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Can I camp anywhere on Catalina Island?

How to see Catalina Island.... Any Recommendations?

  • If you have ever been to Catalina Island off the Southern California Coastline please respond. I've never been there before, but I see all kinds of package offers on their website. I was wondering if you have had any good/bad experiences and what would you recommend as the best way to get to the island/see the island/stay on the island. Any ideas of best places to stay, best places to eat, best activities to do? I welcome all comments about your time spent on that island and any suggestions would be fantastic. Thanks ahead of time!

  • Answer:

    Most people get to Catalina by ferry, the Catalina Express. The main point of departure is Long Beach, but ferries also leave/return San Pedro and Dana Point. www.catalinaexpress.com The Catalina Flyer, the largest passenger-carrying catamaran on the coast makes the round trip daily from Newport Beach. www.catalinainfo.com Island Express Helicopter Service flys from Long Beach to Avalon daily the year round. The flight takes only about 15 minutes. www.islandexpress.com Definitely, from my POV, the ferry is the best choice. These websites will give you lots of information on visiting the island and things to do/see, places to stay. www.catalinachamber.com www.visitcatalinaisland.com The best hotel on the Island is the Inn at Mt. Ada which used to be the private summer residence of William Wrigley Jr. who owned the entire island at one time. www.innonmtada.com The Avalon Hotel is an excellent, less expensive, option. www.theavalonhotel.com Tours would probably be the best way to see the island. You can take several different, and immensely interesting, excursions out to sea, such as the Flying Fish Trip or the Undersea Tour in a semi-submersible vessel. The Classic Island Motor Tour is a 4 hour trip through the inland area of the island to the fox habitat, El Escondido Ranch and the Restaurant in the Sky. Santa Catalina Island Discovery Tours www.visitcatalinaisland.com You'll explore Avalon by foot, there are no cars on the island. For a less crowded side trip you can head over to Two Harbors, a quiet town than Avalon. The 11 bedroom Banning House Lodge (built in 1910) is the place to stay. www.visittwoharbors.com Don't miss the Grand Casino. The massive art deco building (built by William Wrigley) has the island's only movie theater and the world's largest circular ballroom. Catalina was my mother's favorite vacation spot back in the 1930s and 1940s, and it's been one of mine since the 1950s.

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If you like bars, parties and people than you will want to go to Avalon. They have bars everywhere and plenty of attractions. They have a few hotels, just google Catalina island and choose one for yourself. Everything is 1st class over there. Plenty of diving, dancing, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing, sailing, Segway tours, and every thing else including a zip line. The other destination is two harbors. It's a very small town, one restaurant, one cafe, one campground, one hotel, one general store, one bar, one dive shop.... And that's pretty much it. It's where a lot of locals hang out, and lots of yahties (people who live on nice large boats.). While its not all parties 24/7 every saturday night everyone in the area come to the outdoor dance floor for the evening. they have snorkeling, diving, hiking. There are cars on the island.

Galadrin

DR did a nice overview of the island. Keep in mind that Catalina is not Vegas. In fact, it's ant-Vegas. Things there are slow by design. It's a place you go to get away from things. Everthing is mom-and-pop there, you won't find McDonald's, Subway, Starbucks, Holiday Inn, or anything considered a chain. Some people go there looking for things to "do", but in reality, the beauty of Catalina is just being able to do nothing but enjoying the ocean and the breeze.

Obviousman

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