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Adamson House
Categories: Public Services & Government Landmarks & Historical Buildings Hotels & Travel Tours Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Landmarks & Historical Buildings, Tours, Venues & Event Spaces [Edit]
23200 Pacific Coast HwyMalibu, CA 90265
(310) 456-8432
21 reviews for Adamson House
Review Highlights
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"The view over the pool to Surfrider Beach is stunning." In 5 reviews -
"OMG it is so beautiful with all that tile." In 5 reviews -
"with lots of photo opportunity all over the grounds." In 8 reviews
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21 reviews in English
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Review from Maria R.
Pasadena, CA
8/19/2011
8/19/2011, 1:15pm Friday
This gorgeous house is a DO. Visit if you're an LA local, but definitely bring out-of-towners here. Great views of Surfrider Beach and Malibu Pier, etc. Classic Spanish Colonial Revival Home, filled with Malibu tiles - a great "California" experience.
This makes a lovely 1/2 day trip. Leisurely drive up PCH; stop for tour; finish with a late lunch; then home, James.
Parking: $8 in the lot (I've never found parking on PCH...)
Guided Tour of the House: $7 each (guides vary, but they're good overall)
Note: It's free to stroll the grounds and look at the house from the outside, but, um, why not spend your allowance and go inside?
Gift Shop: Pretty reasonable ($6.50 for little "Malibu-style" tiles)
p.s. Afterwards, don't eat at The Beachcomber at the pier. Just saying. -
Review from Brian U.
Sylmar, CA
5/14/2012
Tiles, tiles, and more tiles. Tile floors, tile covered walls, and bathrooms with tile ceilings. It's a tile dream house (but a grout nightmare). I wonder if the Adamson's liked playing Scrabble, dominos, or mahjong.
Along with tiles, there is also effective decorative iron over the windows (typical of LA to have iron bars over the windows) and faded hand painted drawings on the ceilings. The wide view of the property is wonderfully exploited inside the house with a layout that features nice views from all five bedrooms.
The best tiles were laid in combination with each other like the tile replicating a carpet and the interlocking baseboard tile. I wish more rooms were tiled this way to complete the effect rather than one to two tile patterns repeated over and over.
I was surprised by the lack of care taken to preserve the interior. Fantastically, the house has original linens, but not in the best condition. There are no restrictions on shoes, rugs are not off limits, and windows let in damaging sun.
Artistically, the house has a number of oddities like the stairway to the second floor is like a castle, the clipper ship decking is the floor on the second story, and the confused mixture of tile designs. The lack of artistic control made the house thematically unfocused and irratic.
Although another Yelper's tour lasted 45 minutes, my tour took a whopping 110 minutes (12:10P to 2:00P). 35 minutes passed before we stepped into the house with the first 10 minutes of the tour covering the Chumash tribe. Exterior photography is allowed, but interior pics are not.
The $7 tour is not required to enter the garage/museum and wander the gardens around the house. As mentioned earlier, the windows are not covered, so you can peek into the house from the outside. -
Review from David A.
Long Beach, CA
4/9/2012
The Adamson House is a popular attraction along the southern coast of California. The Spanish Colonial Revival home has been called the "Taj Mahal of Tile" which helps describe its impressive display of ceramic tile and helps satisfy our innate urge to be creative with language.
The tile is showcased on the exterior by the a tile tub that the Adamsons used to wash their dogs. There is also a Peacock Fountain and Star Fountain. The Peacock Fountain is interesting because they purposefully placed one of the pieces incorrectly, since only god is allowed to be imperfect. (My experience tells me that they didn't need to go through the trouble. There would invariably be a flaw even if they put the piece in correctly).
Tile is everpresent in the interior, as it lines walls, ceilings, and floors of many of the rooms. There are a number of everyday household items that have been "tiled" as well, including a clock and an entry table. The most popular "piece" is a 60 foot replica of a Persian rug lining the hallway.
One of the most impressive things about the Adamson House is that it essentially contains all the original furnishings. They even still have an old dishwasher that turned the dishes around in the water (instead of turning the water around in the dishes). (It was clearly a flawed design).
Our tour guide Glen told us that the government wanted to station some troops in the house following the attack. They ended up compromising by providing a place for them to stay nearby. Later, it turned out that the state basically took the house from the Adamson's in their efforts to share and preserve it. We thought it was a little odd that they forced them out of the house, especially since some of their clothes were still in the closet!
As usual, it is a good idea to bring a picnic. You can find some picnic tables by the beach.
Check out the link to my blog on my profile for more information and pictures -
Review from Jamie C.
