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One of Long Beach’s flagship attractions, this high-tech zoo teems with 12,000 fish, birds, and mammals that make their home in the Pacific Ocean. A full-scale model of a blue whale greets visitors in the Great Hall. You’ll come face to face with exotic giant spider crabs, playful sea otters, and even get to pet a shark. For a look at what it takes to keep the aquarium afloat, take a Behind-the-Scenes-Tour.

The Greek Revival style home of Phineas Banning (1830–85), the “Father of Los Angeles Harbor,” offers a glimpse into the life of one of the most influential of the city’s pioneers. Tours take in the office, parlor, family and dining rooms, kitchen, and nursery, all filled with late 19th-century period furniture.

Housed in a modern building designed by Frank Gehry, this aquarium offers plenty to do apart from viewing marine life in its 34 saltwater tanks. Memorable experiences include observing newborn jellyfish in the aquatic nursery, listening to whale sounds, and viewing prickly urchins and sea stars in tidepools accessed through the short Cabrillo Coastal Park Trail.

Pick your favorites from 11 culinary stations serving everything from roast beef to salads while a harpist serenades you. It’s all set up in the glorious Grand Salon, the original First Class dining room. Reservations are recommended.

One of the fastest ocean liners of its time, the Queen Mary had a cruising speed of 28.5 knots (34 mph or 55 km/h) and was driven by four steam turbine engines each turning its own propeller.

The large lavish pool was once filled with salt water but is empty now and said to be a vortex of ghostly activity.

This special effects walking tour is hokey and takes you deep into the ship’s bowels, including the vast boiler room and the First Class Swimming Pool.

This small community museum mounts several temporary exhibits annually in addition to showing selections from its permanent collection. A tour of the galleries yields encounters with paintings and drawings by early 20th-century European and Californian artists along with furniture and decorative objects from throughout American history. The museum is distinguished by a waterfront location with great views of Long Beach’s famous offshore oil wells.