Best pier in Los Angeles county California for sport fishing and beach vibes. Always a great time when you're there. read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

With stunning views of sunrise and sunsets, beaches along the coast, and the Queen Mary in the distance, this pier in Long Beach is mainly visited for fishing and casual walks from the beach trail. Historic dates to significant events are scattered around and displayed on benches. Most people come here for the fishing. The action is up and down, but when the mackerels and bonito are active, this pier gets packed with people trying to get a share. Most days of the year, it's a relaxing spot to fish for a variety of species. There is also no need for a fishing license when fishing on public piers. The cleanliness of the pier has been okay lately. Sometimes there's an unpleasant odor, trash on the ground, old bait, and other debris on the railing. An overall renovation is highly needed. This pier is also shorter than the piers in Seal Beach and Huntington Beach, but it is still a good place to walk and relax. The restaurant at the end of the pier, Buoy's on the Pier, has been closed for years. However, there is a small snack shop at the pier entrance. There are a few bathrooms available on the pier, along with a couple of sinks. A paid parking lot is available and open 1 hour before sunrise, closing at midnight. The lot is relatively clean and well-lit. Payments through self-serve kiosks or the Passport parking mobile app, with hourly charge rates. Vehicles with disabled placards are exempt from fees. read more

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This is a great place for some quiet time to fish, it's not a busy pier like others and there's not much traffic. There is convenient parking and portable restrooms with plenty of great views of Long Beach, the Queen Mary, and Catalina Land in the distance. Me and my buddies had a blast and enjoyed our day fishing!! read more

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This pier is set up for fishing. All the railing has plastic tops so you can cut bait and fish. It's a long pier and I enjoyed jogging to the end and watching all the fisherman, along with some hungry birds looking for handouts. read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Belmont Beach is one of our preferred beach walks. And we like walking down piers to view the waters and the ports northward. There are some structures at the end of the pier for businesses; however, they are all closed. It would, perhaps, look better if they were removed (Like those on the Seal Beach pier) , so we could have a full unobstructed view of the ocean. There are many people fishing and actually catching fish. Not sure how safe and edible these fish may be though. There is a vendor on the front end of the pier where you can purchase snacks and beverages. There is an ice cream vending machine at the end of the pier. I didn't test it out during this visit, maybe next time! You can take pretty nice pictures of the sun and stay for a beautiful sunset for that romantic capture. Stay safe and stay healthy. Wish you a happy walk! read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Its not quite a destination pier, but its quiet and dotted with people fishing. Quite international in that they play their fave music while they cast their cares away. So at the end was something shuttered. At the entrance had benches with commemorative dates of key war events. Wish they added the actual event instead of only the date. Recognized of course the Pearl Harbor dates. "A date that will live in infamy"- FDR read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - "A date which will live in infamy" - FDR - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

Yeah.... well... I guess this is an OK pier? It's definitely not a quarter as exciting as Santa Monica or even half as exciting as Huntington's. I'd like to see it revitalized a little. Sure, I guess it's an OK spot for fishing.. but there's really nothing else on it. Maybe a decent restaurant would be nice? You can get a nice view of downtown Long Beach from it, which is one (the only?) plus side. 2019: 9/100 read more

This use to be my favorite pier to fish and hang out with the family. Bathrooms were always clean. Then they went to port a potty's and they still kept those clean. The last few times the port a potty's have been super nasty and full. Yesterday we were there and once again. Looked like the port a potty's hadn't been cleaned in a week. Poop all over the floor and filled up to the top. Places like this should have them cleaned out daily. It's just nasty walking by that area. It stinks. Yesterday was probably the last time I'll be there. read more

I wasn't sure if I wanted to visit this pier after reading the reviews. This pier definitely looks older and has less to offer than most of the piers in the area, but I find it really refreshing. It is a quaint and simple, perfect to enjoy the setting without the crazy crowds you will find in lots of other piers in the area. I visited around noon during week and there were several people fishing at the end, barely dozen visitors in total and I personally loved how quiet it was. On the west side at the dunes, close to Shoreline beach there is a funky mural "I Love LBC" and a meter that measures how many people walked/biked/ran on a exercising path. Plenty of parking spaces available during the weekdays. read more

