Top Things to Do in Long Beach and San Pedro

Southern California’s waterfront has a side that many Los Angeles visitors never see.

Just south of downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach and San Pedro sit on opposite sides of one of the world’s great working harbors. Together, they offer historic ships, marine life, beaches, waterfront dining, museums, harbor cruises, coastal views, and some of Southern California's best maritime experiences.

Whether you’re spending a day before a cruise, planning a family outing, visiting from elsewhere in Los Angeles, or looking for something different to do close to home, there is plenty to explore.

Here are some of the top things to do in Long Beach and San Pedro.

2. Explore the Aquarium of the Pacific

Across the harbor in Long Beach, the Aquarium of the Pacific is one of Southern California’s major marine attractions.

The aquarium explores the Pacific Ocean's diverse environments and wildlife through galleries, live animals, interactive exhibits, and educational experiences. Visitors can encounter everything from sharks and sea otters to penguins and tropical marine life.

Its location on Rainbow Harbor also makes it easy to combine an aquarium visit with restaurants, shopping, a waterfront walk, or other Long Beach attractions.

For families spending an entire day in the area, the Aquarium and Battleship IOWA also make a natural pairing: one explores life beneath the Pacific. In contrast, the other explores the people and ships that have traveled across it.

Best for: Families, marine-life enthusiasts, and visitors with children.

3. Visit the Queen Mary

Few waterfronts allow you to explore two famous ships within just a few miles of each other.

The Queen Mary has been a Long Beach landmark since arriving permanently in the city in 1967. The former ocean liner offers visitors a look at the era of transatlantic passenger travel through historic spaces, exhibits, and tours.

Seeing the Queen Mary and Battleship IOWA during the same trip also provides an interesting contrast. One was built to carry passengers across the Atlantic in luxury; the other was built as one of America’s most powerful warships.

Together, they tell very different stories about twentieth-century life at sea.

Best for: Maritime history fans, architecture enthusiasts, and visitors interested in historic ships.

5. Discover Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and Cabrillo Beach

At the southern end of San Pedro, Cabrillo Beach offers a different waterfront experience.

The beach sits close to the entrance of Los Angeles Harbor and is home to Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, a longtime center for marine education focused on Southern California’s coastal environment.

Visitors can combine time at the aquarium with the beach, coastal views, and nearby tide-pool areas when conditions allow.

It is especially worthwhile for families interested in ocean science and anyone who wants to connect the region’s maritime history with the surrounding natural environment.

Best for: Families, students, beachgoers, and marine-science enthusiasts.

6. Visit the Los Angeles Maritime Museum

San Pedro’s maritime story extends well beyond Battleship IOWA.

The Los Angeles Maritime Museum, located along the waterfront in the historic Municipal Ferry Building, explores the maritime history of Los Angeles Harbor and the communities connected to it.

It’s a useful stop for anyone interested in how fishing, shipping, shipbuilding, and international trade helped shape the Los Angeles region.

Together with Battleship IOWA, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and the working Port of Los Angeles itself, it helps make San Pedro one of Southern California’s strongest destinations for maritime history.

Best for: Local history fans and maritime enthusiasts.

8. Explore Downtown Long Beach

Long Beach offers considerably more than its waterfront attractions.

Downtown Long Beach is filled with restaurants, public art, entertainment venues and walkable areas extending from the waterfront into the city.

The East Village Arts District offers galleries, shops, and creative spaces, while nearby waterfront areas make it easy to pair sightseeing with lunch or dinner.

If you’re building a full-day itinerary, downtown Long Beach works especially well before or after one of the area’s major attractions.

Best for: Dining, arts, nightlife and couples.

9. Visit the Museum of Latin American Art

The Museum of Latin American Art, commonly known as MOLAA, adds an entirely different dimension to a Long Beach visit.

The museum focuses on modern and contemporary Latin American and Latino art and regularly presents exhibitions, educational programs, and events.

For visitors who think of the Long Beach waterfront primarily in terms of beaches, ships, and marine attractions, MOLAA reminds them of the area’s broader cultural depth.

Best for: Art lovers, couples and cultural travelers.

10. Discover San Pedro’s Coastal Views

Continue west from the harbor and San Pedro becomes dramatically more coastal.

The shoreline around Point Fermin offers Pacific views, coastal parks, and access to a completely different side of the community than the industrial harbor.

Point Fermin Park, the historic lighthouse area and the coastline toward the Palos Verdes Peninsula can easily turn a museum visit into a full day of exploring.

This is also one reason San Pedro works so well for visitors looking for something outside the usual Los Angeles itinerary: within a relatively small area, you can experience a working international port, historic ships, and open Pacific coastline.

Best for: Scenic drives, picnics, photography and sunsets.

Planning a Day in Long Beach and San Pedro

You don’t have to choose between the two cities.

Downtown Long Beach and the San Pedro waterfront are only a few miles apart, making it possible to experience attractions on both sides of the harbor in one day.

For Families

Start with Battleship IOWA and Life of a Sailor in the morning, have lunch along the waterfront, and spend the afternoon at the Aquarium of the Pacific or Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.

For Maritime Fans

Visit Battleship IOWA, explore the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, see the Queen Mary, and finish with a harbor cruise.

For a Relaxed Waterfront Day

Explore Battleship IOWA, have lunch overlooking the harbor, drive toward Cabrillo Beach and Point Fermin, and finish the day along the coast.

Before or After a Cruise

Passengers sailing from either the Los Angeles World Cruise Center or Long Beach Cruise Terminal have several major attractions nearby.

Battleship IOWA is located immediately adjacent to the Los Angeles World Cruise Center, making it particularly convenient for passengers with time before embarkation or after returning to port.

A Different Side of Los Angeles

Long Beach and San Pedro don’t feel like Hollywood, Santa Monica, or many of the destinations visitors normally associate with Los Angeles.

That’s precisely what makes this part of Southern California worth exploring.

Here you’ll find a working harbor, historic ships, marine life, museums, beaches, neighborhoods, and waterfront experiences shaped by the Pacific Ocean.

And at the center of that maritime story sits Battleship IOWA.

Today, visitors don’t simply come aboard to look at a famous ship. They can step into the role of a sailor, explore the decks, take on assignments, and discover how thousands of sailors lived and worked at sea.

Ready to explore?

Plan your visit to Battleship IOWA and experience Life of a Sailor on the Los Angeles Waterfront in San Pedro.