Catalina island gives us Californians another reason why it's such a incredible state to live in,…read moreminus the politics, homelessness, crime, fuel costs and the cost of living here, lol! My mom took me to Catalina for the first time when I was a child. In those days, there were flying fish jumping out of the water next to the boat ride from Long Beach to Avalon which are not as prevalent these days. I've made multiple trips since. Catalina sits about 25 miles (approximately an hour) off the California coast. There's multiple ferry services to Avalon from 3 or 4 ports in Southern California. Avalon is the primary destination for most travelers. It has a Mediterranean vibe and feels completely removed from California. The water is crystal clear which makes it awesome for snorkeling and diving. It gets extremely packed with tourist on the weekends, especially in the summer time. It's also a stop for the cruise ships coming from San Pedro on the 3-4 day Mexico cruises so when they all roll off the ship, the town doubles in population. Avalon has a large selection of hotels ranging from divey to high end, a good selection of restaurants from fast food to gourmet and tons of bars. If you want a slower pace, you can go to 2 harbors which has 1 restaurant/bar and a couple of campgrounds. You can also backpack across the island on the Trans-Catalina trail which takes 3-5 days. Overall, Catalina is a California gem worth visiting. It's hard to believe that there's so many people that were born and raised in Southern California and have never taken the short trip. Get out and explore!

Why fly to a tropical island when a beautiful getaway is just an hour boat ride away? I recently…read moretook the Catalina Express out of Long Beach--though they also have ports in San Pedro--& the transition from the mainland to the island is seamless. The moment you arrive in Avalon, you'll notice how incredibly crisp, clear, & clean the water is. The harbor is filled with boats, & the hillsides are dotted with charming, colorful houses that feel reminiscent of the Bahamas. You can even spot the famous Wrigley Mansion overlooking the town from the cliffs. Getting around is part of the adventure. You have a few solid options: * Golf Carts: Rentable for around $60/hour for self-guided exploring. * Guided Tours: A more premium $140 hour-long tour that takes you up to the airport and provides a chance to see the island's famous bison up close. * On Foot: We chose to walk, which is perfect for exploring the restaurants, bars, and shops in the main tourist area. While the island is famous for its Bison Burgers, we trekked out to the restaurant near the helicopter landing point to try one. It was a cool experience watching the helicopters come and go, but the burger itself was just okay--honestly, you're better off sticking to the fresh seafood. If you're looking for more than just sightseeing, there is plenty to do~~~ Scuba diving and kayaking Zip lining & horseback riding Glass-bottom boat tours It is a perfect escape from the heat. While the Valley was roasting at 90°F, the island was a crisp and refreshing 70°F. Keep in mind that everything on the island is very overpriced, from the food to the hotels and Airbnbs. Whether you want to camp under the stars or splurge on a pricey hotel, it makes for a fantastic day trip or a weekend retreat.

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.

A truly magical all-weekend event, with more than 300 swing dancers swinging out to the tunes of…read moremultiple bands in the majestic Avalon Casino Ballroom. Used to be an annual event, but due to lower attendance year 2014 was skipped. Organizers are looking forward to 2015, CSDF will happen again if enough dancers sign up until June 2015. Typically includes two days of workshops geared toward different levels of skills and three evening dances (DJ on Friday night, and bands on Saturday and Sunday). Definitely not cheap at a $250 full-ticket price (significantly cheaper one-night-dance-only alternatives used to be available). Add in the cost of a ferry to Catalina and back as well as meals and lodging, and the full attendance cost can easily top $500 (budget $750-$1000 depending on your tastes). In my opinion, it was worth every penny. The crowd is quite mixed, from advanced beginners to true experts.

It has been a pleasure to be a part of the team since the beginning, and it has been great to…read morealways see the filmmakers be proud of the competition of films. Volunteering for this festival has been a great experience! Can't wait to celebrate the 10th anniversary in 2020!

This is the cutest little gallery in Avalon and I love all the fish paintings and greeting cards…read more It's a must visit store!

Horrible customer experience. Walking into the art gallery I was yelled at by the young worker who…read morewas clearly mentally disturbed. She was working alone in the store and wouldn't stop yelling at me so I left. Very bad experience.

Watched Pirates of the Caribbean here and had an absolute blast! The coolest theater I've ever been…read moreto! Murals are stunning, architecture/ambiance is insane, and the staff is so friendly/nice

This beautiful, historic theater is located inside the Catalina Casino. They were showing older…read morefilms the week we were in town (we saw Clueless). The theater itself is GORGEOUS and was a fun backdrop for our experience. The website isn't clear but you can buy tickets at the door via cash or credit card. I'd definitely return!

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!