Finally took the time and additional funds to see the inside of the Catalina Casino in Avalon…read moreCalifornia during a shore stop aboard the Quantum of the Sea from Los Angeles. It was a great stop, well worth the money and time. My wife and I have been to Avalon before and the outline of the Catalina Casino dominates the view from the harbor when looking North. I made the obvious mistake of thinking it was a place of gambling and didn't bother going, but later learned that during the 19th and early 20th century, the term 'casino' was used to mean 'a gathering place'. That was the goal of the original owner (William Wrigley, founder of the gum company that bears his name), when he built it in 1929, right during the times when 'talkies' started taking over the movie industry. A massive restoration occurred in 1994. It's walkable from where we got dropped off by the cruise port tender, so I bought two adult tickets online for $21.51 each, for the self-guided tour. There is also a guided tour available that takes a group back behind the stage. We got there right when it opened and the ticket taker already had our names to let us in. The first stop was the main theater on the ground floor, and as we entered it, I couldn't help by saying a long 'Wowwww'. There are 1164 original seats (reupholstered) and we sat in the very back row, admiring the theater and watching a bit of the silent movie that was playing. Cell reception did not work inside, and the free WiFi didn't work well in here either. A little while later, the guided tour came in, and we were able to listen to the guide explain the theater. Some fun facts: -- this was the first theater designed for 'talkies'. However, because it wasn't a sure thing that they would replace the old style silent movies, a Page Theatre Pipe Organ was also installed (which is now one of only three still in its original location...the others being in Indiana). It was broken for a while, but has recently been fixed. -- entire ceiling was covered in silver leaf. -- the acoustics are incredible. As the guided group talked in normal loudness near the orchestral pit in front, I could hear each conversation from the back, just as if the person was right next to me. -- the wall murals was designed by the same artist who did the mural at the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. -- architects responsible for the building of Radio City Music Hall in NYC, came for a visit to examine the acoustics, as it was that good. The guided tour ended up going backstage. We then took a winding ramp (there is no public elevator) up to the 2nd floor. Here there was one room where a TV show was on, explaining the history of the island. Another ramp took us to the top floor where the 20,000 square foot grand ballroom is. (The ramps reminded me of a ballparks, and later I learned that it was intentional: Wrigley had requested it based on something similar that he liked from his namesake ballpark). The ballroom has been beautifully restored, with wooden floors and a rotating chandelier. One can roller skate on the floor with rented skates, though nobody was doing it when we were there, thus the floor was empty. There is also a concession stand selling snacks. The height of the casino is equal to a 12-story building, and provides some really great views of Avalon, specifically the bay, from the Romance Promenade that surrounds the ballroom. My wife and I slowly circled it, admiring the views. We did notice the small cove where many snorkelers were admiring the plentiful orange-colored garibaldi. The entire stay lasted about 75 minutes which we felt was about the right amount of time. Would highly recommend if not been there before.

This image is the main thing you notice when you first dock here. The architecture is just…read moregorgeous. We were so looking forward to tour and see this historic spot. We didn't have any luck on Christmas Day as you would expect as most of the town was closed up. But on Friday we were able to get the self tour option. $20, the guided was $40. Wow they have really kept the place up in pristine condition. This place was purchased by the Wrigley/ Family Dynasty, actually they bought the entire island back in 1929. The reason it is called a casino is not because of gambling but for the Italian meaning for a gathering place. This location was one of the first theaters to have "talkie" films. I was very impressed with the way the caretakers have kept the original fixtures, seating, bars and even the restrooms are all kept in the 20's style. The seating on the first level has over 1800 seats. There is an original organ for when they hosted silent film festivals here. This was a place where all the rich and famous celebrities would gather for all sorts of festivals and events. This is a Must visit if you head over to the island. Impressive!

We walked there from the boat dock and it was an enjoyable walk. Took approximately 1 hour because…read morewe made many stops along the way. The Nature Center is located towards the most distal part of the Island, so if you walk there, you will have the opportunity to do a lot of things such as sightseeing, playing at parks (if you have children), sitting down in the shade, seeing wild animals such as deer, birds, and squirrels. There are also at least three public bathrooms on the way and an interesting "Bird Park" that seemed to be closed. If you did not make any stops, you could walk to the Nature Center from the dock easily in 20-30mins. My 7 year old daughter easily made the walk without any complaints. Nature Center: free. Small and doable in about 15 minutes. There are also clean bathrooms inside and someone working at the front desk to answer your questions. They sell stuffed animals and some little souvenirs that were a little more expensive than the items found on the Green Pier. There was a coloring station that consisted of a small table and two little chairs, pictures and coloring pages were provided. There was a digital microscope and we spent some time placing everyday objects underneath for viewing (dollar bills, hands, nails). There were also some interesting facts and an iPad connected to a large screen TV...wasn't operating the day I visited but I think it was supposed to be display a short video. Afterwards, we did not want to visit the Wrigley Monument nor the Gardens, so we took the bus back to the Pier. Bus cost $2/person and arrives every 20 minutes. The stop was situated less than a one minute walk from the Nature Center. Overall, it's a quick place to stop if your'e visiting the Island. Something fun to add to the itinerary for the day.

We actually really liked this place. It is small, but it's free to go inside and there are a…read morenumber of informative boards for those of you who like history and nature. You can get to know a little bit more about the island, and also, clean bathrooms. We stopped here on our way up to the Wrigley Memorial during our walk. You can also get hiking permits here. There's also a little table for kids, with children's books and coloring too.

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.

