Bluff Heights, Long Beach, CA

Bluff Heights sits at the eastern end of Retro Row in Long Beach, where the vintage shops and cafes of 4th Street thin out into blocks of century-old bungalows. Homes in Bluff Heights are mostly Craftsman bungalows built during the 1910s and into the early twenties, joined here and there by Spanish Revival and other period houses. Lots are modest and houses sit close together. Duplexes and small apartment buildings show up on the busier edges toward Redondo Avenue and 7th Street. Coffee and food on this end of 4th Street run deep for a few blocks. Coffeedrunk and Gusto Bread face each other on the 2700 block, and the bakery is known for Mexican breads and pastries that sell out on weekends. The footpath through Bluff Park along Ocean Boulevard sits a short walk or bike ride south, with benches, telescopes and a view over the water, and the sand below is where most runs end. Green space inside the neighborhood itself is limited, so the bluff and the beach carry the load. Errands are easy. Ralphs on 4th Street covers groceries, Broadway adds Jug Band Coffee and Tea and a few long-running bars, and Redondo Avenue handles quick stops. The tradeoff is parking. Street spaces get competitive in the evening, especially on the blocks closest to the 4th Street restaurants, and older houses rarely come with much room for cars. A typical Saturday here means walking to 4th Street for coffee and bread, then heading down to the bluff to check the surf.