A WEST Coast destination has been dubbed the “Caribbean of California” thanks to its crystal-clear waters and stress-free ambience.
And best of all, it’s so close that visitors can easily relax amid tropical surroundings in just one hour.
Santa Catalina Island, California, is also known as the ‘Caribbean of California’[/caption]
There are less than 4,000 residents on Catalina – most of them living in Avalon[/caption]
Avalon harbor at sunset, Catalina[/caption]
The island offers plenty of shops, accommodation and visitor attractions – alongside multiple public beaches[/caption]
The jaw-dropping location of Catalina is a quick ferry trip off the Southern California coast, according to Travel and Leisure.
It praised the island as a “gem” because of its turquoise waters, charming beach resorts, “vibe and great dining.”
Although inhabited for thousands of years, its gradual development into a resort destination began about 125 years ago.
Travel and Leisure reported, “The island spans a sizable 76 square miles.
“Catalina is your easy… California-style Caribbean getaway — no passport required.”
The praise echoed similar sentiments written in the Los Angeles Times, which raved last March about the island being a “scenic, charming, slightly adventurous slice of bygone Southern California.”
It added, “After an hour-long ferry ride to Avalon, visitors are magically transported to the Mediterranean, or at least as close as SoCal gets to the Greek Isles or the Amalfi Coast.
“Beaches shaded by palm trees and colorful umbrellas.
“Quaint cottages crawling up the hillsides.
“An aroma of bougainvillea, hibiscus and other exotic flowers.”
It said local experts, such as Native American driver/guide Milton “Bear” Opah, give insights on the native Tongva people who inhabited Catalina prior to Spanish conquest and colonization.
The Catalina Island Conservancy maintains Catalina’s American bison herd at about 150, to help protect the species, and the island’s landscape.
Visit Catalina Island has written about the area’s intriguing history, which over the years has “served as a stop for smugglers, gold diggers, pirates, hunters, the Union army and missionaries.”
Nearly 90% of the island is wilderness.
What to see in Catalina
The island has a huge array of features to entrance visitors, including:
- Cresent-shaped Avalon Bay, which is officially considered the southernmost city in Los Angeles County, and offers several public beaches to enjoy
- Zip Line Eco Tour – a five-stage thrill ride down Descanso Canyon
- Catalina’s famous glass-bottom boat tours
- Bison Expedition – spot these majestic beasts aboard an open-air Hummer
- The iconic Avalon Casino – where no gambling takes place
- Trans-Catalina Trail, a 38.5-mile route between Avalon and Parson’s Landing
- Casino Point Dive Park – where you can see some of the island’s unique sea life, including the famous garibaldi
There are less than 4,000 residents on Catalina – most of whom live in Avalon.
The area also has a fascinating history, including links to Marilyn Monroe, and chewing gum entrepreneur William Wrigley Jr.
Monroe lived in Avalon for almost a year while she was still Norma Jean.
During the Second World War – at the age of just 16 – she married her neighbor, James Dougherty, a merchant mariner who had been posted to Catalina.
To reach Catalina from the mainland you can take the Catalina Express ferries which depart daily from Long Beach and San Pedro.
Alternatively, the Catalina Flyer operates daily between Newport Beach and Avalon.
In 1864, Catalina Island was entirely owned by James Lick, who was once considered the wealthiest man in California.
But he sold the island to the sons of Phineas Banning – who was instrumental in building the Port of Los Angeles – in 1891.
The Banning Brothers established the Santa Catalina Island Company in 1894 and began developing the island into a resort destination.
Chewing gum entrepreneur William Wrigley Jr. bought nearly every share of the Santa Catalina Island Company in 1919.
He invested millions to create a “playground for all” on Catalina Island, building infrastructure, a reservoir, accommodation and attractions.
In 1929, Wrigley built the iconic Catalina Casino.
This fascinating building had the world’s largest circular ballroom without supporting pillars, and the first theatre designed and built to show talking motion pictures.
During the Second World War, the island served as a military training facility.
Aside from hosting hundreds of film production crews, it was a popular spot with Hollywood’s elite during the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s.
In 1975, Philip Knight Wrigley, his wife Helen, and his sister, Dorothy Wrigley Offield, deeded 42,000 acres of Catalina Island to the Catalina Island Conservancy, a non-profit organization they had established three years earlier in 1972.
Source: Visit Catalina Island
