Annenberg Community Beach House
The scoop: A public beach house on PCH with a free playground and splash pad, plus a seasonal paid historic pool.
- Price
- Free grounds; pool and parking paid
- Hours
- Grounds (playground, courts, sand) Nov–Mar 8 a.m.–8 p.m., Apr–Oct 8 a.m.–9 p.m. Gated area (courtyard, view deck, gallery) Nov–Mar 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Apr–Oct 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Parking lot Nov–Mar 7 a.m.–8 p.m., Apr–Oct 7 a.m.–9 p.m. The pool is seasonal; guest-services hours vary. From September through mid-June, call (310) 458-4904 to confirm.
- Best for
- Beach, Playground, Splash pad, Families, Summer pool
- Address
- 415 Pacific Coast Highway, Santa Monica, CA 90402
The scoop
The Annenberg Community Beach House is a public complex at 415 PCH: a playground, beach courts, a view deck, a splash pad in the gated area, and, in summer, a historic pool. The grounds are free. You pay for parking and, when the pool is open, for a pool pass.
What to do
Use the playground, sand, and volleyball courts on the grounds. The gated area has the courtyard, view deck, and gallery, all free, plus a splash pad that's a good warm-weather stop with kids. In summer, the historic pool is the paid add-on — heated water, deck, changing rooms, and lockers; bring your own towel. Passes are sold in person at Guest Services, first come, starting one hour before opening. No advance sales. Guest-house tours are listed Friday–Monday, noon–2 p.m.; call (310) 458-4904 to confirm.
When to go
Grounds open at 8 a.m. year-round; the gated area starts at 9 a.m. The pool is seasonal: Memorial Day weekend, then daily mid-June through Labor Day, and weekends through September. Pop-up swim days may be announced in the off-season. From September through mid-June, hours can change — call Guest Services. The gated area is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; parking and beach access stay open.
Who it's for
Families who want a beach day with a playground in one place. The pool is a summer extra, not a year-round lap facility.
Kids: One of the easier all-in-one beach days with young kids. The playground is free year-round, and the splash pad is a warm-weather bonus. At the pool, an adult must be in the water with children under 8 who are under 4 feet tall, and kids under 12 need adult supervision.
Insider tips
- Parking is pay-and-display: $4 an hour, $10 a day November–March; $4 an hour, $15 a day April–October. ADA rates are half. Senior Beach Parking Permits are accepted; City Day Beach Permits and State Parks annual passes are not.
- Daily pool admission: $10 adults (18–59), $4 youth (ages 1–17), $5 seniors (60+). Cards add a 2.95% fee. If the pool hits capacity, there's an on-site waitlist.
- Animals aren't allowed, except service animals. No smoking, alcohol, or glass. Use the bike racks, not the courtyard walkways. Back on the Beach Café is separately operated; call (310) 393-8282 for its hours.
Skip it if…
You want a free swim, or you were hoping to bring a dog. The pool is paid and seasonal, and animals aren't allowed except service animals.