May 28, 2026 | Catalina Island Avalon | Love Catalina Island Visitor Center hosted the 2026 Taste…read moreAround Catalina culinary event! What a lively food, dessert & drink filled event! Tickets | $2 & you receive a map of where the restaurants are located, which are in walking distance, just steps from one another! Where | Downtown Catalina! I had no idea that it would be such a huge event! There were people everywhere, having a good time, walking around, eating and drinking... Good vibes all around! Prepare | Be sure to stop by the bank and pick up $1 & $5 bills! It's easier to give the exact amount, as most of the items are between one and six dollars, and most places won't have change! There is a US Bank in Downtown Catalina! Tasty | The Taste Around Avalon event was well organized, gave generous portions, a variety of food at about 34 restaurants! You need to have a bite & signature/stamp at 10 restaurants to be eligible for the drawing! Culinary Extravaganza | I made it to 10 restaurants, even when it started to rain a bit towards the end! I enjoyed clam chowder via Bluewater Avalon, the mango tango refreshing drink from Pier 24 was absolutely delicious, and the taco was seasoned well! Tasty ravioli at Original Jack's Italian! The Seabass at Avalon Grille was a full on delicious WIN for me, easily 5 stars & made quite the impression; tender, flavorful and seasoned to perfection!! The chef was also right there on site cooking on the grill!! The bite of warm butter cake was full-on yum via El Galeon! The Dole Whip at Scoops was a standout & especially when he topped it with Tahin...yes!! it was even worth the temporary brain freeze! Haha! The $1 shrimp & pasta dish at Steve's Steakhouse...wow, both delicious and a great deal! At this point, it was full on raining, but that didn't stop me! After all, I had on my cowgirl hat to somewhat shield me from the rain! Though my battery was running low, thank goodness, I was equipped with my pink sparkly portable charger! The show must go on! I didn't come this far for nothing! Lol! The shrimp enchilada and mango salad at Maggie's was mouthwatering delicious and I would easily order again! Feeling like a champ, I finished off the evening with a memorable spicy guava margarita...yum! Fun Note | The next day, I walked over to US Bank and ended up returning several $1 bills for larger notes! Customer Service | Beth & Suzanna were the sweetest when I went to purchase my ticket at the Visitor Center! They were just as friendly as ever & gave me plenty of info about how to navigate the event! One of the many reasons why I love Catalina Island, the people are so kind! During the event | Top-of-the-line customer service everywhere I went at the event! The crowd was really friendly as well! I also saw plenty of familiar faces, as I've been to Catalina Island Avalon many times! There were so many cute dogs too! At the end of the event, you turn in your restaurant scorecard for a chance to win prizes! Fun!! Overall | Yes, Please! It's a super fun event, I discovered a few new restaurants and I would easily go again in a heartbeat! Great food, refreshing drinks, delicious desserts & and all-around good time!

I had printed out maps of two hikes on the island, but I wasn't sure which one to do. Moreover,…read morethere was very little detail on either map on where the trail started or where the turns were. When I presented my dilemma to the nice woman working there, she said one hike was significantly better than the other. Then, she pulled out a map of the area, and proceeded to mark the hike turn by turn, with a Magic Marker. OMG that was so helpful! She was even nice enough to mark the scenic spots. We did the hike without any problems. We always knew where we were, and where to go next.

Had the best experience with Rob. We laughed and learned, all at the same time. We did our tour on…read more7/19/26. Would we recommend this company? The answer is yes! Thank you Rob

On a one day visit to Catalina Island, there is so much to do, see and eat…read more To start, rent a golf cart or wear good walking shoes because this port is not too big for tourist exploration. There is also a "Circuit" ride share that will take you around the island for $2 per person. Coming in by tender from a cruise ship is great. The docking area is in town and so close to everything. I exited the tender and walked along the waterfront where I passed a few children's playgrounds with a pirate theme. Then on to where the golf carts are rented. I walked to the pier (Green Pier) where there are bathrooms and many small shops all hoping for the tourist business. They carry the typical port souvenirs. After a long walk on this short pier I got to the end where there is many people fishing with poles and the little set ups they will sell you for a few dollars and the bait too. There are plenty of benches to sit and watch the boat come in and out of the harbour. There is a small beach area that has lots of pretty colored little rocks along the shoreline. The walk to the round Casino Building is pretty much the end of the road before a mountainside resort. I passed by some waterfront restaurants that were even crowded on a cloudy day. My walk back to the tender was quick and the ride back to the cruise ship was also pretty nice and calm.

Orlando was fantastic. He took us to many sights that included a great view of Avalon, the airport…read moreand we were lucky enough to see two bison. I learned a lot about Catalina Island that I didn't know. I enjoyed listening to his anecdotes from living on the island for the past 3 decades. I highly recommend the tour!

