Catalina Island

Why Catalina works so well

The Channel Islands of Southern California are largely inaccessible wilderness. Catalina is the exception — permanently inhabited, with a functioning small town, a hotel infrastructure and a ferry service that makes it genuinely easy to visit. It also happens to be one of the more beautiful places in Southern California, which most people on the mainland have no idea about.

The island is 22 miles long and eight miles wide at its broadest point. About 88 percent of it is owned and managed by the Catalina Island Conservancy as protected wilderness — no development, no roads beyond a permit network, just chaparral hills, sea cliffs and endemic wildlife. The remaining 12 percent contains the town of Avalon, the smaller settlement of Two Harbors and a handful of small beaches. The contrast between the manicured waterfront of Avalon and the wild interior ten minutes up the hill is one of the island's defining characteristics.

Almost no private cars are permitted on the island. Residents have a years-long waiting list for one of the limited number of car permits. Visitors get around on foot, by golf cart — the primary civilian vehicle — by bicycle or by the island's bus service. The absence of traffic noise and the scale of the place make it feel genuinely different from anywhere on the mainland.

Getting there — the ferry

Catalina Express operates multiple daily ferry crossings to Avalon from three mainland departure points: San Pedro (near Long Beach), Dana Point and Long Beach itself. The crossing takes between 60 and 75 minutes depending on the departure point. San Pedro is the most frequent service; Dana Point is useful if you are staying in Orange County. Ferries run year-round.

Book in advance, particularly for summer weekends and holidays — the boats fill up and the service operates on a reservation system. The catamaran ferries are fast and comfortable; bring a layer as it can be cold on the water even in summer. The crossing itself is enjoyable — dolphins frequently accompany the boats and the approach to Avalon harbour, with the white buildings rising above the water and the green hills behind, is a genuinely good arrival.

Flying Flags shuttle services and helicopter transfers also operate to the island for those wanting a faster or more dramatic arrival, though the ferry is the standard and perfectly pleasant option.

Avalon

Avalon is the only incorporated city in the United States that can only be reached by boat or air. It has a permanent population of around 4,000 and the compact, walkable feel of a Mediterranean port town — which is not entirely accidental, given the climate and the architecture. The crescent harbour is lined with restaurants and the famous Casino building — a circular art deco ballroom built in 1929 that dominates the harbour view and is one of the finest examples of the style in California.

The Avalon Casino is not a gambling casino — it never was. The word was used in its original Italian sense, meaning a place of gathering and entertainment. The ballroom on the upper floor held the first nationally broadcast big band performance in the United States. Tours of the building are available and the Catalina Island Museum on the ground floor is worth an hour for the history of the island and the Hollywood connection — Catalina was a favourite retreat for Golden Age film stars and the island has a remarkable archive of photographs and film memorabilia.

The waterfront promenade — Crescent Avenue — is Avalon's main street, lined with restaurants, ice cream shops, dive operators and golf cart hire companies. Walk the length of it, then turn up the hill into the residential streets for a quieter look at how the town actually works. The views from the higher streets across the harbour are excellent.

Restaurants in Avalon range from casual fish tacos on the waterfront to proper sit-down dining. The Lobster Trap and Avalon Grille are both consistently good. Steve's Steakhouse, on the hill above the harbour, has views that justify the trip up the steps regardless of whether you eat there.

The water — snorkelling, diving and kayaking

The water around Catalina is some of the clearest in Southern California — the combination of the island's position, the kelp forest ecosystems and the limited boat traffic close to shore creates visibility that regularly exceeds 30 feet. This makes it genuinely worth getting in the water, unlike most of the mainland beaches where the visibility is poor.

Lovers Cove, a short walk east of the Avalon ferry terminal, is a marine preserve where snorkelling is excellent and the garibaldi — a brilliantly orange fish and the California state marine fish — are common and entirely unafraid of swimmers. The clarity of the water and the density of fish life make it one of the best accessible snorkelling spots in Southern California. Mask and snorkel hire is available on the waterfront.

Scuba diving around Catalina is world-class for California standards — kelp forest diving with garibaldi, sheephead, sea lions and occasional grey whales. Several dive operators work out of Avalon including Catalina Divers Supply and Scuba Luv, both of which offer guided dives, equipment hire and instruction for beginners. The Casino Point Dive Park, immediately below the Casino building, is one of the few accessible shore dives in Southern California with significant marine life.

