I would wait until April, as the second floor remodel will be completed and one can visit much more…read moreHistory of the Port of LA, San Pedro etc. Had a great time seeing the exhibit s available but, also planning on revisiting after the big reopening in April.

Very nice little maritime museum in what was once the ferry terminal. Terrific models, flags,…read moreposters, and a recreation of the flying bridge of the USS Los Angeles. Well, worth taking the time to visit..

I highly recommend taking the guided tour! Our tour guides Jeff, Kai, and Gavin were amazing and…read morevery knowledgeable. The USS Iowa is such an integral part of our history and I could've spent an entire day aboard if they would've let us. Again highly recommend to take a tour or even just contribute to the preservation of our history!

Went on a Saturday with a friend whose father was a mariner. The ship has a colorful and diverse…read morehistory. Hosting Presidents, involved in conflicts spanning decades, numerous upgrades and refits. For a military history nerd like myself the experience was unforgettable. We did the self guided tour and spent time absorbing the videos and explanations posted throughout. The volunteers were more than happy to answer questions and provide additional information. Seeing how the 16 inch guns operated especially sustaining the rate of fire they did was unbelievable. I came away with a new level of respect for those sailors. There is a lot of history here and is worth taking the time to learn and share it.

I love this aquarium and excited for the renovations to be done on April 11…read more We went a few times already and mainly to see the whale figures outside. We also got to check out the gift shop for the first time and they had so many toys, Knick knacks, puzzles, and other games for kids and families. I gave in and let my kid choose a toy which he had plenty of but because they were different poses I allowed one. The touch tank is still available and they host them at specific times. They also have their two smaller exhibits open which is still fun to explore. We also saw other shows they have such as puppet shows and movies! Depending on the day, they might show different things. They also have their staff come out to present hatchlings of grunions and other sea life presentations. Very cool place, free admission, parking is only $1/hour, and they appreciate any amount of donations you can help with!

I adore this aquarium. It heavily featured in my childhood and now I'm bringing my own child here…read more The main exhibit hall is currently under renovation and is set to open in April 2026, but there's still plenty to see and do. The exploration center (which has puzzles and books for the little ones to enjoy) and the nursery are still open (you can still see jellyfish, shrimps/prawns, abalone among other things, we even got to see a jellyfish feeding while we were there!). We plan to come back when the exhibit hall reopens and I hope they still have the Tidepool Touch Tank in the back I loved so much as a child. There's also other free activities for the kids to enjoy like the puppet show and the shark touch tank (super cool), and my son got to touch a shark! This is such a cute and humble little aquarium. It's free admission, but they greatly appreciate donations. Much has stayed the same and much has also changed since I was here as a child. You do have to pay for parking, $1 per hour which is really reasonable. There's a nice quiet beach to enjoy out front. There's a small Offset Coffee bar attached to the aquarium now as well. And there's a little gift shop with lots of educational toys and books. In a world where more and more kids (and adults) doom scroll and become addicted to social media, I really appreciate places like this that are free and still available to the public. It's really impressive how much they still offer and how many cool things you can see and still learn about despite the lack of admission fees. I will keep happily supporting them and we definitely need to preserve and have more spaces like this, as they are becoming more and more rare in the digital age. It's nice to make the trek out here, get off our screens and touch some grass (or sharks rather!). And maybe I'm biased, but I love this place more than the Long Beach Aquarium! (Monterey Bay aquarium is probably truly the best aquarium in California though!) Will definitely come back again and again.

Rich history, here, walk around a beautiful ocean view all kinds of cool old military equipment…read more There's even a military dog cemetery vibrationally there is a spiritual vibe here when it's quiet, you could almost hear the sounds. Of the troops sometimes you hear things here great birdwatching and please be mindful don't play music or speakerphone. You can hear everything from far away here that's why there's the Korean Bell nearby enjoy a beautiful quiet walk in a serene surrounding dog friendly.

I often hike at Joan Flores Park it is such a privilege to see the exterior of Fort MacArthur…read moreMuseum. I have been hiking here since the late 90's from time to time. You just may get lucky and find someone working on the property. On my last visit to Joan Flores Park, I tried finding out information on when the museum would reopen and ran into a sign. Durning the pandemic, I was lucky to have run into an employee who gave us tons of interesting information.

Closed! The Hollywood museum is open. This location is…read moreclosed because the city will not pay for security guard. Call or email your council member to complain. So many wonderful treasures of LA history and it's closed to the public.

This museum is a little hidden gem in the heart of San Pedro Little Italy…read more It is located on a corner of the City Hall Building for Council District # 15 and it is only open on Fridays and Saturdays, but well worth a visit, especially if you have children. I truly enjoyed the tour with the very knowledgeable Chief Gordon (Gordie): he explained in detail the story of the most particular artifacts and you can detect from his words how passionate he is about his job. One of the pieces I loved the most was a poignant painting in which all the faces of the firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11 were depicted. It was such a touching tribute! The Museum also has some historic engines and uniforms, as well as some firetrucks. If you are in the area, please stop for a visit and leave a small donation. It is a small thank you for the volunteers who work hard to preserve the local history.