Phil was a fantastic guide and had several interesting stories about the island and its history…read morewould highly recommend this tour.

We had an amazing night. The owner and her puppy were so welcoming and lovely! The tour guide was…read morefun and knowledgeable! Highly recommend to go at night!

This is my second time taking this class. I really enjoy learning the history of Catalina Island…read moreand Catalina Tile. Loved it so much the first time that I had to come back and bring my husband (huge history buff). Robin is a great host and full of information. Excited to receive our finished tiles in a couple weeks.

We have been visiting Catalina annually for 25yrs. This was our first time going to Silver Canyon…read morePottery to make tiles, and we wish we went a long time ago! Robin was great at providing us with a quick history lesson and she was awesome at teaching us how to make the tiles. We can't wait to see the finished tiles. Definitely do this on your first visit to the island!

I visited RUTH MAYERS GALLERY on Catalina Island with some High School Friends . I am also an…read moreartist , so I wanted to go on the weekend when they have the annual Art Festival. Iam so glad I went because I was fortunate to meet Ruth Mayer who was painting another beautiful painting of the Casino & the amazingly beautiful water. She was so friendly & interesting to talk with. My friends & I also went again to visit her Art Gallery which is where we spent at least a hour viewing with awe The many beautiful paintings of Ruth's. Meeting with Ruth's son at the gallery made our visit even more enjoyable. He was very knowledgeable & shared some interesting stories about his mothers art. I highly recommend anyone visiting the Island to see all the gorgeous art in the Gallery located on Summer Pl.

At first impression, this looked like a cute little gallery with prolific and diverse pieces of…read moreart. But a chance conversation with the store manager made me do a complete double-take. I was extremely surprised to find that all these works were completed by the same person! Her paintings included portraits, cityscapes, serene beachscapes, animals, whimsical figures, and abstract collages. She also has an impressive mastery of capturing the movement of light within her paintings. In one framed print that contained sailboats docked along the shoreline amidst the dusk and illuminating moonlight, the store manager (who also happens to be the painter's son) showed us how the setting quickly transformed into an effervescent dawn scene by just adjusting the power on the halogen light bulb that shone onto the painting. It was amazing, and I was soon lusting after the piece. Unfortunately, it was out of my price range, and I had to walk away before I blew off next month's rent. My boyfriend did end up purchasing one smaller print, which depicted vivid blue and rose views of the sunset and the water along the bay. The store manager was very nice and friendly, often telling us stories about a few paintings. We could tell that he was very proud of his mom. We walked away very happy with the purchase, and we look forward to visiting this and the Laguna beach store if we're ever in the area.

Day 3 of my Royal Caribbean cruise. Catalina Island day…read more Ive been here maybe 8 or 9 times since 2009 so nothing really unique for me to see. I got off the boat to walk around a bit in Catalina. Spent about an hour before heading back to the tender boat back to the Cruise ship.

Very easy to take the ferry from Long Beach. Its quiet, very instagrammable place. Plenty of…read moreseating area close to the water, plenty of bathrooms along the road as well which was nice, area looks like its very well taken care of. Prices in the shops and restaurants are very decent, not overpriced. Day trip honestly is enough if you don't plan on doing water activities, we arrived at 9:15 am and we were done walking around by 3pm and was just waiting around for the ferry to go back.

I have rented at this complex twice. No problems with management. It was a pleasant experience both…read moretimes.

We booked a family vacation through VRBO . It seemed like it would be perfect for the family, but…read morethe Condo Association that governs the property are o er the top with rule enforcement. The complex management and custodians seem to go way out of their way to inform you of which of their totally arbitrary rules that have been broken. It's pretty clear that the association would rather not have vacation renters on the property. The Pool area is the worst of it; I'm surprised that the association has not made a rule that you cannot get wet in the pool. I must say, the place is really not that special. It's like a living museum to 1970. Want us to feel unwelcome? Mission Accomplished. Too bad Yelp does not negative stars. Luis, the word you should be looking for is hospitality; nobody likes to feel hostility.

My boyfriend and I went for a quick day trip to spend some time at the island since he had never…read morebeen. We booked the 50 minute Discover Avalon tour and we loved it! It was the perfect amount of time to get acquainted will a little bit of Avalon and hear a few fun facts. Our tour guide was Laura and she was so funny and knowledgeable! I highly recommend the tour. A small warning, the tour bus is open air and a bit bumpy, so if you have injuries or issues with rough rides, I would maybe reach out to Discover Avalon and double check if you are good to tour with them :)

We took the bison expedition tour yesterday, Saturday, February 21, and had the absolute best…read moreexperience thanks to our guide, Andrew. From the moment we started, he was funny, warm, and incredibly engaging, while also being super knowledgeable and educational about the island and wildlife. What really stood out was how perfectly Andrew balanced the experience -- he knew exactly when to share great stories and facts, and when to let us simply soak in the sights, sounds, and beauty around us. He never rushed us and made sure we had plenty of opportunities for amazing photos and genuine wildlife sightings. We truly felt like we were seeing the island at its best. The tour felt safe, well-supported, and action-packed, without ever feeling overwhelming. You could tell Andrew genuinely cared about everyone having a great time and walking away with memorable moments. We also saw a fox and bison! Highly, highly recommend this tour -- and if you're lucky enough to get Andrew as your guide, you're in for a treat. Side note: when guides and drivers go above and beyond like this, please remember to tip. Andrew, if you ever read this -- thank you for such a fantastic experience. Hope your boss sees this and rewards you big time!