I'll be honest, I was a little nervous at first. The group before us came back and a woman jumped off the hummer looking totally frazzled, yelling "WARN THEM!!" which....yeah, not exactly comforting. So if you're on the fence or feeling anxious, this review is for you. We had Andrew as our guide and he was awesome. Before we even got on the open air hummer, he was very upfront that the ride would be bumpy and gave solid advice on where to sit if heights make you uneasy. That actually made me more nervous at first, but it turned out to be totally fine. The hummer never gets that close to the cliff edge, and it always felt controlled and safe. The views are unreal!!!!!! seriously breathtaking. We were lucky enough to see 2 bison, 2 Catalina foxes, 2 does, and a young buck. The tour before us saw zero bison, so we were thrilled. We even got to see them up close, which was incredible. As for the ride itself, I didn't find it nearly as bumpy as people make it sound. There were a few spots where the height felt a little sketchy, but in a "whoa" way, not a "nope, I regret everything" way. All in all, I'd absolutely recommend this tour. Don't let dramatic exit speeches scare you off, you'll be glad you did it. There's blankets available on the hummer in case you get chilly. Tips: - bring cash. TIP YOUR DRIVER!!!! - secure your hat and hair, so hat doesn't go flying off read more

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Terrible experience, all the driver did was scare 3 of the 6 of us with his driving. Stay away!!! read more

Having Andrew as your guide made our entire experience, he was super knowledgeable and had us laughing the entire time!

We booked a few different activities through Catalina Expeditions while visiting the island. Their website was full of great information on all of their excursions and booking was super simple. The hardest part was picking which ones we wanted to do! While there are other tour companies offering similar excursions and things to do, it seemed like they are the biggest and have more variety/are cheaper than some of the others (not always though). Through Catalina Expeditions we kayaked in the waters over at Descanso Beach Club, did a ridgetop adventure tour, and the undersea expedition. We originally only booked the kayaking and jeep tour, but had some time to kill so we added the undersea adventure, which ended up being a super cool experience. Kayaking - very cool area with lots of kelp, which made it feel calmer. We saw quite a bit of wildlife, mostly fish and a few jellies, but also a sea lion. You get great views of the casino, beach club, and can see a lot the boats up close. We booked for 2 hours, but the area is fairly small unless you want to get further out into the ocean, so I'd probably just go with 1 next time. Ridgetop adventure - sadly it was super foggy this day so we had to change our route. We still got an adventure and made our way up to the airport in the sky and got to see a bison. This tour was educational and our guide was a very entertaining host. Undersea expedition - such a fun activity and we saw so many fish! I was skeptical of this one because I didn't think we'd actually see that much wildlife, but boy was I wrong. They actually feed the fish (totally okay in the protected area that they are) so you end up surrounded by hundreds of them. There are windows all over, and the windows are big, so you get a great view into the water. This is a quick excursion, but totally worth it in my opinion. read more

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Definitely don't miss the bison tour when you visit! Our guide was Jose and he was very knowledgeable about everything on the island and was funny! He also helped us peep some cute foxes! You will be riding in a large hummer vehicle and the roads are narrow...so if you are afraid of heights like me, be prepared to be cured! Lol There's a stop at the top at the small airport for rest and refreshments. read more

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Our driver only really stayed on narrow bumpy roads with heavy brush on the sides. No way a bison would be there! No real visit to open land, where we might actually see some bison! The hummer ride was wildly violent. We were warned, however I really did not appreciate our guide (Wendy) constantly joking about driving over the cliff, crashing...while holding the wheel with only one hand. This actually greatly upset me. The only thing that saved this tour was the magnificent views. read more

We went on the semi-submarine underwater expedition. The kiddos had fun on this tour. The experience was fun for all of us. It's kind of a cool experience to do in Catalina especially if your kids love the sea life. The tour first takes you indoor into the semi submarine for a ride to see the aquatic life while you head towards Lovers Cove. There is a guide that talks about the sea life and history. For the second part, you are on top of the semi submarine to see the view as you head back to Catalina. read more

Fun trip. Saw bison and Catalina Fox. Guide was very knowledgeable and shared interesting facts and stories. Make sure to buy a cookie at the airport during potty break. read more

Awesome tour! Came for the Bison and stayed for Justin's jokes and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Justin is very knowledgeable about the island and its history. Great way to start the day at Catalina Island. read more

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We were visiting Avalon for three full days, and we did the bison expedition on our first day. It was great! Our driver, Tom, was so friendly and knowledgeable. We loved hearing about the history of the island, and seeing the beautiful views as we drove up the mountain. We found a large herd of bison, about 30, lounging in the sun. We did an afternoon tour, since we were here in mid-June and the weather was nice. But I can expect it would be hot in the afternoon if it were later in the summer. read more