Point Fermin Lighthouse and Park,located in historic coastal city of San Pedro,California is a…read morebeautiful hidden gem overlooking the scenic Pacific Ocean! This a historic and beautiful location to take a refreshing walk,to sit and relax or for a nice family picnic! There is a kids outdoor activity center on the lawn and plenty of parking is available.Ofcourse the best part is the refreshing ocean breezes and sunny California sunshine at Point Fermin Park! . . . . . #pointfermin #pointferminpark #californiadreaming #sanpedro #westcoast #oceanviews #seetheusa #picnic #family #coastalwalking #pointferminlighthouse

There's all these cute little things hidden throughout the city. Well not quite hidden but a nice…read moresurprise to see. It's located inside the park right in the middle. Just along the pathway and right across from the playground. It's open to the public during certain hours. From the look of it first hand you wouldn't think that it's a lighthouse. Just a nice Victorian style home with the cute wooden picket fence around. There's a parking lot to the side of the property which leads you to the gift shop and restrooms. One end has a cute little garden area where it's a butterfly sanctuary. I didn't go inside the gift shop which I did notices that they offer tours of the property. I can't review the tour as I didn't experience it but the property from the outside was beautiful. You could walk along and check out the front and back of the property and garden. It's a cute place which I think they also host different events throughout the year. I could be wrong but it looked like they were having something for Easter later. It's a beautiful landmark with its nice architecture but to think that it was a lighthouse, I would have never guessed. If you get a chance to stop by the park, it's worth checking out even a wander around if you didn't do the tour.

My family had an amazing time with the model trains. All of the club members were kind and eager to…read moreshow my family all about the trains and scenes within the train landscapes they have created. The alien abduction railroad scene was the best! We will be back!

We visited this model train club and found the experience to be excellent. The train track set up…read morewith the model town scenes were so creative and well done. The members were friendly and welcoming. They answered our many questions and treated our grand kids nicely. It was interesting to hear about how they created the many buildings and we enjoyed so many of the humorous touches. Well worth a visit for sure. No charge to visit but of course donations are accepted.

An awesome and huge antique store down in San Pedro. It is a giant warehouse filled with many…read moredifferent vendors all specializing in an oddities and retro themed items. There is also another side of the building that is more mainstream, but this area is definitely the most eclectic and interesting. Parking is extremely easy and plentiful right out front and it's free to enter. All the vendors we encountered were very polite and there are all different sorts of items for all different sorts of prices. It's a really fun place to spend some time and would especially be a great place to go if you're looking for a unique and interesting item.

If you're hunting for a funky, artsy vibe where you can lose track of time wandering around, hit up…read morethis hidden gem. Tucked inside a couple of old shipping warehouses is a killer collection of eclectic shops that feels like stepping into a creative time capsule. Vintage VHS tapes? Classic movie posters? They've got you. Throw in art dealers, mineral shops, local jams and honey, and you've got a perfect mix of weird, wonderful, and wonderfully local. You'll drift from one quirky little shop to the next, completely entertained--and yeah, your wallet might end up a little lighter by the time you leave. Totally worth it. Go explore.

If you haven't been to the Korean Bell of Friendship, you're missing out on a hidden gem in the…read moreSouth Bay. It is a symbol of friendship and community not just to South Korea, but Koreans living in United States. It is also a beautiful landmark surrounded by the cliffside vista of the Pacific Ocean below. There is also a basketball court nearby and a good amount of picnic grounds. It can get pretty windy and cold here, so be sure to come prepared for both!

Why does it take years and moving away to actual experience places that's been there for a while. A…read morenice sunny afternoon driving around and seeing what's there to offer. Plus it's been decades since I was last around this area. There's so many stops along the way during our drive which this was the first along the path. It's a nice decent size park that it part of. A good amount of parking in the lot next to the basketball courts. Right along the bell is a massive grassy knoll where people were enjoying picnics and laying out. Of course today was beautiful but it was quite windy. Didn't help that the park was little higher than the rest so it made the wind a bit more aggressive. The focal point, the massive bell. With a walkway that leads you to the prize possession. Right in the middle looking out to the Pacific Ocean, she sits there on full display. The bright beautiful color of the details painted was a sight to see. Stairs leading up to the bell where you could walk around. It is roped off. Regardless whatever side you're looking at, it's was quite amazing. Something like this on a hill that's part of the city. If you walk down the grassy knoll, the view of the pacific ocean and cliffs were spectacular. Having a seat and just taking it all in was nice. It was windy so it did get cold but on a nice sunny and clear day, you could see miles and miles of the coastline and tide pools. These little hidden spots in the city are cute when you find them. There's also a little playground around the corner from the bell by the exit and entrance.

I didn't know the history involved in this memorial, so it was nice to show my kids. It's very…read moresmall, but I'm glad it's there. I kept driving and ended up in the parking lot of a federal prison. Did a u-turn.

The Japanese Fishermans Memorial,located on Terminal Island,Los Angeles,California,is a scenic…read moreportside memorial dedicated to The Japanese fishing village and the community that lived and worked there and made it their "furasato"-or "Home Sweet Home".These were the first Japanese families forcibly relocated after the bombing of Pearl Harbor,Hawaii.A few years later these same Japanese individuals and families were given $25.00 and a bus ticket back to furasato only to find their village had been bulldozed and leveled to nothing. . . . . #japanesefishermansmemorial #japan #fishing #losangeleshistory #ilovefishing #japanesefisherman #ilovelosangeles #californiadreaming #californiadreamin #sculptures #hawaii #issei #nisei #sansei #pearlharbor #terminalislandersclub #issei #nisei #sensai #furasato #internment #terminalislandtreasures #terminalisland #southseasideavenue