Things are different on an island. Santa Catalina offers spectacular natural beauty as well as a relaxed pace of life that are unique in Southern California. One of the many things that first-time visitors are surprised by is Catalina’s twilight. Cradled by steep hillsides to the north and west, Avalon is bathed a lingering dusk that seems to last for hours.
Once daylight savings ends – this year, early in the morning of Nov. 1 – twilight begins right around 5 p.m. Luckily, Catalina Island after dark offers a number of attractions and activities. Here are just a few of our favorites:
- Stargaze: Catalina Island offers something that many on the mainland rarely see – a lack of artificial light. Especially just a few yards out of town, the stars emerge from the darkness of deep space in a way never see in the big city.
- Walk in the moonlight: One of the most beautiful sights on earth is the moon reflected in the ocean. Take a walk along the shoreline with your best beloved and bask in the moon glow.
- Take an underwater tour: Catalina Island’s undersea gardens transform after dark, when eels, lobsters and other predators come out to hunt. Whether you are scuba diver challenging yourself on a night dive or a passenger aboard a glass bottom boat, nighttime offers a whole other undersea world to explore.
- Zipline: The Catalina Island zipline has become one of Southern California’s most popular adventure activities. Take the adrenaline to a whole new level by zipping after dark.
- Nightlife: Whether you are looking for an elegant wine bar, a night club where you can dance until the wee hours or a classic dive bar complete with a great jukebox, Catalina’s night life has something for everyone.