Living Social or Groupon have deals for the Catalina Express…sit up top and watch the pods of dolphins, ride the back wash…plus, the bloody’s are pretty damn good.
Have you been to Two Harbors at the Isthmus?
Doug’s Harbor Reef is a blast for buffalo milks and lunch…
Happy Hour at Banning House…always have stayed on a boat but they have a cool lodge and if you want to camp, there is a camp grounds…
Doug’s Harbor Reef is my favorite restaurant on Catalina, but I prefer Two Harbors to Avalon. Its best during the off season however. I recall being there on a Taco Tuesday in December when probably the entire western third of the island showed up for dollar tacos.
Although I have never stayed there the Banning House has some beautiful rooms. The campground is lovely during the winter but something of a zoo during summer. One night I was awakened by the sound of chomping outside of my tent and woke up to this…
LOL. My brother & I always say that.
That’s crazy though. Good thing their mouths are small. But still…
Hi @ebethsdad & Folks,
Lots of good info on this the post.
Would you say the whole island is too crowded during the summer? The husband and I are trying to figure out where to go for a few days that doesn’t involve a plane. All this Catalina talk is making me curious.
Great picture. Time to see the Catalina buffaloes is soon. I thought I read they might remove them. Does anyone know if it’s true they were brought there by a film company years ago and left behind after shooting ended?
Happy tripping!
Here is the story, wildlife - Catalina Island Conservancy
I avoid Catalina in the summer as it is so wonderful in the off season - especially if it ever rains again. The buffalo picture is from 2010, the last El Nino year when it did rain. There are beaches all along the north shore most of which are only accessible by kayak or canoe. We take the ferry to Two Harbors and paddle down to Avalon camping on the beaches. Its idyllic. You pitch your tent just above the high water mark and listen to the surf all night.
That said, if you can get a reservation at the Banning House Two Harbors is nowhere near as crowded as Avalon. There is only one restaurant there, the aforementioned Harbor Reef, and nothing to do except dive, swim, and hike, but its pretty wonderful. I would avoid weekends if you can, and especially the 4th of July as the boaters will be there in droves.
Picture is really the best way to eat on Catalina. That’s me grilling steak and asparagus. Potatoes are baking in the coals.
About the bison:
Not sure what the word “supposedly” is supposed to tell us.
Thank you. I enjoy yours as well.
A last note about the Harbor Reef; it’s really much nicer than you would expect. Last time I was there the beers on tap were Stone, Blue Moon, Guiness, and one of the generic American beers. They have a good wine list and the chef comes up with some pretty great specials. Over the years my kayaking buddy and I have developed a relationship with the manager. He related an anecdote wherein a customer called him over and asked, “Why is everything so good? You are the only place in town. People will eat here no matter what. Why is everything so good?” Our friend was quite pleased with that.
Don’t forget the buffalo milk!
I went to a couple of bachelor party weekends in Two Harbors years ago, and I have been to Avalon 20 or so times over the years. I love them both for completely different reasons. I remember breakfast at The Sand Trap (at the Avalon Golf Course) having a really solid, if basic, breakfast.
Played so many times at the Avalon golf course and The Sand Trap is solid for brekky/lunch and happy hour too…
My uncle has a coveted mooring ball in Avalon and me and/or friends would take the boats over and load the clubs in and sometimes I wouldn’t feel like 7-8 hours of motoring or sailing to Avalon, so I’d take the Cat express out of Dana and after being picked up in the dinghy, we’d hit up Eric’s on the pier, then mosey over to the trap and then Marlin Club…
Good times man…love Avalon!!
Friends had the key to the gate to get to places that few ever get to go to and we were hiking a famous trail head that went to a beach and there were the bison on the road and I was sitting in open air jeep and they are stubborn and dangerous…we tried to wait it out but driver said, screw it, hold on, so we go to the left of it, which means my side, F*CK!!!
The coarse hairs touched my arm and we got out of there so damn quick…smelled like stinky buffalo until we jumped off the hard top into Avalon’s gorgeous clear water…
September, after Labor Day is wonderful…
Just never go during a Santa Ana…
Waves crash over boardwalk wall.
Check out Hamilton Cove for rental or see if AirBnb has a boat rental with a dinghy…
Nothing like spending the night on the water, swimming off the swim step…jumping off the hard top…woo hoo
snorkeling is stunningly gorgeous with so many Garabaldis… CA state fish…
Water taxi comes around to take you into pier for a couple of $$ each way instead of taking the dinghy…
Loved cruising the aisles of all the boats with a cooler full of beers, tunes and waving and making friends
A mooring ball in Avalon is not something to lose. I hope he passes it on to you.
What’s nice about Hamilton Cove is a lot of the rentals include your own golf cart for the stay…
Trust me…I worked that like nobody’s business on that mooring ball…
The Master Weasel would of been proud of me… 
Have you done the zip line yet?
Have done many a zip line but not Avalon yet…
Did the zip line in the jungles of Ixtapa/PV…wickedly, balls to the wall fab!
Nothing like a fresh waffle cone from Olaf’s… .
