iving in Los Angeles my whole life I’m surprised I never went to Catalina Island before. My boyfriend surprised me with a trip to Catalina Island for my 23 birthday this year!
The Ferry from Long beach to Catalina was about an hour long which was a great start to the day enjoying a nice boat ride under the shining hot sun. We got some cocktails on the boat till we arrived to our destination. Guys, I was so excited to be on an island since I’ve never been on one so imagine my excitement! My birthday is in the summer so it was perfect to be by the beach and do outdoor activities. Here are a few things we did that should be on your to do list when you visit !
1.Golf Cart Rental – Downtown Avalon Catalina Island is not as small as it seems. There are so many spots to visit but you need a car. In this case a Golf cart which in my opinion is waaay funner and better for Instagram pictures of course. You can rent for up to two hours at a time and its so much fun riding around the island with a bunch of tourists in golf carts. I had such an amazing time cruising around ( while getting a tan because who doesn’t want to be tan during summer?! ) This is definitely a must for Catalina Island!
2. Visit Wrigley Botanical Garden – This is where a golf cart comes in handy ! It was a bit of a drive up the hill to this beautiful garden. As you walk in you immediately see Wrigley Memorial which is this a straight path up hill. It was extremely hot that day so we didn’t have a chance to go around the garden too much but we visited the very top which has two beautiful stairs on both ends leading up to the middle. Once you’re at the top all you see is this breathtaking view of the ocean. Which is the perfect spot to get nice photos.
3. Hotel St. Lauren – While cruising around in our cart we came across this beautiful Pink building. I was obsessed. It looked like a barbie doll house and I knew we had to stop by and check it out. It happened to be a hotel which was the perfect Building to get pictures in front of. Wish I knew I would’ve stayed at this hotel instead but I get pretty photos and its a great spot to check out and get some nice shots.
4. Catalina Island Casino – So, every time we tried to get to the casino it was closed. I mean we literally tried like four times and they were closed all four times.. just our luck right? Definitely bummed out about that but walking to the casino you go through a covered walkway called Via Casino and this spot is too beautiful for photos. Its worth walking through!
5. Bluewater Grill – This place was amazing. The food, the drinks and the vibe was all so good and relaxing. Its a seafood restaurant that has a full bar with a waterfront patio and cant forget the beautiful views. We had dinner here and got some drinks before heading to our next adventure and we really enjoyed the whole vibe here.
6. Extreme Catalina Tour – This was so adventurous and beautiful. It was 4 hours off roading in the mountains of Catalina Island. With an H1 Hummer going crazy speeds you get a bit of thrill as well as amazement at how much beauty this island holds. We stopped frequently to explore near by and take photos which was well worth it since their were views that were incredibly breathtaking. I highly recommend to do this activity as long as you’re not scared of heights and speed!
7. Buena Vista Point Scenic Overlook – This wasn’t too far from the shore but you get this beautiful view of Avalon Harbor. You see all the boats and the photos just look amazing here!
8. Eat at Pancake Cottage – The waffles and pancakes here were too good. Its located right next to the golf cart rentals and it has a cute outdoor patio which you see the pier and the street. Its a cute little spot for breakfast or if you’re just craving some pancakes !!
9. Ziplining – Bummed out we didn’t have time for this one but It looked so awesome to do. Ive gone zip lining before and its tremendous amount of fun so we really wanted to try out Catalina’s but didn’t have enough time. However, I’ve heard from many its a lot of fun and worth experiencing.
10. Two Harbors – This was something we really planned on going to and left it for the last day and unfortunately didn’t get to make it. They have boats at certain times that ride you to the other side which is called two harbors but the times were not convenient for us so we didn’t get to go. But, I really want to go Catalina again mainly to get to two harbors and spend the day there. Its much bigger than the Avalon and you get to camp there go scuba diving biking, hiking. All sorts of fun with breathtaking views. This is a must for Catalina if you have the time!
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Till the next blog..
Xx Gigi
