Long Beach aquarium, historic ships and Palm Springs tram

The short answer

The choice here is really two decisions. The first is which harbour attraction to see: the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary ocean liner, or the Battleship IOWA warship.[5][3][1] The second is whether to make a separate trip to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, whose ticket includes the tram ride and no transport. All four are admissions; none includes transport from central Los Angeles.[5][3][1][7]

The two ships are not in the same city. The Queen Mary gives its address as 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, while the Battleship IOWA Museum gives 250 South Harbor Boulevard, Los Angeles (San Pedro).[6][4]

Aquarium of the Pacific: a visit or a year

The Aquarium of the Pacific Skip-the-Line Ticket is for the aquarium at 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach.[2] It has three options, and they are different products. The Skip-The-Line Admission option is a single visit to all habitats, exhibits, galleries and touch pools, with adult, child (3 to 11) and senior (62 and over) tickets. The Dual Membership Voucher and Family Membership Voucher are 12-month memberships with unlimited skip-the-line entry: the dual covers two cardholders in one household, and the family covers one or two named cardholders plus all children under 18 in the household.[1]

SkyGate's page says an advance timeslot reservation is required, and the aquarium's own page says reservations are required on weekends and holidays.[2] SkyGate's page also says there are no lockers and no outside food.[1] See the Aquarium of the Pacific page on XTOUR.

The Queen Mary: a self-guided ocean liner

The Queen Mary Ticket, Long Beach has one option, General Admission - Self Guided Experience. The option describes a self-guided tour of the ship's Art Deco design and its history as a luxury liner and Second World War troopship. SkyGate's page says operating hours and access to some areas may change because of special events, private functions or maintenance. The operator also runs the ship as a hotel and sells guided tours and paranormal attractions, which this option does not list.[4] Adult tickets start at 12 and child tickets cover 3 to 11.[3] See The Queen Mary page on XTOUR.

Battleship IOWA Museum: a warship in San Pedro

The Battleship IOWA Museum Ticket is a General Access Pass for a self-guided visit with a free app-based multilingual audio guide. SkyGate's page describes the ship's service in the Second World War, the Korean War and the Cold War.[5] The museum's own website gives its hours as Thursday to Monday, 10am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm.[6] SkyGate's page notes limited wheelchair accessibility.[5] See the Battleship IOWA Museum page on XTOUR.

XTOUR's reading: choose the Queen Mary for an ocean liner's interiors, the IOWA for a warship's decks and service history, and the aquarium for marine life or a year of repeat visits.

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway: a separate trip

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Ticket is an admission for the tram ride. SkyGate's page describes a 2.5-mile ride along the cliffs of Chino Canyon to the Mountain Station at about 2,596 metres, in what it calls the world's largest rotating tram car. The option text says the Mountain Station has an observation deck, two documentary theatres, a natural history museum and more than 50 miles of hiking trails.[7] OpenStreetMap places the tramway at 1 Tramway Road, with its Valley Station building there.[8]

The option says to make your own way, and SkyGate's page says trams depart every hour. Children 13 and under must be with a paying adult aged 21 or over, according to the listing.[7] XTOUR has not verified the journey time from Los Angeles or the tramway's current hours; the operator's website could not be read when XTOUR checked it. See the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway page on XTOUR.

How to choose

• Marine life for one visit: the Skip-The-Line Admission option of the Aquarium of the Pacific Skip-the-Line Ticket.[1]
• Repeat visits over a year for a household: one of its membership options.[1]
• A historic ocean liner in Long Beach: The Queen Mary Ticket, Long Beach.[3]
• A warship museum in San Pedro, open Thursday to Monday: the Battleship IOWA Museum Ticket.[6]
• A mountain ride and trails away from the coast: the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Ticket, planned as its own trip.[7]

Before you book

• Book an aquarium timeslot in advance.[1]
• Check the IOWA's open days: the museum lists Thursday to Monday.[6]
• Under-13s on the tramway need a paying adult aged 21 or over.[7]
• None of the four tickets includes transport.[7][5][3][1]