*but don’t tell the children these places might be educational
Spirit Cruises
Hour-long harbor cruises, available in Long Beach Harbor. Whale watching, private events, dinner cruises, wedding cruises. Call for schedules and information. From Long Beach's Shoreline Village. 310-548-8080, www.SpiritMarine.com
Cabrillo Beach
A good part of a day—or even all day—can be spent at Cabrillo Beach. On its north side, Cabrillo Beach is a calm, sandy shoreline, protected by the Los Angeles Harbor breakwater. Head south a couple hundred yards and you’re at Hurricane Gulch, the open Pacific Ocean waters with afternoon winds that make this a great spot for windsurfing and other water activities. And there’s even more to do at Cabrillo Beach, like visiting the historic 1932 Bathhouse.
Cabrillo Beach
City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks
3720 Stephen M. White Dr., San Pedro, CA 90731
310-548-2909
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
Another thing you can do at Cabrillo Beach is visit San Pedro’s own a well-regarded and very active aquarium and marine research facility. The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium offers an extensive regular series of educational activities and programs for all ages and lots of exhibits to see in the 21,000- square foot facility designed by noted architect Frank Gehry. It houses the largest collection of Southern California marine life on display in the world, an outdoor tide pool touch tank, teaching laboratory, auditorium, research lab, and gift shop.
Cabrillo Beach Marine Aquarium
3720 Stephen M. White Drive
San Pedro, CA 90731
310-548-7562
www.CabrilloMarineAquarium.org
Click here for more details and directions for Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
Belmont Shore Model Railroad Club
It meets every Tuesday evening (with opportunities to run your own cars) and has full weekend open houses twice a year. A very friendly group whether you're experienced or now--or just want to see some neat trains!
Belmont Shore Model Railroad Club
3601 S. Gaffey Street, Angels Gate Park, Building 824, Peninsula
310-831-6262, www.BelmontShoreRR.com
https://www.facebook.com/BSMRRC/
Click here for a map to Belmont Shore Model Railroad Club
Fanfare Fountain and Other Waterfront Fountains
The Fanfare Fountain is a great place for the children to cool off in the daytime and a show for the whole family—especially at night when the lights come on. It’s actually two fountains, both with synchronized music and light, that put on great musical shows. You can’t swim in the fountains, but a walkway passes between them that, if you venture through it, you’ve got a good chance of a drenching, or at least a few sprinkles. Take a few steps north, across Swinford Avenue and you’ll find a quiet reflecting pool. Head south on the Waterfront Promenade and you’ll find an interactive fountain at 2nd Street that pops right out of the ground and you can get as wet as you want. There’s an hour’s free parking at the World Cruise Center lot.
Fanfare Fountain
Southeast corner of Harbor Blvd. and Swinford Street
San Pedro, CA 90731
310-548-7562
Click here for a map to the Fanfare Fountain
Old Fire Station 36 Museum
This great museum includes remarkable Los Angeles Fire Department apparatus, artifacts from the San Pedro area, and a store with souvenirs. It’s located in what’s commonly known as San Pedro City Hall, but is actually the City of Los Angeles Municipal Building. And it’s a building that will look familiar to you from the many films and television episodes that have used it as a backdrop. The museum is open Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Old Fire Station 36 Museum
638 Beacon Street
San Pedro, CA 90731
323-464-2727
Click here for a map to the Old Fire Station 36 Museum
Ft. MacArthur Museum
The museum is located in the corridors (built into the cliffs) of historic Battery Osgood-Farley, from the days when Ft. MacArthur was a coastal defense with big guns. It interprets and preserves history from the days before World War I to the Cold War. Ft. MacArthur Museum is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, weekends, and holidays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Fort MacArthur Museum
3601 S. Gaffey St.
San Pedro, CA 90731
310-548-2631
Marine Mammal Care Center
The Marine Mammal Care Center at Fort MacArthur is a hospital for ill, injured, and orphaned marine mammals, such as California sea lions, northern elephant seals, harbor seals, and northern fur seals. The animals are treated and when possible released back into the ocean. You’ll get to see these great creatures up close (but through a fence) as they progress in their recoveries. Helpful volunteers are on hand to explain the work and answer questions about the animals.
Marine Mammal Care Center at Ft. MacArthur
3601 S. Gaffey Street
San Pedro, CA 90731
310-548-5677, https://marinemammalcare.org
SS Lane Victory
A real World War II era steamship that still operates and tells the Merchant Marine story. It includes a very nice museum with an impressive collection of ship models, including big builder's models. If you want to learn about what it was really like to work on a merchant ship, this is one of the few places it's possible. And it’s a great place to learn about the real patriotism, men who suffered the highest casualty rates during World War II and who saw a lot of action.
