When the motion picture industry took root in Los Angeles in the 1920s, the rich and famous would escape the heat down at the beach. The oceanfront properties along the Pacific in Santa Monica were known as the "Gold Coast" thanks in part to the luminaries who frolicked on its shore and built enchanting cottages and mansions by the sea to get away from the rigors of movie-making. more ›

Once upon a time it was the beachfront estate of silent movie starlet Marion Davies, built for her by her lover, the infamous newspaperman William Randolph Hearst. It was definitely a "party house" where a who's who of Hollywood's golden era would frolic in the pool and on the shore. On the 5-acre site was a mansion designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan, boasting 110 rooms. more ›