• about
    • City Guides
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Work with Me
    • shop

    round trip travel and lifestyle blog

    How to Spend a Day on Catalina Island

    January 3, 2018

    Step into the life of the rich and famous on Catalina Island just miles off the coast of Los Angeles.  The moment you step off the ferry from mainland California, a deep blue harbor, quaint shops, hilltop homes and a grand casino nestled on the coast.  Bought by William Wrigley in 1919, this island was the home of spring training for the Chicago Cubs until 1951.  Its beauty and idyllic charm enchanted me, and I’m so excited to share my adventures. Here’s how to spend a day on Catalina Island.

    • Catalina Island Los Angeles Houses
    • Catalina Island Day Trip Travel

    Getting to the Island

    Although 100% worth it, the journey to the island is a considerable hike.  Be sure to allow ample time to travel to and spend a day on the island.  There are several ports from which you can depart on mainland California: Dana Point, Long Beach or San Pedro.  Unless you are staying on the west side of the island called Two Harbors, be sure to book your ferry tickets to Avalon.  Two Harbors only has a restaurant, bar, snack shop and store — that’s it.  Avalon offers much more to do, and that’s where I spent my day (and where everything in this post is located).

    Catalina Island Shop Avalon
    Catalina Island Life California
    • Catalina Island California LA Round Trip Travel
    • Catalina Island Avalon Paddle Board

    Eats

    We grabbed an early dinner at Coyote Joe’s Restaurant and Bar and ate fajitas on the patio.  The complimentary chips and salsa were icing on the cake to this Mexican dive.  Afterwards, we wove in and out of the cute shops lining the main street lining the coast until we stopped at Lloyd’s of Avalon for a spot of ice cream.  In addition to ice cream, this cute little shop was filled with a crazy amount of chocolate and candy.

    • Coyote Joe's Restaurant Catalina Island California
    • Lloyd's of Avalon Ice Cream Catalina Island California

    The Casino

    The Catalina Casino is the gem of the island, but this $2 million building never been a place of gambling since its opening in 1929.  I took the Discover the Casino tour, a 45-minute guided walk through the massive casino.  This tour provided a great and interesting history lesson as we strolled through the casino’s theater and ballroom.  We learned from this tour that stars from Marilyn Monroe and Harry Houdini to Zac Efron and Nicholas Cage have spent time on this island.  Definitely worth the price and time!  My favorite part was the huge ballroom and the gorgeous views of the island from way high up.

    • Santa Catalina Island California Beach
    • Catalina Island Coast Line California Ferry
    Catalina Island Casino Postcard Ocean
    • Catalina Casino Theater California
    • Catalina Casino Ballroom California
    Catalina Casino Island Los Angeles
    A Trip to Los Angeles California Santa Monica Catalina Island Travel.png

    I’d never heard of Catalina Island before this trip, but I fell in love with it during my day-long stay.  Its stunning views and change from fast-paced L.A. make it the perfect getaway.

    RELATED ARTICLE: How to Spend a Day in Santa Monica

    Author Signature

    Share with a friend & save for a future adventure!

    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
    • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
    • Click to print (Opens in new window)
    1 Comment

    My Fave Finds

    Previous Round Trip Roundup: DECEMBER
    Next How to Spend a Day in Santa Monica

    You might also like:

    11 Things to Do in Prague

    How to Plan a Road Trip in Iceland

    4 Lessons I Learned from Travel

    Reader Interactions

    Trackbacks

    1. Round Trip: The Best Of – round trip says:
      December 1, 2018 at 11:53 am

      […] Los Angeles, California-Another favorite, L.A. has some of the most beautiful sights I’ve laid eyes on and is only a ferry ride away from Catalina Island. […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Bonjour

    Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator living and working in southern France. You can find me planning my next weekend trip, sharing my best expat trips and sipping iced coffee.
    learn more about my story

    Ad

    Bienvenue

    Hey there, I'm Kristin, a Missouri girl living and working in southern France. I love planning weekend trips, sharing my best expat tips and sipping iced coffee.

    Categories

    Copyright © 2023 round trip
    Theme by SheShoppes
     

    Loading Comments...