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Great spot to unwind..to come and enjoy the ocean..we usually come to the pier and fish..its a family tradition read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - Pure serenity - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

First time visit. Weekday about 4:30pm. Very peaceful, clean, quiet (believe it or not), landscape looks neat & kept. The pier is a great place to visit as a first timer. There was a huge tanker docked about 2 miles away but it looked more like 200 yards away. Parking appears not to be an issue either in the lot or on the streets (S. Termino or E. Olympic Plz) during the week. Do not know about weekends. There are apartments & businesses dotted along the beachfront on either side of the pier & is easily accessible from Ocean Blvd. Need to eat fast food, there's a Jack-In-The-Box on the corner of S. Termino & Ocean. Overall, it was an A-OK experience. Piers are hard to give more than a 3-Star unless they are spectacular or have the WOW factor. This pier is not meant for that, as it is dedicated as a Veterans Memorial Pier. Happy Pier PEERing and FIGHT ON! read more

FISHING! FISHING! FISHING! If you are searching for a pier to fish off of in the LBC or Belmont area, this would be it. I like to start out near Cherry and walk the beach down to the pier and back everyday for exercise and to de-stress and the other day I decided to walk to the end of the pier too. Well, I can tell you, this is not a carnival pier, or a shopping pier, or a bar hopping pier, or a romantic pier, or even a good eats pier. This is a fishing pier. The smell of fish was pretty strong. I found it quite engaging though because I don't fish and I have no idea how it all works. I do watch deadliest catch, but of course that is totally different. Anyway, people do bike down it and walk down it, but for the most part everyone is seriously fishing. They have all their gear and the gulls and pelicans and even the seals know it. You will see all of the above hanging around, hoping for some excess chum. At the end of the pier it forms a T with a wing to each side - and there is a snack shop/bait and tackle place called Buoys at the end of it. I went to the right and the view from that side of downtown and the queen mary is gorgeous. I was there as the sunset and it was very pretty. See my photos... so for hanging out or exercise it isn't that great, but for fishing i think it must be great, considering how many people were there doing just that! read more

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So I had a job, and I had a day off. It was Columbus Day. Usually, in my past life, I'd take the opportunity to go galavanting around the state seeing new places and exciting things. Sadly, I hadn't had a job for a while. So I figured I wanted to do a bit of galavanting, but not a whole weekend's worth, as my bank account was pretty tapped out, and my new job didn't pay quite as much as the last ones did. So I decided a beach would be fun. I opened up Yelp, and asked it to take me to a beach. This place came up. Parking was way easy. I gave the parking machine my card, and it took a buck or two for several hours of parking in the spot I had left my car in. I did have to remember which spot that was, but that's why our phones have cameras. Right? So, comfortable with my warm & fuzzy parking spot, I marched out to the beach. I walked along the beach for a lil bit. Just to feel the sand between my toesies and the cold seawater on my jeans refreshed my entire spirit and outlook. Afterwards, I ventured out on the pier. It was really nice. There's a bunch of benches honoring war heroes, there's a bunch of bathrooms, there's a really big building at the end....oop...there's a lil kid pissing just outside the bathrooms... I guess the convenience store was closed seeing as how it was a holiday today. While It'd be really nice to enjoy a cold beverage out here over the water, No matter. The pier was still nice. Fisherman were all over the thing. Parasailers and kite surfers were flying along the beach. It was super scenic, and very relaxing. Seagulls dotted the railings hoping to catch some of the fisherman's spoils. There was even a California seal just below along the waterline snacking on one fisherman's bait. (Courtesy of his young daughter who was having the time of her life with the animal.) After a few hours of walking and beach time, with rejuvenated spirits and cleaned out brain-junk, I walked back towards the car. It was nice. It was fun. Adventures don't have to be super expensive at all. They just have to take your sh*t mentality, and make it cleaner than it was. Peace. Nice. Thank you Veteran's Park. Just what the Scooter ordered. read more

