Catalina Island

Catalina Island, California. Like Hawaii, only not as far.

For a little dose of Island time not far from home, take a fast boat to the small but mighty Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California. You may have heard tell of this hidden gem, or maybe you even have heard the songs, but if you’ve never been to Santa Catalina Island, you should remedy that post-haste.

Catalina Island – a boaters haven, surrounded by water (of course), and 26 miles from the mainland is populated on one side in the town of Avalon, and much more quietly populated on the West side in the town of Two Harbors. Some have called Catalina the poor man’s Hawaii. Having been to both, I am not sure it’s comparable, but it’s certainly closer, and has a Mediterranean vibe with its colorful houses set into the hill face that come into view as the boat closes in on the tiny harbor. It has all the feels and activities that any island vacation could promise, from water activities to zipline adventures, from shopping and spas to beach drinking and soaking up the sun.

Getting There:

There are fast boats that run regular service to Catalina Island with varying departure times throughout the day and year. I chose to leave from Dana Point on the Catalina Express (advertising the only year round boat service to Catalina Island). https://www.catalinaexpress.com/schedule-fares.html The cost is about $75 roundtrip for adults and does not include parking at the boat terminal. The boats are clean and well-serviced and do have a small snack bar with limited food service and alcoholic beverages available. It’s a little over an hour by boat or 15 minutes by helicopter if you want to splurge and get there fast.

Staying Over:

In terms of where to stay, I highly recommend booking accommodations in advance. There are a variety of hotels and bed & breakfasts in varying price points, but it is an island so there are only a limited number of rooms and many book up especially during popular summer weekends. I stayed at the Portofino Hotel https://www.portofinohotel.net/ which was well-located in terms of the downtown shops and restaurants and provided easy access to the waterfront harbor. The included breakfast was quite nice (really good scones) and the hotel offered beach chairs, towels, and bikes for free. The hotel wasn’t on the water (few of them actually are) but they do offer rooms with a water view (the hotel is across the street from the harbor and the water is easy to see from there).

Go for the Water, but not the Beach:

It’s a short walk from most of the downtown hotels to a few scattered and small beaches where you can lay out, but the space is limited and the water in this nearby beach area is calm – much more like a harbor – great for Stand up Paddle Boarding though! There is a more refined, more populated beach area by the Descanso Beach Club which afforded more sand but also incurred a fee in order to lay out there. For an elevated experience, spend some change and rent cabanas. The Beach Club area also offers a very buzzy bar and restaurant combo with live DJs bumping the beats on busy days. It definitely feels like a party. https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/things-to-do/descanso-beach-club/ Since beach is limited, having a boat is best as you can anchor in and stay awhile and be a short swim to the shore if you want to refuel.

Historically speaking…

There is some rich and interesting history associated with Catalina Island tied to the Wrigleys (yes that Wrigley – chewing gum, Chicago Cubs, etc.) who bought the island in 1919. There’s a nice memorial to William Wrigley Jr. at the Botanic Gardens (which, honestly, aren’t really botanical but more like a series of meandering paths through desert island brush and cactus that are reminiscent of Arizona). The view from the top is worth the walk, but bring water, sunscreen and a hat as there isn’t much shade and it’s a dusty uphill trek. https://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=wrigley_memorial_and_botanic_garden There’s also a 1929 Casino (which btw does not mean “gambling” place but rather “gathering” place) that tells tales of Hollywood starlets who danced the night away in this, the World’s largest circular ballroom, during lavish parties the island hosted in the 30s and 40s. You can walk by for free but need to purchase a ticket for a movie, or book a tour to see the inside. https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/about-the-island/history/catalina-casino/

Mt. Ada, formerly the home of the Wrigley family, boasts a six room Inn and restaurant with killer ocean and island views. You can book tours to and through the home, or just book a reservation for their restaurant on Open Table. I decided to try it for lunch and the ocean breezes and umbrellas kept me cool after the uphill climb to the Inn (you can taxi but I chose to walk. If you’re staying there, they do offer a hotel shuttle. If you’re just dining there, getting there is on your own). The menu isn’t varied, but you get to choose three courses for a reasonable price which becomes much more appealing once you figure out that drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike) are included.

Getting Around:

There are very few cars on Catalina, so renting a Golf Cart is a fun way to get around. Golf carts aren’t permitted everywhere, but on most of the paved roads around Avalon they are fine. You can rent them by the hour, for max two hours at a stretch. During a busy summer weekend there were still some available for rent if you walked up to any rental agency (there are quite a few on the island) but if you want to be sure to get one, reserve ahead. Most rental agencies provide a map that shows the high points with some history and driving a golf cart definitely gets you to the top of some of the more difficult summits, especially if you’re not able to walk easily uphill. There are companies that offer off road jeep tours and transit across the island if you want to go the overland route. I didn’t try either of these due to lack of time. Walking really is the best way to get from point to point as the main area is quite small. But if you’re heading anywhere uphill for the view, be prepared for a steep climb.

See food and Sea Food

There are quite a few restaurants on island, from casual eateries to fine dining. As mentioned I did try out Mt. Ada’s restaurant, and the view was better than the food, but I really enjoyed the seafood (of which there is plenty) dinner I had at The Bluewater Grill. https://www.bluewatergrill.com/locations/catalina-island The fish was on point and they happened to be serving some of my favorite mixers (Fever Tree Tonic) for the perfect G&T. And for a tasty treat, if you are a lover of peanut butter ice cream like I am (I try them all in an effort to find the best) I might have discovered one of my top 3 at this Island creamery called Scoops. To die for.

All told, the island was a worthy spot for a one night getaway, and I’d go back to explore Two Harbors, or perhaps rent a home for a few days and take advantage of the local Vons to buy food to cook and picnic rather than dine out for every meal. Catalina can likely also be explored in a day, but for a real treat, give yourself an overnight or even the weekend – you’ll leave relaxed and recharged, though maybe a little lighter in the wallet.

I can’t do any better than recommend this very comprehensive website by the Catalina Chamber of Commerce https://www.catalinachamber.com/ and Visit Catalina at https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/ for all the info I wasn’t able to fit in this article!