Long Beach

The aquarium doesn't just stop at fish: There's also a very friendly flock of lorikeets, along with sea birds, seals, and sea otters. There are several permanent 'Galleries' alongside the temporary exhibitions that show what life is like under the Californian waves. Kids will enjoy the chance to pet the rays and sharks, and budding veterinarians will be fascinated by the chance to watch real-life procedures on the resident animals in the new Molina Animal Care Center.

Get here early: Not only are the early birds the ones who get the best picks (for an extra $5 you can get in at 5:30am), there are over 800 vendors to browse meaning it can eat up most of the day. Everything is laid out in a super-easy grid system and there are plenty of reasonable price tags.