May 28, 2026 | Catalina Island Avalon | Love Catalina Island Visitor Center hosted the 2026 Taste…read moreAround Catalina culinary event! What a lively food, dessert & drink filled event! Tickets | $2 & you receive a map of where the restaurants are located, which are in walking distance, just steps from one another! Where | Downtown Catalina! I had no idea that it would be such a huge event! There were people everywhere, having a good time, walking around, eating and drinking... Good vibes all around! Prepare | Be sure to stop by the bank and pick up $1 & $5 bills! It's easier to give the exact amount, as most of the items are between one and six dollars, and most places won't have change! There is a US Bank in Downtown Catalina! Tasty | The Taste Around Avalon event was well organized, gave generous portions, a variety of food at about 34 restaurants! You need to have a bite & signature/stamp at 10 restaurants to be eligible for the drawing! Culinary Extravaganza | I made it to 10 restaurants, even when it started to rain a bit towards the end! I enjoyed clam chowder via Bluewater Avalon, the mango tango refreshing drink from Pier 24 was absolutely delicious, and the taco was seasoned well! Tasty ravioli at Original Jack's Italian! The Seabass at Avalon Grille was a full on delicious WIN for me, easily 5 stars & made quite the impression; tender, flavorful and seasoned to perfection!! The chef was also right there on site cooking on the grill!! The bite of warm butter cake was full-on yum via El Galeon! The Dole Whip at Scoops was a standout & especially when he topped it with Tahin...yes!! it was even worth the temporary brain freeze! Haha! The $1 shrimp & pasta dish at Steve's Steakhouse...wow, both delicious and a great deal! At this point, it was full on raining, but that didn't stop me! After all, I had on my cowgirl hat to somewhat shield me from the rain! Though my battery was running low, thank goodness, I was equipped with my pink sparkly portable charger! The show must go on! I didn't come this far for nothing! Lol! The shrimp enchilada and mango salad at Maggie's was mouthwatering delicious and I would easily order again! Feeling like a champ, I finished off the evening with a memorable spicy guava margarita...yum! Fun Note | The next day, I walked over to US Bank and ended up returning several $1 bills for larger notes! Customer Service | Beth & Suzanna were the sweetest when I went to purchase my ticket at the Visitor Center! They were just as friendly as ever & gave me plenty of info about how to navigate the event! One of the many reasons why I love Catalina Island, the people are so kind! During the event | Top-of-the-line customer service everywhere I went at the event! The crowd was really friendly as well! I also saw plenty of familiar faces, as I've been to Catalina Island Avalon many times! There were so many cute dogs too! At the end of the event, you turn in your restaurant scorecard for a chance to win prizes! Fun!! Overall | Yes, Please! It's a super fun event, I discovered a few new restaurants and I would easily go again in a heartbeat! Great food, refreshing drinks, delicious desserts & and all-around good time!

I had printed out maps of two hikes on the island, but I wasn't sure which one to do. Moreover,…read morethere was very little detail on either map on where the trail started or where the turns were. When I presented my dilemma to the nice woman working there, she said one hike was significantly better than the other. Then, she pulled out a map of the area, and proceeded to mark the hike turn by turn, with a Magic Marker. OMG that was so helpful! She was even nice enough to mark the scenic spots. We did the hike without any problems. We always knew where we were, and where to go next.

What a wonderful first impression of the lovely city of Santa Barbara! We stumbled in here after…read moregetting off the Amtrak train, looking for recommendations for kid-friendly eats, and we left with a wonderful list of places we try. The staff here are super friendly, just people wanting to help other people. Shoutout to Ruairi, the awesome Irish, who really helped us lay out the food land during our visit. We visited most of the food spots that he recommended and had a wonderful foodie experience - we found our new favorite pizza spot! The store is clean, quaint, and a lovely visit. Will recommend tourists to pop in for a quick visit just to make sure you have all your t's crossed off :)

What a cute little visitors center near Santa Barbra train station. We came in to take a look…read morebefore our dinner next door. They have so many cute souvenirs, also pamphlets and maps for visitors. The Santa Barbara tray I got was cute and functional. Staff were friendly with big smiles!

