{"id":8334,"date":"2017-07-13T00:34:11","date_gmt":"2017-07-13T00:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insearchofsukoon.com\/\/?p=8334"},"modified":"2017-09-07T15:23:06","modified_gmt":"2017-09-07T15:23:06","slug":"day-trip-to-catalina-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insearchofsukoon.com\/day-trip-to-catalina-island\/","title":{"rendered":"DAY TRIP TO CATALINA ISLAND"},"content":{"rendered":"

I have been living in California for more\u00a0than a decade but some travel plans never see their destination. One such was to Santa Catalina. Something always came up and the visit took a back seat. Finally this summer, we made it to Catalina. Wohoo!!!!<\/h4>\n

A short, sweet day trip with\u00a0my munchkins.<\/h4>\n

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ABOUT CATALINA:<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

Santa Catalina is a fairly small island around 22 miles long and 8 miles wide located around 35 kms South-West of Los Angeles, California. Total population is around 4100 with 90% of the population living in Avalon<\/a>, the\u00a0only incorporated city. The second biggest one being Two Harbors. It is a tourist paradise with over 1 million travelers every year.<\/h4>\n

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Catalina Map<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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HOW TO GET HERE:<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

You can use boats or helicopters to get here. Ferry rides take around 1 hour while the air ride lasts 15 minutes.<\/h4>\n

There are two major ferries, Catalina Express <\/a>and Catalina Flyer\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0while IEH<\/a> is often chosen for helicopter rides.<\/h4>\n

We\u00a0took\u00a0the\u00a0Catalina Express\u00a0from Long Beach to Avalon.<\/h4>\n

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\"catalina\"<\/a>
Road Signs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Catalina Express Building<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Our Ferry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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If you want to go to Two Harbors then you have to board the ferry\u00a0from Dana Point.<\/h4>\n

Roundtrip fares cost around $74 for adults and $ 58 for kids. The boat ride is about 1 hour long but it is so comfortable that you hardly feel that you are on board for an hour. Also if you are on the top deck you can walk around and enjoy the view.<\/h4>\n
\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Tickets<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Lower deck seating<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Upper Deck<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Do bring snacks with you as the ferry ride make your hungry, especially if you have kids\u00a0accompanying.\u00a0We bought snacks from the shop inside the building but there is a small caf\u00e9\u00a0on the ferry\u00a0to purchase snacks too.<\/h4>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Ferry leaving the building<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Catalina\"<\/a>
View of Long Beach from the ferry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
View of Carnival Ship from the ferry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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If you live close to Newport Beach then\u00a0I suggest taking the\u00a0Catalina Flyer to get to Avalon which costs pretty much the same.<\/h4>\n

If you are planning to go on a weekend or a major holiday,\u00a0 do purchase the tickets in advance as the regular seats get\u00a0sold out pretty quickly and you might end paying more for premiere seating.<\/h4>\n

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AFTER REACHING:<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Landing Deck at Avalon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Once you reach Avalon, you can\u00a0enjoy the island on foot, rent a bike\u00a0or rent a golf cart. I would highly suggest renting a golf cart if you want to see all the tourist attractions and nice views from the mountains and if your little ones are with you.<\/h4>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Golf Carts neatly parked<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\u00a0If its a lazy day trip then you are good to go on foot.<\/h4>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Veterans Park Avalon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\u00a0Again, rent the golf carts in advance as they tend to get sold out pretty quickly. There are a lot of rental companies with good rates to choose from. Sometimes you cannot reserve a cart as it is available on first come basis but keep it in might that during a busy season they will rent out pretty quickly so go with companies which let you rent in advance. The rental places are within walking distance from the\u00a0ferries.<\/h4>\n

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THINGS TO DO\/SEE:<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n

\u00a0Avalon is beautiful with boutique hotels<\/a>, family owned shops and tourist attractions. A complete list of must see things can be seen on TripAdvisor<\/a>. There is some kind of activity for everyone.<\/h4>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Walk across town<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Some must see attractions include Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Garden<\/a>, Will Richards Studio<\/a>, Catalina <\/a><\/h4>\n

Island Casino<\/a>, Catalina Island Museum.<\/a><\/h4>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Murals outside casino<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Casino Tours<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Beautiful Casino Building<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
View of Houses perched up the hills<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Artistic Restrooms<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Veteran Memorial<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Catalina\u00a0is heaven for water lovers. You can do scuba diving, snorkeling<\/a>, paddle boating, kayaking<\/a> and also take glass bottomed boat tours<\/a>.<\/h4>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Underwater Tour<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\"Catalina\"<\/a>
Boats Resting<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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