Kayaking around the Avalon waterfront and along the coast toward the sea caves east of town is excellent. Several operators hire sit-on-top kayaks by the hour from the beach. The sea caves at Seal Rocks, accessible by kayak in calm conditions, have California sea lions hauled out in numbers — the smell announces them before you can see them, and the noise is considerable.

Hiking and the interior

The Catalina Island Conservancy manages an extensive trail network through the island's interior, accessible by permit from the Conservancy office in Avalon. Day hiking permits are inexpensive and easy to obtain. The trails gain elevation quickly from town and within thirty minutes of the ferry terminal you can be on a ridge with views across the full width of the island to the Pacific on the far side.

The Trans-Catalina Trail is a 37-mile end-to-end route from Avalon to Starlight Beach at the island's western tip, passing through Two Harbors roughly at the midpoint. Serious hikers complete it over three to five days with camping at designated sites. For day visitors, the first section from Avalon to Hermit Gulch Campground and up to Divide Road gives outstanding views and a genuine sense of the island's wild character within a half-day round trip.

The island has endemic wildlife found nowhere else on earth — the island fox, a miniature relative of the grey fox that has evolved in isolation and is now entirely fearless of humans, is the most remarkable. They wander through Avalon's streets and campsites and will approach within a few feet. The island scrub-jay, larger and brighter than its mainland relative, is common on the higher trails. American bison — brought to the island in 1924 for a film shoot and never removed — roam the interior in a managed herd of around 150 animals. Seeing bison on a hillside above the Pacific is one of those California experiences that requires no further explanation.

Bison are dangerous animals and should be treated with serious respect on the trail. They are large, fast and unpredictable — a bison can run at 35mph and will charge if it feels threatened or cornered. Give them a wide berth, never approach for a photograph and do not position yourself between a bison and its escape route. If a bison is blocking the trail, wait at a safe distance or find an alternative route around. The Conservancy rangers advise maintaining a minimum distance of 75 feet at all times. Most encounters are peaceful if you give them space — the problems arise when hikers underestimate how quickly the animals can move.

Two Harbors

Two Harbors, at the island's isthmus fourteen miles from Avalon, is the island's second settlement — a handful of buildings, a campground, a restaurant and a dive operation clustered at the narrowest point of the island where the Pacific and the Catalina Channel are separated by less than half a mile of land. It is quieter, wilder and considerably more remote in feel than Avalon.

The Catalina Express ferry serves Two Harbors directly from San Pedro on a reduced schedule. The alternative is a bus service from Avalon or a hike along the Trans-Catalina Trail. For those wanting an overnight stay away from any crowds whatsoever, the Two Harbors campground and the adjacent Banning House Lodge are the options. The night sky at Two Harbors, well away from mainland light pollution, is extraordinary.

Day trip or overnight?

A day trip from the mainland is entirely feasible and covers the Avalon waterfront, Lovers Cove snorkelling and a short hike comfortably. Take the first ferry of the morning and the last one back. You will not feel short-changed.

An overnight stay changes the experience completely. Avalon empties significantly after the day-tripper ferries leave in the afternoon and the town becomes noticeably more relaxed. Watching the sun set over the harbour from the Casino terrace, walking the promenade in the evening without crowds, and waking up to the harbour before the first ferry arrives — these are the experiences that make Catalina worth more than a day.

The Hotel Atwater and Hotel Metropole are the most central options in Avalon. The Inn on Mount Ada — a former home of William Wrigley Jr, the chewing gum magnate who owned the island for much of the twentieth century — is a small six-room inn at the top of the hill with the best views on the island and rates to match. Book all accommodation well in advance for summer and holiday weekends.

Practical notes

There are no ATMs on the island beyond Avalon — bring cash. Most restaurants and shops take cards but cash is useful for smaller transactions. Mobile coverage in Avalon is reasonable; in the interior it is essentially non-existent.

Golf cart hire in Avalon is the easiest way to explore the town and the immediate area — companies along the waterfront hire them by the hour. A valid driving licence is required and they are driven on the road alongside pedestrians and the occasional island vehicle. The speed limit is low and the system works.

The best time to visit is spring (April to June) and early autumn (September to October) — warm and clear, with lower crowds than the peak summer months. July and August are busy, hot and the ferry and accommodation book out significantly in advance. Winter visits are quiet and the weather is mild by UK standards, though some businesses operate reduced hours.