Things to do nearSanta Catalina Island

Santa Catalina Island has a layered history that stretches back thousands of years. The Tongva people, also known as the Gabrielino, inhabited the island long before Spanish explorers arrived in the sixteenth century. In the early twentieth century, chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. purchased a controlling interest in the island and shaped much of what visitors see today, including the 1929 Avalon Casino, a grand Art Deco structure that was built as a ballroom and theater, never a gambling hall despite its name.

The town of Avalon remains the island's only incorporated city, a compact and walkable place lined with restaurants, dive shops, and galleries. The waterfront promenade is ideal for an afternoon stroll, and the water itself is remarkably clear, making Avalon Bay one of the more rewarding spots for snorkeling and kayaking along the California coast. Glass-bottom boat tours offer a look at the kelp beds and the bright orange garibaldi fish without getting wet.

Away from the harbor, the island's rugged interior is protected largely as a nature conservancy. Hiking and mountain biking trails wind through scrubby chaparral and offer sweeping views of the Pacific on clear days. The resident bison herd, numbering in the hundreds, can often be spotted grazing on open hillsides, an unexpected and memorable sight.

Santa Catalina Island rewards visitors who slow down and pay attention to its details, from the painted tiles on Avalon's buildings to the eagles circling overhead. It is a place that manages to feel genuinely remote while remaining accessible, making it one of Southern California's most distinctive destinations.