Avalon

In one hour we went from sunny California to a exotic destination very similar to what you would find in Europe.

Our younger two girls were so excited when the Catalina express got closer to Avalon. They have never seen a place this beautiful before in the United States.

There were golf carts and people everywhere. Our Eve even walked into a pole because she wasn’t paying attention to where she was heading instead she was too busy looking around.

It really did feel like Europe because we did so much walking. This time we didn’t even rent a golf cart and decided to walk by foot everywhere.

On the Water

Catalina Express

The ferry we took to get to Avalon, California which is on Santa Catalina Island is called Catalina Express. This company began servicing those who were interested in going to Catalina in 1981 and has taken tens of thousands of passengers to the island since then. The ride we took was about an hour long and was one of the smoothest ferries we have ever been on so none of us felt nauseous.

Underwater Expedition

Avalon, California is known for its underwater wildlife and if you want to see this without getting wet you can go on the Underwater Expedition. The first thing we saw when inside of the submarine were the topsmelt fish which were all around the docks and for a bit they were the only type of fish we saw. Eventually we saw a variety of fish such as halfmoon, calico bass, walleye, garibaldi, and more.

Some of the fish were eating the algae that was on the submarine. There was always something to look at whether it was out the windows or at the fish guide overhead.

Stay at Hotel Atwater

This place has an antique feel to it but since it has been renovated in 2019, it has touches of modern aesthetics. It is beautiful, clean, and spacious.

My husband and I looked forward to the complementary wine that was offered in the lobby from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm daily. We enjoyed our quiet romantic time together.

By staying here we received complementary Discover the Casino Tour which is something no one should miss.

What we loved most about our stay here is the complementary full continental breakfast buffet at the beautiful Avalon Grille because it was so good and had so many amazing options. Oftentimes I dislike the complementary breakfast because it’s only cereal and not real food. Which is not the case here. They had plenty of real food.

Around Town

Green Pier

Green Pier is a pier which was built in 1914. This pier was named Pleasure Pier in 1915. Eventually this pier became called Avalon’s Green Pleasure Pier. This pier has had many names. Here fishermen weigh fish, tourists go to the visitor center, and you can go on various boat tours. We went on this pier to go on the Underwater Expedition and enjoyed looking at this pier when we were on it. The green really sticks out and makes this pier memorable.

Chimes Tower

The walk to the chime tower is pretty long. We basically took stairs for a while and then had to go up hill some more. The view from above looking down on Avalon was a sight to behold.

The Chimes Tower on Santa Catalina Island was built sometime after 1925 and it was build as a home. Despite the fact that the chimes still work the home is not in the best condition because it is being restored. This home seems like it has a huge chime tower on top of it which makes it look really amazing from below.

Buena Vista Point Scenic Overlook

Buena Vista Point Scenic Overlook is another walk you don’t want to miss. You have to walk uphill and it took a while but it is in the opposite direction of Chimes Tower when starting from downtown Avalon, California. Buena Vista Point Scenic Overlook is our favorite overlook on Catalina from what we’ve seen. Here you get to see the main part of Avalon and get a good view of the casino.

Learn

Avalon Diving History Exhibit

Avalon Diving History Exhibit is a place where you came find a very passionate scuba diver who knows a lot about Avalon and diving. We got to see a lot of different gear as well as tons of equipment. This is when we realized there is a lot of scuba diving to do here. This is one place where you can learn a lot about a very important part of Avalon which is the diving culture and the general history of diving.

Catalina Island Museum

Catalina Island Museum is where you get to understand Catalina so much more. Here you’ll find thousands of photographs, history of Catalina, you’ll learn about Dr. Glidden who removed human bones from the ground and created a museum, and many more things. You get to learn about how The Cubs used to play here and how Norma Jeane spent time here. This island is very fascinating and this museum has a lot of surprising information to share.

Norma Jeane Baker lived here before she became Marilyn Monroe.

Catalina Casino (Discover the Casino Tour)

Catalina Casino is not a place of gambling because this casino is really just a place to entertain. There is a movie theater on the bottom floor and a ballroom which is on the top floor. This casino is about 12 floors tall. The theater here is the first one in America designed with the purpose of playing film with sound. The acoustics in this theater were actually studied because of how good they were and are a huge moment in audio history. The theater is a circular dome which has a huge painting wrapping around it. It is honestly really beautiful and we have never seen anything like this. The Catalina ballroom is a 20,000 square foot ballroom which is the largest circular ballroom in the world. Thousand can fit in here.