Belmont Shore, Calif. --All they wanted was a pier in Belmont Shore. Was it worth giving up your proud city for? The video above shows the Belmont Pier look from the Pacific Ocean.

Belmont Shore (or some call it Belmont Shores), like so many communities, let their pier get a little old, requiring some infrastructure repairs. They gave up their right to claim themselves a separate city back in the 1900's. As long as they would be given a pier, they would do it.  This pier is very popular with fishermen.  It offers a window on the world to the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. As such, it really should be preserved and maintained.

Not long ago it did receive some structural repairs and fresh paint.  Located next to the popular Belmont Pool and the community of Belmont Shore, a part of Long Beach that's on its northern border, a huge parking lot offers pay parking for visits and strolls on this popular pier. If they put a Starbucks coffee shop like they have on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore (not one, but 2 Starbucks across the street from each other!), they would likely see traffic increase by 1000%. 

Located at the base of the pier is the popular Belmont Brewing Company. The restaurant offers patio views of the ocean and pier, or indoor window views.  A small snack shop on the pier sells sodas and limited food menu items.

If you visit Long Beach, this region is one of our favorite gems.  This section and further along Ocean on the the beach, or down on the bay near Alfredo's where the Gondola Getaway offers romantic gondola rides, are all great places to visit and enjoy. There's a special feeling in this area. Go check it out. Better yet, take a fishing pole and try your hand at fishing off the Belmont Pier.

Note: The reddish-brown color of the water seen in video is from a condition called red tide, where types of plant growth in the ocean occasionally cause the water to appear this color instead of its normal bluish-green.

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