Located at the entrance of the Green Pleasure Pier on Catalina Island, the visitor center was…read moremanned by two friendly guides during our day visit to the island. Since we were part of the 4,000 people coming onshore from the Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas, it was quite busy inside (assuming for the whole day) but the ladies seemed to be handling it with no problem. There are self-serve pamphlets for all the various attractions on the island. My brother's particular question was around getting info for the jet ski tour from Long Beach to Catalina. The guide explained that those originate from Long Beach, and that the jet ski tour guides here in Avalon provide one hour tours around the island. That was enough info to point us in the right direction, and we continued on our way.

I was slightly inconvenienced by the fact that I waited for 15 minutes at the small visitor center…read morewithout being acknowledged by the woman who was on the phone. A simple gesture of acknowledgement would have been appreciated, as I was in need of assistance. I understand that she may have been busy, but it would have been more professional to acknowledge my presence. I visited on October 10, 2024, between 10 and 11 a.m. I was surprised to find that the person working there was not providing any assistance. I picked up a few brochures and left.

On a one day visit to Catalina Island, there is so much to do, see and eat…read more To start, rent a golf cart or wear good walking shoes because this port is not too big for tourist exploration. There is also a "Circuit" ride share that will take you around the island for $2 per person. Coming in by tender from a cruise ship is great. The docking area is in town and so close to everything. I exited the tender and walked along the waterfront where I passed a few children's playgrounds with a pirate theme. Then on to where the golf carts are rented. I walked to the pier (Green Pier) where there are bathrooms and many small shops all hoping for the tourist business. They carry the typical port souvenirs. After a long walk on this short pier I got to the end where there is many people fishing with poles and the little set ups they will sell you for a few dollars and the bait too. There are plenty of benches to sit and watch the boat come in and out of the harbour. There is a small beach area that has lots of pretty colored little rocks along the shoreline. The walk to the round Casino Building is pretty much the end of the road before a mountainside resort. I passed by some waterfront restaurants that were even crowded on a cloudy day. My walk back to the tender was quick and the ride back to the cruise ship was also pretty nice and calm.

Catalina island interior is the best place to experience nature without having to travel far. We…read morehave toured the interior quite a few times. We booked a tour once to see bisons but didn't get to see animals cause it was raining. The tours we went by ourselves were much better! We saw many wild animals including bisons! The interior vineyard is so beautiful. The trips were very enjoyable but a bit of too much sun for me. Wear sunscreen and a hat to prevent sun exposure! Keep in mind that it takes 20 years to be able to buy a real car on island. Only one golf cart is allowed per residence. There are no spaces for real cars and more golf carts in Avalon. Our family and friends live here so they have a real car to take us to interiors. Yes you will need a real car to do that! Avalon has enough restaurants and bars to hang out. Casino is also a movie theater to show older movies on certain weekend evenings. They offer tours of this historic casino too. They host NYE gala every year. Beach club is great for summer times. Museum is small but still worth taking a tour. Too bad the spa has closed down, we used to go there all the time. This island has so much to offer. It's the best place for a lot of fun just a ferry ride away!

Orlando was fantastic. He took us to many sights that included a great view of Avalon, the airport…read moreand we were lucky enough to see two bison. I learned a lot about Catalina Island that I didn't know. I enjoyed listening to his anecdotes from living on the island for the past 3 decades. I highly recommend the tour!

Such an awesome day! Jim was so much fun and informative about the island and history. We had the…read morebest time and and we highly recommend this company!!! The vehicle was roomy and comfortable. Book your trip now!!!

Wow.. what an amazing tour. Thank you Lindsey!…read more This is Judith. I went with my husband and neighbors. We took a picture with the Polaroid! We want to thank you very much for educating us on the island. As first timers, we were struggling on what to do in a short period of time. This was a great way for sure! We learned so much and love how we as tourist contribute to keep the island going. Every dollar counts. I loved seeing the bisons ( tired and retired ) lol , the airport ( especially the oatmeal cookie ) and even learning about the plants! It was so cool and fun! I'm already planning my trip this month! Hope we can meet again! See you soon!

We had a great time on this two-hour Catalina Island tour. It was the perfect way to see parts of…read morethe island beyond Avalon while learning about Catalina's unique history and wildlife. The highlight was getting to see the bison close up. Our guide shared interesting stories about the island's past and pointed out several scenic spots along the way. The stop at the Airport in the Sky about halfway through was a nice break to stretch our legs, use the restrooms, and grab a snack before continuing the tour. If you want to see a little more of Catalina than just the waterfront area, I highly recommend this tour.

