Life of a Sailor Self-Guided Experience
- 1–2 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Experience the Surface Navy's Life of a Sailor Aboard Battleship IOWA Step aboard the legendary Battleship USS Iowa, home to the new National Museum of the Surface Navy. Preserved by a nonprofit since 2012, this historic ship offers an immersive look at life at sea. Explore seven decks, 75+ exhibits, the new Surface Navy Museum galleries, massive 16-inch guns, missile systems, the navigation bridge, Captain's quarters, crew spaces, and more. Discover stories of the sailors who served—and Vicky the ship's dog—through interactive exhibits, videos, and knowledgeable volunteers. Families can enjoy Vicky's interactive scavenger hunt, while guided tours offer exclusive behind-the-scenes access. Located on the LA Waterfront, Battleship IOWA is a 2–3 hour experience perfect for families, veterans, history enthusiasts, and visitors to Los Angeles and Long Beach. 2–3 hour experience ️ Admission supports preservation Fun for all ages
Inclusions
What's included
- Brochure
What's not
- Parking
Itinerary
Over 75 different exhibits, the brand new Life of a Sailor experience, and the Vicky the Dog scavenger hunt make Battleship IOWA's self-guided tour your go-to family adventure in Los Angeles.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.8
- 5253
- 426
- 39
- 22
- 15
Ratings come from 295 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5Well worth a visit if you are in the area.
An interesting history of this battleship, a good tour around all areas, well worth our visit.
5USS Iowa experience
Great tour and worth the money that was spent. Would highly recommend.
5Finest Fighting Vessel
My wife and I went to the the Iowa since we were around that area, the staff is incredibly friendly and happy to assist you any time, the tour is really immersive, with each zone of the ship really detailed and you can see there's a lot of effort behind of it. Really Recommended
5USS Iowa experience
Nice experience overall, seeing the ship in person and how enormous the guns are
5A Majestic Piece of Naval History; An Absolute Paradise for Military and History Buffs
It is not every day you get the chance to step aboard such a legendary and historic battleship. Having served through multiple major eras from World War II all the way to the Gulf War conflicts, the Battleship USS IOWA is an absolute marvel. The ship is beautifully preserved, and the interior is packed with comprehensive, detailed explanations that will easily intrigue any military enthusiast. Because the ship was decommissioned and modernized multiple times throughout her long career, walking through the decks allows you to see a fascinating evolution of naval warfare, from the classic heavy armor to the semi modern missile and weapon systems installed during her final active days. The tour path is incredibly immersive, allowing you to roam through various authentic areas of the ship, including the crew mess halls, tight living quarters/cabins, and operational rooms. One of the most fascinating spaces we explored was the heavily armored navigation cabin (the conning tower). It is a highly compact, fortress like room where the captain and essential crew would steer and navigate the ship during intense combat to ensure it kept fighting. While this style of thick, localized armor is completely obsolete in modern missile warfare, seeing how critical it was in the pre missile era to protect the ship's command structure from heavy artillery shells was incredibly interesting. For our family, the absolute highlight was standing on the massive main deck. Getting up close to the iconic, roaring 16 inch big guns while taking in the stunning panoramic views of the bustling San Pedro harbor is an unforgettable experience. If you get hungry during the exploration, there is also a charming hot dog stand right on the main deck that serves fun, military themed hot dogs. If you are in the Los Angeles area, especially if you have even a passing interest in history or military engineering this is a must visit destination that is worth every single minute.
5Awe Inspiring Battleship…
Awesome experience visiting a U.S. Man of War, fighting ship. Took self guided tour, good decision, we moved through at our own pace. Four hours were insufficient to fully focus on every possible aspect. Staff were available and enthusiastically helpful, not to mention Navy Veterans on tour at the same time. WARNING: The Tour is an athletic effort not fit for anyone unable to climb up and down steep ladders. Left with an appreciation of the men who commanded and crewed this ship and the technology built into this vessel from day one and each of two major refits. The $86 including taxes were well spent for two seniors and one adult.
Know before you go
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Battleship USS Iowa Museum
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Los Angeles
- Its from-price is 29% below the median of the 30 attraction tickets we list in Los Angeles.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 7 of 30.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Los Angeles
Sunshine, beaches, film studios and canyons fill sprawling Los Angeles, where Hollywood glamour meets diverse neighbourhoods and great food.
Hollywood is the starting point for many visitors, with the Walk of Fame, the historic Chinese Theatre and its handprints in cement, and views of the Hollywood Sign from Griffith Observatory. Studio lots in Burbank and Universal City offer a behind-the-scenes look at film and television.
Top-ranked sights in Los Angeles: Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood Sign.
Special offers in Los Angeles
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
