Perfect Day Trip
Written: May 09 '06 (Updated May 10 '06)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Fun, good day trip, nice scenery, clean island, reasonable prices, laid back and friendly locals.
Cons: Should have stayed longer!
The Bottom Line: A great get away for a day or two. Suggest going early to mid May to beat the crowds.
|
|
|
| fudge23's Full Review: Catalina Island |
We had out of town guests and wanted to give them a good overall view of Los Angeles. Santa Catalina Island to the rescue.
This island is one of the Channel Islands just off the shore of Los Angeles (26 miles) and can be reached either by ferry or helicopter. We opted for the reasonably priced ferry (Catalina Express) which operates 7 days a week from 9:30AM - 7:30PM.
The ferry ride is half the fun of the trip. A round trip crossing is about $60 dollars with some variations for seniors and children. You can even take your pooch. The ferry is safe, clean and comfortable and seats about 100. You can purchase refreshments and there are bathrooms aboard. There are inside and outside seating areas depending upon your stamina. The crossing is a little rough but fun! The journey is approximately 1 hour long.
Catalina Island itself is shrouded in mist and fog and is exciting to sail up to. Slowly the 2 ports and the Wrigley Ball Room come into focus. Upon docking, there are many shops and restaurants all waiting for your attention. The shops offer typical tourist wares such as tee shirts, hats and bric-a-brac. There are also many public bathrooms that are clean! The island is only 75 miles around so it is very easy to navigate.
We rented a 4 person gas golf cart which was reasonably priced at $20 per hour. This was the best way to tour the small island. There are bike rentals available as well. It's fun to drive/bike to the botanical gardens, the Wrigley House, golf course, and just about anywhere you want to go. It's very pleasant sightseeing. Except for the tourist areas, the island itself is remarkably pristine. If you are brave enough to venture to the tops of some of the mountains, the sights of the ocean are beautiful!
The island's main attractions are beautiful scenery, exotic foliage and of course snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, surfing, golf, horseback riding and glass bottom boat and island tours. Water activities are a priority as the water is crystal clear and very light blue - a big difference as compared with the LA beach water.
The beaches leave a little to be desired, they are small strips of actual sand - very small strips. This is not the place to go if you want large pristine beaches for sunbathing. Each strip looks like it could hold a couple hundred people tops!
There are people who live on the island year round, but most of the houses are ramshackle and small. Almost all of the inhabitants have a golf cart as their transportation. Building on the island is prohibited so most of the houses are mid fifties. It reminded me of the French Quarter in New Orleans.
Seafood restaurants are plentiful and inexpensive. We ate at Andersons's Seafood and lunch for 3 was $40.00. We stayed on the island for about 4 hours and then satisfied that we had seen it all, headed back to the ferry.
A good afternoon and I look forward to returning when I have more time. There is something for everyone. For example a family with older adults to young children will have fun activities. I suggest staying over on the island for a few days to soak up more of the relaxation and fun. Of course, the later you go in the season, the more crowded it becomes.
Catalina Express - http://www.catalinaexpress.com/
Catalina Island - http://www.catalina.com/main.html
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
fudge23
|
|
Location: LA, CA
Reviews written: 312
Trusted by: 24 members
About Me:
My major themes are consumer electronics, computer products, organizational products, baby products, travel and more!
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.