los angeles city skyline downtown palm search

Visiting Los Angeles From The Sea

Live It Up In La La Land

By Chantae Reden | Published on September 20, 2023

Visiting Los Angeles means stepping foot in one of the most iconic cities in the world. The beaches, museums, shopping districts, varied cuisine, natural parks, galleries and buzz of everyday life give it an element of hype found in few other places. When you arrive by sea, the city unfolds in a spectacular display of color, lights and hillside palms. Follow along to discover those things you can't miss while on a cruise vacation to the City of Angels.

City Skyline Downtown, Los Angeles, California

Visit Los Angeles on a cruise to experience the city in an exciting way.

Tips For Visiting Los Angeles On A Cruise

Humpback whale bathed in golden light off in Los Angeles

Keep an eye out for humpback whales who migrate along the California coastline.

As your ship sails into Los Angeles, pause to take in the view of the city's glimmering skyline, mountainous backdrop and wide beaches surrounding San Pedro. Los Angeles spans over 500 square miles, hosting countless possibilities when it comes to things to do and see. If Los Angeles is your port of departure or arrival, it's worth staying an extra night or two to venture to multiple parts of the city. If it is your port of call, focus on quality over quantity when it comes to choosing activities. Make sure to leave navigating Los Angeles traffic up to the experts. Instead, take a guided city highlights tour, or stick to one part of Los Angeles and dive into all there is to see and do there.

If you're wondering what to pack for California cruises, opt for a blend of style and comfort. You can't go wrong with supportive shoes, lightweight layers and sun protection. If you have an outfit that shows some personality, you'll fit right in. Los Angeles is a city where all styles of fashion from casual to eclectic to chic come out on the streets. A bag or backpack is a wise pick to take home souvenirs. You're in a haven for shopping, after all!

Sea lions and bottlenose dolphins call the waters near the port home all year long. You'll have a high chance of spotting humpback whales migrating along the California coastline from March to November. Even if you've been to Los Angeles before, arriving by boat is a distinctive way to see the city from a new perspective. West Coast cruises from California run along the Californian coast to San Francisco, the Pacific Northwest, the Channel Islands and Mexico, passing islands only accessible by boat.

California Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel

Spend the day walking the pier, lounging and dining in Santa Monica.

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Ready to experience the excitement of Los Angeles for yourself? Make memories on a cruise to the West Coast.

Embrace The Beach Life

Searching for that quintessential California laid-back way of life? If you're visiting Los Angeles for the first time, you'll be amazed by the golden sands of Los Angeles. Thankfully, Cabrillo Beach, one of the city's best beaches, is near the San Pedro World Cruise Terminal. Sheltered by the Cabrillo Beach jetty, waters are typically calm and there's always enough space on the sand for your towel. Come at low tide to explore the tidal pools where anemones, crabs and small fish can be found.

Los Angeles, California, Aerial view of Venice Beach — Aerial view of Venice Beach in California

Find a spot to yourself on the spacious sands of Venice Beach.

Los Angeles, California, Famous Rodeo Drive — View of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California

Save space in your suitcase for souvenirs from shopping hotspots like Rodeo Drive.

For more beach bliss, head to Venice Beach for art, street performers and quaint canals. A trip to Santa Monica showcases a pier complete with carnival rides, a shopping area, spacious beach and some of the city's best food. Malibu is home to celebrities, tranquil cafés and the city's liveliest surf scene.

For more than just sparkling sands, head to Long Beach to see the Aquarium of the Pacific and step onboard the RMS Queen Mary, a retired ocean liner that reigned over the seas from the mid-1930s to the late 1960s. Further south, Orange County's beach cities of Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach are just a day trip away.

Searching for that quintessential California laid-back way of life? You'll find it on the golden sands of Los Angeles.

Discover What Makes LA So Special

Peek behind the silver screen and go for a stroll along Hollywood's Walk of Fame to see and touch the plaques of your favorite stars (and witness spot-on and not-so-spot-on street impersonators), admire the iconic Hollywood Sign perched over the city and visit Rodeo Drive for a chance to meet A-listers in person. Take a Hollywood home tour of Beverly Hills for an entertaining route around one of California's most famous neighborhoods or a tour of the city's most popular filming locations. Universal Studios of Hollywood is another worthwhile day trip for families with a penchant for movies, rides, interactive games, theater shows and a glimpse at filmmaking secrets.

