Five Things To Do On Catalina Island

The Best Things To Do on Catalina Island Overnight

Catalina Island is located just 22 miles from Long Beach, only 4,000 people live in this tiny paradise. It is an hour boat ride or 15-minute helicopter ride to the island. We spent just one night here at the end of December and wanted to take in as many of the magical views of this Island as we could.

Get Ready To Drive A Golf Cart 

Looking for a way around? A golf cart is your go-to because you will not find many cars on this tiny island. The coastline perimeter along the island is 54 miles around while 48 of those miles are protected. Catalina Island Conservancy's mission is to preserve the native species on the island. Therefore the air is clean from smog. Golf cart rentals are found throughout Avalon, allowing you to fully explore the island. We rented the cart to trek up the monstrous mountains. It was perfect because we were able to pull to the side and take pictures as we drove along. 

Stay In The Heart Of It All 

We stayed at Pavilion Hotel. The room was quaint, bright and clean. Quietly, tucked in away from the main street but offered partial ocean views outside our front door. At night we could hear the soothing sounds of the waves crashing against the sand and see the clear, star-filled skies surrounding above. The next morning I brewed my coffee and stepped out my front door to the sounds of birds chirping gently in the tropical plants around us.

Side Note - The majority of the plants on the island are found on the mainland but there are a few that are endemic species. This means they only occur on Catalina Island and nowhere else in the world!

Walk The Grounds 

Exploring the tropical landscape and feeling the warm ray from the sunny sky is enough to convince anyone to get outside. I felt as if I left California and entered Hawaii with the lush vibrant plants placed throughout the grounds. The distance from our room to the front of the hotel, where the shops and restaurants were, was only a 2-minute walk.

The Food 

Avalon Grille was nestled right next to Pavilion Hotel. Inside the "al fresco" atmosphere, an open-air dining room lined the outside as the bar was situated in the middle. Offering American regional dishes, the food was beautifully presented and full of fresh flavors. Of course, the refreshing drink selections are a must to compliment this meal.

Night Lights 

The daytime offers astonishingly beautiful landscape and architecture but once the sun goes down, the streets light up with mesmerizing colors reflecting off the calm ocean. The night stroll was the perfect ending to our romantic dinner. 

Watch our full video of our boat, golf cart ride, a night walk and even inside our room!