How to Spend One Day on Catalina Island

The town of Avalon on Santa Catalina Island offers a weekend escape or day trip for the Southern California resident and a whole world away for the rest of average traveler. This quaint town that holds 90% of Catalina’s population is the perfect place to spend a few days or even one of taking it easy and exploring the island. I was able to spend two nights on the island and really got to have fun and relax, but you can experience it all in one day. Here are my tips to spending the day there.

Getting there

You can get to Catalina by air or boat (technically it’s a catamaran) but most people take to the seas through the Catalina Express for a 1 hour trip from the Long Beach, San Pedro, or Dana Point ports.

Pulling up into port you’ll notice right away the iconic Catalina Casino. This beautiful building isn’t what you’d expect; there’s no gambling that happens here as casino means ‘gathering place’ in Italian. I did not take the tour of the building but I was told by some other Catalina visitors I met in town that the tour of the casino is fantastic and worth the time and money.

Once you get into port in the small town of Avalon, you can most likely easily walk to your hotel from the port if you decide to stay overnight. The town of Avalon is so small that it is so easy to walk around. It takes about ten minutes to walk from one side of town to the next. If walking isn’t your thing then there are bike and golf cart rentals available in town for use.

Morning

Of course in a small island town, what better way to spend your time than out visiting the shops and restaurants around town? Avalon, though very small, is filled with stores, food stands and restaurants that could keep you busy with the whole day. My favorite spots in town were the spots right on the water. What better way to dine and shop than with a view?

After exploring downtown, head in the direction of the casino. Just past the casino you’ll find a whole other part of Avalon called the Descanso Beach Club. Here you can feel like one of the Hollywood elite by renting a cabana and relaxing on the beach with full service . If you’re looking for a more laid back experience then hang out at the bar and grab some speciality cocktails. It’s the best spot in town for casual drinks and great bar food (try the nachos, you won’t regret it).

Afternoon

For the next part of your day, take an adventure with one of the many options available on the island. Here are some of my recommendations:

• Rent a kayak or SUP to get a view from the water.
• Take a guided snorkeling tour of the reefs just beyond the beach.
• Take a stroll through the Wrigley Botanical Garden
• Zip line Eco tour
• (What I did and recommend) See more of the island by taking a day excursion with the Catalina Island Company. On the couple hour tour on an off road 4W vehicle, you’ll get to stop at the top of the island to get a view from the airport, see the landscape of the island, and maybe even have an encounter with some bison.

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There are bison on the island?

Yes! There are bison on the island. No, they are not native to the island. A 1920s film crew brought a few bison to the island to film for a silent western film titled The Vanishing American. Once the crew released them on the island they ran away and were never able to be filmed for the movie. But the bison and have thrived and existed on the island since then and now about 150 call Catalina Island home.
Make sure while you’re visiting to get some Buffalo Milk which is the official drink of the island to honor these giant neighbors. I recommend grabbing one while visiting Descanso Beach Club.

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Evening

Finish off your day by treating yourself to a nice dinner. Grab yourself a glass of wine and get some fresh oysters while spotting seas lions right below you at the Bluewater Grill.

Head on over to the casino to catch a movie. Nightly movies are shown and it’s a relaxing way to cap off the night while also getting a peak inside the historic building. Get there early for the movie to grab a good seat and to catch some of the organ playing right in the theater.

And finally, end the day on a high note with some ice cream. There are multiple places on the island to grab a cone.

Know before you go

Here are a few things to keep in mind before visiting the island:

• Many of the activities available on the island are seasonal or only offered some days of the week. Be sure to check the websites before planning on doing any activities for the day.
• All restaurants charge for water on the island and it all comes served in plastic bottles (two including the Bluewater Grill offer tap water as a free option). Save the environment and some extra cash by coming prepared with enough water for your visit.
• Don’t get your hopes up about seeing a bison while visiting. I was lucky enough to see them at a far off distance.