My boyfriend and I went for a quick day trip to spend some time at the island since he had never been. We booked the 50 minute Discover Avalon tour and we loved it! It was the perfect amount of time to get acquainted will a little bit of Avalon and hear a few fun facts. Our tour guide was Laura and she was so funny and knowledgeable! I highly recommend the tour. A small warning, the tour bus is open air and a bit bumpy, so if you have injuries or issues with rough rides, I would maybe reach out to Discover Avalon and double check if you are good to tour with them :) read more

Catalina Tours - View of the harbor - Historical Tours Near Me

See all

We took the bison expedition tour yesterday, Saturday, February 21, and had the absolute best experience thanks to our guide, Andrew. From the moment we started, he was funny, warm, and incredibly engaging, while also being super knowledgeable and educational about the island and wildlife. What really stood out was how perfectly Andrew balanced the experience -- he knew exactly when to share great stories and facts, and when to let us simply soak in the sights, sounds, and beauty around us. He never rushed us and made sure we had plenty of opportunities for amazing photos and genuine wildlife sightings. We truly felt like we were seeing the island at its best. The tour felt safe, well-supported, and action-packed, without ever feeling overwhelming. You could tell Andrew genuinely cared about everyone having a great time and walking away with memorable moments. We also saw a fox and bison! Highly, highly recommend this tour -- and if you're lucky enough to get Andrew as your guide, you're in for a treat. Side note: when guides and drivers go above and beyond like this, please remember to tip. Andrew, if you ever read this -- thank you for such a fantastic experience. Hope your boss sees this and rewards you big time! read more

Catalina Tours - Scenic vista stopping point. - Historical Tours Near Me

I booked the bison tour for 2 people, spent roughly about $250, and 1 bison was seen. I would not call this a bison tour. It seemed more like an island tour. I understand that the bison are wild animals that roam freely, but to charge this amount of money and see 1 of the animal that the tour is named after seems like robbery. The only reason we saw the 1 bison was because it was sitting on the side of the road under a tree. I did enjoy the tour itself and I definitely got to see more of the island, so I'm glad that I went. If we didn't see the 1 bison, I would have been very mad and upset at spending this kind of money. Especially to be stuck on a tour with a bunch of people that you don't even know and to not see what you came here to see. read more

See all

Second time taking the Bison Tour. On 08/26 we got Andrew who was AMAZING, funny and knowledgeable. He kept us entertained and engaged the whole time. We saw two bison one very up close and a bald eagle soaring above us during Free Bird playing on the speakers. Even if you don't see bison the tour is fun, bumpy and offers spectacular views. For the most adventurous sit in the back. read more

See all

I went on a great eco 2 hour sunset tour a couple days ago. Our guide really knew the island its history and current local debates regarding the animals. It was interesting to learn the history of the very very beloved Bison. Sage the Bison!! Make a movie and put them in it this time!! read more

See all

I think this is the most fun tour I've ever been on--I love off-roading and this tour was perfect! We saw bison, foxes, squirrels, and Cindy Lowe is the best driver! She's super friendly, fun, and I truly believe she loves her job, which made us really happy to spend those hours with her. Her attitude toward every passenger, watching out for our safety, and searching for bison! amazing I don't think everyone gets as lucky as we did on that tour. We'll definitely be coming back, looking for her, and doing that tour again! read more

See all

Andrew was our tour guide, he was amazing. He made the trip so fun and is genuinely hilarious and the most fun. I can't imagine a better guide, the trip was hilarious and so educational, and he embraced our girls trip to the fullest extent. The best lookout points and photo opportunities. Such a great day with him. #pointthetoe read more

Catalina Tours - Historical Tours Near Me

It's a cliche, but the Ridgetop Eco Adventure tour rates a 6 on a scale of 1 to 5! Andrew was an amazing guide -- clearly he had a lot of experience driving the Hummer up and down the mountains, knowing how close to get cliffside while making it exciting but still safe. Andrew's personality and humor added so much to the tour. The views were as spectacular as advertised; actually, maybe even more spectacular than advertised. An outstanding and memorable tour! read more

My partner and I went on the tour called Discover Avalon last week. We had never been to the island before so we were anxious to learn about the history. We had a wonderful tour guide named Halvey. He was amazing and did such a great job! Can't wait to go back! read more

Did the Bison expedition on eco-hummer. Rob was our guide and was super engaging with our 2 kiddos. Ride was fun, a little bumpy (which is expected). We sat on the back (bumpiest) and wasn't bad at all. Wife has had previous back injuries and she said she was fine with no issue. There is no guarantee of wildlife but we were able to see 2 Bison (or same Bison twice?) but super close! read more

See all

I just got off the Bison Expedition tour with Halvey and it was amazing. He was very informative and shared some great history about Catalina Island. When we started the tour he did share that we might not see a Bison due to the island getting a lot of rain this past year so the Bisons are roaming all over. But sure enough with some luck and a guy in our tour with great eyes we saw one! I would definitely recommend even if you don't see a Bison it was a great time with great views. read more

Catalina Tours - bison - Historical Tours Near Me

Great way to view the whole island. Joy was fun, funny and informative. Great way to spend a couple of hours. We even got to see a couple of bison read more

