Shark Harbor

Overview

Located in the south-western portion of Santa Catalina Island, Shark Harbor is a small beach with light brown sand and some rocky portions.  This beach is situated below oceanfront bluffs.  The beach has an interesting rock formation near its northern end that is named the “Whale Tail” due to its unique shape resembling a whale’s tail when seen from above.  Shark Harbor does not have lifeguards.  However, the blufftop area above the beach has a couple of amenities including restrooms and picnic tables.  Dogs on leash are allowed on the beach.  There are multiple ways to access Shark Harbor - from the community of Two Harbors, you need to hike more than five miles along the Trans-Catalina Trail or bike more than seven miles south along an unpaved road to access the blufftop area above Shark Harbor. 

If you are planning to travel to Shark Harbor via bike, Two Harbors Dive & Recreation Center offers mountain bikes and biking accessories on rent.  If you are travelling from Avalon, you can take the Catalina Island Conservancy Wildlands Express Shuttle.  This shuttle service will drop you off at a nearby oceanfront campground named Little Harbor Campground from where you can easily walk to the blufftop area above Shark Harbor.  However, we recommend being careful while getting down to Shark Harbor from the blufftop area above because the bluffsides around this beach are steep and rocky.

Shark Harbor offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, hiking, surfing, and biking.  The water near Shark Harbor is unsafe for recreational water activities including swimming and kayaking because it has dangerous rip currents.However, despite the unsafe water conditions, highly-experienced surfers occasionally surf near this beach as it sometimes offers fun and thrilling surfing waves.  We recommend foregoing surfing here if you are a beginner surfer.  If you like taking pictures with amazing views, the blufftop area above this beach offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Santa Catalina Island shoreline.  An oceanfront campground named Little Harbor Campground is also located near this beach.  This campground accommodates tents and offers many amenities including picnic tables, barbecues, fire rings, outdoor showers, drinking water facility, restrooms, and kayak rentals.  If you are planning to camp here, you can visit Little Harbor Campground’s webpage on Catalina Island Company’s website.

Attractions

There are many attractions near Shark Harbor within an hour-and-15 minute drive.  The Catalina Chimes Tower has Spanish-style architecture and was constructed in 1925 by William Wrigley Jr. The tower has around 200 chimes which play a melodious tune every 15 minutes between 8 am to 8 pm.  If you like escape room-style puzzles, Escape Room Catalina offers a fun and challenging escape room puzzle.  Catalina Island Museum offers interesting historical and artistic exhibits.  The museum also hosts exciting events throughout the year including tours of the nearby historic Tuna Club of Avalon, book signings, gallery talks, and an annual silent film benefit.

An immensely popular activity in Santa Catalina Island is exploring the island’s vibrant landscape and interesting biodiversity and history via an exciting zip-line tour conducted by the Catalina Island Company.  This zip-line tour (also known as the Zip Line Eco Tour) usually last around two hours.This tour spans over 1,100 lineal miles and offers amazing views of the Descanso Canyon and the Santa Catalina Island shoreline.  If you are looking for another attraction near Shark Harbor, 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.

Restaurants

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Shark Harbor within an hour-and-10-minute drive.  Avalon Grille serves amazing gourmet dishes prepared from fresh and local ingredients.  This restaurant also serves an exquisite drink called Wrigley’s martini, which was created by Philip K. Wrigley - this drink was popular in Chicago during the 1950s (it was originally exclusively served only at The Wrigley Bar in Chicago).  The Lobster Trap is famous for serving amazing seafood.  In addition, this restaurant also serves amazing tacos, sandwiches, and pastas.  Original Antonio’s Pizzeria & Deli offers a vintage dining ambiance.  In addition, the restaurant also serves amazing pizzas, pastas, salads, and soups.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Shark Harbor, The Sandtrap (The Sandtrap Restaurant and Bar) offers excellent Mexican and American breakfast dishes.   

Hotels

If you are looking for a hotel near Shark Harbor, there are many great nearby options within an hour-and-10 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 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 3.5-Star Aurora Hotel that offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast, rooftop deck, and a wine reception on Friday evenings.  Another moderately priced hotel is the 3-Star Hotel Metropole that 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 Shark Harbor, the 2-Star Hermosa Hotel & Cottages offers many amenities including a bar, diving gear storage facilities, and showers.