(Sunset) -- Listen to the ocean from your room in one of these lesser-known coastal inns in the West.





Two Harbors hides out on the quiet side of Catalina Island, California.





TWO HARBORS, Catalina Island, California





On the far side of Catalina, away from the main town of Avalon, is Two Harbors, a tiny boaters' haven that feels like an island on the island.





Check in: For all the isolation, you don't have to rough it here. In addition to boat-in and walk-in campgrounds, Two Harbors has the Banning House Lodge in the vacation home of Catalina's onetime owners. All 12 rooms have views of the harbor. From $128





Explore: At Two Harbors, you can snorkel through swaying kelp beds and kayak to hidden coves. Steep trails lead into the Catalina backcountry. Or just stroll across the isthmus and look out over the Pacific: next stop, Hawaii, 2,500 miles away. -- Matthew Jaffe. Sunset.com: 13 great California fall trips





ROCKWATER SECRET COVE RESORT, Near Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia





This ragged stretch of the Sunshine Coast is so unspoiled and awe-inspiring, it's sometimes hard to imagine that anyone but a bald eagle or two has been here before you.





Check in: Wooden walkways meander through the forest where the resort's 13 roomy, light-filled, adults-only canvas tent suites -- with fluffy king-size duvets and tubs for two -- perch above the blue water. Each suite has a deck -- and views to inspire castaway fantasies. From $315 U.S. through October 12





Explore: At Rockwater's Spa Without Walls, treatments are on a platform at the water's edge with stunning views. Horseback riding, bocce ball, croquet, and beach volleyball, will tempt you to stay on the property, but make time to explore the ocean by kayak. Horseback rides $52 U.S. for 90 minutes; sea kayaking $57.20 U.S. for half-day. -- Deana Lancaster. Sunset.com: Modern beach style





CAMA BEACH STATE PARK RESORT, Camano Island, Washington





Washington State Parks resuscitated this beloved cluster of '30s-era cabins set between forest and sea last year, and ever since, it's been a go-to destination for anyone seeking a taste of the simple life. Walk the beach or tootle around Saratoga Passage in a vintage rowboat. After dark, toast marshmallows around a beach bonfire with other adventurers lucky enough to have scored one of the 33 cabins. Finally, hunker down under the covers while Puget Sound sings you to sleep.





Check in: Splurge on a two-bedroom bungalow for $129 a night. Save by checking into a standard cabin for $45 a night. Save more after October 15, when cabins start at $23 a night. Two-night weekend minimum





Explore: Seattle's Center for Wooden Boats has a new location, at Cama Beach. Rent a cute boat to explore the Sound -- fisherman's sweater and pipe not included. Closed Mon-Tue; rowboats $20 per hour; 360/387-9361. -- Jenny Cunningham





COAST GUARD HOUSE HISTORIC INN, Point Arena, California





Atop a bluff and offering nose-bleed views of the major highway for gray whales -- aka the Pacific Ocean -- is this Cape Cod-style seaside estate from 1901, with slatted ceilings, vintage photographs, and piles of firewood near the basement.





Check in: It's hard to shake the Agatha Christie vibe at the windswept inn, what with the grandfather clock ominously stopped at 4:20, a house dog named Winston, and a Friday-night wine and cheese party where you meet the other suspects, ahem, guests. Two cottages and four rooms are shipshape cozy. From $165, breakfast included; two-night weekend minimum





Explore: Tiny Point Arena isn't exactly booming, but nearby are sand dunes, pocket beaches, the Point Arena Light Station, and the great Pinots of Anderson Valley. -- Christine Richard. Sunset.com: Tour Pacific Grove by bike





COAST CABINS, Manzanita, Oregon





If Goldilocks were a beach girl
where is catalina island
California.
question: where is catalina island, answer: California.