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Bison Expedition - Andrew was our tour guide. We can't say enough about Andrew's knowledge of the area and how much fun we had. I would highly recommend taking this tour with Andrew. It was a true adventure. read more

We took the bison tour and the best experience possible. The tour explicitly stated that they do not guarantee you will see bison, however just the fortune of time and place put us right in the midst of the herd. It was quite incredible! On top of getting this close to the Bison I would have to give the biggest shout-out to our tour guide "Halvie". Despite no promises of seeing bison, Halvie made our tour go such a memorable experience! He has so much passion for the island along with a deep understanding of its history about everything you will see on the tour. He made sure to take time to talk about every little thing we saw along the way! Halvie thank you so much keep on doing you man!!! read more

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Ron was fantastic on the Bison expedition. We saw two thanks to his scouting and we learned a ton about them and the island. It's apparent that Ron loves the animals and his job and we were having a blast on the expedition jeep. read more

What a great experience for those looking for adventure and fun. Rob is your guy as he has the stories, knowledge, and fun personality to guide you through Catalina's past and present. This was hands down our best tour event and already looking forward to bringing the rest of the family. Ask for Rob! read more

Catalina Expeditions - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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This review is for Catalina Island bison expedition, This is simply a fun educational and adventure tour, we met at the tour are and was given instruction and information on what to do and not to on the tour, "like if a bison is coming toward the jeep to get out and run like hell" No just kidding on that. Our tour guide was Mark Halvy a native of Catalina Island, he was friendly fun with a lot of knowledge the facts and history here with a lot of humor made the tour that much exciting. The tour is about two hours in the middle canyon also the cape canyon, we climbed about 1,600 feet into almost some clouds, make sure you take a lightweight jacket, because some roads are paved dirt bumpy dusty. The tour vehicle jeep is fueled by recycled vegetable oil from the local restaurant on the Island, 10% of the proceed goes to C.I. Conservancy. We were able to see lot's of bison a few of woodpecker, a silver fox, a miniature pony, also a amazing and spectacular view of Catalina from the top. This is one unique and unforgettable tour. read more

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Review of the Bison Expedition: Oh my gosh people, this is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life! I swear, I said that to my partner more than once while on this tour and I meant it. Make sure you ask to book your tour with Havly, he is knowledgeable about the island and his love for it is contagious. We had so much fun! You get all kinds of facts and history about the people, animals, activities, and a fun hummer tour with a fun driver! We were reminded that seeing Bison is not guaranteed as they roam all over, but Halvy knows all the spots they hang and we came across a group of close to 20! It was amazing! And we saw 2 gray foxes, red headed wood peckers, frogs, and the most stunning views! I can't recommend this tour highly enough. GO! read more

Catalina Expeditions - Bison! - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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Our family of 6 had an amazing time! We came in with no expectations to see bison. I knew it wasn't a guarantee but was happy to see the beauty of the inner island. We were lucky enough to see 2 bison on our trip! It really was an amazing sight! Our tour guide Steven was great! Lots of information and a great guy! Thanks again! read more

Catalina Expeditions - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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The excursion was good but was expecting to see more bison. We saw two! However, our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and it was great to see the westward side of the island. Also, they provide blankets in the jeep which came in handy during our slightly chilly February tour. read more

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The tour was epic and the driver Carlos is knowledgeable and funny. Go if you're ever in Catalina Island.

They drive the boat out to a kelp forest, feed the fish, drive you back in, and let you ride on top of the boat as it docks. It's super simple and straightforward and utterly delightful. The fish know the drill. So, they flock toward the boat as it nears the feeding spot. You will see a ton of calico bass and opaleye, and a few garibaldi. Kids will love it, but honestly, any human being would have fun on this. read more

The bison expedition was one of my favorite things done on the Island thanks to Mark Halvy! Very fun and extremely educated guide. Definitely recommend him for a 10/10 experience! He is exceptional at what he does. I recommend wearing something you don't mind getting a little dirt on and a light jacket as it gets colder once you're closer to the beach. read more

Catalina Expeditions - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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This was my second tour to Catalina. Delilah our tour guide was simply awesome. She became a resident seven years ago but is so knowledgeable about any and all aspects of Catalina that I thought she grew up there. Answered all questions with her depth of knowledge. She clearly takes her job very seriously and is perfect balance of information and humor. This longer tour is a must do. highly recommended read more

