| Long Beach City Beach is a flat two-mile stretch of sand. The water is calm, protected by breakwaters on Queensway Bay. The bike path that began at the Downtown Shoreline Marina travels the length of City Beach and continues along Belmont Shore to 54th Place. There is no clear boundary between City Beach and Belmont Shore; locals use the names interchangeably.
Most of the cross-streets along Ocean Boulevard end with stairs down to the beach. Wheelchair-accessible entrances are at the Alamitos parking lot off Shoreline Drive, at First Place, Junipero Avenue, 39th Place (Belmont Pier), and 54th Place. You can borrow a beach wheelchair from the snack and rental stand next to the Alamitos parking lot. A concrete path leads from this lot toward the water. If the Alamitos lot is full, try the one at the ocean end of Junipero Avenue.
The 1,620-foot-long, T-shaped, smooth concrete Belmont Pier, at the foot of 39th Place in Belmont Shore, closed for repairs and improvements in fall 2001. Metered parking is at Termino Avenue, off Ocean Boulevard.
You might also want to explore the Alamitos Bay area, which offers boating, beaches, a paved bike trail, quaint neighborhoods, shops, and restaurants. The Marine Stadium, a long, narrow, rectangular body of water connected to Alamitos Bay, was built in the 1920s as the rowing venue for the 1932 Olympics, and is now used for water sports events. The Alamitos Bay Marina has 1,880 slips, including public berths.
From the Pacific Coast Highway, take East Second Street toward Long Beach. Cross the bridge over the Marine Stadium to Naples Island, a quaint neighborhood built to resemble Venice, Italy. It is composed of three islands separated by canals. Parking is on-street. If you turn right onto Appian Way just past this bridge, to your right will be Marine Park and Mothers Beach, a narrow sandy shore with gentle water backed by grass and trees. Look for blue parking spaces.
If you continue on Appian Way across a second bridge, you can park next to the rock embankment and watch activities in the Stadium.
To get to Alamitos Bay Beach on the Bay, follow East Second Street to Bay Shore Avenue, go south three blocks to Ocean Boulevard and turn left into the parking lot. There is paved access to a concession stand where you can borrow a beach wheelchair. For information, call 562/570-1715.
Restrooms
Most of the restrooms at City Beach and Belmont Shore have narrow front-transfer stalls with grab bars. There is a full-width accessible stall in the restroom next to the lifeguard headquarters at Junipero Avenue, and an accessible chemical toilet on the Belmont Pier.
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