Paradise Point
Keeper of the Flame Award

PARADISE POINT is a singular, surviving treasure of San Diego’s Mid-Century architectural and cultural history. Known originally as Vacation Village, this extraordinary resort was conceived as an immersive experience, an imaginative intersection of tropical fantasy, Hollywood flair, and Modernist vision, uniquely set upon its own 44-acre island in the heart of Mission Bay. Thanks to the thoughtful and committed stewardship of its current owners, this exceptional escape remains a living monument to a remarkable vision that blends leisure culture, thriving gardens, and commercial appeal.

Left to right Morgan Howitt and Deneda Young-Carrick

Built in 1962 on a manmade island in Mission Bay, the resort was the dream of film producer Jack Skirball, who brought his Hollywood storytelling to the design and concept of a “South Seas” village. A design team led by Eldridge “Ted” Spencer, of the California firm of Spencer and Lee crafted an environment where whimsy met thoughtful site planning. Telephone poles driven deep into the fill dirt supported charming one-story bungalows arranged around lagoons, tropical gardens, and a network of meandering paths and delightful bridges.

The property stood out when it opened in June 1962, as it does now, for its fusion of Modernist ideals with playful, even theatrical, design. It remains a fully immersive experience in a landscape of thatched roofs, lava rock walls, water features, exotic flora, and sculptural elements, including a kinetic wind sculpture of a turtle.

What makes Paradise Point so worthy of SOHO’s Keeper of the Flame Award is not only this history, but how it has been maintained, preserved, and celebrated in the decades since. In an era where so many postwar resort properties have been radically altered or lost altogether, Paradise Point’s current ownership has chosen a different path: one of continued stewardship, preserving a key piece of San Diego’s cultural and design legacy.

All photos by Sandé Lollis

THE OWNERS HAVE PROTECTED its original buildings and one-of-a-kind character while sensitively adapting the property for modern use. Rather than stripping away its story, they have retained Vacation Village’s character defining architectural features, honored the original landscape, and preserved the sensational, lush environment that made the resort famous. Through maintenance, conservation, and selective restoration, they have ensured that Paradise Point continues to serve as a rare and authentic window into a joyful and uniquely American post-war time.

For this extraordinary achievement, SOHO proudly presents Paradise Point and staff members Deneda Young-Carrick, director of marketing and Morgan Howitt, assistant director of marketing with the Keeper of the Flame Award, for safeguarding an exceptional time capsule that continues to reflect the beauty, optimism, and creativity of the 1960s.