Cruise Port Catalina Island: Things To Do on Catalina Island
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Catalina Island is a large island off the coast of California near Los Angeles. It is the only island in the Channel Islands chain with a substantial year-round population.
Cruise Port Catalina Island: (Jump To)
Catalina Casino
Wrigley Botanical Garden, Wrigley Memorial
Garden to Sky Trail
Lover’s Cove
Miniature Golf
Seafood on the Pier
Bison Sighting
Splurge on a Water Activity
Relax on the Beach
Avalon vs. Two Harbors
The city of Avalon is home to most of the tourism on the island, the smaller city, Two Harbors, is often the jumping-off point for island visitors who plan to only do outdoor activities on the island. Your cruise ship will almost certainly dock near Avalon.
How To Get Around Catalina Island
Locals and visitors rely on electric golf carts to get around on the island. They are available for rent near the port in Avalon. The town is easy to navigate on foot. There is also a small bus network, Avalon Transit Public Bus. Rides are $2 payable in cash or with their handy app.
Catalina and Ensenada Cruise
Cruise ships also frequently stop at Catalina Island. Carnival Cruise offers short trips from Long Beach and San Diego for as low as $159 per person for a four-day cruise that also takes you to Ensenada, Mexico.
Arriving at Cruise Port Catalina Island
Your ship will come close to the island, but will most likely be too large to dock at the Avalon Pier. This is a tender port, meaning you will take small boats from the ship to the island pier.
What To Do on Catalina Island
Catalina Casino
There’s no gambling at the Catalina Casino, it is a gathering place on the island. It’s the largest and most visible building on the island and the first thing you’ll likely see when you enter the harbor.
A giant ballroom and a movie theater are inside the building. The building was built in a beautiful Art Deco style. The interior walls of the theatre are painted with gorgeous murals. Original light fixtures and furnishings add to the building’s unique style.
Interior tours of the casino are offered daily.
Wrigley Botanical Garden, Wrigley Memorial
It’s impossible to talk about Catalina Island without mentioning chewing gum magnate William Wrigley who, in 1919, bought a controlling interest in the island and dedicated millions to creating an island pleasure destination.
The Wrigley Botanical Garden is a thirty-minute walk or $2 bus ride from central Avalon. The gardens are mostly desert-themed with many succulents and cacti on display.
Above the garden is a huge memorial to William Wrigley. Climbing up to the memorial offers beautiful views. The arched memorial is covered in tile and built with locally sourced materials. Originally it was meant to be a final resting place for Wrigley. There is a plaque on site reflecting this, however, he was buried in Pasadena.
Garden to Sky Trail
Right behind the Wrigley Memorial is the Garden to Sky Trail. As the name alludes, the trail takes you from the Wrigley Gardens up a mountain pass to a hilltop with views of the ocean on both sides of the island.
The trail follows a gravel road for the majority of the hike so it is very easy despite the incline. The trail is a 1.2-mile in-and-back route. To access the trail you must go through Wrigley Botanical Garden which charges a small admission fee.
Lover’s Cove
If you’re visiting the island to do some snorkeling Lover’s Cove is probably the most popular spot. A short walk from Avalon will take you to the beach which is not much more than a skinny rock-covered patch between the road and ocean. The view of Avalon Bay and Abalone Point from here is well worth the walk. We took the walk at dusk and loved watching the sunset over the water and the island.
Miniature Golf
There’s something about being in a small tourist town that makes me want to golf. If you're looking for the real deal, Catalina Island Golf Course is located just on the outskirts of Avalon and is open to the public.
I’m not into grown-up golf, preferring to hone my skills on the put-put course. Golf Gardens, located on Sumner Ave., is one of my favorite mini-golf courses. They lose the crazy ramps and sparkly castles for a more subtle approach in a well-manicured garden setting. Their advertising boasts that it is one of the most challenging courses in the world.
Seafood on the Pier
There’s probably no “bad” place on the island to get seafood. Avalon Bay is lined with spectacular and affordable places. Bluewater Avalon is my favorite because of its location right on the bay with outdoor deck seating. If you want some real authenticity, you can catch your own fish and bring them here. They’ll cook them up for you!
Bison Sighting
I’ve yet to successfully see one of the famous bison of Catalina, but It’s on my Catalina bucket list. in the 1920s a film production brought a few bison to the island to use as background props for a silent film. Instead of bringing the bison back home with them, they left the animals on the island. In the years since the population has grown. The herd size is managed by a conservatory. To keep the population to a controllable number the animals are given animal birth control.
People report that the best way to see the bison is to take one of the backcountry hikes across the island.
Splurge on a Water Activity
There’s no shortage of ways to spend a wad of cash while visiting Catalina. Local tour operators offer many one-of-a-kind water experiences that you may wish to check out if you haven’t pre-booked an excursion through your ship operator. You can also book an excursion with our partner Viator. They’re usually cheaper than the ship’s lineup.
SCUBA and snorkeling are extremely popular with rentals and classes available locally. Numerous boating activities from kayaking and sailboating to deep-sea fishing depart from Avalon Bay. There is a fun glass bottom boat tour as well. More adventurous travelers can find fun doing crazy things like parasailing. The high price tag for these activities might put many of these fun activities outside of your price range, they certainly were for us. But hey, you're on vacation!
Relax on the Beach
The beach at Avalon Bay is pretty perfect. The bay water is normally at bathwater temperature and the cove protects you from strong currents and large waves. (Though the ocean is unpredictable, so heed local warnings).
It is also seldom as crowded as other Southern California beaches allowing you to spread out and enjoy your space on the beach. It’s also located right across the street from numerous vendors, shops, and restaurants so your beach snacks and drinks are never more than a short walk away.
Best Shopping in Catalina
I’d be remiss to not mention the shopping in Avalon. I’m not going to lie, there are plenty of tacky beach city shops with shells hot-glued to things and shirt shops with dirty slogans. If you can look past those places you’ll find art galleries with unique and affordable art, old-timey candy and ice cream parlors, clothing stores, and beachwear shops. It’s easy to lose the afternoon in the shops along and around Crescent Ave.
How to Get to Catalina Island from Los Angeles
If you’re not visiting on a cruise ship many visitors from Los Angeles come to the island via passenger ferry. Round-trip tickets cost about $75 with frequent departures from Dana Point, Long Beach, and San Pedro. If you’re relying solely on public transportation during your stay in Los Angeles, the Blue Line Downtown Long Beach Station will drop you about a half-mile from the ferry port in Long Beach. Parking is available at each departure point, though often at a high price ($15-$20 daily).
Things To Do on Catalina Island
Catalina Casino
Wrigley Botanical Garden & Memorial
Garden to Sky Trail
Lover’s Cove
Miniature Golf
Seafood on the Pier
Bison Sighting
Water Activities
Relax on the Beach
