Everything went stellar! We were welcomed on by Barrie and her mascot Scallywag! I immediately started learning. What a remarkable ship and piece of history. Out of hundreds, only 3 remain and I was a pleasure to see how the Merchant Marine faced tremendous odds ferrying these critical war supples to both theaters in WWII. Later then, serving as a humanitarian ship rescuing refugees out of Southeast Asia. We lucked out and found the best volunteer tour guide in Gordon. This man was knowledgeable on every facet of the ship, and has sailed her out personally. We are forever grateful to Gordon for showing us the entire ship. The cargo holds were tremendous. This experience filled in gaps on several historical weaknesses I wasn't aware of, and Gordon was a huge part of that. Thank you also to the Director Lily. She was so kind and we got to meet her in the galley where the crew was having pizza. She even offered me a slice! I just cannot express enough gratitude for everyone's courtesy and help. You can tell this crew has their heart and soul into this magnificent vessel. You will walk out knowing you are grateful for the experience. read more

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I brought my son here for his birthday. We were greeted by Gordon the tour director for the ship. Throughout the tour, he was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. My son absolutely loved the experience. Gordon took us to the bridge and the cargo holds. The friendly crew gave a demonstration of cargo loading. Then we went to the engine room. My wife and I enjoyed it as well. I want to thank Gordon for making it such a great and memorable experience. read more

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We boarded the ship shortly after opening. Our tour guide was Gordon who was amazing. He was an absolute wealth of knowledge, had countless stories, and really just gave our group a very personal and memorable experience. I've been to the Iowa, the Queen Mary, and even the O'Brien which is a very similar ship to this. None of those ships came close to the Lane Victory in terms of the level of access we had to spaces inside the ship, and the level of passion from our tour guide. Gordon gave the best tour of any museum that I've ever visited. Highly recommend you come check out this ship. These guys are eager to get back out on the water and they need our help to do it! read more

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GREAT TOUR! Don't miss it. Tour guide Gordon was amazing & explained the history & details of this World War II ship. Our family learned a lot. Its open only 2 days a week currently. Easy access near USS Iowa. read more

This was a highlight of our trip to California! Gordon and Matt were outstanding tour guides and brought this ship to life with their stories and history of the ship. The museum onboard had tons of cool items and stories, Matt's footage and historical pictures were well edited and did a great job of showing the ship back in the day. Very thankful for everyone involved with keeping this ship maintained and especially Gordon for making the trip special. read more

Found this place on total accident. One of the volunteers gave us a free tour of the place and went over the history of things. I believe it's free and ask for donations. He also told us that there are apparently dances and events that take place on there. We are keeping an eye out for there's events because it would be so beautiful to dance out there in the water under the moonlight read more

S S Lane Victory - Tours Near Me - San Pedro, California

The Long Beach / San Pedro area is a great destination for ship lovers with the Queen Mary and Battleship Iowa attracting huge crowds. There is also a third treasure that shouldn't be missed in the SS Lane Victory. A somewhat less glamorous workhorse who served her country through three wars, SS Lane Victory offers an uncrowded and more exclusive experience for anyone interested in maritime history. She's tended by a very dedicated and knowledgeable volunteer staff who will welcome you on board and help answer questions (thanks Gordon!). Allow an hour, or more if you're a "reader" who would like to fully explore the museum located in the cargo holds. Highly recommended. read more

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We made our visit Memorial Day weekend and had a guided tour with Gordon, the tour was very informative and entertaining. Everyone we meet on the ship was friendly and welcoming. The Lane Victory is a must visit to see what the Greatest Generation / Merchant Marines did to help USA win WWII. read more