Ok, so being one of the last rooms on the island for not nine million dollars , here is my review…read more I grew up in Avalon in a fancy house on the flats so take my word for it. Legit review. It's a steep hill so if you don't want that, don't come here. Rooms are outdated but again, you're in Avalon the most beautiful place on earth. Do we really care about the room as long as it's clean? Room- clean and tidy and a kitchenette. I had issues twice with my keys and Ivan immediately arrived to fix it for me. Shout out to Ivan as both times it was off hours for him. Ivan tries really hard. So, being a girl that grew up on Descanso Ave ? Which house now goes for 1425.00 a night ? Absolutely go. For the money, it's worth it.

The most disgusting hotel I've ever stayed in. I was actually scared to sleep here…read more We went from a beautiful hotel at the bottom of the hill, to dragging all of our things to this hellhole. I'm ashamed I even agreed to stay in this room. We had an excursion planned, so I didn't get a chance to check for cleanliness at check-in like I usually do and this room made me regret that! Never again

Absolutely loved this campground. We have been here twice. Once we stayed in a tent and the second…read morewe stayed in the yurt. When we stayed by the yurt, there were some baby foxes that were literally right next to our campsite. They even went in the yurt, but they were harmless and we were not there at the moment. We did see them run out though. The little shop they have there is really neat and has a little bit of everything you will need. Our kids took the bikes and it was a nice little ride for them to get back onto the main street. We took the hiking trail up to the top. It was breathtaking and just so awesome. And I say breathtaking because I'm a little out of shape and it literally took my breath away lol but it was a great achievement for my husband and my son for us to do! Can't wait to come back!

What a great weekend trip! We went on the last weekend it was open with a running group. Had a…read morelot of space, aspens yellowing and two big fire pits for warmth and cooking! Brought our dogs and had an amazing trip hiking around and camping.

First, we would love to give a huge shout out to Venessa at the front desk. Family and I, arrived…read moreon the island and we had 4 night reservation for another hotel. Long story short, after first one night we had to leave! I showed up at Venessa's desk telling her the story and in no time (hotel close to fully booked-summer break!), She found us a 2 queen room, got us an early complimentary check in (we've stayed at Metropole numberous time), but offered us a champagne in the room. What a hospitality! We did not expect this type of compation and problem solving, a true representative of Hotel Metropole. Now the pros: Location is amazing, navigation around the hotel or around it is perfect, close to everything, especially the breakfast shop on presmises and of course customer service. The room was exceptionally clean, I saw the service ladies actually mopping the floors after vacancy of other rooms. cons: second floor rooms overlooking the courtyard, get loud because of the shops. If you want to sleep in passed 9am, it's not happening. For some reason, shop people like to roll their garbage out either 6am or 11pm...at least when we stayed there which was June 9-12, 2026.

If you're wondering whether this hotel is worth booking on Catalina, STOP searching. The hotel…read moredoesn't just give you a room, it makes you feel like you've arrived on vacation the instant you check in. Sheila at the front desk is fabulous & made us feel like valued guests from the phone booking throughout our stay. The hotel is centrally located within easy walking distance to restaurants & shops. The continental breakfast is a great way to start your day. I also appreciated the lobby elevator for my tired feet at the end of the day. The rooms are large, have a mini fridge for use & air conditioning that actually cools the room. The tippy top was the champagne delivered to our room for my birthday thank you Hotel Metropole! Taxi service from the dock is apx $20 via Catalina Taxi & Tours. We used the Ride Circuit app to book the short taxi trips ex from Casino back to Hotel was $4 with tip.

We both enjoyed our stay at the Bellanca. Our reservation was for three nights and four days and…read morethey performed maintenance efficiently. They offer perks for paying guests: free bicycles and private sun deck for hotel lodgers. It's located to the left of the desk front but, feel free to inquire information from the clerk or hostess on shift

I loved this hotel so much! The staff were super friendly and helpful. It's super close to…read moreeverything and has a beautiful balcony for a beach view! I also loved that they have free bikes for a little cruise around the town :)

We recently took the 50-minute scenic island tour with Catalina Adventure Tours, and overall, it…read morewas a great experience! The tour does an amazing job of hitting the highlights around Avalon, sweeping you up past the historic Catalina Casino, Lover's Cove, and all the way up to the incredible vantage points near Mt. Ada. The time absolutely flew by-the 50 minutes went by so fast because the narration was engaging and the views of the harbor below were stunning. It's a fantastic, quick way to get a layout of the island and soak in some great local history. The only real downside to note is that you aren't able to actually get off the vehicle to stretch your legs or take photos. Every picture has to be snapped directly from your seat in the open-air safari truck.

