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183 Monarch Bay Drive: A Single-Level Estate on One of the Enclave’s Largest Lots

There are roughly 230 homes behind the gates of Monarch Bay. Only a handful sit on a full third of an acre, and fewer still do it on a single level, at the quiet end of a cul-de-sac, with the hills of Three Arch Bay filling the western horizon. 183 Monarch Bay Drive is one of them.

Offered at $11,995,000, the estate spans 4,800 square feet of living space across one floor, with four bedrooms, three and a half baths, a detached casita, and grounds that read more like a private compound than a suburban lot. The 0.35-acre parcel is among the largest in the community, and the architecture uses every foot of it: an expansive gated courtyard at the entry, a covered skylit patio off the living space, and a rear yard oriented toward the ocean and the evening lights of the coastline beyond.

Property Details

A Courtyard Before a Front Door

The property does not announce itself from the street. A gate opens onto a courtyard deep enough to hold a dinner party, planted and lit and entirely private, with a covered patio running along one side beneath skylights and an outdoor fireplace anchoring the far end. Most homes at this price point in coastal Orange County treat the entry as a formality. Here it functions as a second living room, one that faces the hills of Three Arch Bay and holds its light well into the evening.

Past the custom entry door, the great room opens to soaring ceilings framed by stacked stone columns and a marble fireplace that runs floor to ceiling. The ocean appears in glimpses through the western glazing, the kind of view that changes character three or four times a day. Twenty-four-inch Celini Argento tile carries through the main living areas, and solid wood doors and custom lighting throughout signal a remodel done with patience rather than speed.

Two Primary Suites, No Stairs

The main primary suite occupies its own wing: a fireplace, a large walk-in closet, and a French door that opens directly to the rear yard. The bath was rebuilt around an oversized frameless glass shower, a clawfoot soaking tub, and a heated towel rack, finished in stone rather than the high-gloss surfaces that date a remodel within five years.

A second primary suite sits on the ocean-facing side with elevated ceilings, its own walk-in closet, a remodeled marble-accented bath, and a French door to the backyard. For multigenerational buyers, or for anyone who has spent a decade explaining to guests which staircase leads where, the arrangement solves a problem that most Monarch Bay floor plans cannot.

Two additional bedrooms and an oversized bonus room complete the interior. The bonus room carries an exotic wood ceiling, a stone fireplace, and French doors to the courtyard, and it flexes easily between media room, gallery, and second gathering space. The laundry room includes a custom marble pet-washing shower. The three-car garage is genuinely oversized, not a two-car with an alcove.

Mature Trees, Onyx Light, and a Sauna

The rear yard is the argument for the lot size. Japanese pine, grand magnolia, and oak have been growing here for decades, and they give the space a settled quality that new construction cannot buy. Custom stone benches sit under the canopy. Onyx lighting handles the transition to evening. A sauna occupies one corner, positioned for the view rather than tucked out of sight.

A separate casita sits at the front of the property, well suited to a private office or a gym, with windows facing the front grounds and the hillside beyond. It is a genuinely detached structure, which matters for buyers who work from home and want a commute that involves walking across a courtyard. 

What Ownership in Monarch Bay Includes

Monarch Bay is one of a small number of guard-gated communities in Orange County with a private beach club attached to residency. Membership is the reason the address carries the premium it does, and it is not replicable at any price outside the gates.

The location works on the practical level too. Hiking trails run behind the community. Monarch Beach Golf Links and the Links at Monarch Beach are minutes out the gate. Salt Creek and Strand Beach handle the surf. And the Dana Point Harbor revitalization, a nine-figure rebuild of the marina, commercial village, and waterfront, is the single largest infrastructure investment on this stretch of coast in a generation. Homes within a few minutes of the harbor stand to benefit from it directly.

3D Tour

Walk the Property

Frequently Asked

Is 183 Monarch Bay Drive a single-story home?

Yes. All 4,800 square feet of the main residence sit on one level, with the detached casita as a separate structure at the front of the property.

What does Monarch Bay Club membership include?

Residents have access to the private beachfront club, which includes an indoor-outdoor bar, beachfront dining, firepits, and towel, chair, and umbrella service. Membership terms and dues are confirmed through the association during escrow.

How large is the lot?

0.35 acres, which places it among the largest parcels in the community, on a cul-de-sac.

Does the home have ocean views?

Yes. The great room and ocean-facing rear yard capture ocean glimpses, along with views of the Three Arch Bay hills and the evening lights along the coastline.

Can the casita be used as a guest house?

It is configured as a private office or gym. Any change of use should be verified against city and association guidelines. The Aaronson Group can source the applicable documents on request.

View the full property site and photo gallery at 183monarchbaydr.com

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