Looking at the feature image, would you believe me if I told you the photo was captured in Italy?! I think the majority of people would take my word! However, you will be thrilled to learn that this beautiful island is situated just 22 miles off the coast of California!! Come with me to Santa Catalina Island, where travelers come here for the turquoise blue waters, rich marine and wildlife and the charming town of Avalon. With stunning coastal landscapes and dramatic cliffs, Catalina Island is said to be a “travel dupe” for the Amalfi Coast.
Blessed with warm weather for most of the year, Catalina is an ideal laid-back vacation spot to enjoy the beautiful seascape, cliffs and the historic town filled with quaint shops and delicious eateries; and most importantly, it is more affordable and more accessible than Italy for American travelers!!
How to get there?
By sea – the more common and economical option
From 3 ports in Southern California: Long Beach, San Pedro and Dana Point, you can take the Catalina Express ferry to the either Avalon or Two Harbors. The ferry takes about 1 hour. The ferry schedules are divided into 3 seasons, with fewer rides in the cooler months and more options in the warmer months. Check out their website for the most updated ticket prices and schedules.
By air – luxury option, arrive in style in just 15 minutes
Only helicopter service or private jet only, no commercial air service is available. Air service is only available in Avalon, not Two Harbors. Maverick Helicopter service offers on-demand daily flights from Southern California major cities like Long Beach, Orange County, Burbank, San Pedro, Hawthorne to Avalon in just 15 minutes.
Best time to visit
With mild-subtropical climate weather year-round with average high temperature during the winter months of 63 F and low of 50 F; high temperature in the summer months of of 72 F and low of 65 F, Catalina Island is an ideal family or couple getaway, for relaxation or a little adventure. Of course, warmer months allow for more outdoor activities, while cooler months are reserved for dry activities or for relaxing and healing time.
For reference, these are the average water temperatures around Catalina.
Summer (June-August) 70-75 degrees F
Fall (Sept – Nov) 65-70 degrees F
Winter (Dec. – Feb.) 59-65 degrees F
Spring (March-May) 65-70 degrees F
With pleasant climate, Catalina Island is ideal to visit any time of the year. What’s better? You can do day-trips from South California, or spend a few days on the island.
How to get around?
There are very few cars on Catalina Island. In fact, here, the state legislature regulates the number and size of vehicle allowed to drive on the streets. Currently, there is a 25-year waiting list to own a car on the island. But fret not, as a visitor, you don’t need a car to get around!
Upon arrival in Avalon, we took a taxi from the port to our rental because we had a large group with luggage. Avalon is a small town, just under 3 square miles in size, so everything in within walking distance. However, if you don’t want to do much walking, then golf cart is your next option. Our Airbnb provided us with a large golf cart, which was very convenient since we had little kids on the trip, and even more helpful to transport groceries back to the condo. If your hotel or AirBnb does not provide golf carts, then there are golf cart or bicycle rentals on the island.
We didn’t use the public transportation there, but the COAST transit is available upon demand for point-to-point transportation, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Download the Ride Circuit app (Apple App or Google Play Store) to reserve your rides.
To travel between Avalon and Two Harbors, you can use shoreboats or water taxi service. You can book these services via Catalina Coastal Tours.
Where to stay?
Both in Avalon and Two Harbors, there plenty of lodging options from hotels to Bed and Breakfast Inns to vacation/condo rentals. If you’re into outdoor accommodations, Catalina Island also offers individual or family camps: 5 campgrounds as well as 17 primitive boat-in only campsites between Avalon and Two Harbors.
We stayed at the white washed oceanfront picturesque Hamilton Cove Villas, located in a private cove next to the main town of Avalon.
What to do in Catalina?
Avalon vs. Two Harbors
Deciding on what to do depends on which part of Catalina Island you want to visit. So, let’s do a comparison between Avalon and Two Harbors.
The two towns are like night and day. Avalon is the larger of the two, so it has more eateries and shops, and a lot more activities like golf, mini golf, water activities and organized tours. During the summer, there are cruise ships that offer day trips, so it can get quite crowded here.
Two Harbors is a little rustic village with few basic accommodations. There is one bar, one restaurant, one general store and few lodging options. If you want a relaxing vacation away from it all, this is the place! The pier has rentals for water activities.
If you want to experience the more rugged Catalina, then Two Harbors is the perfect choice. If you want a more lively Catalina with more adventures, then Avalon would be more suitable.
Ideally, if you have enough time, then visit both parts of Catalina Island where you can have some fun for a few days and then relax and unwind before heading back to the mainland.
To relax…
- Take a stroll around the town of Avalon: eat and shop
- Wander around the cove and admire the cliff side villas, where it looks and feels as if you’re on the Amalfi Coast
- Relax at the Descanso Beach Club
- Leisurely discover the town/island with the golf cart
To explore…
- Hike to Buena Vista Point
- Climb the Chimes Tower for an incredible view of the island
- Explore the town/island on bicycle
- Kayaking or paddle boarding around the island
- Do an Eco-Tour
To seek thrills…
- Parasailing
- Snorkeling or scuba diving
- Ziplining (the longest in California)
- Experience Catalina Falconry
To stroll back in time…
From the ferry, you can see this historic icon perch along the bay: the Catalina Casino. Don’t misunderstand, there’s no gambling here! Casino is Italian for “Gathering Place”. It is a place to enjoy a movie, dinner and dancing.
Catalina Casino offers two experiences: General Admission or Casino VIP Backstage Tour. The general admission allows you to tour of the Avalon Theater, see the Marine Bar, discover the Wrigley Ballroom and stroll the Ocean Promenade. The VIP Backstage Tour gives you all the perks of the general admission, with exclusive access to explore the Stars’ Dressing Rooms, Producers’ Viewing Gallery, and the Directors’ Projection Booth. You will also be able to stroll the Romance Promenade, which encircles the Casino’s world-famous ballroom above the theater, for a spectacular view of Avalon.
On Friday and Saturday evenings, visit the Avalon Theater for new released or classic films. On special holidays like New Year’s Eve, the Casino holds special events, so be sure to check it out if you’re visiting during special holidays.
Why did I call a visit to the Catalina Casino a stroll back in time?? Opened in 1929, Catalina Casino features Art Deco architecture and was the pinnacle of luxury at the time. The Casino’s Wrigley Ballroom is a masterpiece of design and a longtime venue for some of the world’s finest musical performers. During the heyday of Big Bands, it used to host dozens of performances through the 1930s and 1940s. Boasted as the largest circular room in the world without supporting pillars, the ballroom hosted up to 6200 guests dancing the night away to the music of Kay Kyser, Harry James, Glenn Miller and many others over the years. Every corner of Catalina Casino is filled with history. Visiting the Casino is like traveling back in time to another decade.
We visited Catalina Island during our Christmas break. It was a much needed relaxation after a few days of madness at the theme parks. So if you find yourself in SoCal and need a few days away from the hustle and bustle, hop over to this beautiful hidden gem. Or is the Amalfi Coast on your bucket list? Until you can save enough fund or earn enough time off for that dream trip, Catalina Island is the perfect dupe! I dare you to share the photos from your trip to Catalina with your friends and tell them that you’ve been to Italy! Trust me, many will believe you!!
Note: Some photos used in the post were taken by my BIL Duc Tran.
Outfit details
- White Jeans: Joie
- Leopard sweater: Ann Taylor
- Dress: Giambattista Valli x H&M
- Trench coat: Burberry
- Sunglasses: Tom Ford
- Bag: Chanel
- Bootie: Blondo, Style Valli – this is my go-to travel bootie. They are waterproof and very comfortable.
Making Memories 
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