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U.S.S. Iowa.
U.S.S. Iowa.

Battleship and Barbershop of Presidents

Field review by the editors.

San Pedro, California

The U.S.S. Iowa -- "World's Greatest Naval Ship" -- saw active duty, off and on, for over 50 years. In 1943 she ferried President Frenklin D. Roosevelt across the Atlantic, while he enjoyed a unique custom built presidential battleship bathtub that can still be seen on the self-guided tour.

President Reagan visited the Iowa in 1986, after he'd pulled her out of mothballs, and President H.W. Bush visited in 1989, a year before he ordered her back into mothballs. This presidential trifecta earned the U.S.S. Iowa the title, "Battleship of the Presidents."

Presidential bathtub.
Presidential bathtub.

In July 2012 the 887-foot-long ship docked for the last time and became a floating tourist attraction.

Interpretive signs are placed strategically near the guns and armament. The wooden teak decks have been preserved. There's a museum, a video program, and a gift shop.

Four days a year (one every three months) the battleship's barbershop on the third deck reopens for business. You need to climb ladders to get there, but you can have your hair cut in the same barber chair used by Bush 41. Cash only, and haircuts much be scheduled in advance on the battleship's website.

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Battleship and Barbershop of Presidents

U.S.S. Iowa

Address:
250 S. Harbor Blvd, San Pedro, CA
Directions:
U.S.S. Iowa. I-110 exit 1A onto Hwy 47 north, toward Vincent Thomas Bridge/Terminal Island. Take the Harbor Blvd exit, then turn right onto Harbor Blvd. Ship will be on your left.
Hours:
Summer daily 9-4; off-season 10-4 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
310-971-4462
Admission:
Adults $18.
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Monument to a Union BossMonument to a Union Boss, San Pedro, CA - < 1 mi.
SS Poseidon ModelSS Poseidon Model, San Pedro, CA - < 1 mi.
Big Ghost Art FishBig Ghost Art Fish, San Pedro, CA - < 1 mi.
In the region:
Big Doughnut, Randy's Donuts, Inglewood, CA - 16 mi.

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