Urban Light Installation at Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Urban Light, the street art installation by Chris Burden at LACMA.

Mammoth sculpture at the La Brea Tar Pits. Los Angeles.

The La Brea Tar Pits is one of the best things to do in Los Angeles.

There's a museum for just about every interest, passion and curiosity in Los Angeles. Close to the San Pedro World Cruise Terminal, the Battleship USS Iowa Museum is a family-friendly excursion onboard a battleship that served during WWII. Choose a daily guided tour or stroll through on a self-guided tour. The Los Angeles Maritime Museum, also in San Pedro, hosts exhibits on commercial diving and fishing boats and displays an array of model battleships.

In Downtown Los Angeles, lose track of time as you wander through the halls of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the largest art museum in the state. It's famous for its forest of 309 streetlights, a popular art installation worth pulling out a camera for. There are tens of other art galleries and museums around the city both big and small for those interested in collectible items, street and contemporary art and more.

To experience over 4 billion years of history, visit the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. Prepare to be awed by dinosaur skeletons, prehistoric creatures of the Pacific Ocean and natural gardens. Over at the La Brea Tar Pits — an Ice Age excavation site — learn about mammoths, mastodons, saber-tooth cats and other ancient creatures who once roamed a prehistoric Los Angeles.

Dig into a hearty plate of Oaxacan mole.

Let Your Stomach Lead The Way

Griffith Park is worth visiting just for the views.

Foodies come hungry to this smorgasbord city of international cuisines. From cheap eats to exclusive restaurants, modern bites to traditional recipes, just about every craving you have will be satisfied by Los Angeles restaurants. For breakfast, try a hearty burrito stuffed with scrumptious eggs, crispy potatoes, fried bacon, melted cheese, fresh avocado, whole beans and spicy salsa. You'll find it at just about every Mexican restaurant around the city. For regional specialties, order Tijuana-style tacos, Oaxacan mole or zesty Sinaloan seafood. There's no harm in having Mexican for every meal!

Feeling peckish? Stroll through the Grand Central Market, where nearly 50 food stalls hawk heaped plates of noodles, wood-fired pizzas, vegan mock-meat creations, sky-high sandwiches and fusion bites. Enjoy a burger in the Cafe 50's in Santa Monica, seafood at Dudley Market in Venice or a Cantonese traditional dish in Chinatown. Plant-based eaters, there's no shortage of amazing meals at every turn.

Gain A New Perspective Of Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California, View from Runyon Canyon Park — The view of Los Angeles, California from Runyon Canyon Park

Walk through native chaparral bushland in Runyon Canyon Park.

Griffith Park overlooks Los Angeles, and there are few better places to take in the view of the city's spectacular skyline. The park hosts over 4,200 acres of native chaparral terrain, making it a natural reprieve. There are over 50 miles of trails at the park to hike and cycle as well as picnic areas, tennis courts, a swimming pool, sports fields and horseback riding areas.

The Griffith Observatory marks the peak of the hill, an amazing landmark connecting the man-made world to the cosmos above. Visit and enjoy the observatory's planetarium, science exhibits, theater performances and workshops. If you've come with your partner, the viewing deck over Los Angeles is a romantic spot to spend an afternoon. While the observatory is famous for its nighttime telescopes, it's worth coming during the daytime, too, to peer at the sun through the coelostat, a solar telescope.

For an escape from the urban streets, lace up your hiking boots and head to the Santa Ana Mountains and the San Joaquin Hills surrounding Los Angeles. Trails of every level of ability await. Run or hike the 3-mile loop at Runyon Canyon Park, trek to the top of Griffith Park or head to the Eaton Canyon Natural Area Park and Nature Center for wildlife spotting. For family-friendly fun, trod along Inspiration Point Trail, a 2-mile flat trek in Will Rogers State Historic Park with access to Will Rogers' ranch, complete with a roping arena, horse corrals and riding stables.

Written By
CHANTAE REDEN

Chantae Reden is an adventure writer and photographer who rarely strays far from the coastline. She is a freediver, surfer, scuba diver, and has a mild obsession with sharks. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Escape, ScubaDiving.com and she's a guidebook author for Moon Travel Guides. Discover more of her stories on her travel website, TheSaltSirens.com. 

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