What to do, eat, in Avalon?
 

We are going there with friends tomorrow. They are flying us. We are staying on their boat.

We haven't been there in a while. Just wondering if there is anything we should be sure to check out as far as dining, shopping, sight seeing, in case we get some time on our own. Thanks all.

Avalon is more about views and relaxation than a specific agenda. If you get some time on your own, I recommend walking around the compact and hilly town. Start with Crescent Avenue, the main "flat" street along the bay. Head toward the Casino (which doesn't have any kind of gambling) and then into the hills above it for views of the bay and harbor.

I almost passed this one by because I think of Avalon as Catalina Island. Here's my recent trip report. It is a lovely place to visit. Have a great time with your friends (nice friends, btw) :D

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34620142

I forget to add, if you put Catalina Island in the search box, you'll find more threads on the subject. Enjoy!

Thanks all. Yes, we have great friends. And very generous.

Seetheworld, did you enjoy the Portofino Hotel on your trip?

I will do the search. I thought about posting it for Catalina, but we will only be docked in Avalon, so that is all we will be seeing on the island. So, that is why I posted the town name. Thanks again for your responses.

Heavens, I don't really know the "lay of the land" -- it's all the same to me :D We saw two areas where boats were docked 1) where the ferry lets off and 2) Descanso Beach -- highly recommend for lite fare and drinks!

Regarding Portofino, it has its quirks, but overall we liked it and the hotel staff went out of their way to ensure a delightful stay. I would recommmend it.

Have a great time!

Just to clarify, Avalon (the only city on Santa Catalina Island) is really the only place you can freely visit and wander around. The "interior" (i.e., the rest of the island) is a nature conservancy. The only way it's accessible to the casual visitor is through one of several organized tours, which are themselves a worthwhile way to spend a few hours.

Small trip report on Catalina. We flew into the airport, which is up on the hill. Took the bus down, which takes almost 30 minutes b/c we had to go slow to get around the curves. We also picked up a group of young people from Romania and took some time to get their cool chests full of beer on the bus, for which they were very grateful.

Then we took a private speed boat to Moonstone Bay and stayed for the next three nights on a friend's bigger boat. Very, very nice. They had a cook, so the food was awesome.

We did go into Avalon on Tuesday morning and ate at a place called Armstrongs for lunch. It was wonderful. I had fish and chips, but my DH and another friend got the ceviche, and I would go back to Avalon just to get their ceviche. It was great. They also had a lot of tropical drinks, and our table was right on the water.

The town is a lot of fun. Very cute. But a cruise ship, the Paradise, was there and the town was pretty crowded. Not as bad as I thought it would be. Still fun and a variety of things to see and views to be enjoyed. The weather was perfect.

We met a few people who just come in for the day, and some who stay a few nights at a hotel, and they all seemed to be having a good time, renting wave runners, kayaks, or just sightseeing. I recommend this for those thinking about Catalina for a visit.