Recommend Tours w/Kids on Catalinae
 

We will be staying on Catalina Island for the first time 9/3-9/6/04. We have 2 boys ages 11 and 8 and are looking for recommendations for tours with kids that they would enjoy. Thanks.

Oh they'll love the glass bottom boat tour -- and the inland tour (buffalos galore!).

If you don't mind spending a little more, go for the submersible tour over the glass bottom boat. It's pretty cool - you're actually under the level of the water and looking out. It kind of reminded me of the old 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride at Disneyworld, except that what you're looking at is actually a real undersea kelp forest and lots of fish in their native habitat - and you don't get attacked by a fake giant squid! ;-) We also saw a cormerant repeatedly diving next to the boat and catching fish. Your kids should really enjoy this tour.

The two single best tours for kids are the submarine tour during the day and the flying fish tour at night. If you purchase both at the same time you will get a discount.

Free stuff includes swimming and hunting for amythest amongst the pebbles on the beach.

Thanks for the great recommendations. I see there are several tour companies to go with. Any in particular is best? Is Discovery Tours a good one? Thx again.

We had a guide take us snorkeling in a speedboat. He found a great cove that would be otherwise unreachable. It was a small group... our family (kids 5 and 10) and a couple of others. He also showed us some sights on the island from the boat.

My kids are the same ages as yours and they really enjoy the golf cart ride around Avalon. You can rent it for one or two hours (one is generally enough). They give you a map to follow. There are great lookout points along the way. You don't need a tour company, there's a rental place close to the ferry landing and one in "town".

For beach time, we always head out past the Casino to Descanso Beach. It is usually much less crowded than the other beaches (you're going on Labor day weekend, be prepared for crowds).