Annenberg Community Beach House
Santa Monica, CA
Free grounds, splash pad & playground; pool has separate paid admission
By Simir Shah
Updated September 13, 2026
★★★★★4.7(1,971 Google reviews)
From our editor — we've been
This is a beautiful, hidden gem of a place — and it has a great history too. It was originally William Randolph Hearst's beach estate for actress Marion Davies, and decades later the Annenberg family donated $27.5 million to restore it and open it to the public. I've gone to multiple conferences there, and it's just an absolutely beautiful place to spend the day and take in the sights.
💡 Local tip: The splash pad, playground and grounds are free — it's only the historic pool itself that requires a separate paid admission.
A restored 1920s Hearst-era beach estate turned public beach house — splash pad, playground, a historic pool, and the Marion Davies Guest House, funded by a $27.5 million Annenberg Foundation grant. Architect Julia Morgan designed the original oceanfront compound for Hearst and actress Marion Davies, whose 1930s-era parties drew guests like Clark Gable and Charlie Chaplin. The site reopened to the public in 2009 after decades as a private beach club.
Good for
- Ages 0–2
- Works for a wide age range
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415 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90402, USA
Hours via Google — confirm before a special trip.
Map
Tides today
Next low tide
5:35 AM
2.1 ft — best for tide pools
Next high tide
12:28 AM
3.8 ft
Predictions from NOAA · Santa Monica station
What visitors say
- Chelsea T★★★★★
Took a free tour of the Marion Davies Guest House here yesterday and had such an amazing time! Obviously the house itself was beautiful and a treat to walk through (with a great view of the ocean to boot), but on top of that, our tour guide Cindy was excellent and really brought the Old Hollywood history of the place to life for us. In fact all of the docents I've met here are friendly and very knowledgeable. If you are a fan of movie history, especially the Silent era, this is a must-do. Learn something new about LA! Features: Plenty of public bathrooms at the community center (and one inside the Guest House), elevator for wheelchair access, splash pad for the kids, and located right on the bike/pedestrian trail. You can easily bike over from Santa Monica Pier
3 months ago
- Becky Nowalski★★★★★
Best kept secret in Santa Monica. It’s affordable and you can bring your own food, relax in a chaise lounge or go enjoy the sea and sand!
2 months ago
Showing 2 of 5 Google reviews · Read them all on Google Maps
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