This Cat in Long Beach Takes to the Water

The bright hues of the AquaLink water taxi make a colorful alternative for tourists eager to see what Long Beach has to offer.

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the red, yellow and purple catamaran makes leisurely, 90-minute round trips among three top tourism spots. For a mere dollar, a passenger can catch the AquaLink at the Alamitos Bay Landing, just steps from the man-made canals of the Naples area, and ride to downtown.

The 60-foot catamaran will drop you off at the Queen Mary or the Aquarium of the Pacific. Kids age 2 and younger ride free.

Of course, the catamaran runs the other way, too. After riding from downtown to the bay, hop a red Passport shuttle if you’re in the mood for one of the restaurants along 2nd Street in Belmont Shore.

The AquaLink seats up to 75 people, but if your entourage is bigger than that, you can split up and direct some of the posse to the shiny red AquaBus, which can seat 49. That water taxi makes five stops, including Pine Avenue Circle and Shoreline Village.

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AquaLink. Operated by the Long Beach Transit and Catalina Express. For information: www.lbtransit.com/aqualink.html#aqualink.