Belmont Shore
Belmont Shore, Long Beach’s most visited beachside neighborhood, pairs upscale designer boutique shopping and fine dining with a relaxed, ocean-air ambience that’s unmatched anywhere in the city. It is overlooked by Belmont Heights to the north and west and bordered by canal carved Naples and the Peninsula to the east.
The spacious single- and multi-family homes, beach rentals, duplexes and condos snugly tucked along Belmont Shore’s friendly neighborhood streets are among some of the most sought after properties in Long Beach. Most were constructed in the 1920s with traces of old-world charm.
Many of the community’s well-preserved homes have been modernized yet still reflect the breezy, beach resort character that the area is famous for. Whether you’re looking for cathedral ceilings, European style wood paned windows, grand picture windows, state-of-the-art kitchens or antique wooden floors polished to their original luster, Belmont Shore offers the full scope of modern amenities with a nod to the past.
Belmont Shore’s flair for architectural panache radiates from its often brightly colored, exotic collection of styles. They include mainly Spanish Revival, but Mediterranean Villa, Tudor Revival and California Craftsman are also found.
A visit to the tropical foliage-festooned four-mile expanse known as Belmont Shore wouldn’t be complete without a sunny walk down the 2nd Street shopping district. The stylish stretch features 15 blocks of international cuisine, lively cafés, specialty shops and exclusive fashion boutiques. Here you can choose between dining choices of every scale, a burgeoning entertainment and bar culture and plenty of sensory inspiration for an ocean-view romantic stroll.
A paved walking/biking path stretches for five miles along the breezy shoreline across from nearby Ocean Boulevard, all the way to downtown. The foot/bike path links up with the Belmont Pier, a newly refurbished 1966 landmark known for its laid-back fishing and spectacular sunset views.
Even the walkways and sidewalks are adorned on trendy 2nd Street. Glance downward and at the sides of shops and business for a glimpse of the street’s curious “shadow art.†You might spot an optical illusion bicycle that leans against a “shadow†palm tree reaching up the pink stucco wall of Sweet Jill’s, a local favorite sweets bakery and café.
The name Belmont Shore is derived from the Italian words “montagna bella†for “beautiful mountain.â€
Belmont Shore Area Public Schools:
Kettering Elementary School
www.lbusd.k12.ca.us/ketterin/ketter.html
James Lowell Bayside Academy Elementary School
www.lbusd.k12.ca.us/lowell/index.html
Horace Mann Elementary School
www.lbusd.k12.ca.us/mann/home.html
Naples Elementary School
www.lbusd.k12.ca.us/schools/school_finder/naples.asp
Will Rogers Middle School
www.lbusd.k12.ca.us/sarc/sarc0506/rogers_0506web.pdf
Woodrow Wilson Classical High School
www.lbusd.k12.ca.us/schools/school_finder/wilson.asp
