Favorite Catalina excursion, thing to do?

[Pier Pressure 53]

Will be doing a California coastal cruise next month, with the 1st stop being Catalina. Having never been to Catalina, would appreciate input on favorite excursion or thing to do in Catalina.

 

Thanks.

 

John

[Mingus]

Will be doing a California coastal cruise next month, with the 1st stop being Catalina. Having never been to Catalina, would appreciate input on favorite excursion or thing to do in Catalina.

 

Thanks.

 

John

 

Just came back, last month, from a California Coastal with a stop at Catalina.

We really enjoyed our hike on the "Garden to Sky" trail....spectacular views.

It took about 3 hours round-trip (at a moderate pace & half-hour lunch break), starting at the Green Pier.

The Nature Center at Avalon Canyon is enroute and worth a stop (free, air-conditioned & clean restrooms).

[Bubba54]

Last time we were on Catalina we rented one of the golf carts. Had a great time just driving around. But if memory serves me they only deal in cash.

 

 

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[BCCRUSINGCOUPLE]

We also just got back. 40 dollars a hour includes gas. It's the same price at all the golf cart rental places on the island. It was worth the 40 bucks saw a lot in a very short time.

[Tahoe Boater]

Catalina has a great dive park which is also a really great place to snorkel. It's located right at the end of the casino parking lot and snorkel gear is available for rent in the locale dive shops. We are divers and we use Scuba Love dive shop. Most times a wet suit is recommended and also available for rent. We were diving there about a month ago, the water was very clear and we saw lots of fish right at the base of the entry stairs.

[always_cruisin]

We always rent a golf cart when we go there. It's fun to drive around the island and stop for pictures whenever you feel like it.

 

After an hour or so of that, we do some shopping, stop at the Mexican restaurant on the main street for lunch and margaritas and then walk around for a while.

[Coral]

I would not recommend the Botantical Gardens. I found them boring and full of more cactus type plants then flowering type plants.

[Pier Pressure 53]

We always rent a golf cart when we go there. It's fun to drive around the island and stop for pictures whenever you feel like it.

 

After an hour or so of that, we do some shopping, stop at the Mexican restaurant on the main street for lunch and margaritas and then walk around for a while.

 

Do you know the name of the Mexican restaurant, or maybe a description of where it is at?

[DrivesLikeMario]

We used to go to Catalina every year for vacation. Out of all the things I've done (just about everything there is to do on the island), the best overview of the island and the most unique thing to do is the tour that goes into the interior of the island. (Ones like off-the-beaten path AVX-125).

 

It's a totally different place once you get out of the congestion of Avalon. The other side of the island is really rough, untamed and wild. I'm usually not into these types of tours, but it gives you such a different perspective that it's worth it IMO.

Edited October 11, 2014 by DrivesLikeMario

[SadieN]

I would not recommend the Botantical Gardens. I found them boring and full of more cactus type plants then flowering type plants.

 

 

Well, those are the plants native to Catalina. Like most plants in arid environments they only flower after a rain.

[always_cruisin]

Do you know the name of the Mexican restaurant, or maybe a description of where it is at?

 

Mi Casita. It's on the main street, down from the boat dock.

 

http://www.catalinahotspots.com/mi_casita/

[jammen]

The town is interesting to walk around and the last time we rented a golf cart.

[Coral]

Well, those are the plants native to Catalina. Like most plants in arid environments they only flower after a rain.

 

I realize that and I was bored with it, thus I let the OP know. I wish someone had warned me.

[fabby50]

I too grew up in Southern California and spent lots of time in Catalina. We spend a couple of three day weekends there very year and love going.

 

On the Pacific Coastal board, there have been several threads about Catalina and stuff to do.

 

If you like architecture and history, walk down to the Casino and take a casino tour. I like to walk because there are interesting tiles on the wall on the way. The casino has a museum, but if you have time, take a tour, the backstage one is more detailed. We often stay overnight so we can go to a movie in the theater and the theater is on the tour in the daytime.

 

The inland tours are interesting, especially the one that goes to the ranch. They have a fairly new (last few years) zipline course. You can also walk up the stairs towards the bell tower and visit the Zane Grey hotel. There's a pretty fun miniature golf course. We've done some geo-catching. If you walk out to the gardens, you pass the area where the Wrigley ball field was, the bird sanctuary, and we like the gardens. Being from California, we wish everybody planted cactus and native plants. Southern California is really a desert.

