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Navigator - Pre/post cruise activity ideas


BeachGal

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Hey all, I know there are a bunch of you that are coming to Cali for a cruise on Navigator at some point this next year. Living in the area I thought I would roll out the welcome mat and give you options for some of my local favorites that are within an Uber/Lyft drive. 

If you are staying in San Pedro, one of my all-time favorite breakfast spots is San Pedro Cafe (605 S. Pacific Ave.) - try the strawberry stuffed French toast (to die for!!).  Can get a little crowded on the weekend, so plan accordingly.  Most of my favorites are breakfast options, but I will check with some locals for dinner options... more to come!  OK, back again (edit) with some additional ideas/recommendations: Think Cafe (302 W. 5th St) - casual dining, breakfast/lunch/dinner.  San Pedro Brewing(331 W. 6th St.) - lunch/dinner.  22nd St. Landing (141 W. 22nd St.) - lunch/dinner, a little pricey.  After looking at the menu, I might have to check this one out (just to make sure it's OK for you all... you know, taking one for the team! ha ha)

Ports O' Call Village isn't what it used to be (filled with shops & restaurants), but it's still a nice spot to walk through, with some terrific spots for fresh fish.  Battleship USS Iowa opens at 10 am for visitors.

If you want to wander a little further, you can check out the Korean Friendship Bell located at 3601 Gaffey St., or further into Palos Verdes you can visit the Wayfarers Chapel.  Located just past Portuguese Bend, it is a small chapel, tucked away in the trees. It is also known as the 'glass church' because its walls and ceilings are made of glass.  The winding road to get there affords amazing views, and the chapel is truly amazing. It is one of the most peaceful and beautiful spots that I know.

Long Beach is a close Uber/Lyft drive if you want some options for dining overload, or just a nice spot to stretch your legs and enjoy the view.  Shoreline Village is one of those spots to simply take in the world around you (located on Shoreline Dr.).  If you want to dine there, I would suggest Parker's LIghthouse or Yard House, but there are many options in the area.

A further drive into Long Beach, 2nd street (between PCH and Livingston Dr.) is another lovely spot to wander, shop and eat.  Looking for a romantic gondola ride around Naples island?  Check out Gondola Getaway (http://www.gondolagetawayinc.com/).  Just up Ocean Blvd. a bit is Belmont Brewing (good food and great views).

If you have a day to spare, I would highly suggest a drive down PCH to Laguna Beach.  The views on the drive there and back are definitely worth the time spent getting there.

Suggestions for getting around in the area:  If you are looking to check out anything in Long Beach or further out to Huntington Beach, be aware that weekends are crazy crowded, especially on Sunday.  Plan accordingly, head out early, and know that traffic in So. Cal is truly insane!  Use a ride service to get around if you can, it will take the stress out of getting somewhere and then looking for parking (which is a whole next-level challenge).

 

More ideas to come as I think of them.  Feel free to ask any questions and I'm sure that more of the locals will chime in with their answers/suggestions as well.

 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 10/6/2021 at 7:56 PM, Jillyalex said:

Hello, going on the Navigator on Dec 31st could you kindly recommend a hotel to stay which is close to the cruise terminal? Guess we would need to get a shuttle to get to the hotel Thanks in advance , Jill

From what I have read of others' reviews, plenty of folks recommend the Crown Plaza LA Harbor Hotel.  A little further down the road is a Doubletree (Hilton).  If you are looking for something a bit more fancy, you can find that in Long Beach which is a short drive away.

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  • 1 year later...

I see BeachGal is linking this thread back to some newer questions so I thought it might be a good time to respond with a few comments/additions/corrections...

First, I am a "local", having lived in several widespread locations in the Los Angeles area virtually all of my life...

I notice BeachGal mentioning Ports o' Call Village.  Important to know that Ports o' Call closed down just prior to the pandemic and has been "under construction" ever since.  The last note I saw was that they expected to open the NEW Ports o' Call sometime in 2023...We are all patiently waiting...

She also mentions Naples and Belmont Brewing.  Note that, even if one is staying in the Long Beach Convention Center area (the recommended tourist area of Long Beach and close to the Carnival pier), Belmont Shores and Naples are a considerable distance away on the other side of Long Beach.  Both would require a car or an Uber. "2nd street (between PCH and Livingston Dr." is the main street through Belmont Shores and Naples...again, the Eastern side of Long Beach.  All of these are even further from San Pedro.