As a native Californian I have visited my share of beach side locations, none as beautifully landscaped and scenic as the Adamson House. The house sits adjacent to Surfrider Beach and the Malibu Lagoon and Bird Sanctuary, views that are breathtaking.
This is a great place to bring a blanket, picnic and soak in the nature.
Entrance Fee to Park: Free
Guided tours of the Adamson House=$7.00 (Last Tour Starts at 2:00pm)
Parking: Park on P.C.H.=Free! (Pay Parking Machine=$6.00)Listed in: Saltwater
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Review from Cherish H.
Chino, CA
4/17/2011
I got engaged here!
The house is amazing, though. The pictures make the grounds look bigger than they are though. The house is intricately decorated with tiles everywhere, and the colors and stories behind each make the house warm and fuzzy. Definitely worth the trip to Malibu. It would be a gorge place for a wedding, but the wedding would have to be on the smaller side.
My faves from the house were the hidden elevator and the small nook upstairs with an archer's window and a ship window made for reading. Very Jane Eyre. -
Review from Joan S.
Updated - 10/6/2008 20 photos
I was at Adamson House yesterday (Sunday), and just posted the 20 photos I took of the grounds. It was a gorgeous day with a clear blue sky, and the colors of the handmade tiles on the historic home were vivid, as were the flowers in the gardens.
A wedding preparation was in progress, very elegant. There was even a dance floor set up behind the house, along with white couches for seating. The caterers were preparing food. I had no idea the property was even available for special events.
And it was not until I was leaving that I read the sign with the hours for Adamson House. Closed on Sundays. Haha I had crashed the pre-wedding without even knowing it!! No one said a word to me, I musta looked like I belonged there, taking photos everywhere. A couple of people even said hello to me! Jeeeez......
Anyway, the pics do not begin to do justice to this setting. The view over the pool to Surfrider Beach is stunning. And the gardens in bloom. And the whitewater views all around, the sound of crashing surf. The green grass of the yard meets the sand of the beach.
Adamson House is a don't miss, but read the hours I posted in my photo. It's not open every day.
Unless you know how to enter uninvited......lol....Listed in: Parks & Scenic Spaces, Of Architectural Interest, Malibu, I love U, Places For A Wedding
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/27/2004 First to Review
Don't miss the historic Adamson House, overlooking the Malibu Lagoon and Surfrider Beach. You don't… Read more »
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Review from Anna A.
4/8/2009
One of the first quintessential Californian style houses (well mini mansion) preserved for people like you and me and our Moms. Yes, I'd like to start this review off by saying, bring your mother here. If you're not the tea and crumpets type person I think you are, consider pre-medicating with a few AMFs beforehand.
Wait, what is Californian style architecture? It's the best of the best inspired from Spain, Italy, Arabia, Mexico and little extra Killa Cali flava flav spice added in. The house is covered in beautiful tiles made in the 'Bu back in the roaring 20s (the company went extinct in the 30s). The house is situation on a beachy lagoon and designed so that our beautiful Pacific Ocean can be seen from more one wall in almost every room.
The tour is $5, so no need to get all Scrooge McDuck on it. Also, bring your mom for the Mother's Day Tea Party - that's only $25. Save your money if you want to get hitched here because it'll run you $15 G's. -
Review from Guinea P.
Moorpark, CA
11/5/2011
For some reason, it is illegal to park backwards whilst parking
at this establishment in Malibu. WTF Beware, my wife just returned from there with a $65 parking ticket , for parking backward.
Then she says " It would be great to take my mom to!"
Does she need a ticket as well? -
Review from Jolene M.
Los Angeles, CA
5/20/2009 3 photos
#21 in http://365losangeles.b...
The Adamsons are a weatlhy tile making family whose house and grounds are now state owned and open to the public. I visited the house last weekend and took the $5 tour with a few other people.
I have to admit, for the first 5 minutes, I was wondering what I got myself into; it was just a little too "Sunset magazine"/"old lady tourist" for me. But as the tour progressed, I got more and more into it. Our tour guide was vivacious and made me appreciate the work that went into making this unique house and each individual tile.
After the 45 minute tour, we took a walk around the grounds, which is right by the ocean and the lagoons. The scenery is just breathtaking. I would highly recommend checking this house out if you're in Malibu. Even if you don't have any interest in tile or tiled homes, by the time you finish the Adamson House tour in Malibu, you will at least come to appreciate what goes into this time-honored craft.
*See pics*Listed in: Bored in L.A.?
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Review from Tree S.
