By: Brooke Kennard

Those of you visiting from out of state are sure to notice the unseasonable sunshine and warm weather of Southern California this time of year. Perhaps the weather is what has brought you here. But many believe the holidays aren’t quite the same without snow. The beauty of our region is we can provide both! With a short drive to our local mountains, you’ll be in snow perfect for skiing, snow boarding and sledding. But here along the coast in beautiful Belmont Shore, you can enjoy outdoor dining and shopping with sunshine nearly year round.

Second Street and the fifteen intersecting side streets make up the charming business district of Belmont Shore. The business corridor lies in the heart of the exclusive seaside community, affectionately referred to by locals as “the Shore.” With more than 250 businesses calling Belmont Shore home, you are bound to find what you are looking for!

‘Tis the Season to Shop!
Belmont Shore boasts a wide array of shops along the fifteen-block strip. “Those in the know” know that great shopping is found here. There are the sought after chain stores such as The Gap, Banana Republic, Chico’s, Lucky Brand, Papyrus, and White House Black Market that most people know and love. However, most of the shops are independent and locally owned.
Eclectic, beachy, up scale and fashionable are some the words that come to mind when think ing about these specialty shops and boutiques. This is definitely a great place to shop for gifts. You will find fine jewelry, clothing, accessories, lingerie, swimwear, home décor items, hand crafted art pieces, bikes, toys & books, and music to name a few. But don’t forget to shop for yourself too (not that you will have any trouble doing so)!

In Good Cheer
You will find block after block of exquisite restaurants spanning the globe in cuisine. Enjoy the delicious but more familiar Italian, Mexican and Japanese to the more exotic Lebanese, Thai, and Indian.
If you have a sweet tooth, satisfy your cravings by visiting one of the bakeries, candy stores or yogurt shops. Amongst them are a bakery that creates amazing gooey cinnamon rolls, a cupcake company big on frosting and an old time candy store selling candy from everyone’s childhood.
On nights and weekends, the 21 and over crowd enjoys cocktails and live music at one of the restaurants, sports bars and taverns. The Shore is known for its friendly neighborhood pubs where locals connect, tunes play on the jukebox and sports can always be found on plasma TV’s. If fine wine or martinis are your spirit of choice, you’ll find one of our finer restaurants ready to serve you.

Christmas on Parade
Every year on the evening of the first Saturday in December, thousands line Second Street for the Belmont Shore Christmas Parade. This community tradition is now in its 26th year. One hundred festive entries parade down the one-mile route of Second Street. More than a dozen marching bands from local high schools provide spirited music as their cheerleaders and dance squads perform for the crowd. Of course, no Christmas Parade would be complete without an appearance by Santa Claus, who always ends the parade by riding above the crowd in a Long Beach fire truck.
This year’s parade theme is ‘A Water Wonderland,’ celebrating the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Ten Year Anniversary. The theme reflects Belmont Shore’s proximity to the ocean. Belmont Shore may not have snow but it does have lots and lots of water! It’s sure to be a swimming good time!

Make Your Way to the Shore
Belmont Shore is a short drive from many So Cal cities. Whether you are coming south from LA or north from the OC, you will likely arrive in less than 30 minutes. Making the Shore even more easily accessible is its proximity to Pacific Coast Highway and the 405, 605, 22, and 710 freeways, which are within a couple miles from 2nd Street. For more information, visit belmontshore.org.