Seasonal Splendor

Can you think of a place in car-crazed Los Angeles County where there’s a 15-year waitlist to bring in a car, golf carts are the conveyance of choice and roaming wild buffalo are more common than traffic jams?

Catalina Island, just 22 miles off the coast, offers a dream-like escape from L.A.’s bumper-to-bumper lifestyle. So grab your sweetheart, gather your pals or pack up the whole family to enjoy picture-perfect scenery, a wide variety of land and sea activities, the island breezes and sunny skies.

Easy to get to

Catalina Express high-speed catamarans offer daily service to Avalon from San Pedro, Long Beach and Dana Point. Departing from Newport Beach, the 650-passenger Catalina Flyer features a comfortable main cabin with picture windows and a breezy upper deck. Cocktails and light snacks are available for purchase on all vessels. It usually takes a little over an hour to get to the island. Or take the Island Express helicopter to get there in just 14 minutes.

The charming city of Avalon

The main hub of Catalina Island, Avalon exudes Mediterranean charm as it stretches along the water’s edge between the boat arrival terminal and the iconic Casino Building. A leisurely stroll around the picturesque harbor takes you past the jutting Green Pleasure Pier. Or you can sit on a bench embedded with distinctive Catalina Tiles and take in the scenery. Side streets lead past simple beach bungalows, old-fashioned businesses, charming shops, quaint inns and delightful gardens and plazas. You won’t find a McDonald’s, a Burger King or a Hilton. There are no chains, just lots of charm.

Things to do on Catalina

Catalina offers an astonishing range of activities for all ages. Snorkeling, diving, kayaking, fishing and parasailing are perennial favorites. For something new, try snuba or Sea Trekking. Visitors who prefer to stay dry enjoy the glass-bottom boats or semi-submersibles tours, great for viewing the bright orange Garibaldi fish and other marine life thriving in the undersea kelp forests.

Shopping, dining, hiking, biking and renting a golf cart to tour the city are some of the most popular land activities. The most thrilling adventure on Catalina is the adrenaline-pumping Zip Line Eco Tour. Zip from the mountain to the sea on five consecutive zip lines, nearly 4,000 feet long with a total drop of nearly 600 feet, that reach heart-pounding speeds of up to 40 miles per hour.