Long Beach, CA
12/3/2007
The home is part of the National Register of Historic Places, and once you step up to it, you'll understand why. This gorgeous property ranks among the great homes of California: a mini Hearst Castle, L.A. style. If you are interested in design, the house contains excellent examples of early California tile because the family owned and operated Malibu Potteries.
Being on this property gives you the sense of the period, the outpost/openess of California, when all the Spanish revival homes were built, and when land was still up for grabs. (Apparently, the property was the last of Malibu Spanish grant.) Taking the tour will help you learn stuff like this and more. For instance, the dairy company Adohr was named after Rhoda Adamson. It's Rhoda spelled backwards.
While inside the house, don't forget to look for common household items made entirely from tile, the most famouse being the persian rug and the kitchen clock.
The house and museum are open from Wednesday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. There's also a pretty little gift shop where you can purchase some reproduction tiles because after walking around there for a couple of hours, you'll want to redecorate your place! -
Review from Kay D.
10/8/2010 3 photos
I came here with my then-fiance to check out the location for a possible wedding reception site. It is very beautiful, but VERY expensive to rent for an evening (we did not end up choosing this place for our wedding).
The actual house is very beautiful. They have a tour that takes you around the inside, which we did not do. The house is located right on the beach and is very picturesque. The views alone boost this house up a star. There isn't much to do here if you don't take the tour, but it's a nice breathe of fresh air as a stop on your way up/down PCH. They also have a little museum run by some local volunteers, but it's very lackluster. -
Review from Robert H.
Los Angeles, CA
7/31/2008 7 photos
A house perfectly situated beside the shoreline of Malibu. It sits on about 2 acres. Malibu lacks in cultural institutions available to the public, so Adamson is one of the few places you can visit in that area.
The landscaping was a bit of a disappointment. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary or picture perfect. The house from a distance looks small. My bf and I were not able to tour it because the grounds were being rented out to a private party. For $6,500, we found out you could hold private functions here.
That was a little annoying because they don't tell you n their website when the grounds are being rented out. The state employee, who was really nice, told as a rule of thumb, the Adamson House is usually rented out after 1 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. So if you want to visit, plan on coming in the morning. They also offer guided tours of the house.
I'll probably come back again in the future to tour the house since I love tilework which the house is known for, but I am not impressed with what I've seen so far to call this a must see destination. I disagree with the Yelper that described this place as "Greystone By the Sea". Greystone (in Beverly Hills) had a real garden. Adamson has a barely passable garden since its mostly consists of a plain, unimaginative grass lawn.
If you aren't impressed by the house or the grounds, you can walk to the nearby beach and enjoy the sand, surf and views as a consolation prize.
You can take your chances and park for free beside PCH or you can park in a designated area right beside the grounds for $7. -
Review from Janine R.
Los Angeles, CA
2/2/2010 1 photo
The Adamson house is a beautiful, lone tile + white adobe house that sits right on the coastline of Malibu and when I think of it, I like to think it was there before anything else around it. You know that strange little historic looking house you drive by on your left while going north on PCH in Malibu? That's it. So easy to find!
At sunset, I cannot think of a more romantic or serene place to be. This is due in part to the fact that it's nearly empty at this time (because it's closed), with few only a few stragglers, romantics, and/or lone souls wandering around.
When you come to the Adamson House at sunset, you must make sure you come on a day with one of those significant sunsets, a real sunset, with a little fire in it, okay?
Even though the house will be closed you can still explore the grounds and the garden, which is small, but beautiful. You will also be able to access a really cool sort of sandbar area that is filled with hundreds of pelicans ad seagulls and you can sneak up on them until they see you at and all scatter at once. And if you're lucky, you will find two mated ducks on the lawn there like I did (see photo).
PS.
If you find my photo of ducks un-helpful, I'm sorry, but I don't really care that much because it was a lovely moment and I'm trying to share it with you. -
Review from Dodie S.
Long Beach, CA
9/1/2008
So I just wrapped a Wedding here Sunday August 31st for a wonderful couple who resides in New York! oh yeah people...this place is that fabulous for a wedding reception. It's literally on the shoreline just a couple of steps if you want to brave the metal fence.
The ceremony was held behind the house which is overlooking the ocean. The landscaping in this National Park is pristine! They even have signs as to what type of plant or tree they have there. The reception was held under this giant tree in the front side lawn.
The house itself is just fabulous. Lots of handmade tiles( made by local Malibu artisans in the 1920's) which is pretty awesome since they don't make these kinds of tiles anymore. The last time I was here was 6 years ago and it was great to be back...it's like our little reunion, by the way my 10 year high school reunion is in November and I'm still debating if I should go or not.