History and military history buffs need to add S.S. Lane Victory to their list of places to visit. This floating piece of history was built just up the street. It also served "with distinction during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War." It's docked at the end of Miner St at Berth 49. There is a huge no-charge parking lot. Tickets are currently: - $7 for adults - $3 for children (5 to 14) - FREE to active military w/ ID At the ticket booth on 6/22/18, we met a WWII vet who was volunteering - as all of the members aboard this nationally recognized historic landmark. He was so knowledgable and well-spoken. When we were done looking around, he came out with his cane and told us to "stand over there by the bell so I can take pictures of you all" - with our camera, of course. You'll be sorely disappointed, however, if you expect too many other volunteers manning the place once you board. The gift shop wasn't even open the day we went. Tours are self-guided. There are two different museum areas. I recommend checking their events schedule before you visit at https://thelanevictory.org It's a neat area with the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in addition to the cruise ship terminals within view. Getting here, I really enjoy driving over the Vincent Thomas Bridge, a 1,500 foot-long suspension bridge. The container ship yards seem endless. 2018 Yelp challenge #136 read more

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I had an amazing tour with our tour guide named Gordon. He truly loves the ship and shares its really inspiring story. He knows every possible fact there is to know about the ship, we asked so many questions and he had an answer! The ship is kept to the almost same condition as it was when in service. You get to see all levels and areas, my favorite being the engine room. The ship is run completely by volunteers making the ship and the tours run totally off of true commitment and heart to the deep history and story that the ship has. Recommend to anyone! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed! read more

A fantastic museum ship run by an all volunteer crew. This is true living history! I would highly recommend a visit.

Gordon provided us with an excellent tour of the Lane Victory. His knowledge of the history of the ship along with more current events made it so worthwhile. The tour was about 2 1/2 hours long and took us from the top deck to the very bottom of the vessel. It included more than I would expect from a free tour. Well worth the time. Cant recommend it enough. read more

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The S.S. Lane Victory is a World War II Victory Ship on display at the Port of Los Angeles. Victory Ships were emergency cargo ships built towards the close of World War II. They were an improvement upon the previous Liberty Ship design. Lane Victory was built at the Port of Los Angeles and launched in May 1945. Operated by American President Lines, the ship carried cargo and supplies during World II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War and also transported goods to Europe for the Marshall Plan. The ship has been preserved as a museum ship at its home port. Displays in the two cargo holds review the story of Lane Victory in its various roles and missions and also document the story of the US Merchant Marine in wartime. It was noted that in World War II members of the Merchant Marine suffered a greater casualty rate than members of the armed forces. (One in 26 mariners was killed during World War II.) Visitors can roam the entire ship to see the decks, bridge, passageways, and cabins. Lane Victory is maintained in operation condition. You may run into working crew members on your exploration as I did! The ship is taken out for day cruises several times a year and you can ride on it. Lane Victory has also appeared in many movies and TV shows. The ship was a real surprise and I learned much about the role of the Merchant Marine. Very interesting and recommended. Admission is $5. (Less than the $18 for USS Iowa.) The ship is closed on Thursdays. Located at Berth 49 at the end of Miner Street. read more

S S Lane Victory - S.S. Lane Victory. - Tours Near Me - San Pedro, California

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This review is specific to my experience on Labor Day during LA Fleet Week, when admission was free. There was a huge parking lot and hardly any people visiting because it was away from the main harbor, so it was a great way to avoid the crowds. Most of the ship is open to the public, too. The ladders getting up and down from deck to deck can be a little steep, but I climbed them fine even in sandals. The gift shop was open (lower deck next to the museum/library area) and there were plenty of volunteers aboard. The gift shop had postcards, shirts, buttons/badges/patches, enamel pins, collectible coins, and more. My friend and I got a tour from one of the volunteers named Kenny (who also mentioned that he was a Vietnam War army veteran). All the volunteers were friendly and approachable. Walking around the ship, we would pass the occasional volunteer who would ask if we had seen/explored a specific part yet which helped us discover what we had yet to see. In the end, we saw every part of the ship and took the occasional moment to read about the history of different memorabilia. If you read every piece of information in the ship's museum areas, it would definitely take over an hour. There was plenty to see and read about, from the histories of battles to navigation instruments to the people who have lived and worked on the ship. I can't imagine anyone spending less than half an hour here unless they literally did nothing except walk around the upper deck of the ship admiring the views. read more