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[[~~~EAST END ADVENTURE~~~]] 1000% recommend this expedition if you're looking for something thrill-seeking but relaxing at the same time!!! TIPS: Discovery plaza center, wear sunscreen / a hair tie, blankets provided during the chillier season, and tip the driver always!! :) SEATING: Don't recommend little children seated at the front row but age friendly nonetheless! Front = less bumpy / Back = more bumpy. You may get separated if larger group, so come early! We had Miriam this past weekend on April 1 and she was spectacular and reassuring considering we get really. i mean REALLY. close to the edge of the cliffs! Her voice was very relaxing throughout the 2 hr expedition. We were lucky enough to see Bison, Island Quail, beautiful ocean views and a bald-eagle [HA!] Miriam was very attentive and knowledgeable about the island, its history, and recommended some places for us to do/see during our endeavors there. Definitely will return soon! :) read more

Catalina Expeditions - i mean LOOK HOW CLOSE WE ARE. Spectacular. - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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The bison tour was such a great way to learn about the island's history and see the interior of the land. The trip was about 2 hours and Ron was our guide. He was kind, funny, and super knowledgeable. Definitely wear pants and a windbreaker because it got super chilly up in the mountains! We saw multiple bison, some island foxes, and even got to stop at the airport and look around. Such a wonderful way to see the amazing views and learn about the island! read more

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My best friend and our boyfriends took the eco tour! Halvy was absolutely amazing and super informative of ALL thing's Catalina! He was amazing! Plus we saw a buffalo! Must must try this and make sure Halvy is your guide!!!! read more

Catalina Expeditions - Halvy! Worlds best tour guide - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

We went to Catalina a couple weeks ago and took the Bison Expedition and Halvey was our tour guide. We honestly could NOT have asked for a better person to take us on the tour. As we passed other tour vans he asked them if they saw Buffalo and with every person he asked we eventually found Buffalo. We were so lucky because it was a sparse day. He went out of his way to make sure everyone got their money's worth! He knew so much about the island from professional and personal experience- we heard so many cool stories and histories about the island as well as Mr. Wrigley- and his charisma and knowledge made the tour that much better. For anyone taking a tour in Avalon in the future, look out for HALVEY. He rocks! No doubt about it! read more

David and Jacob are two of the kindest welcomers to the island. They taught us about the island and we purchased a glassboat tour, minature golf and eco tour. They are informative, honest and caring. We came here without knowing what to expect andhave limited funds to spend as a family. The three activities were amazingly perfe t low cost and completely entertaining. Rena with Glassbottom Boat was fun and extremly knowledgeable. We will book again. Heres a pic of off read more

Catalina Expeditions - A school of fish from the bottom of the boat - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

Absolutely great adventure in the humvee! Great for kids and adults alike. We saw multiple bison, enjoyed a unique view of the island and had the kids LOVED some of the light off roading. Cindy was a great tour guide and an asset to the island and all of its guests. read more

Catalina Expeditions - Great vehicle and even better tour! - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

One of the best Bison tours- Halvey is a Rock Star of a guide...I will be coming back to share the Halvey experience with others. A must do experience. read more

Mark was our tour guide, we did the 2 hour bison expedition. we saw a couple bison up close and personal. Mark was so kind and informative. I learned so much about the island. He gave us a fun ride around some of the corners. Great time read more

Catalina Expeditions - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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We were looking for something fun to do on this trip to Catalina.. We decided tto dovthe Bison adventure.. This was so much fun.. Our tour guide and driver was "D" she was so much fun and she is really informative.. You will get to see amazing views .. We also saw Bison. Thanks "D" for helping us make memories. WHOOP WHOOP read more

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We took the 2 hour Bison Expedition and had a blast! Cindy was a fantastic guide/driver. She played great music and made us laugh. We even found a heard of Bison that Cindy got us close enough to see. It was a fabulous time! read more

Bison Expedition. Book it with CINDY LOWE. I don't want to say too much because it works best to go in blind and take in the surprises as they come. But make sure you love to laugh; and love mild but intensely fun off-roading; and love breathtaking views of nature; and love learning about Catalina. I would recommend this to anyone, and with Cindy, you're in good, fun hands! read more

