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Santa Catalina Island Travel Guide |
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Boasting warm weather year-round, Santa Catalina Island averages 267 dsays of sun each year, giving it a Mediterranean-like charm. Located just 22 miles off the coast, the weekday population of about 3,500 swells to over 10,000 during the summer and weekends. Since most of the people stay around Avalon (the island's only city), the rest of the island remains very uncrowded. Even so, the best times to visit are during the weekdays or winter months when it is the least crowded.
As an island, many opportunities exist for water-based adventure. Visitors can swim, snorkel, go scuba diving, or rent a kayak or jet ski. The inexperienced can join a group with other first timers to ease into the new experience. The island itself also offer many land-based activities, including hiking and mountain biking (permits and trail maps are available at the Conservancy House in Avalon), golfing, golf cart tours, Segway tours, shopping, and theater.
Starting as early as 1911, Santa Catalina Island has been the location for more than 500 movies, TV programs, documentatries, and commercials. The island's herd of North American Bison were brought to the island in 1924 for production of The Vanishing American (although the scenes that ended up in the movie appear to have been shot elsewhere).
 
William Wrigley Jr. (1861 to 1932) is most famous as the founder of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, the largest manufacturer of chewing gum in the world. However, he also played a very important role in the development of Santa Catalina Island, including the Casino building, public utilities, a hotel, and numerous plants and flowers. His vision for the island including developing the tourist industry, yet keeping the island protected so that future generations can continue to enjoy it. The Wrigley Memorial and Garden honors his memory. (Open daily 8 A.M. - 5 P.M.; adult admission is $5, children under 12 get in free).
Catalina Island is also famous for the Catalina tile produced on the island between 1927 and 1937. The island's mud was found to have clay-like properties, making it perfect for bricks and other building materials. Since delivery of construction materials fom the California mainland were expensive, the local mud played a major part of the island's development. Several areas in Avalon have preserved the tile. Some of the best spots to view it include the Welcome Wall at the Cabrillo Mole passenger landing area, Cabrillo Fountain (corner of Crescent Ave. and Sumner Ave.), and Iland Tour Plaze (between Catalina Ave. and Sumner Ave.).
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[ Activities ] |
| Activities in Santa Catalina Island include
hiking / walking, biking (mountain/off-road), swimming, boating/sailing/kayaking, bird watching, fishing, wildlife viewing, skin/scuba diving, golfing, and spa treatments.
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[ Transportation ] |
Ferries run between Santa Catalina Island and Long Beach, San Pedro, Newport Beach, and Newport Beach. Limited charter flights (aircraft, helicopters) fly between the island and the mainland. |
| Nearby airports:
Long Beach /Daugherty Field
(LGB) ~35 mi.,
John Wayne Airport-Orange County
(SNA) ~39 mi.,
Los Angeles Int'l
(LAX) ~40 mi.
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[ Nearby Hotels ] |
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[ Nearby Events ] |
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See more events for Avalon.
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Comments and Questions about Santa Catalina Island
Please post any questions you have about Santa Catalina Island. If you have ever visited Santa Catalina Island, please leave
your comments and suggestions for other visitors.
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