Local Guide
Hand-curated local recommendations around Catalina Island, CA — 10 restaurants, 5 trails and outdoor spots, 7 things to do and 7 landmarks, each with a written note and practical tips for visitors and short-term-rental guests.
Researched and written by hand, not scraped. Every entry below is a real place near Catalina Island, with a note on what it actually is and the practical tips a local would give you.
A lively, locals-favorite seafood spot a block off the water in Avalon, doing fresh fish, lobster and the island's own swordfish in a no-fuss, nautical room. Where Catalina actually eats.
A waterfront seafood restaurant right on the harbor with a deck over the water, doing oysters, fish and chowder with the bay in view. The polished harborside option.
An upstairs steak-and-seafood restaurant on Crescent Avenue with harbor views, the island's go-to for a proper dinner. Classic surf-and-turf above the waterfront bustle.
A gloriously kitschy waterfront pizzeria plastered in memorabilia, with a jukebox, an upstairs cabaret and hearty pies. A only-on-Catalina institution, more fun than fine dining.
A colorful Mexican restaurant on Crescent Avenue with a balcony over the harbor, doing solid tacos, enchiladas and margaritas. The festive waterfront go-to for a Mexican meal.
A long-running Chinese restaurant on the Avalon waterfront, a reliable change of pace doing generous classics with a harbor view. A local standby for decades.
A beachfront grill-and-bar on the sand at Descanso Cove, doing casual plates, burgers and the island's signature 'Buffalo Milk' cocktail with your feet near the water. The toes-in-the-sand hangout.
A waterfront coffee-and-pastry stop on Crescent Avenue, the go-to for a morning espresso and a baked good before a day on the water. Simple, central and reliable.
A candy shop on Crescent Avenue making saltwater taffy and chocolate-dipped treats since 1934, with the taffy pulled in the window. A sweet, nostalgic island ritual.
The lone full restaurant out at Two Harbors, a casual seafood-and-grill spot on the isthmus with a tiki vibe and a captive, contented crowd. The taste of the island's remote end.
A steady climb from the top of the Wrigley Botanic Garden up to a ridge on the Divide Road, with sweeping views over Avalon, the harbor and the channel. The best accessible viewpoint hike from town.
A steep canyon trail from Avalon up to the Divide Road and the island's interior, the most direct climb out of town into the backcountry. A real workout with big channel views.
The island's epic 38-mile spine traversing the wild interior from Avalon to Two Harbors and beyond, over ridges and down to remote coves, often with bison along the way. A bucket-list multi-day backpack, with day-hikeable sections.
A short, easy walk across the island's narrow isthmus from the Two Harbors village to the quiet bay on the far side. The simplest way to stand between two oceans' worth of harbor.
An easy shoreline stroll from Avalon's waterfront out toward Lover's Cove and the marine reserve, with clear water and fish below the whole way. A gentle, scenic walk with snorkeling at the end.
The Casino's grand 1929 art-deco movie theater, with a pipe organ, ocean murals and first-run films shown beneath a domed ceiling. Catching a movie here is a genuine occasion.
A well-designed museum in Avalon covering the island's history, from the indigenous Tongva to the Wrigley and steamship eras and its famous pottery and tile. The island's indoor cultural anchor.
A classic Avalon harbor tour aboard a glass-bottomed boat gliding over the kelp forests and bright fish of the marine reserve. A gentle, family-friendly window into the underwater island.
A protected underwater park off the Casino point, one of California's best and easiest shore-dive and snorkel sites, with kelp forests, garibaldi and wrecks. Clear, calm and full of marine life.
A guided open-jeep tour into the island's protected interior — ridgelines, canyons and the resident bison herd — that most visitors never see. The way to reach the wild Catalina beyond Avalon.
The hub at Descanso Cove for kayaking, snorkeling, and the cliffside zipline that races down the canyon to the beach. The island's adventure base for getting on and over the water.
A semi-submersible vessel that cruises the marine reserve with passengers seated below the waterline at windows into the kelp forest. A drier alternative to snorkeling for seeing the underwater island.
Avalon's curving waterfront promenade, lined with pastel shops, cafes and the bay's bobbing boats, with the Casino at one end. The walkable heart of the island's only real town.
The circular 1929 art-deco landmark on the point — never a gambling hall, but a grand movie theater below a ballroom, wrapped in Catalina-tile murals. The island's defining building.
A garden of Catalina-endemic and drought-tolerant plants in Avalon Canyon, climbing to a grand tiled memorial to chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. A peaceful uphill walk with a view back over town.
The short green pier at the center of Avalon's waterfront, lined with snack stands, tour kiosks and anglers, the launch point for the bay's boat trips. The hub of harbor life.
A sheltered cove just past the Casino with one of the island's few sandy beaches and a beach club for loungers and drinks. The easiest place to swim and laze near town.
A tiny, remote village on the island's narrow isthmus, with one general store, one restaurant and a back-to-basics feel a world away from Avalon. The wild end of Catalina.
A protected rocky cove just east of town teeming with bright orange garibaldi and other fish, the island's premier snorkeling and glass-bottom-boat spot. Clear, calm and full of life.
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