We had our first visit at the SS Lane Victory and we enjoyed it!!!!! To be honest I had no idea it existed and it was in San Pedro (where I grew up) so one day we were taking a bus tour and we saw it. We thought that no one could visit but when we looked online showed the business hours and decided to come. I'll post some pictures so you can see but what I have to say is that I loved coming here and learning about the history and we even met a few men, volunteers who were in the war. The ocean view is beautiful. I say you make some time and visit the SS Victory Lane :) read more

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This was a fun little gem that we checked out during our romp around San Pedro. The price is only $3 for adults and $1 for kids. They hand you a little map and you get to roam around the entire ship checking out all the various details and learning it's great history. This ship was built back in 1945 and was active in several wars. This is owned and operated by the United States Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II, a nonprofit organization staffed totally with dedicated volunteers. They are offering Cruises aboard this ship in the summer, which seems pretty cool. Both kids and adults would enjoy this museum. We had a fun time and glad we stopped by. read more

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I wanted to give this non-profit another review based on some of the negative things written in the other reviews as my experience (sans never making it on board) was positive. So I never made the tour as they were finishing up for the day but they were willing to keep it open for me and my brother. The gate manager was super friendly and provided all sorts of information about the ship. We ended up chatting with him for a good 5-10 minutes. The standard tour price has changed so check their website. The tour with the attack is what happens three times a year and sounds amazing. The price has gone up to $165 but if you do it as a group, there are discounts. To me it sounds more like the guy sort of trip and Rick's review and his "pro" column sound pretty positive. The manager told us the guns are now hooked up and fire with propane so you really get an experience with old WWII birds flying overhead and cannons going off. I know that isn't everyone's thing but to me that sounds awesome. If you have young kids and want to do something different then Disneyland/Camp Snoopy, this sounds like the trip. I certainly will look into it next summer and look forward to updating this review. read more

A small warm living memory of our old bruised and battle torn past. A small by comparison of the ships and structures in which tower this mere vessel.With the giant Vincent Thomas Bridge to its left,and the ever so towering city on the water of a cruise ship to its bow. Its kinda hard to keep Ur attention on the stark realism of the USS. Lane and the thoughts and memory's of some Vets whom still weep when they visit.The whole notion of its giant and superior feeling of warfare on the sea, in which young men had seen this vessel in her hay day is just lost in this same what of a museum. I like the admission and the free validated park(1 hr. maximum) In which is plenty of time to see the whole ship in it entirety. Admission AT THE DOCK: $3.00 for adults, $1.00 15 years and younger. The S.S. Lane Victory is a Fully Operational WWII Victory Ship Located at Berth 94, San Pedro, CA 90733-0629 Open Daily 9am-4pm - 310.519.9545 read more

S S Lane Victory - Tours Near Me - San Pedro, California

The SS Lane Victory tour takes you back through WWII, The Korean War and Vietnam. It was named after Lane College in Tennessee which was named after former slave (Isaac Lane), who overcame almost impossible odds to become an iconic success. Tour guides are often available to assist and guide you through this awesome, floating, fully functional ship. You can also tour this historic ship on your own. With advance notice, large group tours can be available. (Tours of the bridge and the engine rooms must be escorted). Visiting the SS Lane Victory is an excellent way to spend time learning about the US Merchant Marine's contribution to the United States military efforts, while enjoying the most awesome views of one of the largest, busiest ports in the United States. Admission: Adults: $7.00 Children (ages 3-15): $3.00 Under 3 years: Free Military & Vets: Free Members: Free read more

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As small as she is, she offers quite a different experience to what other museum ships have to offer. To begin with, this is NOT a naval ship, she's a Merchant Marine ship, big difference. Her main museum space is quite spacious and offers a lot of artifacts and information. You can explore pretty much every space of the ship including the engine room when available. Her crew is made up of all generations from young high school students to veterans. All with the passion to keep the ship operational. Totally worth the price to visit on the weekends when they're open. read more

