Top things to do in Catalina Island

Catalina Island is an island off the coast of Southern California accessible by boat or plane. There are two towns: Avalon, the more developed part of the island and Two Harbors, the escape from civilization part of the island. 

Looking for things to do in Catalina Island? Here is my three-day itinerary for exploring Catalina Island, including hiking around Two Harbors and lounging at Descanso Beach Club in Avalon. 

We stayed at the Avalon Hotel, which was the perfect choice for us! The no-frills, vintage hotel was situated on a back street which provided peace and quiet within minutes of downtown Catalina Island. Breakfast on their adorable back patio was also included. Arriving on Labor Day, we ventured to Catalina Island mostly during the week to avoid the crowds. Monday was quite crowded, but it slowly settled down as we got into the week. The restaurant scene in Catalina Island is nothing to dream about so get more excited for the beautiful beaches and clandestine feeling of being on an island off the Pacific Coast than the food.

Day 1 - Explore Avalon

In the morning, we took the ferry from Dana Point via Catalina Express. You can also take the ferry from Long Beach. The trip is about an hour and a half. Once we arrived in Avalon, we dropped our luggage off at the hotel (check-in wasn’t until 3:00pm) and grabbed lunch at Café Metropole, a cute little lunch spot in town. 

Our first “hike” in Catalina Island was to Buena Vista Point Scenic Overlook. We got lost on our way up but made it down quite easily. It’s more of a pavement walk through neighborhoods but it is very steep so be prepared for hills. It’s fun to look at the different houses on the way up and the view from the top is magical. Explore all the corners of this summit as there are hidden beaches and benches, unique vantage points, and amazing scenery all around! You can continue venturing upwards but we opted to turn around here. The Buena Vista Point Scenic Overlook is also accessible by golf cart. 

Hint: The lines to rent a golf cart were very long with some places being sold out. If walking isn't your thing, definitely book these in advance during busy season!

Later, we walked to Wrigley Memorial Botanic Gardens, an easy 30-minute walk from town. From Wrigley Memorial, you can see the ocean and marvel at the architecture featured throughout the memorial. The gardens were just gorgeous and highly recommend coming here for an escape from the bustle of downtown. 

Hint: Military tickets are free!

For dinner we went to Avalon Grille. There was a bit of a wait but sitting on the bench killing time on a beautiful island wasn't a bad thing! We sat at the bar and the staff here was so incredible!

Day 2 - Hike in Two Harbors

Two Harbors is the other, lesser known town on Catalina Island and is accessible by boat, plane or car. We opted for boat as it was the perfect combination of affordable, accessible, and scenic.  Before we caught the boat to Two Harbors, we stopped at Catalina Coffee & Cookie Co for some much-needed caffeine to start our day. Hint: Skip the lines and order your coffee and food ahead!

The ride to Two Harbors is about an hour and 15 minutes. Two Harbors is much quieter and less developed than Avalon, with most of the land being unoccupied or occupied with just a few houses and campsites. 

Our boat departure back to Avalon so was 4:30PM so we squeezed as much hiking as we could fit. Our goal was Emerald Bay but we only made it to Arrow Point Beach via the Trans-Catalina trail. This hike was absolutely breathtaking! Imagine climbing through sandy trails that are well marked (but you do share it with the occasional car) and at each turn you are met with picturesque views of Pacific Ocean coves. We didn’t pass too many people on our hike and it was about 7 miles each way.  Hiking this trail was definitely the highlight of our trip!

Day 3 - Relax at Descanso Beach Club

For our final day, we rented two chaise lounges for a full day at Descanso Beach Club, an ocean-front restaurant with amenities to include comfortable beach chairs with towels, umbrellas, and full restaurant service. We strategically selected a lounge chair closest to the ocean and relaxed there all day long! My husband was skeptical about this day at first but ended up loving the opportunity to truly relax and unwind, especially after a long day of hiking. We were here during the week so our time here was quite peaceful - a weekend may be a bit rowdier.

Hint: Book Descanso Beach Club early and in advanced to ensure your preferred date and chaise lounge location! We basically booked our trip around open chaise lounges at Descanso Beach Club. The best spots sell out fast so make sure to check out their availability if this is something you want to experience. Their staff was very responsive via email when we had to make a change to our trip dates. Descanso Beach Club is booked through Catalina Island Company.