Alamitos Bay - Naples and Belmont Shore in Long Beach California

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.