There's the Port of Los Angeles, and the Port of Long Beach. When you add up the shipping traffic of both, this is the busiest port along the Pacific Coast.
Apart from taking a cruise, or taking a ferry to Catalina Island, there's not a whole lot for the traveler or tourist to see or do. the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, San Pedro Bay Historical Society, and the Banning Residence Museum web sites are helpful when planning.
The City of Long Beach, a bustling metropolis of over 600,000, has many things to see and do. It's technically its own area, and if it were further away from Los Angeles would be more widely recognized for its own merits. But since it is overshadowed and overlooked by its big sister, has a massive harbor, some Angelenos (local Los Angeles residents) think of it as part of the Harbor Area.
The Vincent Thomas Bridge, connecting San Pedro with Terminal Island, was referenced in the Red Hot Chili Pepper's song ''Under the Vincent Tom''. The bridge is in a really desolate, industrial area.
The City of San Pedro has Cabrillo Beach with the Grunion Run every year.
San Pedro also has the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, San Pedro Bay Historical Society, and the Banning Residence Museum.