Catalina Island is like southern California’s own private little getaway. It’s an hour-and-a-half ferry ride to the island and it feels like a vacation to another country. I’ve only been twice in my life and neither time was what I expected! (Make sure you scroll to the very bottom for a video).
The first time I visited Catalina Island I was in 6th grade.
I went with my classmates and had a horrible time! It started drizzling the first day which sent spiders seeking shelter into our tents. I’m telling you (with NO exaggeration) that I am terrified of spiders. I spent the night crying on my cot while a friend held me all night. The next day my class went kayaking and for whatever reason, I had a panic attack and sat on the shore crying tears of loneliness. When we went snorkeling, I attempted to wear my glasses inside the goggles. While I was nervously trying to stay afloat and simultaneously fumble with my glasses, I dropped them. Que another anxiety attack and picture the staff boat picking me up because I was so hysterical. I had to sit breathing into a paper bag to calm down!
To this day I wonder if my glasses are still resting at the bottom of the ocean.
Over 20 years later I was ready for a do-over.
A few months ago I decided it was time to give Catalina Island another chance. It was a spur-of-the-moment idea and I didn’t plan any special activities ahead of time. My boyfriend bought the ferry tickets online and booked one night at the cheapest hotel he could find. Two days later we were relaxing on the Catalina Express, sipping bloody Mary’s at 10am. This trip was was already off to a better start! Watch a vlog of our adventures at the end of this post!
If you visit Catalina Island, you’re most likely visiting the city of Avalon. Avalon is SUPER TINY! A bunch of little shops and some restaurants line the waterfront walkway. A modest, wooden pier is situated in the center of the bay. One of the most eye-catching buildings in Avalon is the Casino. Not a gambling casino but an entertainment venue and cultural center with breath-taking architecture. Looking inland you’ll see beautiful homes on the hillsides.
Catalina Island is very dreamy and time seems to run slower when you're there.
Now I have to point out that we went in January so it was “off-season”. Very few shops were open and the streets and beaches were nearly empty. It was surreal but didn’t deter us from finding fun!
Where We Stayed
First thing we did was walk towards our hotel, the Seacrest Inn. This was the cheapest spot we found so we had zero expectations, but when we walked up I was instantly surprised. The white building with navy blue trim looked like a quaint, Cape Cod townhouse – not a hotel! The owner himself welcomed us with friendly conversation and even walked us to our room and unlocked the door with a real key, not a card! We were so surprised by how cute the place was; it felt like a quiet bed and breakfast. The most amazing part of this hotel was the bi-level rooftop! You could see the ocean in one direction and the mountains in the opposite direction. I can’t rave highly enough about this little place.
Where We Ate
I started writing this section and it got so long! I love food and I love dining out. So I decided to write a separate blog post about the restaurants we ate at. It will go up on April 18th so scroll to the bottom of this page and sign up for my email list to be notified when I make new posts!
Things We Did
Went under the sea.
One thing I definitely wanted to do was an underwater sub expedition. My boyfriend loves snorkeling and diving but I prefer to keep my head above the water! So I was excited to see what he sees when he swims in the ocean. We bought tickets right on the pier and boarded shortly after. The narration was very educational and the underwater views were definitely pretty! We didn’t see anything super exciting, just a lot of kelp and fish (I was a little disappointed they feed the fish so they’re trained to make appearances). See the fish up-close in my video below. Overall this was a cool experience.
Drank on a rooftop.
After lunch we grabbed some seltzers from the grocery store and headed to the epic rooftop of the Seacrest Inn. There’s something so magical about rooftops! The sunshine just hits differently and your stress melts away when you’re up high with beautiful views.
Played pool at a sports bar.
That evening after dinner we weren’t ready to call the day quits. We found a sports bar called the Locker Room and played some pool. We met another couple and had fun competing together and drinking! My boyfriend and I had so many laughs while stumbling back to our hotel room!
Hunted for treasure.
On our second day on Catalina Island we took a taxi to Pebbly Beach, a spot known for sea glass and treasure hunting. As the name implies, this is not a sandy beach. We had fun wandering along the rocks and spotting fish in the shallow water. While we didn’t quite find the treasure we were hoping for, it was a serene spot to explore and we did walk away with a few small pieces of seaglass.
Got a ride from a stranger and appreciated nature.
We heard about the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden so decided to hop on the bus to get there. While waiting at the bus stop a stranger came by in his golf cart and asked if we wanted a ride. Not kidding! We hopped on and he proceeded to give us a tour of things we passed on the 10 minute drive up. He didn’t ask for anything but we gave him a tip for his kindness. He was such a memorable part of our trip!
Walking through the botanical gardens felt like walking along a nature trail. There were labeled trees and shrubs but since it was the middle of winter we didn’t see much else. When we reached the memorial building we were stunned! It’s a huge structure made with local stones and there are a LOT of stairs winding to the top. The views from the top were amazing! Absolutely worth seeing.
Let our inner kids out.
We killed the last hour of our trip at the arcade. Yes, an arcade. We had a blast and if you have children this is a stop for you! Before getting in the line to board our ferry, I had to swing on the playground! Swinging is one of my favorite things ever, seriously.
To end our perfect trip, we got to watch a beautiful sunset during our ferry ride back home.
Catalina definitely redeemed herself!
Our trip was probably not your average Catalina Island vacation but you know what? It’s going in my books as one of the most memorable. We didn’t pre-plan a thing. There was zero stress involved. We ate and drank and saw the sights. We made friends and laughed…
I’d say that’s what great vacations are made of.
Catalina sounds so lovely. Thank you for sharing your experiences. This looks like a beautiful place to visit. 🤗
Pastor Natalie (ExamineThisMoment)
Letstakeamoment.com