Beautiful Catalina Island, just an hour away from the hustle and bustle of L.A., is a popular year-round resort destination – a watersports bonanza, a sybarite’s eden and a fisherman’s dream. This itinerary lets you and your travel group explore this “West Coast tropical” treasure with the distinct Mediterranean feel and Tinseltown ties from a diversity of approaches in just one incredible, adventure-filled day!
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Zip Line Eco Tour
Up, up – then awayyyy you go, along the first of a series of five zip lines designed to whisk you and your fellow adventurers close to three quarters of a mile, at times hundreds of feet in the air at nearly 40mph. Beginning at Hog’s Back gate high in the scenic hills near Avalon and descending through dramatic Descanso Canyon, you’ll lite at several eco-stations along the way for an entertaining and educational nature presentation acquainting you with the area and the sites and wildlife you can expect to see before continuing on the next leg of your exhilarating journey aloft, which sets you down nearly two hours after first launch at beautiful Descanso Beach. One for the books!
Avalon City Tour
Experience the legendary enchantment of Catalina Island’s only city on this delightful seven-and-a-half mile junket along the rocky beachfront, up the hillsides, and through the heart of picture-perfect Avalon. You’ll delight to matchless views as you explore colorful local attractions and points of interest while picking up a little Island history from the comfort of your tour vehicle. You and your travel companions will find it easy to forget this exquisite slice of paradise is just an hour’s boat ride away from L.A.!
Casino Walking Tour
This opulent Big Band Era venue on the harbor that once hosted lavish dances and performances intended to distract guests from the troubled times of the Great Depression was built in 1929 by chewing gum magnate William Wrigley and is easily the most recognizable landmark in all of Avalon. On this popular walking tour, you’ll explore the legendary casino inside and out; don’t forget your camera! Marvel at the Art Deco murals and the classic 1929 pipe organ inside the Avalon Theatre on the lower level, where you’ll enjoy a short film highlighting the history of the iconic building before continuing up to the beautiful ballroom and out to the “Romance Promenade” for breathtaking views of Avalon. Today, the majority of the island’s annual events take place at the Casino, with many guests showing up in period attire in a sentimental nod to yesteryear, and first-run movies are featured nightly at 7:30 pm on the theatre’s massive screen.
Undersea Tour in a Semi-Submersible Submarine
As a perfect grand finale to your amazing day on the island, you and your mates will climb aboard one of two semi-submersible vessels, quietly slip below the water’s glassy surface and slide out into a protected kelp reef in Lover’s Cove where you’ll come face-to-face with Catalina’s abundant marine life from your comfy seat on the Emerald or Sea Wolf. You’ll thrill to the sight of bright orange garibaldi, calico bass, bat rays and more – watch them swarm in for lunch (provided by your capable crew) through your very own porthole; even seasoned snorkelers will get a kick out of this enchanting and educational “undersea” expedition. During the tour, you’re perfectly free to move about the roomy, climate-controlled cabin; need a shot of fresh air? Just head topside!