CATALINA ISLAND
GET AWAY WITHOUT GETTING AWAY
There’s nothing like an island getaway but who has the time or money for a vacation to paradise? Lucky for Angelenos, Catalina Island, just 22 miles off the coast of Southern California, is roughly an hour away via Catalina Express from both the Long Beach and San Pedro ports.
Getaway to Avalon on Catalina, which recently celebrated its centennial year, and you’ll really find yourself away from the LA rat race. Time spent on Avalon, a simple town just one mile long, is quiet, simple, and as fun as you want to make it.
Avalon is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island of the California Channel Islands, and it’s the southernmost city in Los Angeles County. At one point in history, the island was owned by William Wrigley, Jr., and even served as spring training headquarters for the Chicago Cubs. In fact, it was Wrigley who oversaw much of the development of the island, including the famous Catalina Casino, the island’s most notable landmark. Funny enough, there’s no gambling in the casino, instead it’s taken from the Italian word ‘casino’, which actually means a gathering place.
A resort community, the mode of transportation on Avalon is done via golf cart, which visitors can rent to tour the island on their own. Another popular activity for tourists includes zip lining, glass-bottom-boat tours, kayaking, laying out on the beach, and drinking the island’s signature cocktail, Buffalo Milk—a delicious blend of Crème de Cocoa, Kalua, Crème de Banana, and vodka. And if you’re lucky, you may even stumble upon an actual buffalo that roam the island (they were originally brought over for a Hollywood movie way back in the day).
With summer upon us, a visit to Catalina Island will recharge your batteries and offer you that island mojo to get you ready for another day of traffic and life in the big city.
Click here to watch a live Catalina Island Web cam.
Story by Jose Martinez
Photography courtesy of locations mentioned
