The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles re-opened Nov. 3 after getting a five-year, $93 million facelift. The walls no longer have cracked paint and rust. An underground level has been added, doubling the amount of exhibit space.
We may live in sunny SoCal, but we can still enjoy classic winter pastimes, like ice skating outdoors at the Holiday On Ice rink at the Irvine Spectrum.
Hours: 11 a.m.-8:45 p.m. daily through Feb. 19. Extended sessions from 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Cost: $12 adults, $10 children (one hour of skating), $4 skate rentals; $199 for a season pass.
The Queen Mary is a hotbed for spooky stories. Guests report hundreds of instances of unexplained activity every year, said Erika Frost, Queen Mary psychic.
Here are a few of the ship's most common encounters:
• A man named "John" is seen in the engine room near "door 13." At least two sailors are thought to have died at this door.
• Shadowy figures frequently appear in the boiler room.
• Unexplained noises are heard in the cargo hold. This is where POWs were kept during World War II.
• Ladies in '30s-style swimsuits are seen walking along the banister near the front entrance of the pool.
• Jackie, a young ghost that likes to play tag and peek-a-boo, is heard in the pool area.
• Knocks and screams are heard in the bottom levels of the bow. These are thought to be the sounds of sailors who died when the Queen Mary collided with another ship during WWII.
QUEEN MARY GHOST TOURS
Offered on the Queen Mary, 1126 Queen's Highway, Long Beach.
Paranormal Ship Walk
Psychic Erika Frost guides small groups through paranormal hot spots.
When: 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday and Sunday, ongoing except in October.
Price: $50.
Paranormal Investigation
Learn how to use tools of the ghost-hunting trade with professional paranormal investigators during an overnight investigation.
When: At midnight the first and third Friday of every month.