I’m part of the ’90s generation. Therefore, my childhood was far different from that of today’s children.
There were no tablets, the mobile phones were still in the project phase, and the computers were so big they barely took their place on the desk.
Outside of school hours, I spent my time attending all kinds of outdoor games, not online, as children and adolescents are today.
But besides the age-specific concerns and activities that involved interacting with other youngsters of my age, I also had a passion that took at least one hour of my daily time: Sunset Beach.
Sunset Beach was an American soap opera of the ’97 (I was 7 years old) when it first appeared on the screens.
What I use every time I travel:
- To book hotels: Booking.com
- To book tours: GetYourGuide.com
If you remember, it was broadcasted every day, from Monday to Friday around 7 o’clock in the evening (at least in my home country, Romania).
All the action of the show was based on the romance between Meg Cummings (played by actress Susan Ward) and Ben Evans (played by actor Clive Robertson), two young people who met on the internet and who went through a lot of challenges to be together in the end.
Meg abandons her future husband and her hometown, somewhere in the state of Kansas, to meet a man, nicknamed S.B..
She went to look for him in his intriguing city in Southern California‘s, the charming Sunset Beach.
Among the protagonists of the show that captivated me with its intrigues are a wealthy family with relationships everywhere, the Richards (Gregory, Olivia, San, and Caitlin), the lifeguards Michael and Casey, the playboy Cole, foxy Annie, Maria, the assumed dead wife of Ben, but also his twin and evil brother.
Yes, the whole action is a continuous fabric of lies, betrayal, love, hate, and passion.
But, in addition to savvy characters, Sunset Beach conquered me due to its landscapes, Californian-style houses, the waves of the Pacific Ocean, sensational sunsets during which romantic scenes were filmed, but also the palm trees and the very recognizable pier.
READ ALSO: USA West Coast itinerary 2 weeks
full cast. Source: imdb.com
film captures
I wrote in my previous articles about the 10-day trip on the West Coast of the United States, where I visited Los Angeles. One of the mornings spent in the City of Angels was fully dedicated to Sunset Beach.
Ever since I planned the whole itinerary, I came up with the idea of looking for the places where the show was shot, but I didn’t expect that all the houses in the movie are still there and are so real.
I always thought I could find them only on the filming platforms.
However, I found some Facebook pages and blogs created by the fans of the TV series, and the first thing I learned was that Sunset Beach was actually filmed entirely in Seal Beach, the nearby city.
For better orientation, you can take a look at these maps:
The city
As mentioned above, the show wasn’t filmed in Sunset Beach, but in the nearby town of Seal Beach, both part of the Orange County and very close to the Los Angeles metropolis.
Seal Beach is a small town with a population of only 25,000, with beautiful streets, towering palm trees, oceanfront access, a wide beach all along its length, and the second-longest Californian pier, after Oceanside.
Yes, it is the pier that Meg fell off in the first episode and on which so many things had happened during the movie.
The pier is not an element to be ignored in the narrative thread of the American soap opera, as we have learned from the pilot episode about Sunset Beach legend, by Elaine Stevens (Paula’s mother):
“When the moon rises early, just as the Santa Ana winds kick up out of nowhere, and the sun is just dropping out of sight, whoever you meet at the far side of the pier, is who you’re destined to be with.”
The houses:
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Ben & Annie. 1303 & 1305 E Seal Way
I want to start with them because most scenes have been filmed in front of Ben’s gorgeous oceanfront home, and Annie’s, as neighbors. Just like in the movie, you can find the houses right on the beach, at numbers 1303 and 1305.
Everything is exactly the same as it was in the movie, but of course, they had been degraded a little over the years.
Ben’s residence is still colored in orange and has wide windows, all over the facade.
Annie’s house has a first floor full of flowers, a sign that a family lives there happily, enjoying day by day the view over the Pacific Ocean.
How would you feel living in one of the homes where the famous Sunset Beach was filmed? ♥
- Surf Central. 1499 E Seal Way
A few yards ahead and you get to Surf Central, the house that Casey won at the auction, and where he lived for a while with his friends Michael, Meg, and Vanessa.
More specifically, Surf Central is located at 1499 E Seal Way. When I visited, there were a few clothes getting dry in the Californian sunburn and a cute cat, probably belonging to the current owners.
Surf Central looks exactly the same as in the movie and is being preserved in excellent condition.
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The residence of husbands Gregory & Olivia Richards. 300 Ocean Ave
The house of the two influential couple from Sunset Beach surprised me the most. Initially, I thought it didn’t exist anymore because I didn’t have the address for it, and I was already walking for almost 2 kilometers through the sand.
Finally, I arrived at 300 Ocean Ave, Seal Beach, CA 90740, USA, and I had the opportunity to admire the luxurious residence.
It’s definitely been renovated since the filming was over, as it looks like Caitlin is still tanning by the pool.
The villa is surrounded by flowers and palm trees, and I’m sure it is still one of the most beautiful homes in Seal Beach.
