Your TL;DR Travel Guide to Laguna Beach’s Pirates Tower
TLDR: Just off of PCH, you can see a 60-ft fairytale-like structure dubbed “Pirates Tower.” Built in the 1920s, Pirates Tower is a popular photo stop on the beach. All in all, you only need a short amount of time to enjoy this special spot. Victoria Beach, where the Tower is located, is truly beautiful and peaceful, so if you’re looking for a relaxing day, you can set-up your beach blanket and chill. Otherwise, head off and explore what else Laguna has to offer. (Spoiler, there is a lot of things to explore, eat, and buy).
- What to do at Victoria Beach
- How to Find Parking for Victoria Beach and Pirates Tower
- How to Get to Pirate’s Tower at Laguna Beach
- What’s the Bathroom Situation at Victoria Beach?
What to do at Victoria Beach
There are plenty of relaxing activities to do at Victoria Beach. The most popular, of course, is taking a few photos of the Tower. Depending on the tide, you may be able to walk around the tower and check out the tide pools – keep in mind, though, that the Tower itself is locked. You’ll also find that Victoria Beach is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the sand, sun, and sea water. If you’re feeling up to it, you can also take the trolley (or drive) to the downtown area for some shopping.
How to Find Parking for Victoria Beach and Pirates Tower
There are two main options for parking: 1) Find limited metered parking near Victoria Beach or 2) park in a paid spot in the downtown area and ride the trolley in.
Like a lot of Laguna Beach, you will have to find metered parking either on PCH or a side street. I have had luck parking near Nyes Place, just off of PCH. Be mindful, though, that there is limited street parking, so be sure to actually park in a visitor (aka metered) spot and NOT directly in front of someone’s house. In the metered spots, you can only park for a few hours, which should be more than enough time to get your photos and relax for bit.
If that sounds stressful or you’ve been driving around the same streets without any luck, Laguna Beach does have a complimentary trolley that runs throughout the coastal area as well. If you are planning to see more of the beach town and have great parking in a downtown lot, you may want to consider just hopping on the Coastal Trolley, which can take you to Nyes Pl too. For more up-to-date information on the trolley, read on here.
How to Get to Pirate’s Tower at Laguna Beach
Once you’re parked or gotten off the trolley, make your way (most likely through the neighborhood) to Victoria Beach. If you park on the east side of PCH, you can walk under the highway using a side street. Provided you park around that area, it should be a few minutes to get to the beach (expect a few stairs – nothing too steep) and a few more to reach the tower. Once you get to the sand, it’s a brief walk to the Tower – and because it’s 60ft tall, it would be hard to miss! To actually get to the tower once you spot it, you’ll have to wait until low-tide, which I recommend looking up depending on the day you’re planning to check it out.
What’s the Bathroom Situation at Victoria Beach?
Bathrooms – an essential thing to know for all day-trips. I personally didn’t see any bathrooms close-by, so keep that in mind when planning out your day. There will be bathrooms in the Main Beach area where more shops and restaurants are located.
Both Pirates Tower and Victoria Beach are great Orange County tourist destinations worth visiting. Let me know if you’ve checked them out!
TL;DR Travels 
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