Santa Catalina Island
An adventurous journey with 10+ mile hikes
Driving to and sleeping at a campground
Places we've visited and fallen in love with
Trip · 3-day camping trip
For · Friends and experienced campers
Vibe · Challenging and hard
Reservations · Yes, book a campsite at Two Harbors Campground and ferry tickets from Catalina Express
Drive · 30 minute drive from LA and a 1.5 hour ferry ride
Ideal dates · October to March (for the off-season and cooler weather)
Pets · Not allowed on the island
Santa Catalina Island's white sand beaches and sparkling ocean views are only a 90-minute ferry ride from Southern CA. Once you arrive at Avalon, the island's main hub, or Two Harbors, the more remote option, you can go kayaking, surfing, and snorkeling, and sign up for adventures like a zip line eco tour, a 32-foot climbing wall, or a seasonal falconry experience. Two Harbors Campground even has a fee-based firewood, grocery, and camping gear rental and delivery service so you can swank it up or DIY.
Official Visit Catalina Island Website
Map of Catalina Island Hiking Trails
Directions to San Pedro Ferry Terminal
Main image credit: N/A
Each campsite comes with a:
There are five campgrounds on Catalina Island: Hermit Gulch (near Avalon), Two Harbors, Little Harbor, Black Jack, and Parson's Landing, and eight boat-in campsites accessible only via boat or kayak. Unlike most parks, Catalina Island charges a nightly camping fee per adult or child so it's important to know exactly how many people are camping in your group. Two Harbors Campground is about a steepish, half-mile walk from the ferry landing. The majority of its campsites have stunning ocean views. There are restrooms, coin-operated showers, a restaurant, and a general store where you can rent camping gear, buy hot pizza, and get ice delivered to your campsite.
Check-in: After 2 PM · Check-out: Before 11 AM
Nightly Rate: $27 to $30
Since 1975, the Catalina Island Conservancy, a nonprofit, has been managing Santa Catalina Island
Thousands of years ago, the Tongva tribe called the island Pimu, and referred to themselves as the Pimugnans
Spanish explorer, Sebastián Vizcaíno, arrived on the island on the eve of Saint Catherine's day (Nov. 24) in 1602, and renamed the island in the saint's honor
You won't be saving money, but you'll save space and weight with these camp sandals.
Clothes
Sleepover! This is a tent you can stand up in and have plenty of space for air mattresses, doggos, and more.
Shared Gear
A reliable, popular, and relatively affordable dual-burner camping stove that is fairly heavy, but performs well.
Kitchen
It's pricey, but the New York Times' Wirecutter recommended this attachment as a way for wheelchair users to navigate uneven terrain.
Essential Items
Instead of transporting stuff on your lap, use this storage bag to easily store items underneath your wheelchair.
Essential Items
Never dig around your pack to find some hand sanitizer. Instead, hang this one on the outside of your pack.
Personal Stuff
If you're an experienced backpacker, this is the lightest full-size, full-featured, frameless pack made.
Essential Items
Add a little magic to your experience by hanging these twinkling lights around your tent every night.
Shared Gear
Sometimes you just want a camp chair that gets the job done. Nothing glamorous or fancy. Well, this is it.
Shared Gear
The more you backpack the lighter your shelter becomes, and the lighter it is, the more expensive it can be.
Shared Gear
Camp underneath the stars and watch glorious sunrises in Joshua Tree National Park, the second largest national park in California.