This review is long over due however, very necessary for me to write about Big Bear Lake Visitors…read moreCenter. Big Bear at large is close to my heart because its easy for me to get to from LA County proper. I ski at Big Bear (Or Snow Valley or Snow Summit) when the snow permits. It's an easy drive for me to and from LA. But lately, over the past 3 years, I've been so in love with Shadow and Jackie, the Bald Eagle celebrity natives. OK- here is my story: My travel buddy and I drive from LA and made a couple stops along the way (One was in Ontario for a party we attended) and the second was Snow Summit to check out the ski conditions. However, my main purpose was to visit and get a real live view of Shadow and Jackie, the bald eagles. The Big Bear Lake Visitors Center was the place to gather your information. They gave us the best times to look for Jackie and Shadow but more important, they have their volunteer rangers who set up long range telescopes over at Fawn's to view the magnificent birds. There is a board at the entrance which lists all activities around the area; for hikers, bikers, eagle viewers alike. Merch for sale Informative with respect to the native animals, birds and the li,e Ample parking Clean restrooms

We just popped in to see what was inside as we were visitors in big bear and were pleasantly…read morepleased with what we found! That was neat. They had a display on the eagle nest, as that is such a popular thing with people, that included a live feed. The folks behind the information desk were very friendly and helpful. We really enjoy the photo area, you can have your picture taken and put over three different backgrounds, with choice of emailing or having the picture printed out right there for you to take with you. Kind of nice to have a physical picture for a change as everyone seems to just provide digital these days. Great place for information for any visitor to big Bear!

Great visitor center with lots of knowledgeable staff onsite to answer questions…read more A really comprehensive gift shop and I picked up a book on the history of Channel Islands, a towel, a sunshirt, some postcards, and some earrings. Theres also a small outdoor garden to explore and also an overlook area at top of the building. Also, a ranger program was happening when I came here discussing the sea kelp that exist here. Bathrooms also available. Worth a stop in to learn more about the islands!

As far as visitor centers go, this one is one of the best we've been to. Located in the Ventura…read moreHarbor about a short 0.25 mile walk from Island Packers, you'll not only find a small little bookshop but a cute little display on water life with the history of the area. Great for everyone, but I'd imagine small kids would love it. A volunteer greeted us when we got there and provided us with some information about Channel Islands National Park. Very friendly and very helpful. They have a beautiful garden outside to explore. You can also go to the 3rd floor and there's a tiny overlook that, on a clear day, you can see Santa Cruz in the distance. They said there's a theatre, but we didn't have time to visit it. All in all, a wonderful visitor center that is worth a stop during your Channel Islands adventures.

I stopped in last Sunday for some bus information and schedules. The woman working (Peggy?) was so…read morefriendly and eager to share her knowledge about everything that Laguna Beach has to offer. I grew up a few miles up the coast and visit several times a year and will now stop in each time to see what's new and happening in Laguna. Thank you for your help and cheerful smile!

From the owner: Laguna Beach travel information, hotel bookings, restaurant recommendations and reservations,…read moreattraction and activity suggestions, area maps, and more.

My boyfriend and I discovered this quaint outdoor Santa Barbara Visitor's Center since it was down…read morenear the Saturday Fisherman Market area. It is located on the 4th floor and it claims to have one of the most stunning views of the city. Despite being a quick visit, I really enjoyed the conversation we had with the kind volunteer working here. We got a useful map of the city that came with coupons along its' edges. There were also a lot of brochures and information on the city activities for tourists. Super helpful. This is one of many visitor centers in the city. We were lucky to enjoy their balcony that was pier facing for a quick moment alone before other travelers came in. It was so peaceful and beautiful. Definitely a memorable part of our trip.

Just go to the 4th floor! Such a beautiful view with a…read moreprivate feel like balcony. Friendly staff and good info/knowledge about the area Recommend all around .

We were visiting LA from Seattle, WA. We visited the Santa Monica Beach but the pier was a bit far…read morefor our elderly father to walk (walks with a cane). He needed a restroom, but the pier seemed too far for him to walk to so I asked Cooper at the visitor center and he directed us to one nearby. I went back to inquire about a good seafood restaurant for lunch within walking distance, and again Cooper was so helpful. He got on his computer and looked up a few places for us. He directed us to one that was just across the street from the visitor center called Water Grill, a bit pricy but good. He really didn't have to go over and beyond like that. I really appreciated him so much! Cooper really saved the day! Thank you for your exceptional customer service.

