San Pedro

Hi,stopped in San Pedro yesterday on the way to Fort Lauderdale.OMG what a dump,no shops,no info booths,no buses or private tour peeps and no tours for in transit peeps like us,only debark tours.It's a good job we've done LA by land before otherwise we de be well cheesed off.Couldn't wait for sail away,cheers,Brian.

A little research would have gone a long way. There's the USS Iowa to visit that's right at the end of the parking lot and a trolley leaves from the port entrance that goes to the Ports O Call area. Lots of restaurants, shops and things to do there. I've taken a tall ship cruise from there. http://www.sanpedrobid.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/TrolleySchedule.pdf

Hi,stopped in San Pedro yesterday on the way to Fort Lauderdale.OMG what a dump,no shops,no info booths,no buses or private tour peeps and no tours for in transit peeps like us,only debark tours.It's a good job we've done LA by land before otherwise we de be well cheesed off.Couldn't wait for sail away,cheers,Brian.

Totally disagree. Have been there numerous times and there is lots to do within walking distance of the pier, and with a short public bus or taxi ride over to Long Beach you can find even more sights. You have to do your homework.

There are no U.S. ports that I have seen that have vendors selling tours at the pier for cruise ship passengers, like they do in the Caribbean. Most U.S. ports are for embarking and disembarking. It's no different than what is available at Southampton. Nothing right at the pier.

like any other american port i've been to, you have to have an idea of what you want to do, of which there are plenty of suggestions on this post already. long beach if a short taxi/lyft/uber away and tons to do there, if you wants to go up the coast, the getty , santa monica, venice. there is some great food near the airport as well.

Hi,stopped in San Pedro yesterday on the way to Fort Lauderdale.OMG what a dump,no shops,no info booths,no buses or private tour peeps and no tours for in transit peeps like us,only debark tours.It's a good job we've done LA by land before otherwise we de be well cheesed off.Couldn't wait for sail away,cheers,Brian.

First, remember that you just stopped at the THIRD BUSIEST PORT IN THE WORLD. It is primarily a cargo port...and incredibly important in terms of international commerce. It's not a port, like most cruise ports, that exists primarily to entertain cruise tourists.

Yes, cruise ships stop there, but the overwhelming majority of those cruise ships are there to embark or disembark--NOT as a stop along an itinerary. If you passed through as a continuing passenger on a "back-to-back", know that it's the cruise line that is offering those "debark tours"--because that is what the overwhelming majority of your fellow passengers want and need...Pretty much the same as they do on EVERY cruise everywhere in the world unless they have some reason to know they have a very large number of continuing passengers.

But, there ARE tours you can get for your situation--You just have to arrange for them yourself. You probably should have asked about it here on Cruise Critic BEFORE your trip and we could have directed you to providers. But, yes, you are certainly not going to get off the ship in San Pedro and run into a gantlet of people hawking tours or some kind of tourism building with tours. Haven't seen that in Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Galveston either...or Southampton for that matter...

Perhaps you should be cheesed off at yourself, Brian, for being poorly prepared. Had you done just a little biot of planning, you would have found there would have been lots to do...You could have visited sites in San Pedro on you own (you probably just had no idea which direction to walk off the ship), in Long Beach by taxi...or you could have arranged a tour--with Sunseeker or other local guides--to pick you up at the ship and give you a full day of sights and activities...

I guess you just had no idea of what you were doing...

Excellent post, Steve.

I didn't do any research because we have been to LA before,but didn't expect a ghost own of a port.There were no trolleys or buses around.

There are many commercial ports around the world where cruise ships dock. For the most part, they are "secure" areas where clearance is needed to enter.

San Pedro resident here. Here's all that we have within 10 to 15 minutes walking time from the cruise terminal:

Battleship Iowa- museum ship

Los Angeles Maritime Museum

Ports 0' Call- restaurants/harbor boat excursions

Catalina Express- gateway to Catalina Island

More 'Pedro attractions but transport required:

USS Lane Victory- museum ship

22nd Street Landing- fishing/whale watching excursions

Fort MacArthur- military museum (port defense for LA)

Crafted- local artisans exhibit/sell crafts/artwork

Trump National Golf Course- (w/great restaurant!) 3 miles outside city limits

And an honorable mention for 6th Street in downtown 'Pedro, which hosts close to 2 dozen restaurants, with everything available from sushi to brewpubs.