* Did the glass boat and submarine tour- and highly recommend both…read more *Apart from the fun adventure of viewing marine life, the tour guides on both the expedition were knowledgeable and shared the island history as well as marine life education (you learn a lot!) * if you have issues with closed spaces, I don't recommend the submarine adventure *Expect some steps for both rides. If you can't do even a few stairs at all with guard rails... then reconsider * On both tours you have the option to purchase fish food that brings sea life closer to the viewing window- cash only and so plan accordingly. *Fun for all ages

Our driver Andrew gave us the most fun, energetic, adventurous, HUMOROUS ride!!!! Highly…read morerecommended for two hours to the top of the island! Saddle Up People!

This is an underrated and under-reviewed experience. On a practical level, it's transportation,…read morebut it's also a scenic byway across Catalina Island - probably than 1% of Catalina visitors ever journey across the Island by Safari Bus. The Safari Bus, which can be anything from an 8-passenger van to a "retired" school bus will take you on an approx. 2-hour journey between Avalon and Two Harbors (which is approx. 14 miles as the crow flies, but much longer via windy roads.) So a huge percentage (like 75% or more of the Island is owned by the Catalina Conservancy and is protected from new development. The Safari Bus is the only way I know that you can visit the "interior" (aka Conservancy property) without obtaining a permit (hikers and other can obtain permits for a modest fee in either Avalon or Two Harbors.) Some of the windy roads on the Island are hairpin turns with little or no road edge and no guardrail. Rest assured that your drivers are natives who could probably drive the road with their eyes closed (they don't) but if you have anyone really skittish about heights, put them in the middle seat :) Along your route, you are very likely to see the bison (non-native, but now so iconic that they remain, albeit on birth control :) and the native Catalina fox (very small and VERY cute.) Most of the vans/buses will not have A/C, and their shocks are pretty worn. The roads are just as worn, so be prepared for a pretty bumpy ride. You'll pretty much stay under 25 mph, though. The bus runs Avalon-Two Harbors approx. 1-4 times a day, with a lot of runs in the peak season (late June - Labor Day), and fewer in the shoulder season (spring/fall) and fewer still in winter. It's best to make reservations if it's critical to take the bus. In the summer, buses are regularly full and you might miss out. You can make reservations online through the Santa Catalina Island Company website (they operate most of the touristy things on the Island) or at the kiosk in Avalon, or the check-in office in Two Harbors. The website is (currently) weird. (many things on the Island are!) You have to book each leg separately. Know that the legs are 1) Avalon, 2) Blackjack/Airport, 3) Little Harbor and 4) Two Harbors (or the reverse if traveling the other direction) and you'll figure out which leg(s) to book. From Avalon, you ride about 45 minutes to the Catalina Airport. Blackjack campground is nearby - if there are campers to be picked up/dropped off, they'll stop here briefly, too (not very common, because Blackjack doesn't have much shade and is not close to the water. It's mostly a stopping point for those hiking the Trans Catalina Trail.) You don't usually take the same van/bus all the way. One van does the Avalon-Airport leg and another does the Airport-Two Harbors leg. You will disembark at the Airport and have a 20-30 minute wait for the next van. There's a counter service grill restaurant and a gift shop. If you want food, order it right away so that it's ready before you depart. There's some nice seating outside with a great view. The second van will take you from the Airport to Two Harbors and will usually stop at Little Harbor on the way. The second leg is about 30-45 minutes. Little Harbor is beautiful, remote beach camping on the west side of the Island (see my separate review.) Nothing but firewood and water can be obtained there, so the Safari Bus driver may stop in Little Harbor to pick up passengers, to drop something off to campers, or to take reservations from them (I don't think any cell phones work here.) Little Harbor is especially gorgeous after the Spring rains - it's lush and green and stunning. P.S. There's a separate service that will deliver kayaks and other gear to you in Little Harbor. Lastly, the Safari Bus has some limits on gear (I think it's two items per person, not including a small personal item.) In the summer, they are more likely to be strict about this due to sold-out trips. It's best to consolidate your gear as much as possible. Lastly, it's nice to tip your driver(s). Bring some cash for two drivers/each leg. Enjoy!