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I came here the other day with my friend as we were running on the sand. We ran up the ramp, onto the pier, to the end and back. The pier is pretty small, and it is an ideal walk to take when you find yourself in Belmont Shore. It is accessible from Ocean Avenue, and you see many people biking, running, and walking it. Daytime brings retirees that like to enjoy the solemn landscape. Late afternoon and weekends bring a varied crowd. Not too bad a place to get away from stress. read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

I did a review already but wanted to do one for yelp. This beach is beyond disgusting do not go here!! my husband was fishing and ended up catching something that looked like a mango?¿ He sliced it open to see if it was, and there was guts and blood gushing out with a horrific smell. that means this was a living THING! Never seen anything like it... Let alone the water to go in to enjoy "swimming" is filled with trash. We will be returning to fish in Malibu this was very disappointing. read more

Vesta and I lived about a two minute walk from the Belmont Pier, which is now the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier, for years. But we moved to a beach condo on the sand in Huntington Beach, where we could see that pier from our front window and a year after that we moved far away for a long time. Now we're back in America and living in Reno, much more that a two minute walk away. But we remember the Belmont Pier fondly as we've spent countless hours on it. It's always been a wonderful five star place. You can fish or watch others fish. You can talk to the fisherman and you used to be able to eat at the great restaurant on the end of it. Not anymore, but maybe someday again. Anyway, we were in Victorville, Southern California's high desert, visiting family for a week and we decided to take a day off and visit the piers we loved so much. We got to the Belmont Pier about a half hour before sunrise. It was foggy. There were fishermen fishing and they were as friendly as the fishermen we remembered from all those years ago. And the pier is still grand, though the restaurant no longer works and the end of the pier is in disrepair. Which is why it's a three star pier, but don't get me wrong it's still a wonderful place and we're hoping they get the pier fixed and another restaurant opens someday in the near future. We'll come next year. PS. The fog made for some interesting photographs, especially of the birds who eyed us, looking for a snack. We had no snack food for them, but they let us photograph them anyway. read more

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Dont know what other people complain about but I love this beach for one big reason - best place I have ever been to for Grunion Run. I have tried difference beaches but never catch anything. Last year, my friend and I came here by mistake when heading to Seal beach. We went home with a large cooler filled fish. We went again this year went home with a lot of fish too. We learned not to catch too much. It is fun to catch them but we dont know what to do afterward. Side note: they are plenty toward the end of the schedule hours. If the schedule is 10 to 12am, harvest time is after 11:30 read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - Grunionnnn.... - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

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We simply come for the fishing- mackerel to be specific. The times that we've come to fish we've mostly caught mackerel and maybe a few jack smelt here and there. Despite the lack of diversity we've been catching, we enjoy coming here because mackerel put up a good fight, much more than a trout or a smelt may give you. So we believe it is very worth while coming out here and parking is a bit cheaper than seal beach pier. A tip for those looking to catch mackerel, they are attracted to mackerel so best to catch at least one and use it as bait. Also using a Sabiki rig is very helpful and many people catch two to three at once depending on how the fishing is that day. Although a regular drop shot rig with 1- 2oz pyramid weight at the end works well too! The only con we have is that Belmont Pier can get pretty crowded as far as fishing. Although it is a large pier, many people aiming to catch mackerel go where the mackerel are. So in one stretch of the pier there may be up to 6 or more fishermen all fishing the same spot. Just be sure to keep track of your line and that you're not crossing any others. Again, you don't need a fishing license for the pier so it's a great place to check out! read more

