20230618_123421Views of Catalina Island (June 2023)

My partner and I started our second day in Catalina with a quick coffee and pastry at one of Avalon’s cafés before catching the island shuttle up to Wrigley Memorial– it cost $2 USD one-way for the two of us and while we could’ve just walked, it would’ve been a half-hour uphill trek and in the hot, summer weather, we weren’t exactly itching to use our feet just to get there.

Within 10 minutes, we reached the entrance of the Wrigley Memorial. We paid $10 USD each to enter and we spent some time wandering the botanical gardens as we heading towards the massive mausoleum dedicated to William Wrigley, Jr himself– he’s actually buried in the memorial, which is very apropos given he had done a lot to make Catalina Island the touristy place it is today.

20230618_105809Wrigley Memorial

We took the stairs to the top of the memorial and got views of the green and rocky hills, as well as the blue, pristine Pacific Ocean. The memorial was decorated in mosaic, in a pattern I thought evoked sort of a Spanish or Moroccan style. In fact, much of Catalina has architectural influences from different parts of Europe (including the Mediterranean) that it really feels as if you’re not in California anymore!

20230618_111158Motifs at the memorial


20230618_110214Views at the top

Afterwards, we took the shuttle back down to Avalon and from there, I did a quick little hike to the Buena Vista Point, where I got sweeping views of the harbor and Avalon down below. Nice little place for some worthy photos showcasing Catalina Island!

20230618_123421Views for days…

My partner and I spent part of the afternoon visiting the Casino. It was $20 USD each to enter, which was quite steep, but the inside was pretty interesting: we sat in the historic Avalon Theatre (from 1929), where we watched a Charlie Chaplin short film, and then we explored its ballroom and the top of the Casino, with more views of the island from a different perspective. Another picturesque place to enjoy the scenery!

20230618_140554Inside the historic theatre


20230618_141753The ballroom


20230618_142349Top of the Casino

We had another early dinner in town. This time, I opted for scallops, which were pricey, but buttery and delicious. My partner and I retired to our hotel afterwards to rest for the day– we would have one more full day in town the next day, so we took it easy.

20230618_173246Scallops and Riesling for dinner

The next morning, we checked out of our hotel and left our bags with the front desk before we headed to Descanso Beach, a private beach club where we’d reserved chaise lounges and waiter service for the whole day. It was definitely resort-style, which I hadn’t done before, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! I was concerned that I wouldn’t find it too interesting and leave after an hour or two, but honestly, we spent over five hours at the beach club lounging, eating, reading, and overall enjoying the views of the waves by the water.

20230619_115413Lounging around…

We ordered a good amount of food and drink during our time at Descanso Beach, including fries, sandwiches, and poke bowls. I even tried Catalina Island’s famous drink, Buffalo Milk. Named after the buffalos on the island (long story short, buffalos had been brought in the 20th century for films and left there after filming ended), the Buffalo Milk is an alcoholic beverage that actually isn’t made from buffalo milk, but rather a mixture of Kahlua, vodka, crème of banana, and cocoa. It’s very sweet, as well as decadent and creamy– almost like a dessert!

20230619_114332Buffalo Milk

Time flew by at Descanso Beach, but eventually, we packed up at 15h00 and left for one more ice cream stop (this time, we got good flavors, including the “Elvis” flavor– peanut butter, banana, and chocolate) before getting our bags and waiting to board our 18h00 ferry back to Los Angeles proper. We returned to the mainland just past 19h00 and home just before 20h00.

20230619_162242Last ice cream for the road…

Overall, it was a fun and relaxing time spent on Catalina Island with my partner. We mostly stuck to Avalon, but there was still a good amount to do in town. It was my first trip ever to Catalina and it was our first couple’s trip together, which made it all the more memorable. I enjoyed our little long-weekend getaway, and we would continue to do more of some in due course.

