Laguna Beach’s (Sea)star-studded History

When we hear “beach town,” we typically think of gorgeous ocean views, good food, sprawling cliffs, and people washing away their worries in the water. Laguna Beach has no shortage of these things, of course. And that means it’s attracted all manner of notable names over the years. It’s even home to several 2021 Tokyo Olympians: legendary skateboarder Nyjah Huston resides in a modernist mansion that overlooks Laguna Beach itself, and the Fischer sisters of women’s water polo fame also hail from here. What initially seems to be a sleepy beach town is actually chock full of celebrity backstories — if you know where to look.

Today, we’ll dive into the homes owned by just a few of the many big names who lived in Laguna Beach, both as vacation homes and as permanent residences.

Bette Midler
We’ll start this list off with a bang: Bette Midler’s seaside mansion in Victoria Beach! The singer, songwriter, actress, and all-around talent is just one of many noteworthies who have inhabited this quaint Norman-style cottage over the years. It’s tucked right into the cliffs above Victoria Beach; visitors can head down to the shore from the mansion by way of a legendary “Pirate’s Tower.” This 60-foot spire looks like it was transported straight from the swashbuckling days, but it was actually built in 1926 by a Los Angeles Senator named William E. Brown.

The tower would later earn its name from the mansion’s second owner, retired naval captain Harold Kendrick, who would often dress like a pirate and hide coins in the cliff’s rocks for children to find. He would also regale the local kids with stories from his seafaring days. Maybe the only thing Laguna Beach is missing these days is an eccentric sailor-turned-neighborhood pirate?

Hobie Alter
Where would the sport of surfing be today without Hobie Alter? Part avid surfer, part tinkerer, and all heart, Hobie Alter paved the way for surfing’s widespread popularity with his personal invention: the foamcore surfboard. Alter and his friends first created the foamcore boards out of the Alter family summer home’s garage, located on Gaviota Drive (Oak Street would soon become a surfing hotspot). These composite boards made surfing accessible to the masses, a mission Alter happily carried out through his Hobie Surf Shops. Later, he would introduce his own brand of stand-up paddleboards and skateboards. Alter passed away in 2014, but his memory will still live on in Laguna Beach and around the world.

Mark Cuban
It’s only natural for Laguna Beach’s serene ocean views and mild climate to attract some of California’s biggest money names. Billionaire investor Mark Cuban is no exception. Back in 2018, he purchased a mansion in the fabled Montage Residences community for $19 million and… well, I’ll let this tour of the house do the talking. Pretty incredible, really.

Diane Keaton
Actress Diane Keaton is the embodiment of eccentricity, with a career spanning Hair, The Godfather, Annie Hall, and a slew of other Hollywood and Broadway productions. Laguna Beach, then, was the perfect home for Keaton. Her former Spanish Mediterannean mansion is located on Cliff Drive, just steps from downtown Laguna and even closer to the beach. Keaton herself no longer lives there, but that just means the property is ripe for the picking. When it graces the market next, that is.

John Steinbeck
Before Laguna Beach became the bustling tourist destination we know it as today, this sleepy little coastal town was the retreat of many of California’s greatest artists and creative minds. Notables like Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, and Judy Garland frequented the city often, as did writer John Steinbeck. While Steinbeck only stayed in Laguna from 1931 to 1932, this shingled cottage on 504 Park Ave. was the birthplace of some of Steinbeck’s most famous works. Both The Pastures of Heaven and Tortilla Flat vaulted Steinbeck into the national eye, but few know they were written in a tiny abode which still exists today. Could he have honed his craft without the aid of his Laguna home?

This list only scratches the surface of the big names who’ve made Laguna Beach such a storied town over the years. If you want to know more about the celebrities who called Laguna Beach home, or if you just want to learn about the state of luxury housing here, get in touch with Cary Glenn at Main Beach Realty in Laguna Beach, CA. With 20 years of experience in beachside and luxury home real estate, Cary Glenn will work closely with you to help you find a solution that works best for you.