Great experience here today…read more The representative on duty was both knowledgeable and pleasant to talk with. She facilitated my pickup of a VEO helmet. Nice looking store that also sells nice Santa Monica branded gifts.

Neat little spot in the San Clemente Outlets mall!…read more This little center functions as both a "California Welcome Center" AND the customer service desk for the outlets. You can pick up free and informative brochures for all sorts of fun points of interests/travel spots throughout California. There's sections for Norcal, Socal, the Bay Area, Yosemite, Monterey, etc. There's also a small selection of California postcards, keychains, and other little trinkets for purchase as well. I didn't know this initially, but the friendly clerk shared with me the points program the outlet has to offer. You get 10 points for every $1 you spend at any of the outlet's stores. Once you reach a certain amount (I forgot how much since I rarely shop for myself) - you get access to their VIP Lounge upstairs. She was nice enough to let me take a peek - it was practically empty, but had a nice view of their center courtyard with all the Christmas decorations. It's a nice and quiet refuge from the hustle and bustle of the mall down below. Cleaner restrooms in their VIP lounge too. Legit, one of the nicest restrooms I've seen at a mall. I signed up for their free program, and picked up more than a number of brochures for future travel destination planning!

Located inside the San Clemente Outlets off Avenida Vista Hermosa, and the 5 freeway. CWC is a…read moregreat place to stop in and gather information about all the activities' California and Especially South OC has to offer. Since its off the freeway is a great location to stop and stretch your legs, visit the restrooms located across the Center, grab some food inside the Outlets, and walk around to do some shopping. Since its an outdoor Mall, you can bring your floof and have them walk around and enjoy the fresh air as well. They have information on recreational activities from hikes, to shopping, to tourist attractions LA, OC, to SD with coupons inside pamphlets . A hot tip, if you sign up for their rewards program, for each dollar that you spend while at the Outlets, you can provide your email and phone number inside the Welcome center and can add those to your account. Watch those points rack up and you can redeem for fun stuff. Keep an eye out for emails that give updates on special sales, discounts, promotions and events happening around the center or at the Outlet itself. 10/10

Great visitors center and store that's got plenty of Ventura merchandise…read more Being a local, I can't speak to the quality of the visitors center itself so I'll leave that to the tourists and visitors to give you a better review. What I can speak to is the customer service and shopping :) As a shop I love it and it's a stop worth checking out. Located just down one block from the main downtown stroll, it's super easy to find and to get to. They also have free two hour parking in front/across the street (for now). The store has great finds and Ventura merch. I popped in again today to get my St. paddy's day styled shirt (which I love). They have online ordering which is a breeze. You can definitely get your items shipped but being local I came in to pickup my order and it was packed/ready as the online note said it was so super easy in and out. Staff are always super nice and friendly, it's a great store and I hope you'll check them out.

They were so friendly and welcoming. Never thought to go into that center but they had really cute…read morevintage looking post cards. Nice pictures and trinkets reasonably priced. Also the staff was just so helpful in providing tips on places to go and check out.

I grew up in the Marina del Rey area, back when the traffic wasn't as kooky as it is today. Me and…read moremy bestie used to catch butterflies in the fields that is now Bill Rosendahl del Rey park, but in my day, it was known as Glen Alla park. We'd spend hours there...when we weren't at the beach. At night we would spend our time at the UA Marina theater, West World and Perry's Pizza. Seems like a lifetime ago. It was a terrific place to grow up, I'm grateful for the memories. These days you have much of the same, only more of it. Loads of restaurants, grocery stores, nifty shopping and lots and lots of traffic. People too, but that's not a surprise. And traffic lights, quite a few of them. When driving through I had to really pay attention because what was once an intersection with only a stop sign, now there's a signal slowing traffic down. I love visiting this terrific city, you will too!

I've been coming to Marina del Rey as long as I can remember. Some of the boats here like the…read morepicture I just took is astronomical. I really like riding my bicycle around here and the views are great. This is true Southern California at its best. Guess who's both this is?