This island may be only 22 miles (35 km) across the sea, but it’s a world away from the urban velocity of LA. Ferries dock in Avalon, the island’s commercial hub. Most of the interior is a protected nature preserve that may only be explored on foot or bicycle (permit required), or by organized tour. These are excellent ways to learn about the island’s history as a destination for sea otter poachers, smugglers, Union soldiers, and mining speculators.
Visitors’ Bureau: Green Pleasure Pier; 310-510-1520
Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Gardens: www.catalinaconservancy.org; adm
Nature Center at Avalon Canyon: www.catalinaconservancy.org
Catalina Island Museum: www.catalinamuseum.org; adm
Catalina Express: 800-613-1212
Island Express: 800-228-2566
Santa Catalina Island Company: 877-778-8322
Catalina Adventure Tours: 877-510-2888
This green pier has been the hub of Avalon activity since 1909. For years, it was the official weighing station for game-fishing enthusiasts.
Rent a snorkel and take to the clear blue waters of this poetically named marine preserve teeming with golden Garibaldi (California’s state marine fish).
The monument to William Wrigley Jr., built in 1935 with local materials, towers over vast gardens. Plants include species unique to the island.
This Art Deco landmark, built for William Wrigley Jr., opened in 1929 and was never a gambling place. It contains a movie theater and a ballroom that once hosted nationally broadcast concerts. Murals of underwater scenes adorn the exterior.
This reserve, set up in 1965, was California’s first city-designated water park and is great for divers.
Here, hands-on activities and exhibits showcase the biodiversity of the Island.
In 1929, Wrigley Jr. made this the spring training ground of his baseball team. The clubhouse is now a restaurant.
Popular with boaters, hikers, and campers, this slow-paced rustic village on a natural isthmus is about 23 miles (37 km) west of Avalon. It is served by ferry from the mainland and by bus from Avalon.
Island explorations may lead to encounters with herds of chocolate-colored buffalo. The first 14 animals were brought here in 1924 for a Zane Grey film.
Over 7,000 years of island history come alive here, with artifacts, pottery, and photographs from Catalina’s days as the darling of Hollywood.
Catalina has a unique ecosystem and includes such endemic species as the Channel Island fox and the Catalina ground squirrel. The introduction of non-native animals resulted in overgrazing, a trend the Catalina Island Conservancy is now seeking to reverse. Another restoration project has returned the California bald eagle to the skies. Pelicans, gulls, and cormorants can also be spotted. The ocean waters are abundant with sea lions, Garibaldi, flying fish, and shark.
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