Catalina Island Conservancy Trail Map Most Catalina Island visitors see only the few miles around Avalon. The city’s shops and spas, restaurants and bars, history and beaches are all they ever see of Catalina Island’s things to do. Just beyond Avalon however, Catalina Island opens up into a wonderland of wild places and untamed spaces, […]
Photo by Jack Baldelli, courtesy Catalina Island Conservancy. Seeing the rest of the island Most of the nearly one million people who visit Santa Catalina Island every year never see more than the two square miles of Avalon. Their experience with this fascinating Southern California destination never extends farther than the shops, restaurants and bars
Rain brings Catalina hillside to life Traditionally, Catalina in spring was a time of transformation. The island changed color, watering holes filled and flowers dappled the hillsides. For the last several years, drought had changed that. Rather than greener, each year it seemed that the island became browner, as parched hillsides succumbed to the constant
Catalina Island has been “discovered” several times. It was inhabited by native islanders for thousands of years – those intrepid explorers had discovered that life on the island was much more intriguing than life on the mainland and created an island culture that lasted hundreds of generations. Juan Cabrillo was the first European to explore
Families will find plenty of activities for all ages on Catalina Island Despite its reputation as the Island of Romance, Catalina can also be an ideal vacation for the entire family. For more than a century, families have been escaping the mainland madness and discovering the allure of Avalon as a place to relax and
Cataina art festival 2014 Catalina Island’s fall calendar is filled to the brim with festivals, shows and events. Music, wine and athletic events will all take center stage during the autumn, but one of Avalon’s longest-running events remains one of its most popular. The Catalina Island Festival of Art has been bringing artists and art
Dolphins are a popular sight in Catalina waters. Exploring Catalina Island is a never-ending voyage of discovery that involves adventures both above and below the water, natural history and human culture. Several companies can help guide you on that voyage of discovery, with tours, adventures and more. Catalina Coastal Tours, a local family-run company, offers
The Catalina Festival of the Arts is just one of many fall festivals Fall is festival season on Catalina Island and for many visitors and locals alike, a favorite time to experience the island. Temperatures are still balmy, crowds begin to dissipate and the entire island is open for adventure. Art and wine, music and
Like many places in the United States, Catalina Island is undergoing a sustained drought. Water on the island primarily comes from underground aquifers which are feed by Thompson Reservoir, a small man-made lake in the interior. Additional water – about a third of the island’s annual usage — comes from a desalination plant located at