More adventures to come soon. Stay tuned! 🙂

— Rebecca

Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

29 thoughts on “Destination: Catalina Island, California (PART 2)”

  1. Sounds like you both had a relaxing day on Descanso Beach! You mentioned the waves… I found it calming to hear the waves gently crash into the shore – not something that I experience every day. I’d heard about buffalo milk, but didn’t get a chance to try it. But it looks and sounds like something I’d enjoy (next time)! Thank you for sharing your memories and lovely photos of Avalon!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Descanso was very relaxing and fun! Very different from how I spend time on my trips, as I usually like to fill my days with tons of activities. This ended up being a refreshing take on how I view a “vacation,” which I ended up enjoying! Thanks for reading, Darlene– more adventures in California are coming soon! 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. Most of us don’t know of these areas in California. Thanks for sharing. We are in Florida and have visited most of the state including the Everglades. It is good to visit out of your way places as they are rewarding.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. On the contrary, I actually haven’t visited much of Florida, with the exception of Orlando for Universal Studios…but I know there’s a lot more to Florida than just that!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  4. Ahh… I hadn’t thought about how different Catalina would be with a partner in crime. I’m always gone alone so it was less interesting – plus the bars closed early (8pm when I was there). And my hotel bed touched a large window on what turned out to be an extremely popular balcony in the morning … people easily saw into my room!!

    In the flip side… I once stayed at a biology camp just a couple coves away from Avalon. It was beautiful, minus the buffalo that trapped us in out cabin for a bit! And seeing a big spotted shark in the swim area the night after we’d been swimming! There was a night dive going on and watching their lamps pounting all over the place, as the shark swam through, was hysterical (though prob not to them)!!

    The Wrigley view looks great – I wish I’d known about that!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Traveling solo versus with someone else makes a big difference in the experience! I’m happy that I went with my partner, as it was actually our first couple’s trip together and we made great memories from it. Staying overnight, I noticed that Avalon shuts down by 9pm, which is wild! No nightlife whatsoever. But that’s okay, as we often retire by 6pm, haha.

      We didn’t go past Avalon on this trip, but I would’ve loved to have visited Two Harbors. Didn’t see any buffalo or sharks, either, but we were graced by some flying fish on our boat ride back to mainland LA! Catalina was a lovely little getaway, and I hope to return some day 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  5. Sometimes a change of pace and views does go a long way. I don’t see myself as a resort person, but this post reminds me that it doesn’t hurt to try something we’ve never tried before. Those scallops look delicious, and the Buffalo Milk looks deceptively ‘tame’!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I agree! I’m not a resort person on travels, but I did enjoy Descanso Beach; it was a refreshing take on what a “vacation” is, and it reminded me that travel can also be about chilling and relaxing, not always having to run around and fill the days full of activities. The Buffalo Milk was tasty: although you could taste the alcohol, it was overwhelmingly sweet, which made for a rich, indulgent drink!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  6. Wow, you’re right; it doesn’t look like California at all! It seems odd to pay to enter a casino – is it no longer in operation and just a historic site now? The buffalo milk sounds tasty (much tastier than it’s actual name haha).

    What a fun getaway for you and your partner!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Yes, it’s no longer an operating casino and merely a landmark on Catalina Island. The Buffalo Milk was an indulgent treat, that’s for sure! A nice getaway not too far from mainland LA, and I appreciate you stopping by, Diana!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  8. This sounds perfect for a couples getaway, with a good mix of sightseeing and relaxing. I’m not sure the Buffalo Milk would appeal to me (I don’t like really sweet drinks) but the scallops, wine and ice cream – yes please!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. The Buffalo milk was very sweet and indulgent, almost like a dessert. For sweet-tooth lovers, this is the perfect drink! Catalina Island was a lovely getaway not too far from home, and I appreciate you reading, Sarah!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Certainly was relaxing at Descanso Beach! It was a change of pace from the usual stream of activities I like planned out for my trips, but a refreshing one. Thanks for reading the Catalina series 😊

      Like

      Reply

  13. This sounds like such fun! Sometimes a lil’ lounging around on the beach is good. Buffalo milk sounds interesting, I’d love to try it given the opportunity. Cheers on this milestone adventure for you & yours. Feel free to make the next one in Jamaica, ha! 😜

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Absolutely! Sometimes, it does one good just to lounge and relax on vacation, instead of running around and doing a bunch of activities. I hope to head to Jamaica sometime, perhaps with my partner! Thanks for reading, Elle 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a comment