Los Angeles, from San Pedro.

Where the photos are in Los Angeles

1. USS Iowa Battleship Museum

   Built in 1943 and nicknamed the Battleship of Presidents, the Iowa is moored a short walk from the cruise terminal and can be toured. Its gray hull makes a strong background for a group photo.

2. The Vincent Thomas Bridge

   The World Cruise Center sits beneath the bridge, which opened in 1963. The Catalina Express and cruise ship promenade under it, next to the terminal, has good views of ships at the dock and cargo ships coming and going.

3. Point Fermin Lighthouse

   Built in 1874 on the cliffs about three miles south of the Iowa, with heirloom plantings on its grounds and a view of the coast and Catalina Island on a clear day.

4. Angels Gate Lighthouse

   Ships leaving the World Cruise Center pass it on the way out. It stands on a concrete square at the end of the breakwater and is the only lighthouse on the West Coast with a green light, so watch for it from the deck.

5. Cabrillo Beach and the aquarium

   Calm water, small waves and pelicans overhead at Cabrillo Beach, with the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and its touch tanks beside it.

How the light works

Southern California mornings are often overcast, with the marine layer sitting on the coast until midday. That is soft light for faces and flat light for scenery, so shoot people early and save the color for the afternoon. The sail-away goes out past the Angels Gate Lighthouse, and on a clear day the low sun lights Catalina Island in the distance.

Before you board

The World Cruise Center is at 100 Swinford Street in San Pedro, about 25 miles south of central Los Angeles and directly beneath the Vincent Thomas Bridge. Some ships sail from Long Beach instead, about eight miles away, where the Queen Mary is moored, so check which port your documents name. A free trolley has run along the San Pedro waterfront on some days of the week, so check whether it is running when you go.

Details checked September 2026. Piers, fees and schedules change, so confirm with your ship's daily plan.

Questions people ask

Is the Los Angeles cruise port in Los Angeles?

It is in San Pedro, part of the city of Los Angeles, about 25 miles south of the center. Some ships use Long Beach instead, about eight miles away, so check your documents.

What can I see near the terminal?

The USS Iowa battleship museum is a short walk away, and Point Fermin Lighthouse is about three miles south of it.

Which lighthouse do ships pass on the way out?

Angels Gate Lighthouse, at the end of the breakwater. It is the only lighthouse on the West Coast that shows a green light.