Long Beach residents and visitors should know that a recent study found City Beach had the highest concentration of litter- and cleanliness-related complaints among California beaches on Tripadvisor. The report measured keyword mentions per 1,000 reviews and placed City Beach at the top of the list.
What the study found
The analysis, conducted by sustainable drinkware brand Just Bottle, scraped Tripadvisor reviews for cleanliness keywords such as “trash,” “dirty,” “smelly,” “cigarette butts” and “filthy.” City Beach recorded 417.6 keyword mentions per 1,000 reviews, based on 38 total mentions across 91 Tripadvisor reviews. The study noted specific term counts for City Beach: 16 mentions of “trash” and 12 mentions of “dirty.”
"City Beach in Long Beach records more litter-related mentions per visitor review than any other beach in California."
The study also reported that only 27.47% of City Beach’s reviews were rated as excellent, a relatively low proportion among the beaches analyzed.
How City Beach compares with other California beaches
Just Bottle ranked beaches by keyword mentions per 1,000 reviews to control for differences in total review volume. Two other Southern California beaches appeared near the top:
- Dockweiler State Beach (Los Angeles): 236.8 mentions per 1,000 reviews.
- Cowell’s Beach (Santa Cruz): 223.7 mentions per 1,000 reviews.
| Beach | Mentions/1,000 reviews | Total mentions | Total reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Beach (Long Beach) | 417.6 | 38 | 91 |
| Dockweiler State Beach (Los Angeles) | 236.8 | 27 | 114 |
| Cowell’s Beach (Santa Cruz) | 223.7 | 17 | 76 |
Local consequences and context
For Long Beach officials and the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, the study’s findings could signal a need to review litter-management practices, public education and staffing levels at City Beach during busy periods. The data come from a relative measure—mentions per 1,000 reviews—so the figure reflects complaint density in online reviews rather than direct counts of litter on the sand.
City Beach is a popular stretch for residents and visitors, and perceptions of cleanliness can influence tourism, local events and neighborhood use. The report also shows that litter concerns are not confined to Long Beach; other regional beaches appear on the list, indicating a broader Southern California challenge.
The analysis filtered for beaches with at least 50 reviews and then ranked them by keyword density. That methodological choice means smaller or less-reviewed beaches were excluded from the ranking.
Local officials did not provide comment for this report. City residents and beachgoers concerned about litter can contact Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine through the city’s official website to report issues or request additional cleanup resources.
