Laguna Beach: From Pirate's Gold To Golden Sunsets
Have you heard of the stories of pirate treasures hidden in Laguna Beach?
The stories began in 1818. The French Pirate, "Pirata Buchar" — later known to history as "California's only pirate" — attacked the quiet little settlement of Mission San Juan Capistrano. Buchar's buccaneers easily subdued the mission defenses and took what they could back to their awaiting ship. Today, the escapades of Pirata Buchar have receded from memory. But local storytellers still recall titillating tales of pirate treasure — buried, undiscovered — in one of the secluded coves of Laguna Beach.
More than a hundred years later, Hollywood filmmakers featured these same rocky shores in their action adventure movie based on the novel "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson. From these folkloric roots, an encampment of mobile trailers accumulated on an inconspicuous parcel of land above a narrow beach. To the locals, this curious little asphalt-covered lot above the sea became affectionately known as "Treasure Island Trailer Park" until it too passed into history.
Today, a new generation of visitors can easily visit "Treasure Island Park" and enjoy this hidden gem just south of L.A. — whether you're a guest of the Montage Resort or just walking along the shore. Spend a few hours. Explore the tide pools up close. Feel the frothy surges of the Pacific. Then, before dark, ascend the walkway from the beach to the stately Montage Resort lobby and discover a remarkable place to end your day with a most memorable sunset.
This destination was chosen by Mercedes-Benz of Encino in Los Angeles to stimulate your mind with fresh ideas of adventure. To find out more, we suggest browsing the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach website or this Flickr slideshow of the area.
Making the drive to Laguna Beach in your own Mercedes-Benz would certainly enhance this uniquely L.A. experience. But, just imagine how much more satisfying it would be with all the comfort and luxury of a 2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Hybrid Sedan.
By Carl Rempel
