Two nights on Catalina is the perfect first trip. Long enough to actually relax, short enough that a Friday-morning crossing and a Sunday-afternoon return leave the whole weekend open. And the island gives you a choice most boaters never get: one harbor or two.
This is the classic dilemma. Avalon is the postcard — the harbor, the Casino building, the waterfront restaurants, the people-watching. Two Harbors is the quiet west end — 700+ moorings, a general store, two restaurants, and the kind of starry-night anchorage quiet you can’t buy on the mainland. So the question for your weekend is: park it in Avalon and settle in, or run both harbors and see the whole island?
Below are two itineraries that work. Both assume you’re launching from Newport Beach — the natural Catalina launch point, about 26 nautical miles to Avalon — and both are built for club boats: reserve Friday through Sunday, no overnight gear logistics, and our dock team on call before you leave. (If you’re crossing from San Diego instead, the run to Avalon is roughly 65–75 nautical miles each way — a fine long-weekend expedition, but plan your fuel and daylight accordingly.)
Before any of this: read the crossing guide for weather, fuel, and route planning, and the mooring guide for how Avalon’s first-come system and Two Harbors’ Thursday-release reservations actually work. The itineraries assume you know both.
Itinerary 1: The classic Avalon weekend (both nights in Avalon)
Best for: first-timers, couples, anyone who wants town energy and zero schedule stress.
Friday — cross over, moor up, dinner on the waterfront
Leave Newport by mid-morning. In decent conditions the run to Avalon is about 26 nautical miles — figure 1½ to 2½ hours by powerboat, which puts you at the harbor entrance in time for lunch. Call the Harbor Department on VHF 9 on your way in; the patrol boat meets you at the entrance, assigns a mooring sized for your boat, and takes payment. First-come, first-served — no reservations, so a Friday arrival is the right move (arriving Saturday of a summer weekend is where people get creative with backup plans).
Lunch on the boat or ashore: Crescent Avenue is the waterfront strip, and Bluewater Avalon sits right over the harbor with outdoor patios — seafood, a harbor view, and the island’s signature Buffalo Milk cocktail. In the afternoon, wander the town: the shops on Crescent, the Museum of Catalina Island, and the walk up to the Casino building — the 1929 Art Deco landmark that’s the island’s icon. Sunset from the Green Pleasure Pier is the move; dinner at El Galleon on Crescent (known for its prime rib and famous for its karaoke nights) keeps the first night easy.
Saturday — the full Avalon day
Breakfast in town, then pick your pace. The lazy option is Descanso Beach Club — Avalon’s only beachside restaurant and bar, a ten-minute walk from the harbor at 1 St Catherine Way, with cabanas and chaise lounges for rent and the famous Buffalo Milk on the menu. It’s also the base camp for the Zip Line Eco Tour if your crew wants adventure. The active option is a hike into the interior: most of the island is protected by the Catalina Island Conservancy, and the trails out of Avalon Canyon climb into the hills the island is known for — buffalo country.
Afternoon back on the water: idle or tow the dinghy over to Lover’s Cove, the small marine reserve just east of Avalon — calm, clear water and some of the best snorkeling on the island, with bright orange Garibaldi everywhere. Back to your mooring for the evening, then dinner in town and a nightcap on the pier watching the harbor lights.
Sunday — slow morning, early-afternoon crossing home
Sleep in, grab coffee and breakfast in town, and settle up with the Harbor Department before you shove off. The crossing home is the same 26 nautical miles in reverse — aim to be back in Newport with daylight to spare, especially in shoulder season. Total boat time for the weekend: under six hours underway, with two full days on the island.
Itinerary 2: The two-harbor boater’s run (one night each end)
Best for: repeat visitors, crew who’d rather be underway, anyone who wants the remote end of the island.
Friday — cross to Avalon, overnight there
Same Friday plan as Itinerary 1: morning crossing, mooring assigned on VHF 9, afternoon in town. But dinner is your only Avalon dinner — do the waterfront walk, the Casino exterior, and an early night, because Saturday morning you’re moving.
Saturday — the run up the island to Two Harbors
Depart Avalon mid-morning and cruise up the island’s protected side. The run to Two Harbors is roughly 14 nautical miles along the coast — an easy hour or so at cruising speed, with the shoreline for company. (There’s a direct ferry between Avalon and Two Harbors that runs about 40 minutes, if that gives you a sense of the scale.)
