Sometimes the divers will play "rock paper scissors"
with the kids through the glass walls! Outdoor feeding times, weather
permitting, are popular with the crowds. Several tanks are touch only
and you can reach down to touch the manta rays and other fish. A huge
Octopus is located in one tank and really attracts the crowds. An
"aquarium passport book" is given with all paid admissions and you can
go around to the main exhibits and use their passport machine to put a
stamp in your booklet. Very touristy restaurants are located nearby on
the waterfront. Open 7 days a week, 9-6pm. Visit:
www.aquariumofpacific.org For information about what to do along the
Long Beach Harbor front visit:
www.thepikeatlongbeach.com or
www.shorelinevillage.com
The Queen Mary is located at the south end of the 710 freeway -
simply follow the signs for parking. This majestic ship is somewhat
showing its age (upon close inspection only). From afar it looks
pristine and towers over the Long Beach Harbor, like the queen she is.
She has been berthed here since the late 1960's. Tickets to board the
Queen Mary are a bit stiff at $29.95 per person - however look in the
local tourist guides for discounted coupons, and also ask at the ticket
counter if they can honor coupon prices, even if you are not carrying
one. Higher priced tickets are available as often there more exhibits on
or near Queen Mary that the general admission ticket does not give you
access to.
Typically you would want to start your self-guided tour in the great
engine room. This is worth visiting - its like 4 or 5 stories deep, and you
walk down walkways straight into the guts of the engine. Even though the
Queen Mary has not left Long Beach in many years, the engine room still
has that wonderful musty smell of oil and gas. There is a an exhibit room above the engine
that you may want to stop in. It displays Queen Mary mementos and has a
good written and pictorial history of the ship.
Once on board, you are free to wander around the public areas -
this includes the top decks, the captains control room in the
front of the ship, the big ballroom, and many other places
(there are 8 decks open to the public and will be highlighted on
a brochure given to you when you walk onto the ship). The Queen
Mary was the first big ship to have machine powered life boats. You wouldn't want one of those heavy things
falling on you! Great photo opportunities from the Captains control room
towards the uppermost reaches of the ship. The harbor front and sleek
buildings of Long Beach |
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make a majestic background on a clear day.
In 2006 the Queen Mary II proudly sailed into Long Beach and for the
first time in history the Queen Mary and its predecessor were in the
same general location. The QMII carries one of the Queen Mary's original
whistles and this sounded as this huge ship passed by. More
information can be found on a press release from Cunard, here:
www.cunard.com If you were anywhere in the vicinity, this was not an occasion
to miss.
Small gift shops, a cafe and a hotel are all aboard the Queen Mary. A
fun Halloween event happens every October on the Queen Mary. Visit:
www.queenmaryshipwreck.com For
more information about the Queen Mary in general visit:
www.queenmary.com
Museums
(the following are spotlighted on our Los Angeles
Museums page - click the links below to read our reviews)
Long Beach Museum of Art
(View
Review here)
Museum of Latin American Art
(View
Review here)
Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum
(View
Review here) |
About
Dave's Pick