We're ready to bring on spring on Catalina Island. With the abundance of winter rain we received, our hills and mountains are green and our wildflowers are in bloom. It's the perfect time to get away to Catalina and discover the beauty of island in spring.
Tours, Adventures & More
As one of the largest aviation-based tourism companies in the world, Maverick Helicopters is now offering passengers flights over the untouched charm of Catalina Island. With the Catalina Explorer flight, fliers will depart on a 20-minute aerial tour over the 22-mile-long island sanctuary, starting and ending in Avalon with views of roaming buffalo, soaring eagles, and majestic dolphins over the beautiful beaches. The Catalina Explorer flight starts at $199 per passenger, book here.
Catalina Food Tours offers an exclusive experience to sip, sample and savor Avalon's food scene while learning about the history and lore of Catalina Island. The food tour offers participants five unique tasting locations featuring various critically acclaimed entrees, desserts, or beverages for you to indulge in. Tours are available 5 days a week for those 21+ and start at $149 per person.
Experience Catalina in a unique way with Haunted Catalina Ghost Tours. Three different tours are available. Listen to tales of ghostly apparitions, paranormal encounters, and unexplained phenomena on a kid and pet friendly Walking Tour, a Golf Cart Tour, or an adults-only EMF Detection Walking Tour. Tours are available 5 days a week and start at $30 per person.
The newly opened Kelp Forest is home to Catalina Island Mermaids and Diving Catalina. The store offers gifts, souvenirs, jewelry, mermaid tails, snorkeling, scuba diving, and beach equipment to enhance your Avalon vacation. A new offering fun for all ages is the Pearl Discovery Experience where participants pick out an oyster, open it to find a pearl and then pick out the perfect necklace to house the pearl.
Discover El Rancho Escondido or the "hidden ranch." Visitors will travel into Catalina's interior and experience the Arabian Horse Ranch built by Philip Wrigley in 1930. Guests explore the classic, nearly-a-century-old, Spanish-style courtyard and stables, enjoy a horse exhibition plus view a selection of the many one-of-kind saddles, trophies, memorabilia and history in the Saddle & Trophy Room. Tours are currently available on Saturdays through the spring and start at $179 per person.
Catalina Backcountry, now under new ownership, offers guests the opportunity to explore Catalina's interior backcountry. The company offers private guided hikes and customized day experiences like picnic dinners at secluded beaches, sunset drive cruises and more. Hike the Trans-Catalina Trail with ease, utilizing services like gear haul, camp set up and customized meal preparation.
Escape Room Catalina, also under new ownership, offers a pirate themed family friendly adventure for groups of up to 10. In this indoor scavenger hunt participants look for clues, solve puzzles, and work together to "escape" the room. Complimentary group photos taken at the end of the experience. Open daily by reservation only. Prices start at $48 per person.
Transportation
The City of Avalon has launched a new on-demand, point-to-point public transportation service called COAST. The public can now enjoy rides to and from anywhere within Avalon's city limits with fares starting at $2 per rider. The new, 100 percent electric, transit system is a total re-design from the previous fixed route Garibaldi bus and dial-a-ride system. Users can ride the new transit system by downloading the Ride Circuit app in the Apple App or Google Play Store. Standard hours of operation for COAST are 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily.
Dining
Topside by NDMK is open in the Catalina Conservancy's Trailhead building. Offering a unique atmosphere with spectacular views of Avalon Harbor. Italian-Spanish-American fusion dishes, craft cocktails, full bar & rooftop fire pit. Serving breakfast, lunch & dinner with event space for birthdays, reunions, meetings, and weddings.
Descanso Beach Club is open for the spring, summer and fall season! Put a drink in your hand and your feet in the sand. Rent a cabana or chaise lounge for the day or enjoy an oceanfront meal on their dining deck. Their new spring menu promises to be a crowd pleaser with a mix of American favorites and Mexican specialties. Don't forget their signature cocktails like the East End Mai Tai, Descanso Destroyer or the Descanso Lemonade.
The Catalina Cantina is a newer addition to the Avalon dining scene. Under new ownership, the Catalina Cantina is a sister restaurant to Cafe Metropole, the Pancake Cottage, Airport in the Sky Restaurant and Scoops. Feast on tacos, burritos and tortas with carnitas, quesabirria, carne asada or soyriza and papas. Enjoy aqua frescas and handmade margaritas. Located right on Crescent Ave, get a seat at the street front bar and look out at the Avalon Bay.
Original Antonio’s is under new ownership, and its nearly half a century of serving Catalina Island residents and visitors will continue, thanks to new owners Mike and Cinde Cassidy. The Cassidys, who own several successful Catalina businesses, assumed ownership of Original Antonio’s in March of 2024. They plan to honor the tradition of Antonio’s with few changes to its business operations or menu. Original Antonios is located at 114 Sumner Avenue, in Avalon. It is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.
Events
The 2024 Spring Catalina Arts & Crafts Festival is set for Mother's Day Weekend. The free 3-day event takes place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm along Avalon's oceanfront Crescent Ave. The event attracts artists from near and far selling everything from jewelry, pottery, crafts, paintings, bath and body products, photography and more.
The Catalina Museum for Art & History is set produce a Tamale Festival in late April. The inaugural event will offer homemade tamales from a variety of vendors with live demonstrations. Enjoy live music, dancers, a tasting to select the Best Tamale, margarita flights, and more! The Museum will also be hosting a Cinco de Mayo Celebration and the Annual Avalon Silent Film Showcase in May.
Mark your calendars for 3 signature events coming up in late May and June. The 18th Annual Taste Around of Avalon takes place on May 30, 2024, the Catalina Wine Mixer takes place May 31 to June 1, 2024 and the Catalina Pride Celebration takes place June 15, 2024.
See a listing of all our upcoming events.
