Camping (as a Family) on Catalina Island

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Blue sky, blue sea, good food, perfect weather, a drink in your hand with your toes in the sand. Sounds pretty perfect right? While we may not be doing any far away exotic islands any time soon, that is absolutely no problem for us here in sunny Southern California. Why? Because we have our very own island paradise located just 26 miles off the coast.

Catalina Island at only an hour boat ride from Los Angeles and Orange County on the Catalina Express is a must do!!! This beautiful island has it all! If you are looking for adventure, take your pick of pristine snorkeling or scuba diving, zip lining through the trees, or enjoying the colorful, plentiful fish from a glass bottom boat or submarine ride. Plus, you can kayak, paddle board and do so many other things both on land and water. However, if you are more interested in a relaxing getaway, the beach is the perfect place to enjoy the spectacular island ambiance, drink in hand, sun on your skin while your worries wash away. There are so many options. The only problem is fitting it all in!

We recently enjoyed our first family vacation to Catalina Island… glamping style. Catalina was incredibly family friendly and we found a lot to do there. While we got to have all the fun of what felt like an exotic vacation far, far away, we did not have to fly for hours, exchange money, get everyone a passport, or have any of the hassle of a foreign vacation. The perks of having an island in our own “backyard” was pretty unbelievable!

Catalina offers something for everyone, making it a great romantic getaway, and an equally good family vacation.

If you are looking for something unique and fun to do with your family, camping on Catalina Island should be top of your list. You’ll have the best vacation experience. Mountains and trees in the morning, and spending the day on a pristine beach in the afternoon. It can’t be beat. And camping allowed for the kids to run around, laugh, play and be kids in an open, free and quite picturesque setting. You’ll not only save money on a hotel, but how many vacations have you been on where your food remnants are taken care of by deer, foxes, and raccoons? It was pretty memorable experience for us all, and family vacations are all about making memories.

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TRANSPORTATION

Book your passage across on THE CATALINA EXPRESS which departs from Dana Point, San Pedro and Long Beach. This is a comfortable, smooth ride which takes about 1-1.5 hour, providing both interior and exterior seating, a snack bar and restrooms. Please see the website for luggage rules and restrictions.

The boat is currently not operating at full capacity, although you may not get a full 6 ft on the boat at all times. The crew is very good about making sure masks are worn correctly at all times.

Check their website for fantastic packaging options.

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Once on the island you can walk to just about anywhere in the small city of Avalon. To camp we called a taxi transportation service (Avalon Transportation Services (310) 510-0025) to get us to our campsite with all our luggage. The ride ran about $20. You can use the shuttle for normal transportation at $2 a rider (ages 5+), however, they will not move luggage. Download the green transit app and for $5 a person a day and you are able to ride unlimited. The walk to town was very easy and all downhill, so we opted to walk and taxi back late each night (after the shuttle service had stopped) with our groceries, ultimately saving us money.

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CAMPING

Hermit Gulch Campground

Hermit Gulch Campground is Avalon’s only camping facility located within city limits. The campground is situated in Avalon Canyon near the Nature Center and the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden.

The campground offers a nice view of the surrounding hills that are home to a wide variety of plants and animal species. Hermit Gulch Trail is accessible from the campground, and there’s access to other hiking trails nearby.

Hermit Gulch is great for first-timers and experienced campers alike. Being so close to town allows easy access to groceries, shopping, restaurants, tours, sight-seeing and nightlife. 

We opted not to trek all of our camping gear on the Catalina Express and up the mile hill to the campground… because honestly camping with 4 kids requires a LOT of stuff. So, the tent cabins were absolutely perfect for us. Besides being large and spacious, it included 6 sleeping cots, a stove with propane and a lantern. Camping has literally never been easier! Having the Vons grocery store down the street made food super easy as well; and we simply planned to grocery shop each day when we came into the town. The campground also offered bathrooms, quarter showers, sinks and even soap! Everything you need to make for a wonderful camping experience. The grounds were clean, shady and perfect!

Please be aware that campers should bring face coverings and hand sanitizer. And make sure your kids take advantage of the fun scavenger hunt around the camp.

To book a 6-person tent cabin, or a 3-person tent cabin head to VisitCatalina.com or bring your own camping equipment and set up to enjoy.

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ACTIVITIES

Whether you are a first timer, looking for fun with your friends, a little adventure or to spend quality time with your family; no matter your interests, Catalina will be sure to please. Our family found so much to do while visiting. Some of the highlights:

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Semi-Submersible Submarine or Glass Bottom Boat Ride:

The Undersea Expedition  is a semi-submersible boat tours that let you view the ocean wildlife through windows five feet below the surface.  Unlike the glass bottom boat, you can sit upright to enjoy the view of the multitude of fish, including many of California’s state fish the Garibaldi, as well as beautiful colorful kelp forests. During Covid the boats are operating at a reduced capacity and masks are required the entire time you are on the board.

