Santa Catalina Island

Archive for July, 2006

Even for those of you who want to spend just one day on the island, you could have an adventure-filled exploration on a bike rental for as low as $15 for the whole day. Add in some normal-priced meals (no McDonalds here, but there are quite a few reasonably priced pubs and sandwich shops tucked between all those seafood restaurants) and there’s very little you couldn’t see during your day before returning to the last ferry out for the evening.

The main catch on Catalina is swordfish, served fresh year-round. It’s on every menu, in the sandwiches, tacos, and is therefore priced affordably. Where else can you afford to dine on fresh swordfish for the cost of a happy meal?

There are also two big grocery stores in the center of Avalon where the locals get all of their groceries, so you could even stock up there on cheap backpack food if your supplies are running low. For the more rugged among you, bring a tent and stay on a beachfront campground for free, as long as you like. It’s the most inexpensive paradise I know of.

The fascinating history of Santa Catalina Island.

The written history of Catalina Island is long and complex, and could be the subject of many articles longer than this one. I do want to include it briefly just to help illustrate all there is to see and do there, so I will try to do it a bit of justice in my abridged version. If you’d like to learn more there is of course much more on our website, or you could visit the Catalina Island Museum located in the basement of the Casino in Avalon.

Santa Catalina Island 2006

Sheriff helicopter catalina island