This small museum is really nice. Ticket is only for 5 USD…read moreand it takes about one hour tour. You can see many ships and all other staff about fishing.

My family and I came across this museum when we were visiting the fish market. It was so busy, so…read morewe decided to just check out this small museum. Parking was $10 per day, which I thought was a bit steep. As for museum admission, it wasn't too bad. We spent about an hour exploring the place in taking lots of good education about ships, boats, local fishing history, and canning industries. The ship models were the highlight of it all because they were so intriguing to see with lots of details. The staff were friendly from the entrance to the gift shop. Plan about 45 mins to an hour for the visit, since it's not a big museum. I do recommend checking it out if you are in the area.

I live in Long Beach California. World War 2 battle ship in my backyard…read more I highly recommend this Naval Battle ship tour. You can spend literally hours on the ship. Plenty of knowledgeable to soak up. God Bless the US Navy!! I recommend.

Who doesn't love an old historic battleship? Or at least the old game Battleship?…read more This is an informative and entertaining diversion. We spent around two hours here on the self-guided tour. There is a ton of (paid) parking in the lot so no concerns there. You can do the self-guided tour or they offer several guided tours for an additional fee. My guess is those guided tours are very good. We spoke with several of the volunteers onsite and generally, they were extremely knowledgeable about the ship. If you have mobility issues, the Iowa is not for you. Period. You will be climbing numerous ladders going both up and down. There is a hot dog stand on the ship that looked pretty good. It is named after the Iowa's canine mascot, Vicky. Overall, touring the ship was very interesting. Seeing the unbelievably massive guns in person is mind blowing. You do not realize their size until you see them in person. My only knock on the ship is the signage could be a little better. Sometimes you peek into various areas or rooms and you have no idea what you are looking at. This is well worth a visit, particularly if you enjoy military history. The Iowa (and its class of Iowa battlsehips) was a very important ship at one time. FYI, I am generally a fan of Groupon and the Battleship Iowa deal shows up often. At the time of our visit, the Groupon price was exactly the same as the price offered at the battleship entrance itself. (I think buying online on the Iowa website might have saved us a few dollars overall, if we had done that.)

I am still surprised at how much there is to do here and it's free entry but I would recommend…read moredonating anything you can because there's sooo much more to do than the places I've been that charge a fee. 1. Touch tank sessions 2. Puppet or movie shows 3. Kids activity area (hand puppets, books, puzzles) 4. Tours (varies by season) 5. Feeding sessions (jellyfish) 6. Learning center (ecology and recycling too) 7. Hatching shows (seasonal) 8. Live and preserved animals 9. Life size statues of animals 10. Plenty of staff and volunteers 11. Clean restrooms and water fountains 12. Live Shark eggs labeled in different times And with the new renovations, it has improved in quality, but I do miss the toy whale figures that showed size difference and the dolphin head showing echolocation. Very sad they're gone but happy to have everything else still!

Can't believe it took me 3 decades to finally come here but here we are. Cabrillo Aquarium, a free…read moreaquarium with plenty to see. They have a main exhibit hall with all sorts of marine life from the biggest moon jelly you'll ever see to little predator snails to cute baby sharks. Then, you can see the discovery center which has all sorts of bones, interactive pieces, and what not. But surprisingly, our favorite exhibit was the nursery where it's a research lab where they brew up algae, breed seahorses, and all sorts of nature preservation projects. Definitely worth a walkthrough. Did I mention it's free to come here? But you can also donate and by all means, should donate, cause this is a precious institution that should remain for future generations to come. Anyway, this was a great spot for young and old folks alike. Parking is paid, maybe like $3/hr up to a max of $9?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Very cool, interesting and lots to see. Highly recommend. And a lot to see within the San Pedro…read morearea too!

Wow-stumbled upon this place since crafted next door was closed. What a treat!!!…read more We were greeted as we walked in..nice touch. It's like a ton of little individual stores all with a Halloween/dark vibe. The level of detail and creativity is out of this world. A creative heaven. A mix of old movie props and unique antiques..makes wondering around and endless joy discovering what's around the next corner. Prices weren't crazy considering there were on of a kind pieces.

On Juneteenth I attended a celebration at the Korean Bell of Friendship to celebrate freedom by…read morehelping ring the bell. It was a wonderful day, and one I recommend for others to attend, not only to feel the vibrations of the bell when it is hit with a large hanging tree trunk, but also to celebrate the liberation that was given to a criminally oppressed people. And to also understand that liberation, although won at battles, still has not full embraced and enveloped all. So that bell has not fully been rung, and thus we must continue, until we hear the greatest knell in history the one that indicates that all humans have an unfettered chance to reach their best future with confidence. The celebration was sponsored by local political players. Suitably, there were a lot of speeches. But I never hate a speech just because its long. I genuinely hear speeches because they might contain words that move me into action or new perspective, and thus I always try to hear them to understand their value. One of the most memorable speeches of the day, was a person who explained that freedom and liberty has not reached all modern day people (duh!) because freedom, true freedom, means that all have a fair and equitable chance to attain economic prosperity. And from my limited perspective, what she said made sense, a whole lot of it. A person might have the freedom to wear what they chose, to eat what they crave, to dance in their style and funk, to offer their devotion to their deity. However, if all these freedoms do not include a chance to build wealth, without external interruption that is driven by who a person is, then freedom is superficial. Yes, money is the root of all evil, but money is also the foundation for legacy, protection and choice, and, well, freedom. And thus, she reminded all present that we must continue to fight against injustice and thus the bell rang and made each of us an instrument of peace. Beyond speeches from political leaders there was also songs performed by vocalists- a mother and daughter. A lot was happening fast, and sometimes the sound system gave up, so I am afraid I did not get their names. But I do remember them singing a song, right before the bell rung that had the following lyrics: "What would you do, if you had nothing to fight for and nothing to die for?" What would a person do in a world marked by substantial peace? Would we be happy or would we miss the fight? Meaning is the gift of the battle the persistence needed to continue even when all seems at rest? Injustice has created warriors that understand that a white flag will never be planted. The day was meant to celebrate freedom and deliver of message of positive togetherness as the moment celebrated Juneteenth using Korean spirt. But the speeches brought the seemingly opposing concepts together using the thread of a universal recognition that freedom is a wonderful thing. This link was greatly conveyed but fell short in the Mexican sweetbreads that had small Juneteeth flags planted on them. I know I am being petty because Mexican bread can be used to celebrate Juneteenth, for sure I get that. But I would have rather had celebratory bites from the Black/African American community. I know I am being petty, but, hey, that is my freedom. That choice seemed more convenient rather than being connected to the greater purpose of freedom. The last activity of the celebration was ringing the actual bell. Like 7 people, grabbed the wooden log. And we gently slammed it into the bell. The bell rung with vibrations that my skin could feel. We could slightly hug the bell to have ur bodies feel the vibrations. And the experience was memorable. I do not know how many people have the opportunity to hug a bell as it sends off vibration after being hit. But if you have the opportunity seize it, I think you will be a better person for it, or at least, know what ringing feels like on the skin not just the ear drums. As I walked back to the car, I enjoyed the blue views and ocean breeze. I also saw a kite flying high. Yes, it had a string to it, but it was flying free.

A beautiful iconic part of L.A…read more It could use a bit of restoration. I like it a lot. Definitely looking forward to coming here some other time to play basketball with an excellent view.

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