My family and I have always wanted to make the trip out to Catalina but up until recently did not have the chance. We had always heard about how beautiful, green, and full of life Catalina was, and just had to see it for ourselves.
Catalina Island
Once in the general area, we purchased round-trip tickets on the Catalina Ferry, from Marina del Rey to Two Harbors. It only took our catamaran about an hour to make the trip directly to Two Harbors, which was our target destination. From there, it was only a half hour to Avalon. There are also ferries directly to Avalon, but we wanted to walk and explore on Santa Catalina Island.
We had to book our tickets early, since we were concerned that they would be sold out when we wanted to go. That ended up being the right thing to do, since we later heard that there were plenty of people who tried to book late and were unsuccessful in securing tickets.
Santa Catalina Island Ferry
Once we saw the beautiful nature surrounding us, the family also decided to sign up for a snorkeling tour. Since we were in the area for over a week, we also took a dolphin tour. The staff on each excursion was very helpful and gave us lots of suggestions for additional activities in the area.
The best recommendation was the City Passport Tour by bus. This excursion was filled with outstanding scenery and staff commentary. The trip provides a great deal of value to travelers and serves as an excellent introduction to the aesthetic beauty of the island.
The tour lasted 45 minutes, and in that time I was able to document on film just how gorgeous and colorful the area really is. The bus climbed to dramatic heights and I was able to look down and get a spectacular view of Avalon Canyon where we passed the Catalina Golf Course as well as the site where the Chicago Cubs used to hold their spring training.
This tour was well worth the trip over to Catalina, and everyone who rode the bus with me was thrilled to be able to learn and see so much in such a short amount of time. It was also very cost-efficient, which is of the utmost importance when traveling on a budget, especially in the current economy.
There is so much to do on Catalina Island that it was hard to choose, but we all feel that we chose well with our tours. We tell everyone who asks about our trip how much we enjoyed seeing Catalina by land and by water and we have fantastic pictures to prove it!
Filed under: Catalina Ferry Tickets, Catalina Tours, Entertainment, Santa Catalina Island, Sightseeing, Things To Do, Transportation, Travel | Tagged: catalina, cruises, ferry, Santa Catalina Island, Sightseeing, tours, trips, yachts
