Catalina Island, Avalon Ca

About a million tourists visit the island every year; Catalina is serviced by ferries and the “Airport in the Sky.” Ferries depart from Orange County in Newport Beach and Dana Point, while they depart from Los Angeles County in Long Beach, San Pedro, and Marina del Rey. The trip takes approximately an hour and costs approx $65 round trip. Helicopter service is also available from Long Beach or San Pedro. Glass bottom boats tour the reefs and shipwrecks of the area, and scuba diving and snorkeling are popular in the clear water. Lover’s Cove, to the east of town, and Descanso Beach, to the west of the Casino, are popular places to dive. The area is famous for the schools of flyingfish and the bright orange Garibaldi which teem in local waters. Bus tours are given of the interior. While tourists rarely have an opportunity to surf, two beaches on the “backside” of Catalina offer good waves: Shark Harbor and Ben Weston Beach.

Catalina is an oasis of romance and adventure located off the Southern California coast, where the pressures of everyday life melt away, replaced by warm memories and cherished experiences. Sheltered from development and protected from urban sprawl, the Island offers dramatic vistas and native flora and fauna, crystal clear waters teeming with marine life and sweeping vistas of rolling hills and steep cliffs.

The charming village of Avalon, the Island's only city, provides fine dining, shopping and day spas along with accommodations that include boutique hotels, quaint bed and breakfasts and vacation homes. For those who choose to venture further afield, the rustic village of Two Harbors hosts campers, boaters and guests at its only lodging option, an historic bed and breakfast.