Lifeguard Towers

Lifeguard towers are among the most familiar structures along America’s beaches. Their primary purpose is practical—providing lifeguards with a place to watch the water, respond to emergencies, and protect beachgoers—but many have also become recognizable landmarks that help define the character of the coastlines they serve.

This collection explores lifeguard towers from beaches across the United States, including Laguna Beach, Waikiki, Ala Moana, Miami Beach, Clearwater Beach, Myrtle Beach, and Orange Beach. Although their function is similar, their appearance and surroundings can be remarkably different.

Some towers are simple and utilitarian, while others have become architectural icons. The brightly colored towers of South Beach reflect Miami’s Art Deco influence, while Laguna Beach’s Main Beach tower has become a familiar symbol of the city’s coastal identity. Elsewhere, the towers are shaped as much by their surroundings as by their design—framed by beachfront hotels in Clearwater, the SkyWheel in Myrtle Beach, Diamond Head on Oahu, or dramatic clouds along Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

Light also changes how these structures are experienced. Sunrise, moonlight, dramatic clouds, and the activity of a busy beach can transform a functional tower into a distinct photographic subject.

Together, these photographs look beyond the towers themselves to explore their relationship with the beaches, cities, and communities around them. They are working structures, gathering points, architectural statements, and enduring markers of life along the coast.

Many of these photographs are available as digital downloads through the LTL Photo Art Store.