Catalina Island

Nestled off the coast of Southern California lies a gem of natural beauty and adventure: Catalina Island. Whether you're seeking a serene escape or an adrenaline-fueled getaway, this island paradise offers something for everyone. This coastal oasis gives major Amalfi Coast vibes and is just a short ferry ride away from San Diego.

Getting There

The most popular way to get to Catalina Island is by ferry. We took the ferry out of Dana Point, but you can also take it out of San Pedro or Long Beach.

Natural Beauty

My aunt and I spent 2 days on the island in March and I couldn’t believe the views as we stepped off the ferry. With the rugged cliffs, pristine beaches, and lush hillsides, I could’ve sworn we were on the coast of Italy. Catalina is such a beautiful place to connect with Mother Earth and the wildlife. The island is home to bison who were originally brought to the island in the 1920s for a film shoot and escaped from their enclosures. Now over 150 bison roam the island’s Wildlands. The island is also home to the native Catalina Island fox. These little guys are about the size of house cats and weigh on average 4 -6 pounds.

For nature enthusiasts, Catalina offers I wide variety of outdoor activities across the island such as, scuba diving and hiking. The island also offers golf cart and bike rentals and different tours to better see the island and learn about its history.

On our first day on the island we decided to rent a golf cart and drive it around the city and hills. We got so lucky with the weather! It was so warm and sunny, especially for March! It was so fun and freeing driving the golf cart around. We stopped so many times to admire the city and ocean below. It was a great way to spend the afternoon!

Avalon

Avalon is a quaint town with a picturesque harbor. The town has a gorgeous waterfront promenade, perfect for a relaxing stroll with shops, cafes, and galleries lining the streets. It’s home to the historic Catalina Casino, which has been around since 1929, but has never actually had any gambling inside. After exploring with on the golf cart, we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the city by foot.

The Infamous Casino

Ridgetop Eco Adventure

The Catalina Island Conservancy is dedicated to preserving and restoring the island’s natural beauty, so permits are required to enter the conservation. It is common to hike, bike, and camp throughout the wild lands. We decided to book a tour to learn more about Catalina’s history, explore the wild lands, and hopefully see some bison! (With a guided tour you do not need a permit). We booked to ridgetop eco adventure tour, where we cruised throughout the canyons in an open-air hummer.

We ventured up 1,500 feet, and enjoyed incredible ocean and canyon views from all sides of the island. Our tour guide did warn us at the beginning that if you’re afraid of heights the scariest seat to sit in is the first row on the end. This is because the railing is the lowest and the hummer goes VERY close to the edge of the cliff and there is no guardrail. Of course, I had to sit in that seat! I’m not afraid of heights, but it was so exhilarating!

The turnaround point of the tour was the Catalina airport. It’s known as the airport in the sky because it lies near the island's highest point at an elevation (1,602 feet). After stopping for a quick break to stretch our legs, we headed back down to town. We got so lucky and saw some bison! They were so close to our hummer and even walked right in front of it. I wanted so badly to see these giant animals, so I was stoked!