SS Lane Victory
Berth 49, Waterfront
310-519-9545, www.TheLaneVictory.org
Los Angeles Maritime Institute
Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI) operates the only twin brigantines in the world, the Irving Johnson and the Exy Johnson, the official tall ships of the City of Los Angeles, as well as the Swift of Ipswich. LAMI also is home to the Topsail youth leadership program. The vessels go out on family adventure, sunset, and pot luck sunset sails and participants get a chance to pull lines. Check its web site for the sailing calendar.
Los Angeles Maritime Institute
Berth 73, Suite 2,
San Pedro, CA 90731
310-833-6055
https://www.lamitopsail.org
Click here for a map to the Los Angeles Maritime Institute
Note: The map is to the LAMI offices; its ships are docked adjacent to Ports O’ Call Village
Los Angeles Maritime Museum
At the foot of Sixth Street at Harbor Blvd. you’ll find a building where from 1941 to 1963 hundreds of cars and people used to stream into and out of town every day: the Municipal Ferry Building. The building now houses the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, which displays and interprets the history of the Los Angeles Harbor. Its exhibits include permanent and temporary installations that tell the story of the canneries, ships, people, and other maritime history of the area. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with last entry at 4:30 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for youth and senior citizens, and children are free.
Los Angeles Maritime Museum
Berth 84, Foot of 6th Street
San Pedro, California 90731
310-548-7618
https://www.lamaritimemuseum.org
Click here for a map to the Los Angeles Maritime Museum
Lomita Railroad Museum
On display is a Southern Pacific Steam Locomotive and Tender, a 1910 Union Pacific Caboose, a modern all steel Santa Fe caboose, a 1923 Union Oil Tank Car and a 1913 Southern Pacific outside-braced wood box car.
Lomita Railroad Museum
2137 West 250th Street, Lomita
310-548-7618
https://www.lomita-rr.org
Click here for a map to the Lomita Railroad Museum
Pt. Fermin Lighthouse Historic Site and Museum
The lighthouse was built in 1874 and served as a warning to mariners about the cliffs and rocks around it as they made their way in, out, and past the growing Los Angeles Harbor. This Victorian Stick Style building, which housed the light keepers’ families as well as the large light and lens, is beautifully restored and preserved with artifacts showing the way of life. The lighthouse is open Tuesday through Sunday from 1-4 p.m. It is closed on major holidays and when there are special events in Pt. Fermin Park, where it is located. Admission is free, but a donation is requested. Tours are offered at 1, 2, and 3 p.m. Children shorter than 40 inches are not admitted into the lighthouse’s tower.
Point Fermin Lighthouse Historic Site and Museum
807 W. Paseo Del Mar
San Pedro, CA 90731
310-241-0684
https://pointferminlighthouse.org
Click here for a map to Pt. Fermin Lighthouse
Please note: Pt. Fermin Park is a very beautiful place. Below it you will the very rough sea coast of rocks that was one of the reasons the lighthouse was built: to keep ships from crashing into the rocks. There is a wall around the park above the sea coast with warnings not to climb on it. PLEASE FOLLOW THESE WARNINGS. Visitors have died climbing on the wall to get photos or a better look at the area below and lost their footing, falling to the death.
Also, the area called "Sunken City" is adjacent to the park. This is an area where in 1929, 40,000 square feet of land slid into the ocean. The area is bounded by fences. DO NOT CLIMB OVER THE FENCES. The area is uneven, can still slip, and is dangerous.
White Point Tidepools
The shoreline teems with life and the tidepools at White Point Beach are a great place to see it up close. You’re on your own with this activity, but it’s close to the shore and can be lots of fun. Be careful of the waves, though. You’ll want to park at the bottom of the bluffs in the parking. The charges range from $2 to $10.
White Point Beach
1955 South Paseo Del Mar
San Pedro, CA 90731
310-519-1751
Click here for a map to White Point
Note: White Point is currently not accessible from Gaffey Street because of a landslide that took out a portion of the roadway. Western Avenue southbound is the only route.
Catalina Island!
Less than an hour away on fast boats to reach an island of natural beauty, adventure, fun, elegance, history, and charm. Great for a day or a week.
There’s no way to be bored on Catalina Island—or getting there. The boat ride of just about an hour is FAST! And you’re likely to see sea life on your way, along with a great view of Los Angeles Harbor’s Main Channel on the way in and out from San Pedro.
On the Island you’ll find everything from shopping to great ecotours, marine life exploration activities—including the famous glass-bottom boat—and even a zip line that’s already become famous.
Just visit www.CatalinaExpress.com for information about getting to the island and having fun. You can find details about everything on Catalina Island was www.CatalinaChamber.com.
Check out all the family-friendly activities at the fabulous Terranea Resort on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. All summer long the resort offers a great array of things the whole family will love. The golf course offers reduced rates for juniors and the Golf Academy can get them feeling like pros in no time. Guests can enjoy complimentary nature walks daily. And did you know Terranea has its own falcon expert? Learn all about it. And there’s so much more at this beautiful resort.
Visit www.Terranea.com for the latest information and schedules.
Click here for a list of free or low cost conveniences and amenities provided by the Port of Los Angeles along the Waterfront