And an honorable mention for 6th Street in downtown 'Pedro, which hosts close to 2 dozen restaurants, with everything available from sushi to brewpubs.

San Pedro Brewing Company FTW!

Mmmm...cheesy!

It's a port. Ships travel in and out. Entertainment is elsewhere. And if you walk to the Maritime Museum stop by the Fire Dept. and check out the Fire Boats. Full history is outlined with photos and you can check out a fire boat up close thru the glass.

Hi,stopped in San Pedro yesterday on the way to Fort Lauderdale.OMG what a dump,no shops,no info booths,no buses or private tour peeps and no tours for in transit peeps like us,only debark tours.It's a good job we've done LA by land before otherwise we de be well cheesed off.Couldn't wait for sail away,cheers,Brian.

The Princess web site does show several tours for in transit passengers at San Pedro.

The question is why were they not offered on your cruise?

Seems to be some very knowledgeable people on San Pedro port.

Hope you can answer an easy question for me. My wife and I are leaving from San Pedro Pier 93 on a cruise in mid October. Would like to know if wine is available within walking distance of Pier 93.

Thanks, Fred

Seems to be some very knowledgeable people on San Pedro port.

Hope you can answer an easy question for me. My wife and I are leaving from San Pedro Pier 93 on a cruise in mid October. Would like to know if wine is available within walking distance of Pier 93.

Thanks, Fred

Sure...

There's a liquor store with a small collection just across the street from the terminal at 233 Ocean...

But, if you're willing to walk a few blocks, there's a great wine specialty shop, Off the Vine, at 491 West 6th Street...a couple of blocks past the Crowne Plaza

Sure...

There's a liquor store with a small collection just across the street from the terminal at 233 Ocean...

But, if you're willing to walk a few blocks, there's a great wine specialty shop, Off the Vine, at 491 West 6th Street...a couple of blocks past the Crowne Plaza

Thanks, found both of them on maps.

I too do not care for San Pedro.

When people ask for example where to stay pre cruise I will recommend Long Beach rather than San Pedro.

Keith

Steve, our Calif Thread is looking into a luncheon at the Ports of Call restaurant and since we might have a late lunch or early dinner, thinking of staying at the Crown Plaza or other recommended hotels overnight vs hitting the freeway back to Palm Springs. I googled the two but wondered if you could provide the best route between the two places. Thank you.

Keith actually LB is an option also.

Gay

Steve, our Calif Thread is looking into a luncheon at the Ports of Call restaurant and since we might have a late lunch or early dinner, thinking of staying at the Crown Plaza or other recommended hotels overnight vs hitting the freeway back to Palm Springs. I googled the two but wondered if you could provide the best route between the two places. Thank you.

 

Keith actually LB is an option also.

 

Gay

Gay,

I am not sure what you are asking...Which two places? You mention the Crowne Plaza, Ports o' Call and Palm Springs...Best route between the CP and Ports o' Call? Or between Ports o' Call and Palm Springs? Or where and where? CP to Ports o' Call is actually walkable...about a block east on 6th, cross Harbor and continue along Simpson into Ports o'Call...To get to Palm Springs: 110 North to 91 East to 60 East, merge onto 10 and take it to Palm Springs...

Where do you plan on eating in Ports o' Call? Most of the restaurants there are not really conducive to a relaxed meal with a group...sort of counter service with hard to find seating at outdoor picnic tables...

Steve, our Calif Thread is looking into a luncheon at the Ports of Call restaurant and since we might have a late lunch or early dinner, thinking of staying at the Crown Plaza or other recommended hotels overnight vs hitting the freeway back to Palm Springs. I googled the two but wondered if you could provide the best route between the two places. Thank you.

 

Keith actually LB is an option also.

