Hike #1490
June 8, 2022
Naples, Long Beach, City/Beach
Hike Leader: Dorothy King
Meet at 8:00 am for start at 8:30 am
Please print your own hike descriptions.
Directions to Trailhead:
Take the 710 freeway south and exit on West Shoreline Drive. Continue on to East Shoreline Drive. Turn right onto East Ocean Blvd. Continue on E. Ocean Blvd. for 3.1 miles till you get to 54th Place. Either park on either side of East Ocean Blvd. or turn right into the beach parking lot.
One can also take the 405 from the north or south. Exit on Cherry Ave South towards Signal Hill. Drive several miles until Cherry dead ends at Ocean Blvd. Turn left and continue on East Ocean Blvd. Stay right at the split to stay on East Ocean Blvd for another couple of miles. We will meet at the parking lot at East Ocean Blvd and 54th Place.
From the south, turn off Pacific Coast Hwy on East 2nd St. and drive west, crossing over Naples Island. Make a left onto Bay Shore Ave., just past the bridge, to East Ocean Blvd. There is free parking on either side of East Ocean Blvd. There are public restrooms here and along the bike path on the beach.
Naples History and Neighborhood:
This hike is on flat, paved walkways. There is no shade, but it has a great variety of architecture of private homes and beautiful gardens along the canals. Most walks are next to water, beach or canal, with many boats to admire.
The idea began in 1904 when the father-and-son team, Arthur Parsons, announced plans for a "Venetian-style" community that featured a series of canals and pedestrian walkways. To accomplish this, they enclosed, dredged, filled in, and stabilized a marshland with concrete bulkheads to create the seaside neighborhood. The first 6 houses were built as speculative homes. Waterfront lots in Naples ranged from $900 to $4,000, which was costly at the time. In 1907, the Parsons partnered with oil-and rail baron Henry Huntington, to incorporate a stop at Naples on the Pacific Electric Railroad's Newport Line.
If you want to spend more time in the area, the art museum or a stroll on 2nd St with many shops and restaurants are interesting. There is also the MOLAA (Museum of Latin American Art) just down the street on Alamitos Ave.
Basic Hike (Red Track):
We meet at the corner 54th Place and Ocean Blvd. Walk north on 54th Place to join Bay Shore Ave along Alamitos Bay Beach. Cross Second St and continue walking along Bay Shore Ave until Appian Way. Cross the street and turn right to walk on Appian Way over the small bridge to the large bridge. Pass under the large bridge and look to your left. At the start of the parking lot you will see a railing and sidewalk that follows along the water’s edge. Walk along this railing through the marina, past the Yacht Club, and past the small park. You will now be walking on a walkway in front of the houses on the water. When the sidewalk turns and heads into the canals of Naples, continue and start to count your bridges. The canals are circular, and the bridges are like the spokes of a wheel. You will go up and over each bridge, exiting on the fourth bridge, which is The Toledo. Turn right and walk on this street until it ends at Second Street. Turn left and walk over the bridge, turning left again on Bayshore to return to where you started.
For additional mileage.
Option 1 (Blue Track):
Continue walking on east on Ocean Blvd from the meeting point. You can walk down The Peninsula until the end, which is 1 mile. There is a walkway on either side.
Option 2 (Green Track):
Cross Ocean Blvd from our meeting point to find the beginning of a walkway and bike path. Walking west to the pier is 0.8 miles.
Mileage:
Basic Hike: 4.0 miles RT
Option 1: Additional 1.0 mile one way
Option 2: Additional 0.8 miles RT
Basic plus both options: 5.8 miles RT
Updated: 2022-06-01