The Ultimate Day Trip to Catalina Island, Two Harbors
This itinerary for the ultimate day trip to Catalina Island, Two Harbors provides an overview of the best things to do and explore while on the Two Harbors side of the island. It also includes how to get there, when to visit, where to stay, and how to get around.
I went to Catalina Island, Two Harbors with my husband, Jason, in June 2022. We were so excited to explore the remote town, harbors, and underwater forests! Read below to see details about our trip and my tips for visiting the island.
Overview of planning your trip to Two Harbors
How to Get There:
Catalina Island is located off the coast of southern California. To get there, most people go by water on one of the ferries. Some people go by private boat, others by jetski tours, and even rarer by plane to the very small airport. If you go by ferry, you’ll have a few different ferry docks to choose from to book your ticket, including:
- San Pedro:
- Catalina Explorer
- Catalina Express (this is the ferry we took)
- Long Beach:
- Catalina Express
- Catalina Classic Cruises
- Newport Beach:
- Catalina Flyer
- Dana Point:
- Catalina Express
When to Visit Two Harbors:
The best time to visit Catalina Island is during the summer months of California from May to November. It’s possible to visit year-round if you’d like to go in another part of the year but the air and water temperatures will be a bit cooler
Where to Stay:
If you’re doing a day trip, there’ll be no need to find lodging while you’re there. However, if you did want to go for a full weekend, there are a few different options such as bed and breakfasts, cabins, and camping. Check out the Two Harbors Lodging Options to see details.
How to Get Around:
By foot! Everything in Two Harbors is all within a mile or so. A lot of people also hike various parts of the island starting from Two Harbors. For water activities, you can rent duffy boats, kayaks, and paddle boards from Two Harbors Dive Shop.
Two Harbors is known for as a paradise for those who love the outdoors. With only 1 day on the island, you’ll want to plan ahead for what you want to do. Here are some of my favorites:
Water Activities
- Renting a kayak to paddle through the various coves
- Go snorkeling in one of the coves. I recommend kayaking or paddling boarding up a few coves. The guy we rented kayaks from gave us this tip and we got to see amazing kelp forests, a lot of fish, and colorful wildlife.
- Pro tip: bring your own snorkel and wetsuit gear in a dry bag/backpack
- Scuba Dive!
Land Activities
- Relax on the beach
- Drink a “Buffalo Milk’s” cocktail (not actually Buffalo milk): these are famous on the island as the signature drink
- Walk over to the other Harbor (opposite where the ferry drops you off) called, “Cat Harbor.” This is a nice relaxing place to lay on the beach. Don’t forget to bring a light beach towel. These are my favorite beach towels because they don’t hold sand and they are nice and light!
- Go for a 2-hr hike around the island, such as one of the hikes listed below. Don’t forget to bring water and sunscreen since there isn’t much shade on these hikes.
- Pelican Bay: a 4-mile hike to Pelican Bay
- Upper Ballast Point: a 4-mile hike up to a viewpoint called Ballast Point
Where to eat
There are only a couple of places to grab food in Two Harbors. Here is what I recommend doing:
- Eat breakfast at home before heading to the ferry and bring some snacks to munch on throughout the day
- Go to the Two Harbors General Store to grab pre-made sandwiches for lunch. We did this, put them in our backpack, and kayaked to a beach we had all to ourselves to enjoy our lunch with the beautiful coastline views!
- For Dinner, eat at Harbor Reef Restaurant & Bar. They had live music while we were there over 4th of July weekend. This is where we got the Buffalo’s Milk cocktail, a burger, and cesear salad. Everything hit the spot!
I hope this Day Trip to Catalina Island, Two Harbors itinerary helps plan your trip! Feel free to reach out on my Contact page if you have any questions!
I love this sounds like a great time