The pier:
It is one of the most beautiful that I have walked on thanks to the fact that it still preserves the original appearance with a wooden frame, benches that you can sit on and watch the sunset, but also thanks to the lamps placed on both sides, all the way to the end.
It is the ideal place to get the most beautiful panorama of the city and the ocean, but also to admire the Catalina Island in the distance, the most orange sunsets you’ve ever seen, and the most talented surfers.
All of the intros of the show had the pier in the foreground, so it remained a reference point when talking about the best views of Sunset Beach, in fact, Seal Beach.
I live in Long Beach, very close to Seal Beach and Sunset Beach. I actually had no idea what “Sunset Beach” was =/ Shame on me. Some people who grew up in LA are very clueless about their own city. I also have never heard of the soap opera. So this post is a new discovery to me. I want to first watch some of the show and then get on my bike and ride down in the areas you covered. very cool, thanks 😉
if you find Sunset Beach in HD quality ,please upload it on youtube,on youtube is unfortunatelly only scenes and low quality episodes.
Nice pictures! We did the same thing 3 years ago, we came from Canada but originally we are from Romania as well 🙂
Very nice.I am happy you’r dream comes true…i have the same one ,i love’it,Sunset Beach…i hope in one day i will be there to see the places,feel the air,watch the sun e.t.c?
I have the same dream. Were you able to find Paula/Ricardo’s house, The Deep, The Java Web, or Elaine ‘s waffle shop? I can’t wait to visit this beautiful town one day.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find their houses, only the ones mentioned in the article 🙂 Hope you make it there someday 😀
I was a big fan of the soap during the last year or so. I was really into the whole thing surrounding Maria & Ben because of it’s similarity to Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier, one of my favorite fiction books. I was curious as to how it would be resolved. I also love the ocean and want to make regular trips to visit it one day, but I never thought about visiting the town where the show was filmed…might have to put that on my bucket list.
So awesome to know that there are so many fans of the soup out there! You should visit the town, I cannot put into words the feeling of seeing the houses and the beach in real life!
Bună… Poți să-l găsești pe Ricardo din Sunset Beach.. (Hank Cheyne Garcia) pe Facebook… Dacă îi scrii pe messenger iti răspunde… Mi-e mi-a raspuns
Thanks to your blog, I ventured out and drove 30 min. to Seal Beach to find where Sunset Beach was filmed. I live by Disneyland (down the street) It’s been 20 years since I started watching sunset beach, and I never knew it was filmed in seal Beach! It was great being able to see the houses and the dunes where Meg was kidnapped by Eddie! I got some great pictures and was able to spend some quiet time on the pier ! I hope you had a nice vacation, I hope to one day to get Romania as I am Romanian in Hungarian !
Hey ladies. I was a 10 years old boy when my mother watched Sunset Beach at the same time back in 1997. It was annoying of, to be honest. But once I saw Ben’s house I fell in love with his house. So, I started to watch the series just because of the house. Strange huh? Of course, I didn’t like some of the dramas there, as being a man and the series target audience was mainly women. 😀 I decided to build a house like that one when I’ll grow up. Now, I haven’t built that house, but if I’ll have the chance I’m going to buy it. I’m from Europe as well, it might be more challenging but I don’t care. The creators cheated a lot with the house. They shot the inside scenes at the studio, not his house, but looked very realistic. However, a lot of illogical things I noticed. The living room is way bigger than the original size of the house for example. Also, there is a long side wall at the end of the balcony which is not there originally. The sad thing is that it is not possible that the house looks the same inside as it was presented in the series. The creators might though, that nobody would recognize these flaws, but I saw them. If by any chance I’ll buy that house in the future, you are all welcome to the party. 😀
Cel mai adorabil post pe care puteai sa-l scrii?❤️! A fost serialul copilăriei mele pe care îl urmăream cu sfințenie ! M-ai emoționat tare de tot cu cadrele de acolo. Da, intr-adevăr casele sunt aproape neschimbate! Actorii au îmbătrânit in schimb destul de mult și cu câteva excepții nu s-au făcut remarcati ulterior prin alte pelicule. Eu adoram sa văd ce m-ai pune la cale Gregory (ma impresiona puterea lui in oraș ), iar Olivia mi se părea de o frumusețe extraordinara ??! Superba postarea,superba ideea de a te duce acolo ??( cred ca și tu ai avut ceva emoții când le-ai văzut pe viu) . O zi frumoasa și inspirație pt articole care sa dea fiori de emoție ( ca acesta)????
Aveam 16-17 ani când urmăream serialul și nu am pierdut niciun episod. Știu că era difuzat la ora 7 seara și ne lăsam și de fotbal doar sa nu pierdem vreun episod. Era serialul meu preferat in perioada liceului și mă cuprinde și acum nostalgia când îmi aduc aminte de emoțiile acelea, țin minte toți actorii și acum. Intre timp mai urmăream cu Google maps orașul de acolo și așa am aflat și eu că s-a filmat în Seal Beach,, ma tot uitam in Sunset Beach si ceva nu se lega…E și visul meu sa ajung acolo într-o zi dar vad că au fost alții înaintea mea 🙂 Am dat întâmplător peste blog-ul tau și ai facut o treabă bună. Succes in continuare la împlinirea viselor
Hello!I was also 7 years old when the movie was in vogue.