No Ruby's* here, kids. Usually I relish a pier walk, any pier...the fresh ocean breeze blowing happily over crisp, clean blue waters...so invigorating, so refreshing. But hey, we're in Long Beach and that now defunct breakwater off in the distance keeps this area from being nothing more than a salty, putrid and stagnant lake. This particular pier reeks of urine, dead fish and garbage. Dropping a baited line into this sea-muck takes guts, ignorance or starvation, maybe all three. Of all the many piers I've walked to the end of, this is the worst, the nastiest, and, as a veteran, I feel embarrassed by the name. I'm glad we were riding bikes when we got close cuz it made for a speedy retreat. (There's a small snack bar at the end but Ruby's found cleaner locations) *Ruby's has restaurants off many California piers. I wonder if the Belmont Brewing Co can improve my perspective (http://www.yelp.com/biz/belmont-brewing-co-long-beach#hrid:mwrKV10l9xG4KIFTqlPKxw)? Doubtful. read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - The best view...from afar - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

During a recent trip to the neighboring dog beach I decided to walk over to the pier to check it out. The walkway leading to and from the pier is large with separate bike and walking paths which is nice but the pier itself is quite bland with nothing of note. I thought the fact that this was a Veterans Memorial Pier that it would have a bit more substance and care. Upon walking on the pier your senses instantly get hit with the smell of urine which is no surprise considering the large congregation of homeless under the pier. The pier itself is completely taken over by families fishing off the side (although I have no clue what they were fishing for as I did not see anyone catch a thing) and their kids running around, horseplaying and climbing the pier walls (an accident waiting to happen). At the end of the pier sits a small window to order snacks but does not feature your typical end of pier fair that most are accustomed to. Overall the pier is just a bit run down with little to nothing to do and the smell and homeless population (which is a big area of concern in this location) is a bit sad and alarming. It looks like they may be upgrading the bathroom facilities on the pier so perhaps this is a sign of things to come but for now I would not return and simply continue on the path past the pier and over to greener pastures. read more

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I'm surprised this pier is dedicated to the veterans and the state it is in. The pier is unkept and it's dirty. There was trash and it smelled bad. I know a lot of people come here for fishing, but it doesn't smell bad cause of the fishing. It smells old and musty. The pier needs to be renovated as the paint is chipping and the wood looked like it was rotting. Other than that, you do get some nice beach views of the Long Beach coastline. On a clear day you can see up to Palos Verdes. There are no stores or interesting points to see at the pier. There is only one tiny restaurant at the end. Overall, it's an okay pier and I hope that the city renovates it to make it better. read more

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This was one of the most unique piers I have ever seen. On memorial day, the pier was FULL...there were people everywhere, walking, biking and fishing. People fish off the sides, and then when they catch the fish, there are sinks with cutting boards on the pier for them to chop the fish up and clean them. I saw a father cutting a fish while a little boy tried grab its head and heart as it was still alive. The father threw the head back in the water and kept cutting. I also saw a seal off the side of the pier at the end...it was huge, it was barking and flipping...then disappeared into the water... read more

We were looking for a beach after having lunch at Roscoes because we promised our nieces that we would go to the beach. After driving around aimlessly for awhile, we came across the Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier. We we're able to find street parking so there was no need to pay a parking fee inside their parking area. We must have visited at a very good time because there was absolutely no crowds. I have no idea if it is always like that, but we truly enjoyed the solitude. It was a Saturday late afternoon that we were here. There was a long pier where we could see some people fishing, but we did not go to that area. We just stayed on the beach close to the water. The weather was perfect, and the area was picture perfect. It was two hours of relaxing and playing with our nieces. Fun times and we would come back here the next time we're in the area. read more

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We went there in winter time, and it was pretty creepy. A lot of homeless folk, some rowdy teenagers and random fisherman. The pier itself is kind of old and shabby, full of cracks in cement and bird droppings everywhere. Maybe in the summer, when both the sun and the people are out, it is a little more cheerful, but in the winter it is dead and sad :( Oh yeah, the only excitement added to the walk was a huge pelican chilling on the rail : ) read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

