Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
284
284
Tips Save Some Cash
If you plan on visiting the Queen Mary and the Aquarium the same day, you can
purchase a combined ticket package at either venue for $35 ($19 for kids 3-11).
You'll save about $10 (hey, that's a free lunch).
faraway tropical climes, including impressive re-creations of a lagoon and barrier r eef. The
aquarium is home to mor e than 12,500 cr eatures, from 150 sharks (some you can touch,
some you can't) prowling a 90,000-gallon habitat to delicate sea horses, moon jellies, and
gaggles of tropical birds within the Lorikeet Forest. Learn little-known aquatic facts at the
many educational exhibits, or come nose-to-nose with sea lions, moray eels, and other
inhabitants of giant, three-story-high tanks.
100 A quarium Way, off Shor eline Dr ., L ong Beach. & 562/590-3100. w ww.aquariumofpacific.org.
Admission $24 adults, $21 seniors ages 62 and over, $12 ages 3-11, free for kids 2 and under. Daily 9am-
6pm. Closed Christmas Day and Toyota Grand Prix weekend (mid-Apr). Parking $7.
The Queen Mar y It's easy to dismiss this old cr uise ship/museum as a barnacle-
laden tourist trap, but it's the only surviving example of this particular kind of 20th-century
elegance and ex cess. From the stater ooms paneled lavishly in no w-extinct tropical hard-
woods to the perfectly preserved crew quarters and the miles of hallway handrails made of
once-pedestrian B akelite, wonders nev er cease aboar d this 81,237-ton Ar t D eco luxur y
liner. Stroll the teakwood decks with just a bit of imagination and y ou're back in 1936 on
the maiden v oyage fr om S outhampton, E ngland. D on't miss the str eamlined modern
observation lounge, featur ed often in period motion pictur es; hav e drinks and listen to
some live jazz. Kiosk displays of photographs and memorabilia ar e everywhere—following
the success of the mo vie Titanic, the Queen Mary even hosted an exhibit of ar tifacts from
its less for tunate cousin. The Cold War-era Soviet submarine Scorpion resides alongside;
separate admission is required to tour the sub. Tip: Buy a First Class Passage ticket to both
the sub and the ship and y ou'll also get a behind-the-scenes guided tour , peppered with
interesting anecdotes and details—well worth the extra $8.
1126 Queen's Hwy. (end of I-710), Long Beach. & 800/437-2934. www.queenmary.com. Admission $25
adults, $22 seniors ages 55 and over and military, $13 children ages 5-11, free for kids 4 and under. First
Class Passage admission $33 adults, $29 seniors ages 55 and o ver and military, $20 children ages 5-11,
free for kids 4 and under. Daily 10am-6pm. Parking $12.
11
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Queen Mary Finds The Queen Mary isn't only a piece of maritime history;
it's also a hotel. B ut although the historic ocean liner is consider ed the most luxurious
vessel ever to sail the A tlantic, with some of the largest r ooms built aboar d a ship , the
quarters ar en't ex ceptional when compar ed to those on terra firma today , nor ar e the
amenities. The idea is to enjoy the novelty and charm of features like the original bathtub
watercocks (“cold salt,” “cold fresh,” “hot salt,” “hot fresh”). The beautifully carved inte-
rior is a feast for the eye and fun to explore, and the weekday rates are hard to beat. Three
onboard restaurants are overpriced but convenient, and the shopping arcade has a decid-
edly British feel (one shop sells gr eat Queen Mary souvenirs). An elegant Sunday cham-
pagne brunch—complete with ice sculptur e and harpist—is ser ved in the ship 's Grand
Salon, and it's always worthwhile to have a cocktail in the Ar t Deco Observation Bar. If
Search WWH ::




Custom Search