 

There are many, many things to do in Catalina. We are walkers and always find something fun to do.

Edited October 11, 2014 by fabby50

[BILL-WI]

If you really want a FULL tour of Catalina, then book a 3rd party tour, not with the ship! I have done this one 2 times and it is fantastic! Cape Canyon Expedition...http://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/activities-adventures/land/cape-canyon-expedition

 

BILL:):)

[SeaVee]

I took the kayak excursion and loved it. The water was clear and we could see fish...and leopard sharks below! Our guide told us the leopard sharks were harmless to people. We stopped at a little rocky beach for a break, and were given delicious oatmeal choco-chip cookies. I was glad we'd selected the *morning* kayak excursion because we had plenty of time to walk around Avalon in the afternoon. (Fun, clean, and walkable little town, with lots of sidewalk-seating at restaurants...shops...art galleries, etc. )

 

Note: Avalon is a tender port...and our ship's excursion met as a group onboard the ship. If we'd selected a P.M. excursion instead of an A.M. excursion...and wanted to also walk around on our own, we would have had to tender over, then tender back, then meet our group in the P.M. and tender over again. Again...I was soooooo glad to see that our excursion ended right in town, so we could explore at our leisure and then tender back to the ship when we were ready.

 

I'd asked our guide if those cookies were sold anywhere in town...YES!! They're sold at the "Brew House," right across the street from the Green Pier...so I bought *another* cookie before leaving Avalon. :D

[Casey12]

I would also advise to avoid the Wrigley Botanical gardens. It was a waste of time and I wish I had spent more time wandering around the cute town.

[USNUZULOOSE]

We did the golf cart rental, really enjoyed it. There is a house that is close to town that is made out of two ship wrecks. You can ask any of the merchants and they can tell you where it is. You can't go inside, but I took pictures. I thought it was cool. I often wondered how much they changed the inside. They made it into a two story home.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

...Being from California, we wish everybody planted cactus and native plants. Southern California is really a desert...

 

A bit OT: I agree completely. Some communities here in SoCal require lawns, which is ridiculous in an ongoing drought. I find a great deal of beauty in well-planned desert gardens. I realize it is an acquired taste, especially for those for who are used to a green lawn and brightly colored flowers everywhere.

 

I hope that some who visit here will come to appreciate the subtle beauty of our native plants.

[shredie]

I would also advise to avoid the Wrigley Botanical gardens. It was a waste of time and I wish I had spent more time wandering around the cute town.

 

On man's waste of time is another man's interesting experience. I've wandered the cute town enough that I no longer find it worth the trip. Glad you liked it.

[sassyredhat]

If you really want a FULL tour of Catalina, then book a 3rd party tour, not with the ship! I have done this one 2 times and it is fantastic! Cape Canyon Expedition...http://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/activities-adventures/land/cape-canyon-expedition

BILL:):)

 

Just last night we booked an independent tour of the island. There are 2 tours with the big yellow bus. One is 3 1/2 hrs and the other is 2 1/2 hrs.

 

Pat

[Pier Pressure 53]

Mi Casita. It's on the main street, down from the boat dock.

 

http://www.catalinahotspots.com/mi_casita/

 

Thank you very much Always Cruisin.

 

John

[SadieN]

A bit OT: I agree completely. Some communities here in SoCal require lawns, which is ridiculous in an ongoing drought. I find a great deal of beauty in well-planned desert gardens. I realize it is an acquired taste, especially for those for who are used to a green lawn and brightly colored flowers everywhere.

 

 

 

I hope that some who visit here will come to appreciate the subtle beauty of our native plants.

 

 

To see native plants in a more 'user friendly' setting. The mini golf course is planted with native plants.

[LoriPhil]

Don't know if they still offer it, but on our Coastal in 2008 we did a Zodiac tour that took us along the coast, and then headed out to deeper depths where we zoomed along splashed by water (since the zodiac has you nice and close to the water) and surrounded by dolphin. One of my absolute favorite excursions - wonderful!

[SassyLeslie]

We rented the golf cart and had a wonderful time exploring the island. There are some wonderful vistas. Also, we had a wonderful lunch (we were not there as part of a cruise but another trip) if I recall at the Country Club, which also displayed the history of when the Chicago Cubs used to go to the Island for spring training. Enjoy your trip there, we did just exploring the Island.