IM Chait Gallery/Auctioneers

Located on Rainbow Harbor, the Aquarium of the Pacific features a collection of over 11,000 animals, representing over 500 different species. Learn about the different sea life, as well as the importance of the ocean, its threats and conservation. You can also pet the sharks and stingrays at the Shark Lagoon attraction or feed nectar to lorikeets at the Lorikeet Forest.

Originally built as a single-screen movie theater in 1936, the El Rey Theatre has undergone several transformations over the decades, from a theater to a dance club to its current incarnation as a live music venue. "The King" presents favorite bands and performers in a high-energy entertainment atmosphere.

If you are willing to travel a bit out of the main LA area, be sure to add the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden to your destinations list. This gorgeous, 127-acre garden and outdoor oasis is nestled into the low-key San Gabriel town, near the mountains. The Arboretum houses luscious plant collections from all over the world, including many rare and endangered species.

The Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Culture Center, or the Hammer Museum as it is more commonly referred to, is an art museum specializing in key single-artist and thematic exhibitions of historic or contemporary work. Originally created to house Armand Hammer's personal art collection, the museum is now operated by UCLA's School of Arts and Architecture and has expanded to include the Billy Wilder Theater.