Biking Along Long Beach

Bicycling the Long Beach Shoreline Bike Path

The Long Beach Shoreline Bike Path is the quintessential SoCal oceanfront path—cool breezes, sandy beaches, swaying palms trees, beautiful boats. The 7.5-mile (round-trip) out-and-back bike path runs along the entirety of Long Beach’s narrow stretch of shoreline known locally as Junipero Beach and Belmont Beach. It’s a smoothly paved, level route, separate from the pedestrian path, making it perfect for a relaxed-pace cruise.

The bike path begins just outside of Parkers’ Lighthouse in Shoreline Village, in view of both the _Queen Mary _and the Aquarium of the Pacific. For the first half-mile you’ll cycle through the marina and see thousands of docked pleasure craft. After the path curves left and then right, you’ll be on the beach.

Long Beach Shoreline Bike Path

After about 2.5 miles you’ll reach Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier—a great place to take a break and make the short walk out to the end of the pier, where there’s a restaurant, and folks fishing for whatever’s biting. Back on the path, you’ll be skirting one of the state’s best kiteboarding beaches. If the wind’s up, it’s quite a show. The path continues past the pier for another mile until you reach a series of boulders with plaques indicating where you are on the path. The path ends at Ocean Boulevard, but you might want to turn right here and ride another mile beside beachfront homes to Alamitos Park at the end of the Alamitos Peninsula, where there’s a restroom and great ocean views.

The body of water at the tip of the peninsula is the entrance to Alamitos Bay, which is framed by a breakwater. On the other side of that breakwater is the mouth of the San Gabriel River, and just across the river is the town of Seal Beach. If you look back the way you came, you’ll see on your left the oceanfront sides of the beautiful homes you’ve been biking past. Savor the view!

Long Beach Shoreline Bike Path

JAVA REWARD: On your way back, be sure to take a short 1-mile detour into downtown Long Beach to grab a coffee or an artisan soda from Cuppa Cuppa. The vibe is rustic, the beans sourced locally. And if you’ve ever wondered about the life cycle of coffee or how it’s brewed, all the info is plastered on the walls. Truly a great place for coffee lovers.

From the I-710 S, take Exit 1C toward downtown Long Beach and continue onto W. Shoreline Dr. Make a right turn onto Shoreline Village Dr. If the Shoreline Village lot is full, you’ll find municipal parking structures nearby. Cuppa Cuppa is at 455 E. Ocean Blvd. in Long Beach.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background

    From Beach to Summit

    No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.

    View
  2. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View
  3. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View
  4. Go, Tell It on the Mountain

    Want to be king of the mountain? Head to King Mountain, the 108-acre open space preserve just above Larkspur in Marin. Despite its lofty name, hiking King Mountain proves that simp

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Woman walking in the Venice Canals of Los Angeles County

    Canal Contemplations

    With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.

    View
  2. Sponsored

    Yes, Seattle!

    Ready to try something new this winter? Seattle’s ready for you! Beautiful by nature with its Puget Sound setting, surrounding mountains, and nearby national parks, winter in Seattle can be a magical and festive time. Ever been in a hot tub boat?...

    View
  3. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

    View
  4. What's Up, Winthrop!

    It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.

    View