Street performers, tattoo artists, novelty vendors, Gen-X nomads, hippies, people-watchers, and colourful characters of all kinds come together to create this unique bazaar you need to explore at least once. And don't forget the three-mile beach or the streets that are lined with edgy boutiques. No wonder this is one of the most popular visitor attractions in Southern California.

Step back in time at the wartime air-raid shelters and experience the sights and sounds of Britain’s Home Front. Visitors can walk through original tunnels, carefully re-equipped to show what daily life was like during the 1940s, and follow the stories of locals through clear, well-curated displays and an audio guide. First opened in 1939, the shelters were the largest purpose-built civilian air-raid shelters in the country, originally designed for 3,850 people and later expanded during 1940–41 to hold up to 6,500. Cut directly into the sandstone cliffs beneath the town centre, the mile-long network offers a rare look at wartime engineering and civilian life. The site reopened in 1996 as a visitor attraction after restoration by Stockport Council and has since become one of the town’s most important museums. Today, it works as both a memorial and an educational space, giving a direct sense of how communities lived through the air raids.

Du Fu is one of the great poets who lived during the Tang dynasty, China's golden era. His haunting poetry is still being taught in schools today. This park is built around his cottage, and the temple is dedicated to him. Check out the intricate Bonsai trees, plants and Chinese paintings that adorn the place.