LONG BEACH

Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach. 562.590.3100. Its 17 major tanks and 30 smaller tanks can be taken in an afternoon, and along the way there are some amazing specimen to be found in an ocean of more than 12,000 species. There is an iridescent jellyfish exhibit, a rare dragonfish that has to be seen to believe, and an array of toothy mammals in the Shark Lagoon, where one can get up close and personal with the feared predators.

The Queen Mary
The hotel’s 314 original staterooms span three decks and include eight full suites. Each cabin is uniquely appointed, and embellishments vary to include rich wood paneling; Art Deco built-ins; original artwork; and, portholes for outside cabins. Her active career finished in the service of passenger transport from 1947 through 1967. The Queen Mary officially became part of Long Beach’s waterway focal points in December 1967.

HOLLYWOOD

Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Blvd., LA. This theatre has been a cornerstone of Hollywood for over 75 years. An historic cultural landmark, the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles is visited by more than four million visitors from all over the world every year and is the most sought-after studio in Hollywood for studio premieres. The Hollywood Walk of Fame runs right in front of the theatre.

The Walk of Fame
6801 Hollywood Blvd., LA. The Walk of Fame, located in Hollywood, is a tribute to the history of the Hollywood-based entertainment industry. One of Hollywood’s most visited landmarks, it honors stars that have made significant contributions in categories such as radio, television, motion pictures, recording and live performance.

The Hollywood Sign
Stands over four stories high with each letter running 50 feet from its base. Created and erected by Harry Chandler in 1923, the sign originally read HOLLYWOODLAND and was an invitation to all up and coming star seekers coming to “The Land of Dreams” to search for their big shot in the entertainment industry. After the sign was neglected throughout the Great Depression, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce stepped in to repair it and remove the last four letters, creating the iconic HOLLYWOOD sign that visitors know today.

MUSEUMS

Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits
5801 Wilshire Blvd., LA. 323.934.7243. Settled quietly beside the stretch of Wilshire Boulevard known as the Miracle Mile, the La Brea Tar Pits are a sticky reminder of LA’s extensive prehistory as well its role as a large producer of petroleum products, such as asphalt. The park is home to several pits of liquid asphalt bubbling with methane. The Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits is home to the most extensive collection of ice-age fossils in the world. Visitors can watch both their excavation and classification through observation windows. Kids will find the recreation of a Pleistocene forest in the center of the museum fun and exciting.

Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Dr., LA. 310.440.7300 This Los Angeles museum received most of its early publicity because of Richard Meier’s stone and glass design. Once in the womb of this creative mothership, the peaceful, airy exhibition spaces, and extensive collection make for a breathtaking SoCal afternoon.