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It's one of the few places you can fish without a license. The fish are tiny, and we only caught 3. To answer Darren M's question, we fed the tiny fish to the local Pelican (see photos). I agree the pier could be kept cleaner. But fishing here is free and super easy, and a pretty fun way to spend a beautiful day. read more

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I'm a fan because it's about 5 miles from where I live to walk to this pier. Good cheap exercise. If you're looking for shopping or activities on this pier, there isn't any. Except during the summer, when the Aqualink boat comes here and makes a pitstop. Also during the summer, some weekend family friendly festivals. And the boat races that I always seem to miss. Anyways, came here to enjoy the sunset and came upon this lone pelican perched on the pier. Lots of families and people fishing here. Nice, laid back scene, nothing fancy. Signs say no dogs allowed but you'll see them here. After 6pm parking lot is FREE. read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - Respect the pelican! This is his home... - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

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"Eek! Methinks not" is an understatement. This poor pier could be so so so much nicer than it is, especially considering the location. It's the "oh my lord what the F%#! is that smell" kinda dirty and don't even think about trying to sit because there is some sort of dried up fish gut thing happening on all of the benches. The one star almost made it to two because of the addition of the (summer months only) AquaLink shuttle service ($5) which is nice for a quick trip over to the Queen Mary but then they lost the half star due to their website trying to pass on a little piece of malware to me when I was trying to get information. WTH? Final impression: DESPERATELY in need of a complete overhaul read more

Came here for years as a kid. Was the fishing spot for a long time. And at times had luck it was great. But came here the other day and to my dismay wow what a change. Pay to park not bad think it was a buck an hour. Walked the pier and was sad it has begone to fall apart. Had a good little dinner when I was there last but its gone. And the park that was next to the pool is gone to bummer. read more

One of my favorite piers to fish at! I was born and raised here in long beach and ive been coming here since i was a kid. Its a very nice place to visit amongst the views and all it is a nice place to fish and have family time! Ill always call this my home because this is where i grew up at! I always fish ride bikes and skateboard down the track from cherry beach to the pier every weekend! Even sometimes i go after work just to have a little peace of time! Great place to visit and highly recommended for Fisherman trying to catch some fish! read more

The pier itself is a great distraction with a beautiful view. Catch many people on dates or just going for a stroll. Sometimes at night a seal will swim by while people fish at night. Although I still don't understand why people fish here with all the toxic warning signs posted all over the pier about the FISH, it's beyond me. The restaurant at the end of the pier is abandoned, while there still remains available ice cream and soda machines. The waves and water is not as crazy as Huntington Beach's pier due to the breakwater so this pier is pretty " safe" . Love coming here at night after running stairs :) read more

It's the pier, what else is there to say. Needs updating at the end with vendors n facilities. will return read more

Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier - Parks Near Me - Long Beach, California

Stopped here after going to walk in Belmont shore , 2nd street. It was a Sunday. Not too crowded , was able to find free street parking. There is a small vons within walking distance to grab food. There are also plenty of trees for shade. Def coming back. read more

I came here as a kid with my dad. We would come alot on weekends so he could fish. I have so many memories here with my now deceased dad. When I was small he would catch many fish and even crabs. It was so cool to just set your chairs or buckets out and fish all day. Now it's not the best or prettiest pier but it is good to walk on and see what people catch. We came on memorial day and there were alot of people fishing and it seems they opened up some new bathrooms by the little bait shop. They also opened up the back of the building so people can eat and watch the view. read more

The veteran's pier basically is where 39th ends towards the ocean. On the pier you'll find the typical people fishing over the side and hanging out with their buckets to secure their catches for the day. I personally wasn't very impressed with the pier, it seemed pretty dumpy and had a weird smell to it. All the bathrooms at the time were out of order and replaced with portables. Towards the end of the pier is a restaurant or snack to grab food, however from the looks of things, I would never grab anything to eat from there. The whole pier was just grimy, nothing seemed very up kept about this place. Also the homeless people walking around muttering stuff loudly didn't help anything. read more

