Catalina Island at Two Harbors

Wow, it is already August and school will be resuming shortly. Can you guess what I am thinking? If you guessed a vacation, you’re right. I’m thinking it’s time to take a last minute vacation with my kids before the school year begins. Hmmm, where do I think the kids would want to go?! My guess is Catalina since after all, that had been our “Mommy and Me” Summer vacation destination for several years. So, I asked the the kids, “Hey do you two want to take a last minute vacation?” Of course they wanted to.  I proceeded to ask them where they wanted to vacation and they both called out Catalina.  We all were excited and I became eager to plan our vacation. As I began booking our trip and activities,  I think I became more excited about our vacation than my kids were.  I could not wait to get some rest, relaxation and to play a little too.  When I was finished booking our trip, I let the kids know that we were leaving in a few days.

I began packing the night before we were scheduled to leave.  I grabbed everything that I thought was needed. After packing, it was time to get my seven year old son in bed. That was a bit challenging since he was overwhelmed with excitement. We had to leave early enough in case we hit LA traffic, so I set my alarm for 5:00am.  It seemed like I merely closed my eyes when the alarm sounded. I’m not much of a morning person and the sound of the alarm clock seemed so malicious at that hour.  I simply wanted to sleep for 30 more minutes. Then I remembered…wait,  it’s time,  it’s finally time to leave for our vacation!  I woke my son, Joshua, up and made sure my daughter and her husband were on their way to drive with us.  When they arrived,  we rushed and collected our luggage, iPhones, and car keys. Woo who, Catalina, here we come!We were scheduled to board on the Catalina Express at 8:00 am sharp in San Pedro in Los Angeles. Happily, we did not hit traffic and the drive was very pleasant. There is a beautiful green bridge called Vincent Thomas Bridge and I was informed by one of my friends that the bridge is capable of opening up to allow big ships to pass through.  I thought that was pretty cool.  Also, there are huge containers that are shipped from all over the world at this location.

As we checked in, we were kindly greeted and quickly set off to our boarding location. My son in law gets sea sick and had a rough ride over, but other than that, it was amazing: the ocean was splashing around our boat from us blasting across the choppy waters. The morning sun that glazed over the dancing water and the fresh ocean air was exactly what I needed. Riding on the Catalina Express is one of my favorite parts of vacationing in Catalina.

We arrived at Two Harbors where we were warmly welcomed by Banning House Lodge team members. They loaded our luggage into a van that took us up the hill to their location. Wow, I couldn’t believe what a great view there was. I walked into the office to check in and to my surprise, we were invited to a complimentary breakfast.  Yes, they provide a complimentary breakfast everyday, but we just arrived and we were not expecting our free breakfast until the following days. Talk about being welcomed, they were so generous! As we walked over to our lodge, we admired the pretty wooden deck that led us to the front door. I opened the door with my key, lightly opened the door which revealed the beautiful wooden floor and the roomy entry way. There was a closet w/ an extra pull away bed and drawers. Next to that was a cute vanity area and kitty corner to that included a sink and window. I peaked around the corner and saw the cute bathroom which included a shower and another vanity area. I proceeded to walk around to another corner and viola I see a huge room that included a king size bed, it looked like a soft cloud waiting to take me into a deep comfortable sleep. That cloud was just as comfy to sleep on as it seemed. In fact, I called it my cloud away from my cloud at home. Yes, I call my bed my cloud. I walked further on the beautiful wooden floor, I saw the cute living room area that included a comfortable sofa chairs, couch, and a charming coffee table. Let’s not forget the view, oh my word… our huge suite had lots of windows and you could see down the hill and one of the harbors. I quickly opened most of the windows to allow the aroma of that blissful salty cool breeze through our room.

We settled in and got ourselves ready for some of our fun activities we had scheduled, one was for kayaking.  As we walked around the Lodge, we stopped to enjoy the view of the two harbors. It is so gorgeous and close to meeting, but allows this beautiful island to sit comfortably between the two.

While walking I noticed the convenient and charming rock pathway that allows easy access to and from the Banning House Lodge. The pathway also contained a places where you can stop to take a break and offers a bench to sit on.  I decided to take in the view at the bench for a few moments. The views from everywhere on the island are breathtaking. I could stay for weeks if I had the time.

When arriving at the dock, we quickly grabbed our kayaks, ores, and life vest rentals, and rushed down to the water. The salty cold ocean was refreshing since it was pretty hot that day. My feet would have been a bit happier if I did not forget my water shoes. Note to self and to my readers:  DO NOT forget to bring your water shoes to protect your feet from the rocks and whatever else may be on the ocean floor. Continuing with our kayaking adventure, the kids and I had a blast trying to beat each other to certain destinations on the water. The kids did adventure off on the rocks after they parked their kayaks. Two Harbors offers a variety of places to adventure. We truly had a great time.

Afterwards, we walked back up the hill on the steps to Banning House Lodge to rest for a bit. I was able to enjoy the complimentary hour of wines, cheeses, and crackers! These treats were truly divine.  Soon it was going to be dinner time.  I went back to our luxurious suite to get the kids ready for dinner.  When we arrived, my family and I were warmly welcomed by the Harbor Reef Restaurant staff. We ordered some appetizers and enjoyed our dinners. The fish and chips were so delicious and the fresh steak that melted in my mouth was literally the best I have ever had. My daughter had the fish and loved it. After dinner, my family and I enjoyed relaxing in our suite talking and enjoying the view and fresh ocean breeze are heavenly.

The next morning we went to have our continental breakfast which offered plenty of healthy options to suit any age and diet. Plus, a nice assortment of danishes, scones, muffins, cereal, fruit, juices, coffee, tea and plenty more. After breakfast, our reserved Palapa was ready. We went down to relax. The water is so clear and inviting while the island offers its beauty, its affects are pure tranquility. They brought us smoothies and popsicles throughout the day. My son and I went snorkeling. He was a bit timid about the mask, but overall, it was pretty fun. We all enjoyed the white silky sands. My son probably did a bit more. As we worked up an appetite from swimming and playing, we ordered some snacks and lunch at our Palapa. The food was astounding along with the presentation, almost too pretty to eat. The Palapa was probably my favorite because we were able to sit comfortably while enjoying the best views and scenery. Plus, who doesn’t want to feel like a royal family and get spoiled?! So, if you do take a trip to Two Harbors, renting a Palapa and Kayaking are a MUST!

Our vacation was soon ending. It was time to pack up and say our farewell to this quaint island and to the awesome Catalina Company staff that had helped us to have the best experiences. We boarded the Catalina Express and we let the crew know that we had a family member that gets seasick. They informed us that sitting on the lower level and in the back of the boat was the best place for anyone who may become seasick. They were so thoughtful and brought my son-in-law sprite and offered us additional help and support if needed. I’m happy to report that with the Dramamine and the help from the staff, he had a more pleasant experience on the way back. A huge thank you to Catalina Express and to the Catalina Island Company for such a wonderful job they do. We will be back again soon❣️