We are taking a cruise from Los Angeles in February 2016. We plan to arrive two days ahead and would like to see something of LA. If we stay near the cruise terminal, is there anything to see around there? How easily can we get from there to downtown and other areas of interest? Is there a subway system that services the cruise terminal area?
The closest tour attraction is in Long Beach, The Queen Mary . You can walk around on your own – and have a drink in the art deco bar at the bow – or take a tour (tickets required to board). Once in Long Beach, you can take the red Passort shuttle anywhere for free. There's also the Aquarium of the Pacific, and a number of restaurants and a really fun bar (Auld Dubliner) in that area called Pike Restaurant & Bar.
The WWII battleship USS Iowa is now docked in San Pedro, CA and open for tours. There's not really much else in San Pedro, though you can kill an hour by walking around its waterfront (a bunch of run-down looking restaurants and a maritime museum is about all you'll see). There is a lighthouse on a cliff (Point Fermin Park, will need to drive or cab) with a cool little burger joint across the street called Walker's Cafe.
Unfortunately, when it comes to public transportation, Los Angeles offers few options. There IS a train from downtown Long Beach to Downtown Los Angeles and eventually up to Hollywood (blue line to the red line) but it goes through really sketchy parts of town.
Mentioned in this answer:
San Pedro, CA is where the cruise terminal is. It is an interesting little town but not really close to any of the major sights in Los Angeles. There is a light rail system to downtown (and other places) but not as easy to use as in most other cities. Would you consider renting a car for a few days or using Uber?
I would recommend staying near the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. Lots to see and do there. Especially at that point walking distance... however since you said 2 days prior, easy access to the freeways and you can Uber to any of the beach cities like Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, or Redondo Beach... or even catch the Blue (Metro) Line to Los Angeles.
Mentioned in this answer:
Christine