The drive on PCH to Laguna Beach has some somewhat scenic parts...and some not...and is a fairly long drive.  A more scenic drive is going UP the coast...around the Palos Verdes Penninsula from San Pedro...Very hilly with some staggering Pacific Ocean views from the cliffs...

IN San Pedro, there are only two hotels I would recommend--and I have stayed in BOTH for pre-cruise nights:  The Crowne Plaza and the Doubletree.  The one main correction I would make to BeachGal's post is that one is not "down the road" from the other.  They are in different neighborhoods and on different roads...about 2 miles apart.  The Crowne Plaza is in Downtown San Pedro--on 6th Street--walking distance (about three blocks) from the Cruise Terminal.  It is close to a LOT of restaurants (including my favorites--the San Pedro Brewing Co. and the Green Onion--both within steps of the Crowne Plaza).  The Doubletree is two miles downchannel next to the small boat marina--a much quieter and out of the way location--with the 22nd Street Landing being about the only restaurant nearby...but the Doubletree will shutte you to restaurants and to the pier for free.

As to Long Beach, first know that it is a "big" city with a population of around half a million...there are some nice areas and some "not so nice" areas.  The main tourist area of Long Beach is called the "Convention Center" area...or "Downtown".  It puts you across the Harbor from San Pedro, about 6-8 miles away driving across the mouths of the harbor, two bridges and across "Terminal Island"-the large industrial island that spans the harbor entrance.  Long Beach has the Carnival terminal (only Carnival uses that pier--all others cruise out of San Pedro) as well as the Queen Mary and the Aquarium of the Pacific...and several mostly chain restaurants (though also a few local ones).  San Pedro has almost all local restaurants--no real chains.  If cruising Royal Caribbean and only getting in the afternoon or evening prior, stay in San Pedro.  No real reason to deal with extra Ubers or taxis you'd need for Long Beach.  If you have a full spare day for local sightseeing and want to see the QM and Aquarium, Long Beach may work for you.  If you have several days and want to see more of LA--Hollywood, Venice Beach, Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills, Getty Museums, Santa Monica, the Grove, etc., then stay in Santa Monica (first choice), Hollywood/Universal, Beverly Hills or Venice/Marina del Rey...all far closer to the main tourist sights and more to see/do in local areas.

Good luck all... 

 

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@Bruin Steve, thanks for the updates.  Born and raised in So Cal, I have spent extensive time in the local beach areas (50+ years).  The post was put together for those who choose to spend more than a day or two either pre/post cruise. The information that was provided was meant as a starting point for those that are visiting So Cal, maybe for the first time, with the assumption that visitors would do a little research on their own in terms of planning. We're all so grateful for your knowledge and experience, but perhaps you shouldn't be so ready to tear down any bit of well-intentioned advice.

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Thanks for all the informative posts.   We are doing B2B (7 nights and 4 nights) on Navigator in February and considering catching  lunch at the San Pedro brewery before embarkation for cruise #1 or # 2.  Our flight to LAX gets in very late and we are most likely staying at an airport hotel before making our way to San Pedro the next morning. 

We've been to Santa Monica, San Clemente (great little beach town), and LA/San Diego.  How far is Venice Beach from San Pedro?  

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5 hours ago, Va4fam said:

@Cactus527, thanks for the info.  Didn't realize Venice Beach was so close to Santa Monica.   We might be better off going there first.

If you're looking for a fun beach that's a touch closer, I've always loved both Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. They are still in the near vicinity of LAX but south of Venice Beach.

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Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach are nice towns...but Venice Beach is in a category all to itself...

Whenever you see Southern California pictured on TV or in movies, you are usually looking at Venice Beach...It's that surreal world with body builders lifting weights on the beach, with girls in bikinis speeding by on roller skates, with street performers and artists out on the boardwalk...all forms of crazies...Especially wild in the summer months when the weather is warm.  There are lots of little places to eat--fast food stands and restaurants with outdoor tables...lots of shops selling a vast assortment of T-shirts and souvenirs...and street merchants sprawled out selling all sorts of goods...  

There is a whole section of Venice with historical canals...The man who founded the place saw it as the "Venice" of Southern California and had canals dredged in order to be somewhat like the Italian namesake.  Many of the canals still exist and you can walk along the canals if you want...

It's really not all that far from LAX...You don't even need to get onn a freeway...Leaving LAX, you take Lincoln Blvd...and its a direct route to Marina del Rey...jog over into trhe Marina, drive around the Marina, then out to Washington Blvd. and a quick left to the ocean and the start of Venice Beach...

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