Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
29 days ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
29 days ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
29 days ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
29 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Laguna Beach Victoria Beach's Pirate Tower

Victoria Beach's Pirate Tower

This strange seaside tower got its name from a wealthy eccentric who would hide coins among its stones.

Laguna Beach, California

Added By
benihoopla
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Victoria Beach’s Pirate Tower   benihoopla / Atlas Obscura User
Victoria Beach’s Pirate Tower   benihoopla / Atlas Obscura User
Victoria Beach’s Pirate Tower   Steve Jurvetson on Flickr
Tide is getting high   benihoopla / Atlas Obscura User
  glamsiren / Atlas Obscura User
  bethebush / Atlas Obscura User
  joeypesto / Atlas Obscura User
High Tide at Pirate Tower   kirstenalana / Atlas Obscura User
Anemones at base of tower   Lampshade1660 / Atlas Obscura User
Pirate Tower 2/26/2017   Keri Kilgo / Atlas Obscura User
  dapaul2017 / Atlas Obscura User
  dapaul2017 / Atlas Obscura User
The door to the tower   dapaul2017 / Atlas Obscura User
Pirate Tower   nicolecwoley / Atlas Obscura User
Pirates Tower at Victoria’s Beach   vampybunny / Atlas Obscura User
Pirates Tower   vampybunny / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

This enigmatic seaside tower on California's Victoria Beach looks like something out of a storybook, and given that it is lovingly known as the "Pirate Tower," it would seem to live up to the mystique. However, in reality, it was just a rich eccentric's private staircase. 

The lonely spire that is built into the rocky beach cliff face actually belongs to the estate that sits at the top of the cliff. Built in 1926, the 60-foot tower reaches from the edge of the water up to the top of the cliff where the house sits, holding a private staircase inside for the owners to use to access the beach. Unfortunately, there seems to have a been a bit of a design flaw as the exit door and some of the towers become submerged and inaccessible during high tide, rendering the stairs unusable, while the tower remains as lovely as ever.

It seems to have been the second owner of the estate who earned the tower its swashbuckling nickname. As the story goes, he would dress up like a pirate and hide coins and candy in the nooks and crannies between the rocks of the tower, so that the local kids could go hunting for the buried treasure. It is also said that they would play games where the winner could earn a chance to grab "cold cash," a bowl full of coins he kept in the fridge. 

Related Tags

Towers Pirates

Know Before You Go

The tower (and the mansion above) have changed hands a number of times over the years (at one point belonging to Bette Midler). Regardless of who owns the property, the tower remains, although now it is locked. However, adventurous souls can still find their way to the base of the tower at low tide, and dream of a swashbuckling history that never really was.

Community Contributors

Added By

benihoopla

Edited By

MagnumPI, EricGrundhauser, kirstenalana, dearestnature...

  • MagnumPI
  • EricGrundhauser
  • kirstenalana
  • dearestnature
  • nicolecwoley
  • dapaul2017
  • Keri Kilgo
  • Lampshade1660
  • glamsiren
  • vampybunny
  • bethebush
  • fukarwe
  • joeypesto

Published

January 28, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.visitlagunabeach.com/blog/post/2015/13/LAGUNA-S-HIDDEN-HISTORY-The-Victoria-Beach-Pirate-Tower/67/
  • http://www.californiabeaches.com/la-tour-mysterious-tower-laguna/
  • http://www.ocweekly.com/news/mysteries-of-laguna-the-pirate-tower-of-victoria-beach-6468760
  • http://www.yelp.com/biz/victoria-beach-laguna-beach
Victoria Beach's Pirate Tower
2713 Victoria Dr
Laguna Beach, California, 92651
United States
33.521485, -117.764544
Get Directions

Nearby Places

'The Greeter'

Laguna Beach, California

miles away

Mission San Juan Capistrano

San Juan Capistrano, California

miles away

Arroyo Bird Park

San Juan Capistrano, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach

California

Places 2

Nearby Places

'The Greeter'

Laguna Beach, California

miles away

Mission San Juan Capistrano

San Juan Capistrano, California

miles away

Arroyo Bird Park

San Juan Capistrano, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach

California

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

Explore Victoria Beach’s Mysterious Pirate Tower

Video

Sponsored by Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Get Lost in These Real-World Fairy Tale Landscapes

forests

By Meg Neal

Related Places

  • Signs at the top inform of what visitors are seeing

    Smołdzino, Poland

    Rowokół

    For centuries, this hill along the Polish coast has been used as a lookout—and the rumored home of pirate treasure.

  • Almenara Torre Nueva with Gibraltar in the background

    La Línea de la Concepción, Spain

    Torre Nueva

    The defensive tower was built centuries ago to warn locals of Berber pirate attacks.

  • Bowman’s Hill Tower

    New Hope, Pennsylvania

    Bowman's Hill Tower

    This stone tower marks a lookout point over the historic Washington Crossing, and maybe some buried treasure.

  • Blackbeard’s Castle

    St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

    Blackbeard's Castle

    Rumored to be the famed pirate's lookout tower, this historic stone structure is now just watching for tourists.

  • Ana de Mendoza y de la Cerda, Princess of Éboli, was imprisoned for six months in the tower.

    Pinto, Spain

    Torreón de Pinto (Tower of Pinto)

    A mid-14th-century tower that served as a prison for Spanish nobles.

  • Gampola, Sri Lanka

    Ambuluwawa Tower

    An asymmetrically spiraling tower perched on top of a protected mountain.

  • New Delhi, India

    Alai Minar

    On the grounds of the famous Qutab Minar lies another unfinished tower meant to be twice as tall.

  • The last surviving semaphore tower.

    Cobham, England

    Chatley Heath Semaphore Tower

    This five-story sentinel is the sole surviving semaphore tower in Britain.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.