Paradise Cove

Located along the Santa Catalina Island coastline, Paradise Cove - also known as Cave Beach - is a small rock-and-sand beach. This beach is surrounded on both sides by oceanfront bluffs, which makes this beach less susceptible to coastal winds. Paradise Cove does not have lifeguards. However, a ranger from the Catalina Island Conservancy patrols this beach daily.

Paradise Cove does not have any other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly. Dogs are not allowed on this beach.

Paradise Cove offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, camping, wildlife watching, kayaking, hiking, canoeing, boating, scuba diving, and snorkeling. The water near this beach is popular with scuba divers and snorkelers who often enter the water here to explore its vibrant marine biodiversity. You can view many kinds of fish in the water around Paradise Cove including bass, sheepshead, yellowtail, garibaldi, and harmless leopard sharks. In addition, you can occasionally also see many kinds of marine mammals here including seals and sea lions. You can also hike in the area around Paradise Cove and explore the beautiful coastal landscape along northern Catalina Island. You can also explore this island’s unique biodiversity while hiking around Paradise Cove. However, if you are planning to hike in the area around Paradise Cove, we recommend being careful as this part of Santa Catalina Island is known to have poison oak.

A popular activity in Paradise Cove is overnight tent camping - the beach offers an amazing and memorable oceanfront camping experience. However, if you are planning to camp here, please note that this beach does not have any amenities except picnic tables and you need to dispose of all the waste generated during your camping in order to preserve the beach’s pristine natural state. It is also important to note that campfires are not allowed here and you need to cook your food on a camp stove or a self-contained barbecue. In addition, we recommend being careful while camping here as the beach and the area around it is known to have rattlesnakes. We also recommended that you carry a VHF radio during your visit so that you can easily send out distress calls in case of emergencies. If you are planning to camp here, you can visit Catalina Island Company’s website for more information regarding booking a campsite in Paradise Cove. In addition, you can also call Two Harbors Visitor Services at (310) 510-4205 for useful information regarding camping including weather conditions and site verification.

Getting to Paradise Cove can be difficult - the only way to get to the beach is via a boat or a kayak. Paradise Cove is four-and-a-quarter nautical miles away from the community of Two Harbors and around eight-and-a-half nautical miles away from the city of Avalon. You can rent kayaks from the Two Harbors Dive & Recreation Center present in the community of Two Harbors. In addition, there are many private concessions in Avalon which offer kayaks on rent including Descanso Beach Ocean Sports, Wet Spot Rentals, and Joe’s Rent-A-Boat. Boat operators are also available in Avalon who might drop you off at this beach for a fee. We recommend wearing layered clothing while visiting Paradise Cove as the weather here can change unpredictably.

There are many attractions near Paradise Cove. The Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden has an interesting monument dedicated to the memory of the eminent industrialist and chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. In addition, the site’s botanic garden is also home to a wide variety of interesting flora. The garden also has a special emphasis on rare plant species endemic to California’s islands. The memorial and botanic garden also offer access to one of Santa Catalina’s most popular hiking trails known as the Garden to Sky Trail, which offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Santa Catalina Island shoreline. Catalina Island Golf Course offers a challenging nine-hole golf course along with fantastic Instagram-worthy views of the ocean. In addition, the golf course has also been hosting the Catalina Island Junior Golf Tournament since 1967. As an interesting fact, the legendary golfer Tiger Woods played in this golf course at the age of four and at the age of 14. If you are looking for another attraction near Paradise Cove, Avalon Underwater Park is one of the first non-profit underwater parks in the United States. This park spans over two-and-a-half acres. This underwater park is popular among scuba divers and snorkelers, who often enter the water here to explore its vibrant underwater landscape consisting of sand flats, kelp beds, rocky reefs, and shipwrecks. This park is also home to many fishes and marine organisms including lobsters, abalone, moray eels, sheepshead, garibaldis, bat rays, halibut, octopus, and banded guitarfish. Some of the fish present here are friendly and will often approach divers without fear. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Paradise Cove. Steve’s Steakhouse and Seafood Restaurant has a dining area that offers amazing views of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the restaurant also serves fantastic steaks and seafood. Descanso Beach Club is a popular beachside restaurant and bar which offers amazing burgers, nachos, seafood, and salads. Harbor Sands offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience. In addition, the restaurant also serves amazing salads, seafood, burgers, tacos, and chicken skewers. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Paradise Cove, the modestly priced Coney Island West has a patio dining area and offers amazing burgers, fries, hot dogs, corn dogs, barbecue dishes, and sandwiches. In addition, this restaurant was also awarded TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice award in 2020.

If you are looking for a hotel near Paradise Cove, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Mt Ada Bed & Breakfast was the former retreat of renowned industrialist William Wrigley Jr. and offers many amenities including a bar, a fireplace, a terrace, complimentary access to the butler’s pantry throughout the day (which includes alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, fruits, mixed nuts, and ice-creams), access to a golf cart for exploring the city of Avalon, and complimentary shuttle service from the airport, heliport, boat terminal, or other hotels. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Holiday Inn Resort Catalina Island, an IHG Hotel that offers many amenities including a Mediterranean-inspired cafe with a terrace, a spa, a gym (which is open 24-hours a day), and a pool. As another moderately priced option, the 3-Star Banning House Lodge offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast, a terrace with views of the Pacific Ocean, a common room with a fireplace, a sunroom, and complimentary shuttle service. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Paradise Cove, the 2-Star The Edgewater offers many amenities including a guest-use kitchen and beach chair and towel rental facility. In addition, this hotel also offers complimentary breakfast and afternoon drinks in the summer.