Parsons Landing

Located to the west of the community of Two Harbors, Parsons Landing is a large remote beach with light brown sand with gravel. This beach is situated below oceanfront mountains on the northern side of Santa Catalina Island. There is a tent campground on this beach named Parsons Landing Campground. Parsons Landing does not have lifeguards or any other day-use public amenities except restrooms, so plan your trip carefully. Dogs on leash are allowed on this beach.

Parsons Landing offers many fun activities, including hiking, biking, snorkeling, sunbathing, wildlife watching, kayaking, fishing, and scuba diving. The water near the beach is popular with kayakers, who use their kayaks to explore the interesting Santa Catalina Island shoreline. In addition, the water near this beach is also popular with scuba divers and snorkelers, who often explore the vibrant underwater biodiversity present near Parsons Landing. Divers and snorkelers can explore the rocky reefs and kelp beds present in the water near Parsons Landing. The water here is home to many kinds of fish and marine invertebrates, including nudibranchs, opaleye, bass, garibaldis, abalone, half-moon fish, lobsters, eels, bat rays, and halibut. In addition, divers can also explore the wreck of a small sailboat present in the water near this beach. If you are planning to scuba dive or snorkel near the beach, Two Harbors Dive & Recreation Center offers snorkeling and scuba diving equipment for rent. However, if you are planning to go into the water near this beach, we recommend being extremely careful as shark attacks and drowning-related deaths have been documented in the water here. The presence of a large array of fish in the water near this beach makes it an awesome fishing spot. However, if you are planning to fish in the water near Parsons Landing, we recommend ensuring compliance with the local fishing regulations. The beach offers incredible Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Catalina Island shoreline. In addition, you can also explore the vibrant Santa Catalina Island landscape present around the beach through hiking and biking trails.

The Parsons Landing Campground present on the beach offers a memorable and pleasant oceanfront camping experience. The campground offers many amenities including barbecues, fire rings, picnic tables, and restrooms. However, please note that the campground does not offer running water. If you are planning to camp at Parsons Landing Campground, you can visit Parsons Landing Campground’s webpage at Catalina Island Company’s website for more information regarding the campsite details and charges. Visitors camping at Parsons Landing Campground need to ensure that they check-in first at Two Harbors Visitor Services before going to the campground. In addition, campers also need to purchase a camping locker from Two Harbors Visitor Services which is stocked with camping supplies including a bundle of firewood, a fire-starter, and a two-and-a-half gallon jug of water. You can contact Two Harbors Visitor Services at (310) 510-4205 for more useful information regarding camping at Parsons Landing.

There are multiple ways to access Parsons Landing - from Two Harbors, you can either walk or bike approximately seven and three-quarters of a mile along West End Road to finally access Parsons Landing. In addition, Parsons Landing is also accessible via kayak - the beach is four-and-a-quarter nautical miles away from Two Harbors. If you are planning to bike or kayak here, Two Harbors Dive & Recreation Center offers kayaks and bikes on rent. Catalina Express operates a ferry service from the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles to Two Harbors.

There are many attractions near Parsons Landing within an hour-and-45-minute drive. The nearby city of Avalon’s Crescent Avenue offers exciting shopping stores. Avalon Underwater Park (also known as Casino Point Dive 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 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 ship-wrecks. This park is also home to many kinds of fish 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 are looking for another attraction near Parsons Landing, The Wrigley Marine Science Center (which is a part of the University of South California’s Wrigley Institute) is a research center and teaching facility which is generally only accessible to research scholars, faculty and students from University of South California, as well as other academic groups. However, between Memorial Day and the Labor Day weekend, the research center usually offers interesting tours of its premises for the general public on Saturday mornings. Visitors can view many interesting research exhibits, a touch tank, and a hyperbaric chamber. In addition, they can also attend an informative science lecture. If you are interested in being a part of this tour, you can visit the "Saturdays at the Lab" webpage of Wrigley Marine Science Center’s website or call (310) 510-0811 for more information.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Parsons Landing within a 35-minute drive. Harbor Sands offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience. In addition, the restaurant also serves amazing salads, seafood, burgers, tacos, and chicken skewers. Harbor Reef Restaurant offers outstanding seafood and serves amazing freshly-caught swordfish during summers. West End Galley offers amazing breakfast and lunch dishes including sandwiches, pizzas, wraps, burritos, salads, and burgers. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Parsons Landing, Two Harbors General Store offers light snacks and desserts. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Parsons Landing, there are many great nearby options within an hour-and-45-minute drive. 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 non alcoholic 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 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. As another moderately priced option, the 3-Star Hotel Metropole offers many amenities including a spa, a shopping area with multiple restaurants and cafes, a courtyard garden with a fire-pit, and complimentary breakfast. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Parsons Landing, the 2-Star Casa Mariquita Hotel offers many amenities including two outdoor patios, complimentary breakfast, and beach towel loaner facility.