Battleship USS Iowa Museum San Pedro, CA

I have toured the USS Yorktown in Charleston Harbor on two occasions. And I visited the USS Wisconsin at Norfolk Navy Yard. But I missed USS Missouri, which was moored at Pearl Harbor a few years after I saluted the USS Arizona Memorial. Now I'm on board the USS Iowa, the 887-foot-long battleship that is moored at 250 South Harbor Boulevard, at Berth 87, in the port of Los Angeles on the waterfront in San Pedro, 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Open daily from 10 to 4, this is considered one of the region's best outdoor museums for families and visitors of all ages. The Iowa was commissioned on February 22, 1943, served in World War 11, Korea and the Cold War, was decommissioned on October 26, 1990 and was opened as a museum ship in Los Angeles on July 4, 2012. It was the lead vessel in the last class of battleships in the world. Take the self-guided tour from the bridge to the captain's cabin to the massive 16-inch gun turrets to the sailors' quarters to the commisary to the wardroom to the kitchen to the four engineering rooms and the boiler room. See where FDR slept when the Iowa transported the president across the Atlantic Ocean to and from the Tehren Conference. See the bathtub installed for FDR's use on the journey to see Churchill and Stalin. See the actual table where FDR and his cabinet planned strategy moves during World War 11. Stop at the Ship's Store for apparel, souvenirs, videos, books, stickers, posters and mugs. See the exhibit Lost at Sea featuring the exploitations of Dr Robert Ballard, who discovered the Titanic. Along the way, have a snack at Vicky's Doghouse Cafe, Located on the ship's fantail, named after the ship's beloved mascot, it offers hot dogs sandwiches, salads, drinks and sweeping views of the harbor. I was delighted with a Chicago Piano, the cafe's version of a Chicago-style hot dog, with mustard, tomato, onions, sport pepper, pickle spear, relish and celery salt on a poppy-seed bun. Home, sweet home.

Came to get hot dogs at Vicky’s with my fiance. Had never been here and found a sign with an arrow pointing up that said to check in with security. I walked up the ramp to look for security, however, it’s actually to the side of the ramp. When I told Frank, the older gentleman working security that the sign was confusing, I was hushed and told not to be difficult. I was confused, and tried to explain I thought I was following the sign. He escalated to the point of threatening to not let me enter. I stopped talking, because I didn’t need a power hungry volunteer getting his rocks off over a hot dog. Absurd. Would never recommend anyone come here based on that staff interaction.