Catalina Island - Recommendations?

[Shotgun 1]

We've been thinking of going out to Catalina for a couple of days. It's so close by, but I've never been there...

Any suggestions for the best stuff to do? What is the best way to get out there (plane, sailboat, ferry)? Any preferred spots for hiking, kayaking, camping? Good restaurants? Hotels or Bed & Breakfasts? (Not sure if we want to camp while we're there.)

[McDuck 0]

There's some great snorkeling around Bird Rock, but if you plan on speafishing, be wary of stonefish...and blue sharks. I'm not sure if they let the general public around there, but Pirates Cove, over in the YMCA youth camp has some wonderful snorkeling as well. There are (were) also some nice stretches of secluded beach if you were to kayak past the YMCA youth camp, away from Avalon.

Edited to add: Oh, the ferry was the simplest and least complicated way to go, last I visited. You can sometimes catch glimpses of flying fish scared up in front of the ferry.

Kevin - Sonic Beef #5 - OrFun #28
"I never take myself too seriously, 'cuz everybody know fat birds don't fly." - FLC
Online communities: proof that people never mature much past high school.

[quade 3]

If you're just going over for the day, you can do that spur of the moment, but you really want to plan a weekend get-away in advance since rooms tend to be sold out.

Camping is do-able, but you need to get a permit. You used to be able to get permits for up to a week, I don't know what the current policy is.

Hydroplane or hovercraft is by far the easiest way to go, especially if you get sea sick. Sailboats have a tendancy to take quite awhile. Airplane is do-able, but then you have to deal with the freekin' bus ride into town. I believe helicopters still run but are expensive as are the seaplanes if they are running.

Since the entire island is based around tourists, be prepared to pay through the nose for anything in town.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[GARYC24 3]

Good friends of mine are going there this weekend, I could let ya know what they did.
I've been on the Grayline Tour many years ago, and once since then on a scuba trip Casino Point.
They have a webpage, too.
It is expensive there, but could be worth it if ya never been before.
I would like to go back for another extended scuba package some time.

[guppie01 0]

ooooh, I love Catalina!

Most economical way is the ferry. The helicopter is quick (pricey though).

If you're looking for camping Two Harbors or Little Harbor are GREAT! Little Harbor is pretty deserted and you typically have the entire beach to yourselves. There are no modern bathrooms/showers - port o potties / outdoor (COLD) shower's. Beautiful kayaking - you can kayak to another harbor - approx. 2 mile hike up to a waterfall. You can hike into Little Harbor (tough hike takes you along the ridgeline - breathtaking views) or take the bus. Two Harbors has nice camping areas overlooking the water too. Two Harbors has a rest. nice bathrooms and showers. If you want to stay in a Hotel, Two Harbors has The Banning House (very quaint).


Catalina's website is great - one stop shopping:

http://www.catalina.com/main.html

I favor the Little Harbor area (if you haven't gathered) because there are less tourists and the area is pretty untouched.

If you want to do Avalon, there are plenty of hotels to choose from, and a couple campsites. We stayed the weekend in Avalon in June at the Atwater Hotel... Nice and relaxing!

You can even do packages on the website (all in the hotel, tours, and transportation).

There is a cool Jazz Festival coming up- that is an AWESOME time to go.... the music resonates through the streets, or the Wine Festival the end of September!!!!

Have fun sweetie!!!! Now I'm itching to go....

g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[Stumpy 256]

Most economical way there is probably by outrigger canoe! - probably hard work though

(My dad used to paddle in that race when i was a kid)

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[guppie01 0]

Quote

Most economical way there is probably by outrigger canoe! - probably hard work though

(My dad used to paddle in that race when i was a kid)

IMPRESSIVE! I've been over there during that race and I give mad prop's to the paddlers!


g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[ltdiver 3]

It's been awhile since I was there, but my sister and her husband used to go twice a month for long weekends. They had a sailboat (Catalina 25) and would sail out on Friday morning and come back early Monday morning (leaving at 4am to make it back for work the next week).

They would anchor off any cove they liked and enjoy the adventure. I only went to Avalon Bay but they'd disappear to Emerald Bay and the like other times. They'd go so much that they just put their boat in a slip in Long Beach and hop onboard whenever they liked. Even took their newborn son with them when he was only 2 weeks old! He's now 25 and in the Navy....Go figure.

When I would travel over with them (yes a long, but very fun sailing trip each time when you could watch the dolphins (or sharks) swimming alongside), we would anchor off Avalon and enjoy hiking up the island from there. I remember several gardens and Wriggly's Castle. The bayside eateries were nice, too as was Avalon Museum. Snorkling offshore could be an adventure. Pretty cold water, though!

Have fun and let us know what you found when you get back.
ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[Shotgun 1]

Ok, eight months later and we're finally going to Catalina tomorrow. (I've been distracted with other things.)

The camping there sounds really nice, but we decided to do the Avalon thing this time and stay at a hotel. We haven't made any other plans, but we'll probably do some hiking and rent some kayaks. It looks like it's supposed to rain all day Friday, so hopefully there are some indoor things to do!

Thanks for all the info... If we like it, then we'll have to go back and camp sometime.

[guppie01 0]

If you're stuck to indoor stuff... make sure you tour the Casino - amazing architecture.

There are plenty of bars to hang out at...

Have fun!!!! I was suppose to be going the first weekend in May, but not going to make it...

g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[Shotgun 1]

Ok, I'm officially in love with Catalina! If you ever need someone to go there with you Gia, you won't have to twist my arm.

And we didn't even do much - just walked around Avalon and the hills around there... Checked out all the hippies at the Earth Day celebration at Wrigley Memorial and the botanical gardens... Went on the semi-submersible thingie... and just relaxed. (We'll have to go back for the kayaking, camping, snorkeling, scuba diving, etc.)

The ferry over there was fun too. We were bundled up, so we were able to stay outside the whole time. Saw a big pod of dolphins on the way out there, and watched a beautiful sunset on the way home.

We stayed at the Zane Grey Pueblo Hotel, and we loved that place. It's a good walk up the hill, but it's very peaceful, with great views. It was once his home, but now it's a little hotel. All of the rooms are named after his novels; ours was called "Drift Fence" (which I have now ordered so that I can read the book). I was disappointed that they were sold out of ocean view rooms, but our room turned out to be really cool with a great view of the mountains. We even saw a deer grazing right outside our window.

I took a ton of pictures, but I'll attach just a few here...