Secret Walks #43, The Naples Canals, 2.2 miles we stretched into 3.5 miles because who wants to end an "I could definitely live here" hike?

Naples Island in Alamitos Bay between Long Beach and Seal Beach, is really three islands connected by canals. Conceived in 1903 by land speculator Arthur Parsons as a southern sister to the Venice Canals up the coast, this "Dreamland of Southern California" was completed in the 1920s and rebuilt in 1933 after the devastating 6.4 Long Beach earthquake. The view-gifted million $+ homes lining the bay and canals are landscaped with floral bursts of color and unique cacti from the front patio to the private slip in front for your catamaran, sailboat, skiff, speedboat, yacht, dinghy, or water taxi. One flowering bush brought us to a stop—the stems were populated with an army of caterpillars (one long green beauty pictured below.) As Barbara and I circled the islands, tourists in gondolas and locals in kayaks or on stand-up paddle boards greeted us from the waterways. A lovely stroll on any day, or wait until the holidays when the homes are decorated for the annual Naples Island Christmas Boat Parade.