If you reserved a weekend mooring at Two Harbors, you did it online — weekend inventory releases every Thursday, with a two-night minimum on regular weekends. For a one-nighter, though, aim for midweek or a shoulder-season Saturday: outside the reservation window, moorings are first-come, first-served, and the Harbor Department will sort you out on VHF 9. Confirm the plan with them when you arrive.
Two Harbors is the other end of Catalina in every sense. The village is a general store, two restaurants, and the lodge. Lunch or dinner at the Harbor Reef Restaurant — the waterfront spot run by the Santa Catalina Island Company — and try the Banning House Lodge vibe if your crew wants the classic up-the-hill cocktail hour. The afternoon is yours: swim off the boat in Isthmus Cove, dinghy to Fourth of July Cove or Cherry Cove, or hike the hills behind the village. This is the night for the stargazing — the west end is dark, quiet, and about as far from the mainland as it gets. Remember the house rules: 5 mph no-wake near the moorings, and quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM.
Bonus fuel note: Two Harbors has a year-round fuel dock (gas, diesel, water), so if the crossing over burned more than expected, this is your easy top-up before the run home.
Sunday — the straight shot home
Two Harbors to Newport is about 28 nautical miles — marginally longer than the Avalon run, since the west end sits slightly farther from the mainland. It’s the prettiest departure on Catalina: a straight shot across open water with the whole island falling astern. Leave by early afternoon and you’re back in Newport in time to rinse the boat and still make dinner.
Which itinerary should you pick?
- First Catalina trip? Itinerary 1. Avalon is the classic for a reason, and skipping the mid-weekend move removes the one variable a first-timer doesn’t need.
- Second or third trip? Itinerary 2. The Avalon-to-Two-Harbors cruise is one of the best day runs in Southern California, and the west end at night is worth seeing once.
- Shoulder season (spring/fall)? Either. Moorings are plentiful, the water’s still warm in early fall, and you’ll have elbow room in both harbors.
- High summer? Itinerary 1, arrived Friday. Two Harbors’ Thursday-release weekend inventory can go fast, and Avalon’s first-come system rewards the early boat — two things Itinerary 1 plays to.
The logistics checklist (applies to both)
- Reserve the boat Friday through Sunday from our fleet — and tell the dock team it’s a Catalina run. They’ll walk you through the mooring plan (Avalon strategy vs. Two Harbors reservations) because an owner-led club means there’s always someone at the dock who’s made the run themselves.
- Two Harbors weekend mooring: book online when the Thursday release drops if you need a reserved weekend spot. Two-night minimum on regular weekends, check-out 9:00 AM.
- Avalon mooring: no reservations — arrive Friday, hail on VHF 9. Fees scale with boat length; confirm current rates with the Harbor Department.
- Fuel: top off in Newport before crossing; Two Harbors has a year-round fuel dock if you need a Sunday top-up.
- Shore access: dinghy if you’ve got one; shore boats run both mooring fields for a few dollars a ride.
- Weather: same rule as the crossing guide — check the marine forecast before you leave the dock, and know that the west side of the island is exposed to swell. If the forecast shows real west swell, stick to the protected leeside coves.
Two marinas, one membership — and Catalina’s a morning cruise from Newport. Our boats are maintained, fueled, and waiting at Point Loma and Newport Beach. Call (619) 488-6630 and we’ll help you plan your first weekend across.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a Catalina weekend by boat take?
Crossing time from Newport Beach is 1½ to 2½ hours each way (about 26 nautical miles to Avalon, 28 to Two Harbors). A Friday-through-Sunday trip gives you two full days on the island with under six hours total underway.
Can you do both Avalon and Two Harbors in one weekend?
Yes — it’s an easy run. Avalon to Two Harbors is roughly 14 nautical miles along the island’s protected side, about an hour at cruising speed. The classic boater’s weekend is Friday night in Avalon, Saturday’s cruise up the island, and Saturday night in Two Harbors.
Do I need to reserve a mooring at Two Harbors for a Saturday night?
For a summer-weekend Saturday, yes — weekend inventory releases online every Thursday and there’s a two-night minimum on regular weekends. For a one-night stay, midweek or shoulder-season weekends are first-come, first-served, and the Harbor Department will assign you a mooring on VHF 9.
Is there fuel on Catalina Island?
Yes — Two Harbors has a year-round fuel dock (gas, diesel, and water). Top off before crossing from Newport anyway; the fuel dock is your backup and your top-up for the run home.
What’s the best weekend of the year to boat to Catalina?
Shoulder season — late spring and early fall. Summer weekends bring full mooring fields and the Two Harbors reservation scramble; winter crossings can be spectacular but watch the weather windows. Fall weekdays on the island are some of the best boating in Southern California.