It's just a ship from a long time past If you can get that then you'll have a great time It was very interesting to be walking down halls that our service men fought to defend once upon a time Any piece of history I can show to my young ones is a great day read more

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Celebrated on May 19th with Larry and Marsha Covin and CAO YONG, flew in from CHINA, for fund-raiser to SAVE THE SS LANE VICTORY. PINK LADY and Greg Lee Emceed. Then, Larry returned the favor and guested, singing as Louie Armstrong on the PINK LADY PRESENTS TV SHOW. When in California, visit the SS LANE VICTORY and in the very same San Pedro Harbor, the USS BATTLESHIP IOWA. Chaplain DOV read more

Awesome self guided tour! Aunt was in town and this was one of the planned activities courtesy of Groupon for two admissions. Plan to stay about an hour, especially with the two on site museums. Went on a Monday morning and there were only two other people there, so it was nice to not have it crowded. read more

Great spot. Amazing history and the crew was super friendly and helpful for our event read more

S S Lane Victory - Great day to be aboard - Tours Near Me - San Pedro, California

this is truly a hidden treasure located right here in San Pedro. Interesting all around from the greeter "Chips" to viewing Captains quarters, visitors of all ages will enjoy their time aboard ship! A MUST SEE. read more

This is an awesome tour and a great museum! So much history and a different perspective of WWII read more

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Went to a viewing party for the boat parade last night and it was awesome! Everyone who worked there was really helpful and friendly. We got yo explore the whole ship! They also provided chairs, soup, snacks and hot chocolate! Great place for a family outing! read more

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So, after checking the website, I hop in my car at 9:00AM. After an hour and a half of driving I arrive at the location of the ship. I guess she's not in her regular berth, and they've put up signs leading to her current location. The signs lead me to a parking lot somewhat close to the boat, but not really close. And even these parking spots say 'No Parking.' So I drove around confusedly, and eventually give up and pull into a 'construction workers only' lot that's next to the ship. I walk up to the gang-way into the ship, and see a frustrated guy leading his daughters down it. Up at the top, there's a sign blocking entrance. 'No Admittance.' The guy looks at me and says 'They're closed. Filming something or other.' He sighs and walks back to his truck. I also sigh, and take a few pictures of the outside of the ship. I then returned to my car and proceeded to see what else is in San Pedro. I get it, non-profit, making money to survive....but a simple 'hey, we're filming on these days' on the website or voicemail message can't be too hard....right? They got 2 stars because despite not being open, they still saved me from another boring Sunday on the couch at home. read more

S S Lane Victory - Photo from outside the ship. (Sorry, it's all I got, never got inside the ship) - Tours Near Me - San Pedro, California

I will give the ship itself an 3 star rating, but zero stars for customer service and management. To explain, I bought two tickets at $125.00 each for one of their cruises a few years back. Two days before the cruise my girlfriend went to the hospital due to an serious life threatening infection. When I went to the ship on cruise day, I explained what happened to my girlfriend and was told by a very nice lady that they would keep and file the ticket as a record and though I would have to pay a $25.00 change fee I would be able to use her ticket on a later cruise. Cut to today a few years later, my girlfriend is now well and looking forward to finally taking the cruise I promised as she has the rare free weekend. I drove 10 miles to their office with my old used single ticket and my credit card receipt for two tickets and was told that they now have a new system and there is no record of my purchase. After showing them my used single ticket and credit card receipt for two tickets I was informed that this wasn't proof enough and I was just out of luck. When I asked what more proof did I need they said I should have the unused ticket. I pointed out that the lady at the office said she would keep the ticket for her records so I could use it when we were able to return. The only answer I got after that was to tell me that I didn't have good enough proof for a court of law (common sense and customer service are obviously missing here). I pointed out that in effect they were calling me a liar and why would they think that I would drive over there and try to beat them out of one ticket. They told me that I should have used it the next year or called in or asked for a refund and that I just waited too long. I again pointed out that all I was told by the lady in the office was that they would keep the ticket and let me use it later, there was no mention of any time limit, that I was supposed to check in or do anything but show up when I was ready to use the ticket. Again I was told that was just too bad but they weren't about to give me any sort of credit. As I promised my girlfriend that I would take her on the cruise I bought two new tickets and informed them that this has cost them an annual two ticket buy as I was planning to make this an annual affair. I have started and owned million dollar businesses all of which have been hugely successful and would I ever have treated a customer like I was treated here, I would have been out of business in an heartbeat. One cruise and no more as they obviously felt that screwing me out of $125.00 is worth more than my repeat business and good will! read more

