tour as there's a lot you won't fully appreciate on your own. Allow an hour or so for your visit, it will be well worth it. read more

Rancho Los Cerritos is such a great little hidden gem in Long Beach - filled with history & beautiful gardens. We held our wedding "anniversary" party in the garden off of the back porch and everything was perfect. Mallory was super helpful and was easy to work through the whole process - through delaying the event due to COVID, getting us the info we needed, etc. She even took the time to check the cake before sending the delivery driver off, which was super helpful because the cake needed to be fixed. Thank you so much for having us - it was a magical night and such a great setting to celebrate with our friends & family. read more

Rancho Los Cerritos - Museums Near Me - Long Beach, California

3.5 stars. Maybe not at the top of the list for a tourist making a quick visit into LA, but certainly worth a bit of a detour if you have the time. Based on the plants in the garden we were told about, it seems they always have something flowering or producing fruit no matter what time of year you visit. A great group of committed docents remain available even during the pandemic to offer safe and free tours. While the place is around 5 acres total, there were very willing to provide info on accessibility and advise us, for instance, that 100 yards of the orchard path and parts of the CA native garden would have less packed dirt whereas the backyard itself had firmly packed dirt and could be toured alone in about 30min. The shaded dirt path around the garden was nice on a hot summer day. Our customized tour covered the downstairs of the house for 25+ min and the garden for approx 60 min; we actually ended up spending a good amount of time there up til closing time. The not so good: I gave a sizeable donation and was promised a letter of acknowledgment/receipt so that I could have my employer match it, but it has been over a week since they took my $ and still nothing. Also, they have a sizeable bounty of fruit trees, but we were told most of the fruit is just left to rot or be eaten by wild animals; however, others like them often have an affiliation with a food bank or something like that so that fruit can be harvested and not just go to waste. read more

This Saturday was our first visit to the creation station. They were making "stained glass" mitten window decorations, snow globes, and snowmen out of clay. We went to all three stations and had a great time, even though it was quite chilly out and started to rain. The only reason I'm deducting a star is because the volunteers were completely unenthusiastic. The woman in the front who was dressed in period wear was totally into her role, but the rest were almost all dead. There was an Asian kid at the snow globe station who was okay, and a Caucasian girl who was slightly peppy. However, I thought the girl at the mitten station was mute, and the guy at the snowman table was practically in a coma. I mean, you're working with kids! You need to at least have a pulse. It would have been better with no one manning the station and only a sign with provided directions. That would have been less awkward. It was still a good time and we'll drop by again next time. Maybe there will be different volunteers, or maybe they'll have some coffee ahead of time! read more

I enjoy history and love historical homes. My mother and I enjoyed the tour very much and the staff was very friendly.

Hidden gem in LB tucked into a residential area. The people there are very knowledgeable and will give you an honest history. Wish we would have toured 3 years ago before picking a wedding venue. Definitely a wonderful place to visit for a good hour or hour and a half. read more

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Thank you Jacqueline (sorry if i got it wrong) for touring my boyfriend and I! We loved how knowledgeable and accommodating you and the staff are. My boyfriend and I have lived in Cerritos/Long Beach for over 20 years and coming here we were able to learn a little bit more of where we live. The house and garden is beautiful! It was worth coming to see! I think it's a really cute place to take wedding photos especially if you're into the vintage aesthetics! We are definitely coming back! read more

Had a wonderful time today at the historic Rancho Los Cerritos site. Our docent William had a great sense of humor, and had plenty of knowledge about the home, he did a fantastic job. Make sure to stop in at the visitors center and buy a jar of the kumquat jam, it's delicious!!! Open to the public Wednesday - Sunday from 1:00 - 5:00 pm. Admission is FREE, donations welcomed. read more

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I live a mile away. My boyfriend came over and we went to visit RLC. I swear I never knew it was there including the country club. Nice little hidden gem. We headed over to the visitor center and watched a film following by a private tour. So much interesting facts I did not know about Long Beach or Bixby knolls. The best part about it is it's free! We loved it. read more

Note: I have NOT explored the house of grounds. I went for a neighborhood jazz concert. Interestingly, I didn't know this park was in the neighborhood. I guess that's why they hosted the jazz concert in the clearing, to bring awareness to this little haven. Behind the golf course, it's well-nestled. It's actually too small to host popular concerts in the park like they do. However, it brings awareness to the adobe. read more

We got married at the Rancho Oct. 8, 2016. This was an amazing venue! First off, it's absolutely beautiful. So many trees and green lawn and history. The staff was very helpful. There is a list of vendors to chose from and every single vendor we chose was just perfect. The nice part about this venue is you get a blank canvas to start with. You get to chose the caterer, party rentals, DJ, and coordinator. They pretty relaxed about the items you want to bring in such as pallets and signs, you just can't nail anything into the trees but that makes sense since it's a historic property. The huge tree by our dance floor was my favorite part. Our DJ put lights around it and really made the tree pop at night! I highly recommend this venue. It's beautiful, easy to find, plenty of parking and seating for guests and will give you the most amazing wedding photos ever! read more

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Had our wedding last summer at Rancho Los Cerritos and absolutely loved it! The only downside is that your wedding has to start late (5:30) because of the tours, and be done by 10:30, but it was still PERFECT! :) The courtyard was the perfect place for the ceremony & we stood up on the patio with our wedding party which made it easy for everyone to see! We had 260 guests and everyone fit comfortably in the courtyard (I had been worried about this). We had such a fun reception in the backyard & it was a beautiful space that didn't even need much for decorations or flowers because of the natural beauty. There was plenty of space for everything in the backyard & was lit up beautifully with strands of lights. We used Primal Alchemy catering as our food vendor (the sight has 4 vendors to choose from) and they did a wonderful job as well. Overall, awesome & unique place for a wedding!! Highly recommend it! read more

Rancho Los Cerritos - Our wedding reception in the backyard space. - Museums Near Me - Long Beach, California

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