Long Beach’s ‘flagship’ attraction is this grand – and supposedly haunted! – British luxury liner. Larger and more luxurious than even the Titanic, she transported royals, dignitaries, immigrants, WWII troops and vacationers between 1936 and 1966 and has been moored here since 1967. Sure it's a tourist trap, but spend time with the memorabilia and you may envision dapper gents escorting ladies in gowns to the art-deco lounge for cocktails, or to the sumptuous Sir Winston's for dinner.
Basic admission, aka the Queen Mary Passport, includes a 4-D theater screening and either the Glory Days Historical Tour or the hokey Haunted Encounters special-effects tour, which features strange apparitions in the 1st-class swimming pool and the boiler room.
Various other tours and packages are also available. Combination tickets with the Aquarium of the Pacific cost $45/29 per adult/child, or $39/23 for combos with the Battleship Iowa. Parking costs $18 ($8 with restaurant validation), and opening hours can vary seasonally; check the website for times before you visit.
For the full treatment, consider staying for the night in one of its staterooms. At least pop in for a drink at the art-deco Observation Bar.
The Cold War–era Soviet submarine Scorpion is moored next door.