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In terms of the ambience, this pier is one of my favorites, mostly because everybody minds their own business. Everybody is fishing in the wee hours, plus this pier is dog friendly, from what I have heard. Located right in Belmont Shore, this pier is not too far from the 2nd Street nightlife, the hipster haven on 4th St and Downtown Long Beach. Parking is plentiful in the lot. Just beware that you must pay! If you're lucky, you might find street parking. This pier often reeks of urine. The water here is not the cleanest, nor does it look that way. You will find fish eyes and guts littered throughout the pier. It leaves a bad smell! Overall, there are a bevy of eateries to choose from nearby. Belmont Brewing Co. is my favorite so far. I would continue to come here, only because during the later evening hours it is not as packed. It still will stink though!!!!!!! read more

Was another hot day...to celebrate the end of summer, Mac decided for us to hit the beach. Great idea. read more

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Quick & Dirty: The smelly stepsister of So Cal piers. She may not be pretty but she's still a pier to walk out on. Long & Smelly: Girl, you smell like FISH! Don't be sad though little Belmont Pier, it's not your fault that you stink. You could have been a really hot pier like Seal Beach, Redondo, or Huntington, but the powers-that-be decided that it's best that LB has a breakwater. Therefore, you are stuck with the fisherman who use you like the dirty little pier that you are. http://static.px.yelp.com/photo/d7so8wOSqY5zxyJxpkqfpg/l You do have some good virtues though Belmont Pier, like your view. Many of mornings have been spent on your benches watching the sunrise. http://static.px.yelp.com/photo/E3JqiScg1FeVvO_y9eCPvA/l One other thing though before I go Belmont Pier. Why do you smell like shit? No, seriously. You never used to and now down by the bike path you smell like feces, why is that? It's okay, I still love you. I just hold my breath while I walk past that point. Maybe one day, if we are lucky, that breakwater will come down and you will be a proper pier that people will respect. I have faith in you Belmont Pier! http://static.px.yelp.com/photo/SgILDvn_Tbaj5aBJmzvyXw/l Will I go here again? Yes, because I like to run on it. But, it is the smelliest pier I think I've ever been on. Should you go here? Sure, it's got a nice view of LB any time of day. Smell ya later! read more

Um, contrary to the reviews below, all piers are awesome. Seriously, it's a public place where you can take in the beauty of the ocean, the beach, and some downtown views. You can walk to/from Belmont Shore, and it's a great addition to a long run because it's usually not crowded. Some piers are more touristy, with rides and fancy restaurants/bars (but even those have homeless people). Belmont pier is about fishing! There's 1 small bait shop/snack bar. It's not a dining destination; it's for hungry fishermen. Overall, love a place that's scenic, easy for walking, has great views, and allows dogs. read more

Here's a pier I don't have to visit again! Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier sounds so nice and inviting and a great place to meet up with family just hearing the name. It's a very large pier. It has a lot of the 1984 Summer Olympic facilities around it and is close to a great area where you can find all sorts of cool places to eat. There are bike/walking paths around it and the beach spreads out for miles around it. However, the day I happened to visit this pier (and I highly doubt it was some odd fluke) had mostly homeless people, people on drugs, and other very strange folks all up and down the pier. There's nothing to do on or around the pier and the fact that the parking lot had roughly 5 cars in it should have tipped me off that maybe this wasn't the next Santa Monica. We walked the whole pier and then walked right back off. The benches were all extremely dirty and had old socks, or garbarge on them, or old food or something smeared on half of them. Skip this pier and go anywhere else! read more

Fishing Review Hands down the best place to fish in the Long Beach area without having a boat. No fishing license required. It can get really crowded at times. The best times to avoid the big crowds is early in the morning. It is a good idea to bring a chair since benches are limited. A bait shop is available, but it is best to bring a variety of your own bait. Parking is about a dollar an hour, or $10 all day. Free parking after 6pm. The only downside to this place is having to use a porta-pottie. Bring sanitizer. read more