This Iconic 4 Story, 87-foot Water Tower House now offers an unforgettable vacation rental experience with easy access to great shopping, dining, and local beaches. Take the elevator up to the main level which features large panoramic windows that open outward. There is also a wraparound deck with unobstructed 360-degree views of beaches, the ocean, and mountains. Vacation at the second tallest residential home in the United States and make lasting memories at this one-of-a-kind historic home!!
Originally built in 1892 to provide water to power the Pacific Railway steam engines, this famous structure was converted in the mid-1980s from a Water Tower into a Water Tower House! Featuring 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a secret bookshelf that opens to a hiding spot, a full kitchen, a Family room and dining area, a wrap-around deck, an interior elevator, beautiful spiral wooden staircases, window surrounded Top of the Tower Rotunda ballroom with bar and 4 TVs and 360-degree vistas of SoCal.
- The elevator provides access to the first 3 levels. The 4th and 5th Floors are accessed by a spiral staircase.
Level G - Ground Level
As you enter the home on the ground level you will be greeted with a Bedroom boasting 1 Queen with en-suite bathroom as well as the Laundry Area
Level D - Sunset Deck
Indulge in the ultimate relaxation experience in our private deck. We've equipped the Sunset Deck with a mini fridge to keep your refreshments cold.
Level H - Living Area
Kitchen, Family Room, wrap around deck with 1/2bath. The main floor features an updated design and the best views the So-Cal coastline has to offer. Spend time on the private balcony, or kick back in the living area while streaming your favorite shows and movies on the smart TV. The renovated kitchen features everything you need for modern home cooking.
4th floor NO ELEVATOR ACCESS
Wooden spiral staircase up to Two Master suites both with king beds both en-suite
5th Floor NO ELEVATOR ACCESS
continue the Wooden spiral staircase Ballroom rotunda - Full Living Room area with bar, games, 360 pano views, 4 Smart TV's The 5th floor comes fully furnished with 360-degree vistas showcasing the mountains, city, and coastline. A complete bar and comfortable furniture create a perfect environment for entertaining, while four smart TVs are perfect for game day viewing.
Our home includes EVERYTHING YOU NEED to enjoy your family vacation at the beach. Our home has a fully equipped kitchen (pots, pans, dishes, silverware, etc), Smart TVs, Outdoor Balcony, in-home Washer/Dryer & parking for 3 vehicles.
IMPORTANT HOME NOTES:
- Upon completion of reservation tenants will be required to comply with the HOUSE RULES (including additional rules) outlined in our online Advertisement. Please review prior to submitting your booking.
-Tenants will be held responsible for any/all penalties and fines incurred during their stay as well as loss of rental revenue resulting from the suspension or revocation of the Property City Lodging Permit.
- Upon arrival, the guest agrees to be greeted by a staff member to verify identification matching the primary reservation holder. The primary reservation holder must be present throughout the duration of the reservation. Any exceptions must be approved in writing by Tower 17 Properties & Management.
- Guests submitting a reservation the same day as their arrival date are advised to message Tower 17 Properties prior to submitting their request. Same-day reservations may be required to accept a later than advertised arrival time of 5 pm to ensure the completion of our cleaning and inspection process.
- Primary guest must be 30+ years old and present throughout the entire reservation.
- Please review house rules for Noise, Occupancy, smoking, etc.
- High Chair & Pack n' Play must be requested 48 hours prior to your stay and are provided pending availability.
- You must climb a set of stairs to enter this home.
- Parking for 3 vehicles. 2 parking spots inside the garage and 2 in the driveway is included with your reservation.
- Noise from Hwy 1, neighboring homes, and beachgoers should be expected.
- We have cameras located at the front door/entrance of the property and The Surfrider foundation has cameras located on the main level, facing the ocean front for people to login online and see the waves/conditions of the surf.
- This property does not allow pets of any kind but will accommodate service animals. If a pet is brought to the property without notification, a charge of $499 plus tax and applicable fees will be charged to your reservation.
Home professionally managed by Tower 17 Properties & Management LLC located in Newport Beach CA. Please visit our Website for more information regarding our Rental Services.
Other things to note
Seal Beach Water Tower History:
Circa 1892, commercial train service between Santa Barbara and San Diego was offered via tracks along the coast. Steam engines required frequent stops for water to run. Water Towers popped up all along the coastal route. There were actually 2 near each other--one in Huntington Beach, the other in Sunset Beach.
The Sunset Beach tower worked valiantly until 1942 when age, termites, and poor craftsmanship threatened to destroy it. Diesel engines were far from common use, so the Southern Pacific chose to rebuild the Tower, this time using termite-resistant redwood and stronger building methods. Since WW2 was in full swing, much of the metal was repurposed from the original 1892 Tower. Some of this metal is now holding the top level aquarium today-over 130 years later.
In 1941, US military intelligence received word on a possible attack on American soil by the Japanese. One of the sites mentioned was the Seal Beach Naval Weapons site just across the street from the Water Tower. Legend has it that the Japanese planes would aim for this tall structure on the beach, and then begin bombing. To protect the area, US Air Force fighter planes circled the Water Tower and Naval bunkers for months. History tells us that the intelligence was correct, but not the location. Who knows if the Japanese were frightened away by the planes circling the Water Tower and instead chose a closer location in Hawaii?
As diesel took over the railway industry, water towers became obsolete, and were last used in the mid 1960's. Most were demolished. The Sunset Beach Tower simply was left to rot. By 1980, the city of Seal Beach voted to set a demolition date.
Enter George Armstrong, a math professor at Long Beach City college who began a 4 year project to not only save the Water Tower, but turn it into his beach home.
Once he won over Seal Beach and the Coastal Commission (no easy task!), he had the home removed from its stilts by crane and the home was built on an empty lot next to the site. Once repositioned on the stilts, there was major news coverage.
The Water Tower house has had cosmetic upgrades over the years and boasts the best views from a single family home- well anywhere. It appears to be the only Water Tower home in the country. At 87 feet high, it was the tallest single family home in the country until recently when an Arizona home was built one foot higher.
In 2022, the Orange County Board of Supervisors recognized the Sunset Beach Water Tower House for its unique and historic character supporting the County.
