Wrigley is a hidden gem that is known by locals for its name and its tradition as a well-established historic neighborhood. As one of the earliest developments of Long Beach, this neighborhood has seen a lot of change but remains largely untouched by time. Tidy streets lined with palm trees and carefully tended lawns give this area the nostalgic feeling of suburban America which has changed in some parts of Southern California.
This is a traditional Spanish-style home in Wrigley.
Yes, That Wrigley
The Wrigley neighborhood was founded by the Wrigley Gum dynasty’s William Wrigley Jr. It began as a 12-acre development of Spanish style homes in 1927. It was one of the earliest developments in Long Beach. While William Wrigley never built any additional homes outside the original 12 acres, the name stuck and became a marketing tool for other developers in the area. Prior to being developed by the Wrigley family, parts of the modern Wrigley area were considered to be Willows Park and Pacific Boulevard, which began developing as early as 1906. In the modern era, the neighborhood offers an interesting mix of home styles. Many of the original Spanish style homes still remain and a stretch of Eucalyptus has been designated by the city of Long Beach as a historic district.
The L.A. River Bike Path
The L.A. River Bike Path is not specific to Wrigley. However, the neighborhood is bordered by the bike path on the west. It runs from the City of Vernon to Shoreline Park in Downtown Long Beach. The Wrigley stretch of the path was the first portion built. Today, it is 51 miles. The park portion closest to the neighborhood is called Wrigley Greenbelt. Collectively, all portions of the bike path are part of the far larger Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. The entire trail travels through California and Arizona.
Improvements to the river basin were initially proposed by the RiverLink project in 2006. Since then, it’s become a huge draw to the biking community. The annual Wrigley River Run and Tadpole Trot are held in this area.
A section of the bike path in the Wrigley neighborhood.
Local Landscape
Hungry Horse Drive-In is a fascinating return to an old-school burger joint, but with a twist. This joint serves Japanese fast food as well! It’s small and cash only, but be ready for an amazing serving of burgers, shrimp fried rice, and teriyaki. Also on Willow is Buono’s Authentic Pizzeria, which offers up Italian fare. If you’re in the mood for some Mexican food, Joliza’s Tacos has some of the best around!
A past Christmas parade in Wrigley.
As far as activities, the area’s yearly Daisy Avenue Christmas Tree Lane and Parade is a must. It includes miniature scenes, elaborate Christmas lights, and beautiful Christmas trees. The annual Wrigley River Run also draws people to the neighborhood with a 10K Run, 5K Run/Walk, and a kids’ 1K.
If you don’t want to attend an event, there are plenty of options for relaxing and spending the afternoon outside. There are many small parks scattered on both sides of Willow Street, including Veterans Memorial Park, the Wrigley Greenbelt, and Avila Park. The Wrigley Heights Dog Park also allows you to bring your canine friend with you for a romp outside.
Beautiful Wrigley Homes
The Wrigley neighborhood is a great mixture of housing types and sizes. With the exception of a few condo complexes, most of them are single-family homes. The original tract of homes in the neighborhood was Spanish style. But today you can also find great ranch homes, the occasional Craftsman, and an abundance of unique little traditional homes with details all across the spectrum.
Charming Wrigley home lined with traditional California trees.
A home on a large lot in Wrigley.
A unique Wrigley home.
A Spanish-style home in the Wrigley neighborhood.
Think you’re ready to sell your house in Wrigley or move there? The Shannon Jones Team has decades of experience buying and selling homes in the Long Beach area, with the Wrigley neighborhood being one of our best markets. The map below shows the homes currently for sale in the area and our contact form is below as well. Fill it out today and let us know how we can help you!
If you still want more information on Wrigley, please click HERE for our neighborhood page.
