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 1964. Sure, it's a tourist trap, but study the memorabilia, and you may envision dapper gents escorting ladies in gowns to the art-deco lounge for cocktails or the sumptuous Grand Salon for dinner.
Basic admission, aka the Queen Mary Passport, includes the hokey Ghosts & Legends 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 cost $42/19 per adult/child. Parking costs $10, and opening hours can vary according to the season; check the website for times before you visit.
The Cold War–era Soviet submarine Scorpion is moored alongside the Queen. As you scramble around, imagine how 78 crew shared 27 bunks and two bathrooms, often for months at a time; definitely not for the claustrophobic.
