Alamitos Bay in Long
Beach, California is one of California's great hidden
secrets, though during the summer when the cars come to
a complete stop, trying to find a place to park, you'll
not believe it.
Pictured above is a
sole sunbather soaking up the rays of a sunny Southern
California day in the Los Angeles County city of Long
Beach. The southernmost beach city includes communities
within its bounds such as the one pictured in the image
above...Alamitos Bay. It is part of the community of
Belmont Shore and faces Naples Island, or Naples,
another community in Long Beach.
The bay includes one of Long Beach's
popular public marina facilities, restaurants
overlooking the bay,
Aqualink boat service, Duffy boat
rentals and fabulous neighborhood beaches in front of
some lovely houses.
Winters are paradise
in the bay with its stretches of sand overlooking
multi-million dollar properties with private docks along
the Long Beach peninsula, Belmont Shore and Naples
Island.
Where to stay when
sunbathing at Alamitos Bay: There are a small number of
vacationers lucky enough to discover this neighborhood
beach that's not widely used by tourists unaware of its
charms. While the
Long Beach Hotels
are plentiful, there are none specifically available
right next to Alamitos Beach. The closest, most popular
hotel is
Best Western Golden Sails. If you prefer more
luxury, your best bet for a beach resort will be a few
miles south in Huntington Beach at the
Hyatt Regency Resort.
In the bay you'll see
sailboats, kayaks, gondolas, swimmers, kids and at play
and a love of the water, beaches and sun-kissed skin
that's tanned by the California rays.
Alamitos Bay is a
body of water adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. Naples
Island and the Long Beach peninsula both are on the
Alamitos Bay.
Favorite events at
the bay are the romantic gondola rides for rent for
Gondola Getaway, platforms with Christmas tree shaped
light stands floating in the water during the winter
holidays and the Naples boat parade usually held the 2nd
Saturday in December. While grunion don't usually
make their way into the bay to spawn, the grunion run, a
popular event that includes a running season where you
can catch the little fish with your bare hands (with a
license), does occur along the ocean front just two
blocks away from the bay.
Alamitos Bay Marina,
a 50+ year-old marina, includes 1991 slips located
throughout the Alamitos Bay area. You'll find it not far
from Pacific Coast Highway and Second Street. Yacht
clubs and marine stores are prominent in the marina.
Among the clubs are Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. abyc.org and Long Beach Yacht Club. lbyc.org.