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Awesome! Day 2 on the island and we needed something to do and had planned the day before to do a tour the following day! I had mentioned to the Pumpkie that I wanted to go see Two Harbors (on the other end of the island - which is almost impossible to get to... from what I can gather... you need to be dropped off by boat on that side or take the Safari bus (which is only one way) and be stuck there overnight with no way back...and it's still pretty pricey. Anyway... so we started looking at the tours... and decided on the Inland Expedition Tour. It was basically a 4 hour tour.. ::cue Gilligan's Island music here:: (in all actuality, it was 3.5 tour... I just wanted to make the Gilligan's Island reference!) but it was totally awesome. This and a couple other tours, besides, hiking (which to me would seem impossible - maybe backpacking is a more appropriate term for what you could do) are the only tours where you can go through and see other, basically, uninhabited parts of the island. It was amazing. After about 5 minutes out of Avalon, we were basically transported to the middle of nowhere. Looking out of the bus windows (the tours are all conducted in these vintage 50s streamline buses... with comfortable seats and well taken care of but have a decidedly very vintage feel), you are either surrounded with a breathtaking view of the ocean and some peaceful harbors or desolate pieces of the island which bring to mind what it must have been like to live in California before there was any sort of civilization. I loved it! Did I mention the water is so clear, you can actually see the fish clearly through the water looking down into it? I have never seen anything like that and it's something that will stick with me since I was so amazed by it! Anyway, back to the tour... aside from breathtaking views of the ocean, you go through the mainland which is lots of rolling green hills and wildlife. We were lucky enough to see two Island Foxes... which are tiny little things but cute nonetheless! And the humongous Buffalo! Super awesome! I couldn't believe we saw those things roaming out in the wild. It was definitely awesome and something that I was hoping to see on our trip... but was also unexpected since it's basically up to their wild animal whims. :) The tour was also pretty informative. I learned a bit more about the island... got to see some of the back of the island (which is so remote and desolate and untouched by humans... which is absolutely amazing! I cannot stress this enough!) and experience something totally out of what I'm used to. I wish I could have remembered our tour guides name but he was an older guy who seemed like a mix between Andy Griffith and Tommy Lee Jones, if that helps! I definitely recommend the tour and I would do it again in a heartbeat! read more

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Four of us were on a day trip to Catalina, and decided to take the 1.5 hour 'downtown tour' of the island. It turned out to be a very rewarding choice, and the tour was very interesting. The driver stopped at several high vantage points to allow for picture taking, and the views were breathtaking. Seeing the different styles of housing on the island, so dependent upon the year of construction, was very interesting. It included everything from WW2 Quonset to modern stacked condos, an amazing variety of architectural types. And the crazy, twisty, narrow road we traveled on was a bit jaw-clenching at times. The driver sounded the horn as she negotiated blind turns, but the horn itself sounded like an asthmatic duck. Our feisty driver intimidated several groups of clueless tourists riding rental golf carts, and also made a large construction truck back itself out of her way. Sadly, due to the mumbling, robotic delivery of the driver combined with the tinny speakers and raucous acoustic environment, nobody sitting nearby us admitted to understanding a word she said. Only when the vehicle was stopped was she understandable. That cost a star. However, this was a good tour, much better than any of us had anticipated. Not expensive, either, about $18 per butt. read more

My boyfriend and I had a one day get-a-way. Traveled to Catalina Island to see what it has to offer. We walked around and was done in about 2 hours. It was so-so. So far, not worth the Catalina Express ticket price. We saw a tricked out Humvee and wanted to see what that's about. Purchased the East End Adventure. Off roading in a Humvee??? Awesome!!!! Our guide Charles knows so much history and is truly passionate about what he does!! Would definitely come back for this tour with Charles again! read more

Catalina Expeditions - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

The East End Adventure tour was awesome and a great way to see the island without moving a finger. Our tour guide Miriam thoroughly explained the island's history and made stops so we could take photos of the amazing views. She was funny and attentive with our group and always asked if we were ok since it was quite a bumpy ride in the Hummer. She was a fast, but careful driver so she is the one to go to if you are impatient haha! It lasts two hours, so definitely go to the restroom beforehand. She answered all of our questions and we even took a detour to observe the bison/buffalo, which luckily we were able to see. She also provided us with a card with 10% off for restaurants and other activities. read more

Catalina Expeditions - About halfway up the island - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

The Inland Expedition Tour offered some amazing views. Our driver Anthony did a great job, and worked hard to point out views and search for Bison (we only saw one, but he did make a great effort). I recommend this tour. read more

Catalina Expeditions - Some great lookout spots on the tour - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

By far one of the funnest experiences on Catalina. We had Russell and Ray who were amazing and so much fun. Those guys were super friendly and encouraging. It's a little pricy but it's worth it if you have these two guys lead the tour. They gave us a little history of the island and showed us the ropes (literally) Definitely coming back and hoping I get these guys as our tour guides. read more

Catalina Expeditions - #russelnray - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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O M G!!! We had THE BEST time ever! We were a little hesitant booking the bison tour at first due to wanting to do other things on the island but boy, are we glad we did! Firstly, our tour guide, Andrew was INCREDIBLE! He was so funny and knowledgeable and frankly, made the tour amazing. From start to finish, we had the best time. Keep in mind, you may not see any bison (we saw 2 far away), however, that won't matter to you once you're on the tour (I promise). We also saw some foxes, squirrels and other wildlife. The view from the top of the mountain was incredible. Highly recommend this tour! read more