Redondo Beach is a typical California beach community. It has the pier for sport fishing; marinas for charters, tours, and rentals; two miles of beaches to sunbathe, swim, or surf; bike rentals and roller skating/rollerblading; The Fun Factory amusement park; Riviera Village—a six-block hamlet of unique, independently owned boutiques, gift shops, arts & craft galleries, restaurants, and cafes; Seaside Lagoon—a heated salt water, sand-bottom pool; Veterans Park and Czuleger Park for picnicking; and SEA Lab Aquarium, where you can learn about the marine environment.

Long Beach offers more than just a beach. The Aquarium of the Pacific in Rainbow Harbor focuses on the Pacific; with 500 species, 19 major habitats, and 32 exhibits, it is one of the largest aquariums in the United States. Hours are 9:00 am–6:00 pm daily, but it is closed December 25 and a weekend in April during the Long Beach Grand Prix. Price is $29.95/adults, $26.95/seniors 60+, and $17.95/ages 3–11. The aquarium is located at 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802. Phone: 562-590-3100. Across the harbor you will find The Queen Mary. Under British Registry, the historic, “grandest ocean liner ever built” was hostess to the rich and famous in the 1930s and was a troop transport during WWII as the “Grey Ghost” before it returned to peacetime service in 1947. Ownership was turned over to Long Beach in 1967. The Queen Mary is a museum and a hotel with authentic period staterooms, restaurants, banquet rooms, guided and unguided tours, and fireworks displays every Saturday during the summer. Past sightings of ghosts and paranormal activity are part of the ship’s charm. You can purchase a First Class Passport admission ticket which includes two guided tours, 4-D theater screening, self-guided audio tour, and all the exhibits onboard. Prices are $36/adults and $26.50/ages 3–11 (discounts available at the box office for seniors and military). We enjoyed our overnight stay on the Queen Mary, but spotted no ghosts (thank goodness!). 1126 Queens Highway. Phone: 800-437-2934. For some quaint, intimate charm, travel a few miles to the community of Naples. Navigate the canals surrounding Naples Island in a gondola with an authentically clad gondolier, gentle music, brie, French bread, and your own wine.

Catalina Island is a unique California getaway. If you have the time and money, and want to get away from the Los Angeles traffic, this is the place to go. As you pull into Avalon Cove in a high-speed catamaran ($72 roundtrip), you get a glimpse of the million-dollar yachts and the landmark, historic Casino Building, which is now a museum. Day trips are popular, but overnight accommodations make for a more relaxing visit. Things to do are endless: a sandy beach, boat and land tours, snorkeling, scuba diving, horseback riding, golf, shopping, and more. Rent a golf cart and travel up the winding, narrow roads to get breathtaking views of the city of Avalon, Avalon Cove, and the Pacific Ocean. Catamaran and helicopter departures and more of what Catalina has to offer can be found here. This site also has a great photo gallery to give you a good view and feel of the Island.