 

Gay

Gay,

I am not sure what you are asking...Which two places? You mention the Crowne Plaza, Ports o' Call and Palm Springs...Best route between the CP and Ports o' Call? Or between Ports o' Call and Palm Springs? Or where and where? CP to Ports o' Call is actually walkable...about a block east on 6th, cross Harbor and continue along Simpson into Ports o'Call...To get to Palm Springs: 110 North to 91 East to 60 East, merge onto 10 and take it to Palm Springs...

Sorry for the confusion, I was referring to best directions from the Crown Plaza to Ports of Call restaurant. Palm Springs was only mentioned because if our lunch was a late one then we may not want to drive back after the lunch and just spend the night.

I googled directions from the Crowne Plaza to Ports of Call restaurant and wanted to be sure those directions were good or if there was a better way. We are ok with getting from PS & back.

Gay

That is an easy drive from the Hotel, looked at it again. thank you.

Gay

My favorite place in San Pedro is Mishi's Streudel [emoji2][emoji2][emoji2][emoji2]

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San Pedro Brewing Company FTW!

 

Mmmm...cheesy!

 

Oh Snap! I'm definitely hitting that up before the cruise!!!!

San Pedro Brewing Company FTW!

 

Mmmm...cheesy!

 

Talk about being cheesed off! We sailed SF to FLL through the Panama Canal and the first port was San Pedro to take on more passengers. We tried to disembark there to hit San Pedro Brewing Company and there was some big screw up in the terminal and we never did manage to get off the ship. (LOTS of people were peeved and missed lunch with family or friends, etc. due to this issue.)

We ate (and drank of course :)) there before and after a cruise a year or so prior and wanted to go back for a bit of a "visit". :D The food was good and they had an Imperial Stout to die for.

Any idea how many hotels are in San Pedro?

I am looking to book for March 2017 before our cruise.

It seems the two nicest hotels are Crowne Plaza and DoubleTree.

Hotwire shows only 4 hotels in San Pedro:

1. A 3.5 Star hotel for $131 + taxes and fees =$165.02 CAD per night taxes and fees in. (97 USD +tax/fee). I suspect that is Crowne Plaza... but not certain.

2. A 3 Star for 186 CAD+ taxes and fees (138 USD). I suspect this is Double Tree.

3 and 4 - a couple of 2 stars $132 and $105 respectively (98 and 78 USD).

I have been told that some parts of San Pedro are a little sketchy, so I was hoping to get input from someone who knows San Pedro better me and may have booked these before.

Anyone?

Any idea how many hotels are in San Pedro?

 

I am looking to book for March 2017 before our cruise.

 

It seems the two nicest hotels are Crowne Plaza and DoubleTree.

 

Hotwire shows only 4 hotels in San Pedro:

 

1. A 3.5 Star hotel for $131 + taxes and fees =$165.02 CAD per night taxes and fees in. (97 USD +tax/fee). I suspect that is Crowne Plaza... but not certain.

 

2. A 3 Star for 186 CAD+ taxes and fees (138 USD). I suspect this is Double Tree.

 

3 and 4 - a couple of 2 stars $132 and $105 respectively (98 and 78 USD).

 

 

I have been told that some parts of San Pedro are a little sketchy, so I was hoping to get input from someone who knows San Pedro better me and may have booked these before.

 

Anyone?

There are, for all intent and purpose, five hotels in San Pedro: The Crowne Plaza, the Doubletree, the Best Western, the Vagabond and the Sunrise. There is also an America’s Best Value Inn which is technically not in San Pedro but in Rancho Palos Verdes—but right across Western Avenue from San Pedro. Aside from these six, there may be a few other places a google search might find which will say “hotel” but which really don’t qualify as a place any tourist would venture to stay—for various reasons.

Of those six, only the Crowne Plaza and Doubletree are very well recommended—both have, in the past, rated 3.5 stars on Priceline. After those, the Best Western gets decent reviews but is not as nice a hotel and not in as good a location. Neither the Vagabond nor the Sunrise get very good reviews.

#1 could be either the Crowne Plaza or the Doubletree. #2 might be that Hotwire has downgraded one of them...or that they've raised the Best Western to 3 stars. Those 2 star hotels are likely the Vagabond and Sunrise.

With those prices Option #1 should be a no-brainer.