Long Beach, California, is one of the most beautiful cities in the country with stunning ocean front views and spectacular park scenery. Although Long Beach is the fifth largest city in California, it has been able to minimize the number of serious bike accidents by building and expanding bike paths in key areas of the city.

In 2006, there were 152 bike accidents in Long Beach including one fatal collision. Although the city would like to have even fewer bike accidents, the numbers are quite small for a city of 500,000 people. As Long Beach continues to grow, so do the bike paths that continue to make cycling a safe alternative to driving.

Long Beach has bike paths along several of its city streets and has also added integral pathways in other key areas:

Los Angeles River Bikeway: This bike path connects Long Beach and Los Angeles as it heads north along the Los Angeles River. You can choose to use the path as a safe connection from downtown Long Beach to the port or you can try something more adventurous and cycle north to Los Angeles. The trail extends for nearly 50 miles as it follows the riverbed all the way to Burbank, California.

San Gabriel River Trail: This 28-mile bike path runs along the coast; reaching from the San Gabriel River through the El Dorado Regional Park and reaching all the way to the Alamitos Bay Marina. It is a popular bike path in Long Beach and is a great way to avoid the busy streets and potential bike accidents.

Shoreline Pedestrian Bike Path: If you're looking for more scenery than speed, this Long Beach bike path takes you 4.5 miles along the sand of Shoreline Village to downtown or even over to Bayshore Avenue in Belmont Shore. Just remember, you need to be careful of walkers, joggers, skaters, and skateboarders if you want to avoid bike accidents in this area.

Heartwell Park Bike Path: This bikeway runs through the scenic Heartwell Park and connects to the San Gabriel River Bike Trail and numerous roadway paths where you'll have your own bike lane. Although it is only 2.5 miles long, it is a great place to escape the busy roads and enjoy a slower pace.

Although Long Beach doesn't have bike paths on all the roadways, the city is certainly doing its part to reduce the number of bike accidents. However, a collision can happen at any time. If there are not bike lanes, ride defensively and act as though you are invisible to other vehicles on the road. If there are bike lanes, still be cautious as they don't guarantee your safety while cycling.