Wrigley Memorial on Catalina Island
Each summer, Catalina Island offers a wealth of opportunities to explore. Warm waters beckon, restaurants offer tempting menus and Avalon’s beaches provide endless opportunities for fun. Summer also offers a great chance to learn more about everyone’s favorite island with the Catalina Island Conservancy’s popular summer naturalist program.
Responsible for protecting Santa Catalina in perpetuity, the Catalina Island Conservancy’s mission also includes recreation and education. They combine the two each Tuesday and Saturday for a naturalist-led Garden to the Sky hike, which takes hikers from the Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Garden up to the ridge line that saddles the island and provides spectacular views of the windward side of the island. The hikes leave at 10:30 a.m. and are free for Conservancy members. Non-member hikers will pay $12 for adults and $8 for kids.
Island fans who are not up for hikes can also learn more about the native flora and fauna at the free tours of the Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Garden, which are held every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. Originally developed by Ada Wrigley, the garden’s 35 acres include plants from all of Southern California’s Channel Islands as well as succulents from around the world.