Naples, Long Beach, CA

Naples is the canal district of Long Beach, three small islands in Alamitos Bay laid out after 1905 by developer Arthur Parsons with Venice as the model. Streets carry Italian names like Rivo Alto Canal and Via Di Roma, and on most blocks the water is either at the end of the street or under the back deck. Homes here range from older cottages to large rebuilt houses, packed close on small lots, and the most prized sit on the canals or the bay with private docks out front. Walkways run along the seawalls, which the city has been rebuilding in stages, so a lap of the islands on foot is the default evening routine. The outdoors is mostly water. Overlook Park on Naples Plaza is a thin waterfront strip with benches facing Seal Beach, and the fountain park at La Bella Fontana di Napoli is the island's picnic lawn. Second Street crosses the islands, and that stretch is where people eat. Carmen's Coffee Company is the morning stop. Marlena on Naples Plaza cooks Mediterranean food over wood fire and is known for its burnt Basque cheesecake, and Naples Rib Company is the ribs-and-beer standby. K.C. Daily errands are close. Gelson's and Renaud's Bakery sit just east on Second Street, and Belmont Shore's shops and bars start a short walk west across the bridge. Many residents keep a bike by the door and use the car mostly to leave town. Summer brings visitors to the canals and the beach, and weekend parking gets hard. Naples residents plan around that. In December the Christmas Boat Parade, running since 1946, loops the canals past homes that string lights along their docks, and the whole island turns out to watch from the seawall.