This is the best ship docked in So-Cal. I enjoyed it much more then the Battle Ship Iowa, which was nice, but not that interesting. Friendly staff, 2 museums, full run of the ship to explore every deck. The cruise is one of the best times I think I've ever had. Great meals, coffee, dancing, swing band, aerial show & fresh air. You get to take a living museum out for the day on the sea. Constant sight seeing and attractions on the way out to Catalina. I can't wait for the ship to be operational again. I wouldn't miss it. One word of advice, put some ear plugs in your pocket. The pyrotechnics of the aerial show are extremely loud, and goes on for a good while. read more

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Victory ships were transportation vessels for WWII, but the war ended before this ship was needed. SS Lane still saw wartime service for the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Despite its current propulsion issue, this Los Angeles-built cargo ship is still in good condition. The pamphlet guide for the tour was fairly easy to follow and free roaming was encouraged. Multiple cargo holds were open, but the engine room required a docent to see and the bridge was closed during our visit. Educational displays weren't as good as the Jeremiah O'Brien in San Francisco (see https://www.yelp.com/biz/ss-jeremiah-o-brien-san-francisco-2), but a far superior experience than the Red Oak in Richmond, CA (see https://www.yelp.com/biz/ss-red-oak-victory-richmond). $7 admission with tons of free parking at Berth 49. Allow 1 hour to visit. read more

Thank you to the volunteers who allowed us to come in and poke around the grounds. The ship is very impressive and we were able to take some amazing Popeye themed pictures. read more

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Fun little place to explore. Take your kids. $5 for adult and ive heard about cruise and dinner and show. I will be writing about that when I do... read more

S S Lane Victory - Lane Victory - Tours Near Me - San Pedro, California

I must tell the public that the SS Lane Victory has engine room problems with the port boiler. It needs major repair and the donated funds are simply not there. I stumbled on the reason looking for something else. The ship USED to get underway each summer but no more till they get a benefactor. So do not go there expecting a summer outing till it is repaired. read more

We bought a Groupon for the S.S. Lane Victory, and we truly enjoyed our time with this this ship. It's wonderful to know there's a piece of history so close to us. My mother was fascinated with the history and tour. I highly recommend a visit for those who consider themselves history buffs. read more

Very cool experience. Lots of history and sweet views. Highly recommend for photographers. read more

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A waste of $14 and the 15 minutes it took to walk around. When we were there, we were the only tourists on-board and now I understand why. On the positive side, one peninsula over - on Signal St. - is the iconic Warehouse No.1, which I do recommend. read more

Great trip back in time. Really made history come alive. Even my kids, 8 and 6 really enjoyed it.

Awesome ! Went here with my boyfriend and 5 year old son via a groupon deal. Got here was handed a pamphlet with info about the ship and its history. Yu are able to wander freely throughout the entire ship and see everything first hand. It was really great walking around, climbing through the stair cases. There are two museums , gift shop was closed which was disappointing. Would have loved a souvenir t shirt for my boys. Also there are no refreshments so make. Sure you bring water and if possible a snack. We plan to come again! Feels like walking through history. read more

It was interesting and I was happy we went to do it but there isn't much access or much to see/do aboard the ship. I think my wife and kids and I were done in about an hour or so. I might do it again but I would not make a special trip. Maybe do it after seeing the USS Iowa or something. read more