Any who, back to this review...So for the Bride and Groom who's planning their 2009 nuptials consider this place. You have to bring in your own caterer, rentals pretty much everything including the kitchen sink! But a fabulous place...with lots of photo opportunity all over the grounds. -
Review from Stacey P.
Ventura, CA
7/9/2010 7 photos
This place is amazing! At first I couldn't imagine spending all day here but once we were there we did and it was very easy to do. I took some family from out of state here and they loved it. My mom packed us all a picnic lunch as there are a few picnic benches right down near the beach very close to the house. It's the perfect picnic spot, very quiet and peaceful.
We all took the 5 dollar tour and our guide really impressed us all with his knowledge of the history. Another reviewer mentioned they thought it was like a mini Hearst Castle, I totally agree! I wish I could have stayed in the house longer. Such a beautiful house filled with amazing tile everywhere you look. I plan on coming back! -
Review from Sara L.
Malibu, CA
3/21/2011
I love history and I love Malibu and by visiting the Adamson's House you will learn about Malibu's history :) i took a guided tour a few times because I bring my friends when they come visit. The tour can be very interesting and enjoyable especially with the right docent, they are all wonderful volunteers from the community but some are more engaging than others.
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Review from Jinjer H.
CA
4/18/2009
First thing you should know is that there is a parking lot RIGHT THERE at the House. Unfortunately, I followed the information on the internet and parked at the one by the Lagoon and had to walk over the bridge. Normally that's not a big deal but I had 2 people with me who can't really walk long distances and after touring the garden and house they were exhausted. I had to walk back and get the car and pick them up. Also, the parking lot adjacent to the house is $5 cheaper than the lot across the bridge.
That being said, we all loooooooooooooooooooooove this house so much and wish we could live in it. OMG it is so beautiful with all that tile!!!! And all those wonderful built in bookcases, moorish-shaped cabinets, painted and tiled closets. That family must've been in heaven living there with bedroom balconies that opened up to views of the Pacific ocean.
Loved the sitting room off the master bedroom, the tiny upstairs kitchen that had floor to ceiling tile, the downstairs kitchen and breakfast nook, the diningroom, everything.
The tour of the garden is only on Fridays at 10am and I recommend that as well. The group meets right by the entrance gate but there's nothing that tells you that so we wandered all around trying to figure out where to go and what to do.
Our garden tour docent, Sandy Mitchell (?), was really great. And so were our house tour docents, Frank and...unfortunately none of us remember the lady's name. All 3 knew their stuff.
The tour was very detailed and we didn't feel rushed at all. I think we were there for 3 hours.
You can only go inside the house during the designated tour times, but how cool is it that since it's a state park we can come back ANY time and sit on the grass and read a book or have a picnic at one of the picnic tables or whatever!!! I didn't know that.
My cousin is already planning her next visit around Mother's Day so we can take her to the Mother's Day Tea on the lawn.
Oh -- There aren't very many plants in bloom right now so if you want to see the garden you might want to wait until May or June.
Wear comfy shoes because walking on all that tile and cement really takes a toll on your feet. and back. -
Review from S R.
Playa del Rey, CA
4/11/2010
I had very low expectations coming into the tour of the Adamson House. Right away those expectations were thrown aside when the 2 men working there were extremely kind and poilte to us. Honestly, I was expecting a bunch of old, anal people that would decapitate you if your cell phone went off......not the case at all. In fact, during the start of the tour, the tour guide's (Glen I think?) cell phone went off and he said "oh, how embarrassing" instead of getting mad and lecturing us. He was very laid back, funny and knowledgeable about the entire House and family.
The House and history of the family itself was ASTONISHING! I absolutely LOVED every bit of this tour and told my husband that it was my dream house. The views onto surfrider beach and the lagoon were breathtaking!
I highly recommend this tour and if you can, ask for Glen, although I'm sure everyone there is just as friendly! I'll definitely be back with more of my friends and family that come to town-even if it is a half hour away! -
Review from Jack H.
Chino, CA
9/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
Very beautiful place to visit if you are in Malibu. My wife and I had a great time and we saw the $300M boat parked right in front of us.
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Review from Los Angeles T.
Los Angeles, CA
9/20/2010 2 photos
Nice, peaceful place where anybody can watch over 200 birds species, some of them can be found along California cost. Must see in Malibu, if you are passing by. There is a public parking, next to the entrance or you can find a place for free on the Pacific Coast highway.
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Review from Patrick D.
Los Angeles, CA
7/10/2009
A nice old house. Lovely interior. Also, it is California Historic Landmark No. 966 and Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 1021. Parking was an issue though (cash only...no checks accepted).
