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Long Beach sets modest 2026 non-resident Ocean Beach Park daily pass increase; city moves fully to cashless passes
Summary
Council approved a 10% increase to the non-resident daily Ocean Beach Park admittance fee (from $15 to $16.50) for the 2026 season and confirmed a fully cashless season-pass system that carries a per-pass technology fee; staff said the increase helps cover processing costs and noted resident pass pricing remains unchanged.
The City Council voted June 2 to set Ocean Beach Park admittance fees for the 2026 summer season and to continue a fully cashless system for passes.
Staff said most pass rates remain unchanged, but recommended a 10% increase to the non-resident daily pass — from $15.00 to $16.50 — to cover electronic processing and per-pass technology fees tied to the new cashless system. City staff explained that a 90-cent technology fee is paid to the vendor that processes daily passes and that a modest increase will help cover that cost.
City Manager Dan Kraton noted this is the first increase to non-resident daily passes since 2016 and stressed that resident pass pricing was maintained to avoid burdening local households.
Staff reported the city has moved to cashless season and daily pass sales and is accepting debit and major credit cards (Visa and Mastercard; American Express not accepted). Officials said season sales so far are slightly higher than last year despite mixed weather, and that the change aims to modernize access while covering third-party processing costs.
The council moved the item and later approved it as part of a block vote; the measure passed unanimously (4–0) at the meeting.
What happens next: The city will finalize signage and online information for the season, and staff said they will continue outreach to help residents who need assistance with the cashless purchase process.
