Views 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 cafΓ©s 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.
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!
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!
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!
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.
Scallops 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.
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, crΓ¨me of banana, and cocoa. It’s very sweet, as well as decadent and creamy– almost like a dessert!
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.
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! π
— Rebecca
Sounds like you both had a relaxing day on Descanso Beach! You mentioned the wavesβ¦ I found it calming to hear the waves gently crash into the shore – not something that I experience every day. Iβd heard about buffalo milk, but didnβt get a chance to try it. But it looks and sounds like something Iβd enjoy (next time)! Thank you for sharing your memories and lovely photos of Avalon!
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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! π
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Lovely, definitely some more places for us to visit next time we are over your way.
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Absolutely! Hope you can return to LA and spend a day on Catalina Island π
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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.
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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!
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Yes, there is old elegant Florida and newer Florida, the glades, Miami, Tampa, very diverse.
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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!
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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 π
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I’d love to go back and do water activities all day!!
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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’!
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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!
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Yes, travelling is pretty hard work at times. Nice to slow down for a while.
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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!
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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!
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Catalina has been high on my bucket list for a while; but itβs even higher now. Thanks Rebecca!
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I’m happy to hear that Catalina Island piques your interest. I hope you can make the trip over when you’re back in California!
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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!
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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!
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Such excellent views! Looks like you had a great time.
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I absolutely did! Thanks for reading π
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Looks like a fun trip with some good relaxation time planned in!
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Absolutely! Our visit to Catalina Island was a lovely blend of activities and relaxation. I’d do it again! π
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A lovely trip with your partner! The views were spectacular.
I imagine it would be fantastic to lounge on a chaise reading a book and listening to the sound of the waves.
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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 π
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At first glance, Catalina could be mistaken for a coastal town in Italy. Sounded like a lovely getaway with a nice mix of activities. Yum! I feel like scallops now.
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Absolutely! There’s that Mediterranean vibe to Catalina Island. The scallops were tasty, for sure! Thanks for reading π
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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! π
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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 π
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Oh I absolutely love it, it looks like the perfect way to spend a day! The perfect place for your first couples trip π
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Absolutely! It was our first couple’s trip, and it certainly wasn’t our last! Thanks for sharing, Han π
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What a great romantic getaway. Buena Vista is aptly named for the views of the bay. I like your observations about the mosaics. They are very pretty.
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Thanks, Rebecca! Buena Vista is, indeed, a buena vista π Catalina has some lovely architecture, and overall, it was a lovely getaway!
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