Alternatively, the Glass-Bottom Boat Tour gives you a view of the sea life through the glass bottom of a boat. You may need to lean over a rail to look into the bottom of the boat, which is not optimal if you suffer from motion sickness but better for those who are prone to claustrophobia. Available for all ages.

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Mini Golf at Golf Gardens

We did this activity our first afternoon on the island, and I can’t even count (I should have) the amount of times my 4-year-old son asked afterward to do it again. I am guessing it would have been close to 50 and he was close to tears when I said we didn’t have time to do it again.

Nestled in an idyllic garden setting less than one block from the beach, Avalon’s Golf Gardens is the ideal spot for an afternoon of family fun. This unique 18-hole course has been a much-loved fixture on the island for nearly 50 years.

Known in mini-golf circles as one of the world’s most beautiful and challenging courses, Golf Gardens’s classic style and award-winning layout make for an experience that’s sure to be a highlight of your stay on Catalina Island (definitely the favorite of a sweet 4-year-old in our home). The majority of our family scored weeeeelllll over par, but we would all do it again in a heartbeat! Allow approximately one hour for play.

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Take a Golf Cart Tour

Golf carts are literally the only way to see the island… and you want to see as much of the island as possible because each bend brings a new stunning vista, a new run in with wildlife and so much natural and man made beauty.

We rented a golf cart through Catalina Island Golf Cart Rentals and Tours to navigate the hills and narrow streets of the island and the city of Avalon. On our 12-mile scenic tour we saw The Wrigley Mansion, stopped for some fantastic photos overlooking the harbor and Avalon, drove by the beautiful golf course, said hello to our tent cabin as we made our way to the botanical gardens, enjoyed the hillside homes of the island and were welcomed by a large group of deer near the Casino and adventure course. The best part of the tour is that you can do it all at your own pace. At any moment you are able to stop and enjoy a walk to an overlook, watch the deer on the side of the road, or even hear the zip-liners overhead. Of course, my kids had to switch seats to experience it from all vantage points multiple times on our 2 hour tour.

Four- to six-passenger golf carts are available to rent for one to three hours depending on the season and where you rent. It really takes two hours to get up above the town and stop and appreciate all the viewpoints. Children 6 and under, or under 60 lbs are required to be in a child restraint seat, which can also be rented. Cash only. Deposit required.

Rental reservations can be made at this website.

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The Beach

One of the best parts of staying on an island is enjoying the beach and water and Catalina offers plenty of places and ways to do that.

We spent both of our afternoons playing in the water (ok… mom relaxing on the sand) near the Green Pleasure Pier on inflatable devices. Many around us were snorkeling and exclaiming they were seeing amazing things like rays and Garibaldi. Some groups had rented Stand Up Paddle Boards and kayaks and fishing boats from the pier. While others yet were having a lot of luck fishing directly off the pier. Like I said, no shortage of fun and beauty anywhere you find yourself. So, don’t forget to have your bathing suit at the ready wherever you might be on the island.

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Food

I mentioned we did a lot of grocery shopping while camping, but what would vacation be without good food indulgences? Am I right or what? Besides eating creamy gigantic ice cream cones on the beach each day, we also enjoyed a savory meal at the DESCANSO BEACH CLUB.

Not only is the scenery remarkable as you sit right on the beach overlooking the water, boats and the iconic Catalina Casino; but the food was made to match. We ordered nachos and a torta that was unbelievably good. The kids (and adults alike) were thrilled with our fancy drinks as we cheered the remarkable family vacation we were enjoying.

This private beach area (open to the public) is a fantastic place to rent a cabana, kick off your shoes and truly enjoy the beauty of the island in style.

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So next time you have the hankering for an exotic foreign vacation, save yourself the money and hassle of a far away island, jump on the Catalina Express, and in an hour you can be enjoying sun, surf, and the beauty of historic Catalina Island.

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you might also enjoy:

A tour of the Casino (which is in fact not a Casino at all)

Zip lining, rock climbing, and even a tree-top obstacle course, for adventurous visitors.  

Visit the Catalina Museum

Snorkeling, scuba diving

Parasail

Go fishing

A round of golf

Land tours- Discover Avalon, the Bison Expedition, Hummer tour, etc

Hiking

Bike Rides (you can take them across on the Catalina Express for $7 or rent them there)

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And so much more! Check out visitcatalina.com for more ideas or to schedule your trip!