The taxi drivers were very kind and friendly. However, when we were coming into land there was a…read morelot of air traffic landing also so we had to wait our turn. The taxi company kept calling but I had no service to answer. We landed and talk to the guy at 12:20 and the reservation was at 12:00. We apologized for being late and explained the situation. We then asked if we had time to use the bathroom. HE SAID YES. We got on our way about 12:35. I got a call about an hour later telling me it would be an extra 100$ because he had to wait and we didn't leave until 12:35! I explained everything to management and she didn't care. The price gouging is insane because they are the only taxi company!

Shane was an awesome tour guide. He was very knowledgeable about the island and its history. We had…read morea great time during the 2-hour tour.

Wow.. what an amazing tour. Thank you Lindsey!…read more This is Judith. I went with my husband and neighbors. We took a picture with the Polaroid! We want to thank you very much for educating us on the island. As first timers, we were struggling on what to do in a short period of time. This was a great way for sure! We learned so much and love how we as tourist contribute to keep the island going. Every dollar counts. I loved seeing the bisons ( tired and retired ) lol , the airport ( especially the oatmeal cookie ) and even learning about the plants! It was so cool and fun! I'm already planning my trip this month! Hope we can meet again! See you soon!

Ok, so being one of the last rooms on the island for not nine million dollars , here is my review…read more I grew up in Avalon in a fancy house on the flats so take my word for it. Legit review. It's a steep hill so if you don't want that, don't come here. Rooms are outdated but again, you're in Avalon the most beautiful place on earth. Do we really care about the room as long as it's clean? Room- clean and tidy and a kitchenette. I had issues twice with my keys and Ivan immediately arrived to fix it for me. Shout out to Ivan as both times it was off hours for him. Ivan tries really hard. So, being a girl that grew up on Descanso Ave ? Which house now goes for 1425.00 a night ? Absolutely go. For the money, it's worth it.

The most disgusting hotel I've ever stayed in. I was actually scared to sleep here…read more We went from a beautiful hotel at the bottom of the hill, to dragging all of our things to this hellhole. I'm ashamed I even agreed to stay in this room. We had an excursion planned, so I didn't get a chance to check for cleanliness at check-in like I usually do and this room made me regret that! Never again

Absolutely loved this campground. We have been here twice. Once we stayed in a tent and the second…read morewe stayed in the yurt. When we stayed by the yurt, there were some baby foxes that were literally right next to our campsite. They even went in the yurt, but they were harmless and we were not there at the moment. We did see them run out though. The little shop they have there is really neat and has a little bit of everything you will need. Our kids took the bikes and it was a nice little ride for them to get back onto the main street. We took the hiking trail up to the top. It was breathtaking and just so awesome. And I say breathtaking because I'm a little out of shape and it literally took my breath away lol but it was a great achievement for my husband and my son for us to do! Can't wait to come back!

What a great weekend trip! We went on the last weekend it was open with a running group. Had a…read morelot of space, aspens yellowing and two big fire pits for warmth and cooking! Brought our dogs and had an amazing trip hiking around and camping.

First, we would love to give a huge shout out to Venessa at the front desk. Family and I, arrived…read moreon the island and we had 4 night reservation for another hotel. Long story short, after first one night we had to leave! I showed up at Venessa's desk telling her the story and in no time (hotel close to fully booked-summer break!), She found us a 2 queen room, got us an early complimentary check in (we've stayed at Metropole numberous time), but offered us a champagne in the room. What a hospitality! We did not expect this type of compation and problem solving, a true representative of Hotel Metropole. Now the pros: Location is amazing, navigation around the hotel or around it is perfect, close to everything, especially the breakfast shop on presmises and of course customer service. The room was exceptionally clean, I saw the service ladies actually mopping the floors after vacancy of other rooms. cons: second floor rooms overlooking the courtyard, get loud because of the shops. If you want to sleep in passed 9am, it's not happening. For some reason, shop people like to roll their garbage out either 6am or 11pm...at least when we stayed there which was June 9-12, 2026.

I booked a Deluxe Sleeper for four people, expecting two queens as described on their site…read more Instead, they put our family in a single king room with one bed. After complaining, they moved us to a cramped king + twin sofa that was completely inadequate. They had already given away the room we reserved. They then stuck us in a depressing basement-level room with a terrible view of nothing but a wall, poles, and mechanical equipment. No operable windows -- just stale air. This is false advertising. Their "Deluxe" rooms do not deliver the views or comfort promised. We lasted one night and fled to the Atwater, where we immediately got a proper family room. The contrast was shocking. Management's response was a polished non-apology that called it a simple "mix-up" while offering to waive fees as a favor after ruining our trip. This was repeated incompetence. Do not book here. Hotel Metropole overpromises and delivers frustration; and you'll be stuck in a dark room underground with no operable windows. Stay elsewhere in Catalina.

We both enjoyed our stay at the Bellanca. Our reservation was for three nights and four days and…read morethey performed maintenance efficiently. They offer perks for paying guests: free bicycles and private sun deck for hotel lodgers. It's located to the left of the desk front but, feel free to inquire information from the clerk or hostess on shift

Great service, clean rooms and a bike that we could use yo. They took care of us throughout our…read morevisit.

