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Catalina Island
We want to go there for a couple of days---where is best area to stay? Good hotels?
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stay in Avalon -- The only other area is Two Harbors and that is more remote.
What is your budget? |
Avalon is the only place with more than one hotel, Two Harbors only has the Banning House (12 rooms with no phone or internet) and camping.
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Not much out there. When do you plan to go?
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Twenty-six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me, Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance, romance................ |
>>Not much out there. . . .<< If you mean on Catalina -- I disagree totally. Plenty to see/do to fill a couple of days, or lovely just to hang on the beach or kayak.
I like to take the helicopter out and come back by ferry |
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My husband used to have a 45 of that song.
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Everything in Avalon is pretty close together. We thought the hotels were kind of pricey and ended up at Hermosa, which was very basic. But we walked everywhere and found it charming and relaxing. Be sure and try the signature cocktail of the island-- was it Buffalo Milk? Some kind of milk, anyway, that was delicious and packed a punch. Tour the famous Casino building, too.
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Casino Building, the mini golf course, drive a golf cart or walk up through town by the old bird park (check out the Catalina Tiles on the front) to the Botanic Garden and the Wrigley Memorial, you likely will see one of the Island Foxes. Do happy hour at the Sandtrap restaurant opposite the golf course. There are some museums and houses you can tour now also, but do go inside the Casino movie theater and check out the murals. (I would love to see a film in there).
They have all sort of tourist things now, zip line, submarine, plus scuba/snorkel if you can manage the winter temps. Sort of sad they won't do the free birthday ferry ticket next year. |
Yes, all sorts of tourist things. I wasn’t wild about Avalon, for that reason, plus the crowds.
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If, like me, Catlalina Island always held a certain mystique, it is fun to see it for yourself.
We also enjoyed the nighttime "flying fish" tour, which was on a beautiful vintage boat. |
Crowds? Were you there on a cruise ship day in summer?
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mlgb, we were there on a weekday, via ferry from Newport Beach, last June.
Each ferry was packed full, very few seats open, long lines waiting to board return ferries. Felt like a Disney ride. |
Probably has more to do with using the Catalina Flyer service from Newport Beach rather than the Catalina Express from Long Beach service.
If you want a nicer experience book the Commodore or Captains's Lounge. Commodore is only $15 each way surcharge and their Bloody Mary is very nice. |
Nice "Prep" work Paul.
((H)) |
Regardless of which ferry service we used, the little town was crowded.
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Who could resist the island after hearing that song?��
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Wordsmith - when are you going? In summer it's super busy, especially around the 4th of July, when we go.
In winter it's very quiet, but you can get good deals on the hotels and even Catalina Express. Best deals, of course, are week days. Since we generally go to Catalina every summer, we've been recently getting a slew of promotions. Best "area" -- well, there's only two towns, Two Harbors on one end (that generally caters to boaters who go over, sleep in their boats, and fish). Avalon (the bigger town) on the opposite side of the island. Avalon is so small, it has zero "areas" -- unless you consider Hamilton Cove, on the other side of the Casino and Descanso Beach -- a separate "area" (which it technically is). Hotels range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Most expensive (but you get your own golf cart during your stay) is Mt Ada -- the former summer home of William Wrigley. Probably the only place I have NOT stayed at, but do hope to stay there at least once. We generally like to stay at the Metropole, which is maybe the second or third most expensive property. But they have a new wing that overlooks the sea and the Casino, which makes it worth the price. The lower priced options are all fine, but "cozy" and "well-loved". Unless you absolutely hate any kind of noise at all, best places to stay are along the water-front, most on or close to Crescent Street. The whole area is very walkable. There's maybe 5 or 6 cocktail bars there, all of them good. Regarding the person above who mentioned the island cocktail, that would indeed be the Buffalo Milk. And no, it has no buffalo milk in it. I would consider it kin to an English version of the banana banshee (an alcohol infused milkshake), except it's not made with ice cream. While it tastes like a chocolate banana milkshake, those are simply some of the liquors that go into it, which is blended with ice to create this luscious concoction that goes down smooth and packs a punch. Each bar there makes it slightly differently, and depending on the bartender of the evening, depends on how it tastes. I'd say the best I've had is at the outdoor bar at Descanso Beach, and a close second at the Original Antonios on the waterfront. Close third goes to Luau Larry's. |
PS. We found our ferry tickets, round-trip from Newport Beach, half-off on Groupon. It's worth checking
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