I do hope that in one day I meet personages from Sunset Beach.
Did someone meet one of the actors from this movie?
In addition, how was the price for this trip?
I am waiting from a response on my email.Thanks in advance and you reinforce me the fact that this was a great movie.
Bună idee – mi-a plăcut și video-ul de la urmă ( simplu și frumos ) , a fost serialul copilăriei mele , pe atunci TVR1 ora 19 după care era și pe prima tv însă nu a avut succesul TVR-ului cu el , melodia genericului le am pentru deșteptător la telefon și în ziua de azi – cea de la urmă Tim Truman – Sunset Beach . Succes și la postări cât mai interesante .
si eu la fel am ca si ring tone la telefon melodia din sunset beach
Thanks for the beautiful pictures I wondered about Ben and Megs home and surf central. in particular.
Looks like you had a great trip! Love that the houses and the pier are still intact, so great to see the photos – thank you.
I used to watch the Sunset Beach omnibus on Saturdays on Channel 5 in the UK religiously when it first aired. Back when I was 22 (the same age as Meg was funnily enough), wow seems like such a long time ago and just yesterday at the same time!
I was gutted when it got cancelled, it was such a fun show with hilarious and crazy story lines, gorgeous people, beautiful houses and beautiful scenery,
I was totally transported from a quiet little town in England to this amazing, technicolour perfect haired universe. Still, it’s been uploaded in it’s entirety onto YouTube again so I can revisit this little slice of sunny, crazy paradise as often as I like (well until it gets taken down again). Get in there quick before it’s gone!
Thank you again, it’s really nice to see that Sunset Beach is still so well loved more than twenty years after it first aired. X
M-au impresionat foarte mult casele. Au deschis usa unei copilarii demult uitate. A fost si serialul meu preferat. Aveam vreo 13 ani pe atunci.
You have absolutely lived my dream. I wish I had the money, time and freedom to visit this wonderful place. Somehow the series of sunset beach allowed me to imagine what life could be for someone like me, who has spent years living in fear,poverty and strict cultural ways feeling oppressed and oblivious that beyond a small town I live in, in the UK, there is a whole world to be explored. No harm in dreaming I suppose. I wish I can come to this beautiful place with the one I was destined to be with, my husband. Sunset beach gives hope to people like me that we can find our dreams beyond the sunset! Meg totally lived my fantasy and dream!!!
You have absolutely lived my dream. I wish I had the money, time and freedom to visit this wonderful place. Somehow the series of sunset beach allowed me to imagine what life could be for someone like me, who has spent years living in fear,poverty and strict cultural ways feeling oppressed and oblivious that beyond a small town I live in, in the UK, there is a whole world to be explored. No harm in dreaming I suppose. I wish I can come to this beautiful place with the one I was destined to be with, my husband. Sunset beach gives hope to people like me that we can find our dreams beyond the sunset! Meg totally lived my fantasy and dream!!
hey Bella,
thanks for sharing your wonderful pics.
I was 27 when the show started in USA, but in France where I live, it was aired between january 1998 and july 2001.
I came in Seal Beach in 2000, I saw the houses, the town, the pier and the sunset… but you know what ? it was frustrating because what we wish is to be inside the show and live their stories…. Never mind, I came back in 2006 anyway !!!
I remember that I made videos of some scenes and Annie’s fantasies ; I made openings of my own ; I had a website, which still exists, http://www.sunsetbeache.free.fr where my openings can be watched.
As I planned to make some other openings (for the 25th anniversary), you’ll probably find them aded on my website.
xoxo
Richard
Un articol foarte bun, rar mi-a fost dat sa citesc un articol asa bun si frumos! Iubeam acel serial aveam in jur de 10-12 ani cand ma uitam la el, cu mintea mea de copil dar nu l-am uitat, inca mi se pare unul dintre cele mai bune seriale vazute! Si ce dragut ca, casele chiar au fost reale si inca aratau la data articolului la fel, cred ca a fost o experienta pe cinste! Foarte frumoase pozele si cred ca live a fost si emotionant!
Mulțumesc mult, mă bucur ca ți-a plăcut articolul! Într-adevăr, experiența a fost wow ❤️
Wow, super!
Si eu mi-am dorit mult sa ajung i Sunset Beach cand eram adolescenta dar nu s-a inatamplat.
La 21 de ani am ajuns in America cu programul Work & Travel dar in Minnesota. California era mult prea departe de-acolo. Inca sper sa mai ajung desi ar fi fost magic sa ma fi dus atunci, la 12 ani…
Frumos articol***
Multumesc, Ioana! Sper din suflet sa ajungi, senzatia de a vedea locurile admirate la TV, in
serialele din copilarie, este unica. Te imbratisez!