Paddleboards are for rent along the Alamitos Bay beach in Belmont Shore.
Taking a Sunday walk along the sidewalks beside the canals on Naples Island is something I love and have done for decades. This island in Alamitos Bay, completely man-made, is charming beyond measure and expensive, too! But even if you don’t have the millions it takes to buy one of the homes, you can indulge in some voyeurism and fantasy by walking along looking at and into the homes. Almost all of them have huge windows facing the winding, flower-lined sidewalks and canals so it is easy to see how the owners live.
But if you are more a romantic than a voyeur, for decades you have been able to rent a gondola–complete with an appropriately dressed gondolier and champagne–and take a gliding ride through the canals and around the island. I have no doubt that hundreds of young men have popped the question while taking this ride with their girlfriends.
The latest “new thing” is to rent a paddleboard or a kayak or a paddle-cycle, and instead of being powered by a gondolier, you can power yourself through the canals and around this picturesque island. For the paddleboards you’d better have good balance and strong arms. And for the paddle-cycle, you’re going to need strong legs. One woman told me it was much more difficult than peddling a bicycle–so be forewarned. Or you can just walk around this beautiful place.
If you’re hungry after you’re done, there are coffeehouses and restaurants along Second Ave. in Belmont Shore. Second Avenue, BTW, is the main drag through Naples Island.
To see more photos of Naples Island and other neighborhoods in Long Beach click here.
I have a new photo blog about a trip I am taking across the lower part of the U.S., including border towns. Take a minute to visit Wandering Lady now.
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