North Long Beach, Long Beach, CA

North Long Beach stretches up Long Beach Boulevard toward the city line, a working corridor where Creole kitchens, pupuserias and panaderias share the blocks with auto shops and trailer parks. The area sometimes goes by Uptown, and it has its own history as the site of the city's original civic center from the rancho days. Most homes here are modest single-story houses from the middle of the last century, set on small lots along a regular grid. Apartment buildings line the busier streets, and a handful of mobile home parks sit right on Long Beach Boulevard. Houses on the side streets tend to be simple stucco boxes with front yards and driveways. Sal's Gumbo Shack on Long Beach Boulevard is the place people drive in for, with gumbo, po' boys, catfish and shellfish boils. Black Ring Coffee, a few blocks south, is the local coffee stop, and Robert Earl's BBQ on Artesia is a short drive east for Texas brisket and ribs. David Molina Park on Oregon Avenue and Coolidge Park on Neece Street are the neighborhood parks. The Los Angeles River Trail runs along the west side with an access point at De Forest Avenue, and DeForest Park and its restored wetlands are just across the neighborhood to the east. La Bodega Ranch Market on Long Beach Boulevard covers groceries, and bigger chain stores are a short drive east on Cherry Avenue. The 91 runs along the northern edge and the 710 along the river, so freeway access is quick in most directions. The tradeoff is the boulevard itself. The river trail is the quieter way out, and in North Long Beach you can pick it up at the end of your street and ride all the way to the harbor.