Los Angeles Section 11

The Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors present one of the most difficult manmade challenges to an uninterrupted alignment of the CCT. Whereas many other interruptions to the CCT are a matter of policy or private property that someday can be overcome, the huge harbor complex provides a daunting challenge. We offer two alternatives and at the end of the section, some possible long range solutions. A walk around the harbors on surface streets for 12¾ miles can be done in about five hours at a brisk pace. Riding a bicycle is a good option. The alternative is to walk the first 2½ miles to Ports O' Call Village and arrange a boat ride to Long Beach.

The major problem with the boat ride is the cost of the only established water taxi service between San Pedro and Long Beach. Call U.S. Port Services at (310)519-8260 and ask for their water taxi service and how many people they can carry. Try to arrange as many people for the shuttle as possible so everyone can share the cost. You must make advance arrangements to be picked up either at Cabrillo Beach or Ports O'Call village and dropped off at Shoreline Village in Long Beach.

Our route starts in front of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, heading inland on the sidewalk to pass a gate blocking Shoshonean Drive, which you then follow north. You pass a small man made wetlands here that tries to represent the thousands of acres of marine estuary in this area before harbor development began. At the far end of Shoshonean Drive at ⅜ mile, you can either take the walk on the left angling uphill to a small overlook park, or cross the street and continue on the sidewalk along Cabrillo Marina overlooking the small boat harbor.

At 22nd Street turn right and walk to its end, then go left on Signal Street at 2¼ miles. Along Signal you get a close look at the real working harbor, with a wharf full of gear for the fleet of commercial fishing boats lining the dock. In the distance huge container shipping cranes rise skyward.

At the end of the dock turn right at an old and colorful historic restaurant, Utro's. Have some refreshment at this interesting place, then follow the pedestrian walkway painted on the parking lot to Ports O'Call Village. If you arranged a boat ride, it features a close look at the outer harbor and the mammoth Queen Mary docked in Long Beach. You want to be dropped off at Shoreline Village in Long Beach, the beginning of Section 12.

To continue on the walking route, proceed along the row of businesses at Ports O' Call Village and then along Sampson Way to the handsome Los Angeles Maritime Museum in downtown San Pedro at 3¼ miles. Walk a short block up 6th Street, then go right on Harbor Blvd., soon passing the Los Angeles World Cruise Center where huge cruise ships dock. Continue under the even more mammoth Vincent Thomas bridge at 4 miles where Harbor Blvd. becomes Front Street. The next 8 miles pass through a grim old decaying industrial area and into downtown Long Beach. They are not recommended. Continue on Front Street. At Pacific Avenue, you veer right on John S. Gibson Blvd. and follow it beside the Harbor Freeway. Around 6 miles that road turns east and becomes Harry Bridges Blvd. Follow it with the harbor district on your right and the area of Los Angeles called Wilmington on your left.

Around 7¼ miles that street angles left and becomes Alameda Street, which you follow paralleling the railroad tracks. Around 8⅛ miles turn right on Anaheim Street and walk its sidewalk east. You pass beneath the Terminal Island Freeway before 9¼ miles, then continue along Anaheim Street to pass under the Long Beach Freeway at 10¼ miles. Beyond the freeway you cross the channelized Los Angeles River and enter Long Beach.

Immediately turn right onto the bike path on the river levee and follow it to the waterfront. At 12 miles the path turns east past an RV park on the left and a newly created wetlands on the right. You then pass the Catalina ferry landing, then the new Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. At the Aquarium go left (north) and circle around Queensway Bay Harbor before reaching Shoreline Village and section's end at 12¾ miles.

ALTERNATE ROUTE: Instead of taking the bike path along the river, continue on Anaheim Blvd. and make a right on Pine Avenue through the middle of downtown Long Beach. At Ocean Blvd. make a short jog to the left toward the huge Long Beach Convention Center where you will find a wide boardwalk and plaza running along the length of the building. The boardwalk crosses Shoreline Drive on an overpass and descends a staircase to Shoreline Park. Turn left, skirting the edge of the lagoon and a small boat marina to arrive at Shoreline Village and the end of the walk at 12¾ miles.

SUGGESTED ROUND TRIPS AND LOOPS: A pleasant and interesting walk from the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium to the Los Angeles Maritime Museum and back makes a 6½-mile round trip. Visiting the aquarium, the museum and detouring into San Pedro's Old Town makes this walk worthwhile.

At the other end of the route, walk around downtown Long Beach, the Convention Center and Shoreline Aquatic Park to get a taste of this port town. One of the many astounding sights is the mural of full-sized whales painted on the Long Beach Arena. View the Queen Mary docked across the channel from the end of the jetty at Shoreline Village. Also be sure to visit the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. A free shuttle, red bus called the Passport, takes passengers all around the waterfront and downtown areas. There is also a water taxi from Shoreline Village to the Queen Mary.