Things to do on Catalina Island

Catalina Island sits offshore from Los Angeles and is reached only by boat or helicopter, most often a ferry crossing of around an hour from Long Beach or Dana Point, longer if seas are rough or the departure port changes the route.

There is no bridge and no car ferry: most visitors leave their vehicle on the mainland, since personal cars are not the way to get around once ashore. Avalon, the island's only real town, is walkable, and golf carts and local shuttles cover the rest.

Summer brings the highest demand and prices, with ferry sailings and island accommodation both worth booking well ahead; winter crossings run but can be choppier and less comfortable. Rooms in Avalon are limited, so a same-day walk-up plan is riskier than on the mainland.