Marion Davies Guest House

The Marion Davies Guest House is the last remaining building on what was once William Randolph Hearst's fabulous ocean front estate. Built in the 1920s by architect Julia Morgan after Hearst became displeased with the original architect, a free tour of the house is a great peek into the history of Santa Monica. Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard and other stars of the day all enjoyed themselves at one of Marion's famous parties.

It may sound funny, but the most memorable aspect of the tour for me was the bathrooms. The colorful tile is simply stunning. I wouldn't mind having one of them in my house today!

The pool in front of the main house survives as well, and if the tiles look familiar - Morgan used them at Hearst Castle.

The Annenberg Community Beach House also offers beach gear rentals, a pool, playground, and sand courts for volleyball and tennis (reservations required). While it was too chilly for me to take advantage of these offerings during my visit, it might be worth checking out the site for visits during warmer weather.