We recently took the 50-minute scenic island tour with Catalina Adventure Tours, and overall, it…read morewas a great experience! The tour does an amazing job of hitting the highlights around Avalon, sweeping you up past the historic Catalina Casino, Lover's Cove, and all the way up to the incredible vantage points near Mt. Ada. The time absolutely flew by-the 50 minutes went by so fast because the narration was engaging and the views of the harbor below were stunning. It's a fantastic, quick way to get a layout of the island and soak in some great local history. The only real downside to note is that you aren't able to actually get off the vehicle to stretch your legs or take photos. Every picture has to be snapped directly from your seat in the open-air safari truck.

* Did the glass boat and submarine tour- and highly recommend both…read more *Apart from the fun adventure of viewing marine life, the tour guides on both the expedition were knowledgeable and shared the island history as well as marine life education (you learn a lot!) * if you have issues with closed spaces, I don't recommend the submarine adventure *Expect some steps for both rides. If you can't do even a few stairs at all with guard rails... then reconsider * On both tours you have the option to purchase fish food that brings sea life closer to the viewing window- cash only and so plan accordingly. *Fun for all ages

Our driver Andrew gave us the most fun, energetic, adventurous, HUMOROUS ride!!!! Highly…read morerecommended for two hours to the top of the island! Saddle Up People!

This is an underrated and under-reviewed experience. On a practical level, it's transportation,…read morebut it's also a scenic byway across Catalina Island - probably than 1% of Catalina visitors ever journey across the Island by Safari Bus. The Safari Bus, which can be anything from an 8-passenger van to a "retired" school bus will take you on an approx. 2-hour journey between Avalon and Two Harbors (which is approx. 14 miles as the crow flies, but much longer via windy roads.) So a huge percentage (like 75% or more of the Island is owned by the Catalina Conservancy and is protected from new development. The Safari Bus is the only way I know that you can visit the "interior" (aka Conservancy property) without obtaining a permit (hikers and other can obtain permits for a modest fee in either Avalon or Two Harbors.) Some of the windy roads on the Island are hairpin turns with little or no road edge and no guardrail. Rest assured that your drivers are natives who could probably drive the road with their eyes closed (they don't) but if you have anyone really skittish about heights, put them in the middle seat :) Along your route, you are very likely to see the bison (non-native, but now so iconic that they remain, albeit on birth control :) and the native Catalina fox (very small and VERY cute.) Most of the vans/buses will not have A/C, and their shocks are pretty worn. The roads are just as worn, so be prepared for a pretty bumpy ride. You'll pretty much stay under 25 mph, though. The bus runs Avalon-Two Harbors approx. 1-4 times a day, with a lot of runs in the peak season (late June - Labor Day), and fewer in the shoulder season (spring/fall) and fewer still in winter. It's best to make reservations if it's critical to take the bus. In the summer, buses are regularly full and you might miss out. You can make reservations online through the Santa Catalina Island Company website (they operate most of the touristy things on the Island) or at the kiosk in Avalon, or the check-in office in Two Harbors. The website is (currently) weird. (many things on the Island are!) You have to book each leg separately. Know that the legs are 1) Avalon, 2) Blackjack/Airport, 3) Little Harbor and 4) Two Harbors (or the reverse if traveling the other direction) and you'll figure out which leg(s) to book. From Avalon, you ride about 45 minutes to the Catalina Airport. Blackjack campground is nearby - if there are campers to be picked up/dropped off, they'll stop here briefly, too (not very common, because Blackjack doesn't have much shade and is not close to the water. It's mostly a stopping point for those hiking the Trans Catalina Trail.) You don't usually take the same van/bus all the way. One van does the Avalon-Airport leg and another does the Airport-Two Harbors leg. You will disembark at the Airport and have a 20-30 minute wait for the next van. There's a counter service grill restaurant and a gift shop. If you want food, order it right away so that it's ready before you depart. There's some nice seating outside with a great view. The second van will take you from the Airport to Two Harbors and will usually stop at Little Harbor on the way. The second leg is about 30-45 minutes. Little Harbor is beautiful, remote beach camping on the west side of the Island (see my separate review.) Nothing but firewood and water can be obtained there, so the Safari Bus driver may stop in Little Harbor to pick up passengers, to drop something off to campers, or to take reservations from them (I don't think any cell phones work here.) Little Harbor is especially gorgeous after the Spring rains - it's lush and green and stunning. P.S. There's a separate service that will deliver kayaks and other gear to you in Little Harbor. Lastly, the Safari Bus has some limits on gear (I think it's two items per person, not including a small personal item.) In the summer, they are more likely to be strict about this due to sold-out trips. It's best to consolidate your gear as much as possible. Lastly, it's nice to tip your driver(s). Bring some cash for two drivers/each leg. Enjoy!