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    Descanso Beach

    4.1 (30 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Descanso Beach Photos

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    michelada and piña colada
    Olyvia M.

    we rented a set of chairs on the beach, and the service and view and food/drink was so amazing. our server, angel, was really inviting as well as had some good recommendations from the menu. such a good place to go if you want to feel like you are on vacation for the day. relax and unwind. 4 stars bc getting to the water and the "beach" was all rocks.

    Steven C.

    Descanso Beach is a beach near by the city or port of Avalon on Catalina. Descanso is a must go if you happen to be on a Catalina Express. When I went to Catalina, I took the Catalina expressed and rented the golf cart to export the city of Avalon. There only few sand beaches in Avalon since it is mainly a porter. As a result, I would recommend walking a mile or so from Avalon or drive a golf car to Descanso Beach for more sandy beaches. The beach at Descanso is not huge but very pretty! There are drinks shops and a dining club literally right by the beach next to the sand. However, this review is purely for Descanso Beach as a whole. I like the vibe at Descanso Beach because it has a tropical escape vibe. I would strongly recommend checking it out when you're on Catalina Island. There are different watersports you can do at the beach or you can do ziplining near the Descanso Beach as well.

    The beach
    Anthony S.

    It is a nice little beach to relax for the day. Despite what people say, you don't need to be a member or pay $2 to enjoy the beach. However, there are lots of rocks in the water and that makes it hard to swim.

    Famous Buffalo milk

    I came here on a Friday and it was empty! I made reservations online for two lounge chairs. We were greeted by our server (super nice), who brought us bottled water and two beach towels. We sat right in front of the water , the water was amazing! Very rock, I recommend water shoes if you plan on going in. The Buffalo Milk is to DIE FOR. will be back again!

    Lisa F.

    It's kind of hard to rate a beach! It was clean and the water clear and beautiful but of course it was packed ! It just a little creepy that so many boats are parked right in front of all the swimmers ! I worried about the boat fuels/oils damaging the marine life or little kids swimming nearby.

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    Volleyball courts to private cabanas, plus a 360-degree bar and grills set up for nighttime bar-b-ques.

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    12 years ago

    Beautiful view. The Casino building is pretty nice too. They have a bar and food service out there.

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    Ask the Community - Descanso Beach

    Is there an entry fee if we don't reserve chairs or cabanas? If so, what is it? Thanks!

    Hi! Thanks for your inquiry. There may be a $2 usage fee for the public beach.

    View All 2 Questions

    Review Highlights - Descanso Beach

    When I went to Catalina, I took the Catalina expressed and rented the golf cart to export the city of Avalon.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    From the owner: The Penthouse is in the largest multilevel Condo, in the City of Avalon, on Catalina Island. It is…read morelocated just 3 blocks from the town and beach. Newly renovated. No other Catalina Island hotel has a private Jacuzzi, Internet and a Baby Grand Piano! Great for the romantic couple or a total of 8 people for weekly rentals. The Penthouse condo has views of the mountains and ocean by day and the lights of the City of Avalon by night. Most condos can be quite warm during the summer. This condo rental is unique because it has windows on all four sides of the unit allowing breezes to gently flow through the entire unit.

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    Great experience! I…read morebooked a Kayak and Stand-up Paddle Board online 3-months in advance of our arrival to ensure we would have access to them when we arrived. I'm so glad I did because while we were signing the wavers, people were coming up asking about rentals and they were sold out of everything for the day. The online reservation process was quick and easy. Rentals are for a minimum of 2 hours and you have to choose your date and block your arrival time. After arriving, we had a short wait to get into our rentals. Their process was very efficient. The only downside is that they are located in the busy marina with the boats/yachts. My daughter was so excited about her kayak that she wasn't paying much attention to her surroundings, she didn't notice that a yacht was leaving the marina and headed right for her. It came so very close to plowing her down. Just watch your surroundings and you'll be just fine. Overall, everyone had an absolute blast. My daughter was absolutely shocked when a seal swam right up to her Kayak, poked his head out, made some noises, then playfully splashed water on her. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Highly Recommended!

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    Descanso Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

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