"A Southern California Secret" Two Harbors by flynboxes

Two Harbors is the little sister to Avalon on Santa Catalina Island. The Island itself is approx. 22 miles long and 8 miles wide at the south end of the island. The town of Twin Harbors has roughly 300 residents give or take a few during tourist season which starts during Memorial Day weekend in the US. When I say town...that's probably a bit of a stretch. It is a narrow land mass that connects the two parts of the Island. On the east side you have Two Harbors/Isthmus and Cat Harbor as it is called about a 1/4 mile behind it to the west. If you like out of the way places then this is the place in So Cal. You can hike, bike, dive, snorkle, kayak, fish or just relax.

From our boat looking East towards Two Harbors

While Two Harbors is the most popular destination since it has direct boat service to the mainland, Cat (Catalina Harbor) right behind it should not be missed as it is a great way to stretch your legs after eating breakfast in town. Since it is an easy walk from Two Harbors you will only see private boats back here. If you are headed out here from the mainland it's an extra hour or so by boat to get here as opposed to Two Harbors.
The water back here is an unreal shade of blue that has to be seen to first hand to appreciate.

High above Cat Harbor

Asside from the water sports the island has some great hikes thanks to the efforts of the Catalina Island Conservancy. All plants are natives, some of the animals..wild pigs and bison (brought over for an old silent movie shoot in 1924) are not. There is the Island Fox which is an endangered species that the local biologists have helped restore the populations of..if you are lucky you might spot one during your trip. The views from the tops of the hills on the island will take your breath away on a clear day with San Clemente Island visable to the west.

• Pros:A place you won't forget
• Cons:Limited lodging
• In a nutshell:A great 2-3 day side trip from Los Angeles