This is a review about the Buffalo Tour and the Flying fish tour. The Bison tour was a bit disappointment, I would not do it again. The tour guide rambled about herself a lot and talked so much that it took away from the beautiful views along the way. We never saw any Bison, we saw one mule deer and a fox that was the extent of the wildlife. The ride is bumpy especially in the back so be prepared. If you have back or neck issues I would not advise this. The flying fish tour I was much better, that I would rate a 3-4. The tour guide was knowledgable, but a bit loud. We did see flying fish and sea lions eating the flying fish. It was beautiful seeing Avalon all lit up at night from the water. Be prepared it gets cooler at night. I would recommend this tour. read more

Catalina Tours - Historical Tours Near Me

Guide was great, tour was informative and interesting, however major detraction was although we booked an open air jeep tour, basically a suburban showed up (see photo). I would advise anyone booking a private jeep tour with these guys to confirm that you are actually getting an open air jeep. read more

Catalina Tours - Beware the bait-and-switch, we booked a private jeep tour, but this is what we got - Historical Tours Near Me

I originally wasn't even supposed to be on this tour, but another guide from the island caused us to miss our eco tour. Thankfully, a lovely person at the tour check-in area was able to get us onto the bison tour, and it was honestly the better option! I wish I could remember the name of our guide, but she was truly such a nice person, and you could tell she loved her job. She shared endless facts and captivating stories about the island, herself, and how the bison got there in the first place. I couldn't find my picture, but we actually ended up seeing a whole herd of bison! Not to mention, the beautiful scenery along the way. I wish we had prepared better for all the wind--it was so cold--but honestly, the tour was amazing, so that overshadowed the weather. 10/10 would recommend! read more

See all

We only went on the personal island tour around the island, with a great view. The tour guide not only takes you around the island but stops at the best spots for great photos like Buena Vists Point. read more

See all

We did the Ridgetop Eco Adventure recently and it was awesome. Went up and down the mountains and it was fun and you really learn a lot about the entire island. Cindy the tour guide was great. The ride is fairly bumpy in spots since you're offroad, but that's part of the fun if you're game. read more

We had a great time on the bison tour. We were lucky enough to see four bison as well as two Catalina foxes. We learned a ton and our driver, Halvey was AWESOME! Thanks Halvey for a really great experience! read more

See all

Our tour guide was nice, everyone was friendly and helpful we had a very nice time on the island, thank you guys!! read more

Catalina Tours - Island - Historical Tours Near Me

We did the Jeep Eco-Tour with Mark Phelps and had an awesome time. We highly recommend you take this tour if you are curious about the interior of Catalina and its history. Just be sure to request Mark. He was perfect! Being a Catalina native Mark had insights that few would have. His commentary was very informative and humorous. The vehicle was comfortable and Mark's driving felt safe and secure. Thanks read more

Review for Ridgetop tour: 5/5 Halvy is the best guide you can get. Really- he's an engaging and funny guy with an interesting persona. The tour itself is about 2hrs long and consists of a ride in an open air, modified Hummer. There are beautiful scenic displays at the top of the island, and you'll stop at a few prime spots for pictures. It's a nice, relaxing jaunt up through the hills of Catalina, and Halvy kept us pretty entertained with the history of the area. We had a bit of extra time, so we went looking for a bison and actually found one. It was nice of our guide to offer as opposed to just taking us back early, or driving slowly down the ridge. Great, great experience. Review for glass bottom boat: 2/5 If you need something to fill some time, sure, go for it, but really, this isn't all that interesting. Little kids might enjoy it, but otherwise, some of the adults in our group use it to relax and get in a nap. They take you out to a small cove where you see lots and lots of the same fish (they feed them). It gets old very quickly, and the tour guide isn't really very informative. There's lots of silence. *** The kiosk to pick up tickets takes FOREVER, even if you've pr-bought tickets online. Go early. read more

Steve gave us an awesome and great tour around the town. We also went on the 3 hour tour and the wise man was very informative. We had a chance to see some beautiful beach sites and bison . He gave outstanding service. read more

We did the 2 hour bison tour with Cindy as our wonderful tour guide and we just love her! She made the entire trip so enjoyable and entertaining. I was a little surprised that no limited capacity on the tour due to covid so it was a full hummer but honestly I don't mind and can't be mad as business for trying to recover form a huge hit. Masks were enforced and guests honored that. We're able to take masks off for pictures. The hummer was very comfortable and roomy. Nice mesh bag for you to place your bag inside. We got lucky and saw a herd of bison in the distance and a lone bull up close. Gorgeous views and get to explore a good portion of the island. There is a longer tour that goes to the airport and we will do that one next time. Overall this was a highlight of our trip and highly recommend read more

See all

Beth is the BEST! My favorite part of my Catalina trip was the Eco Tour with Beth. I learned so much history about this place and it was amazing. The sights were great. Beth went above and beyond to give us a good experience and sightings. Thank you Beth !! read more

Catalina Tours - Historical Tours Near Me

Stellar customer service! This review is not about one of the tours, but rather the customer service itself. We had a special family situation relating to our tour bookings, and Charlene was super helpful for us. She promptly followed up on our need and got back to us quickly. Her service and the company's stance will have us booking with them again in the future. read more

My family and I had the best time with Halvy! He's so knowledgeable and loves history. Highly recommend

Halve was our tour guide during our bison eco expedition. He was such a great guide. We got to see plenty of bison just laying around chilling. I definitely recommend it and he's also a historian of the Island. I learned a lot today. Thanks again for the experience. read more

Catalina Tours - Historical Tours Near Me

We did the Ridge Eco tour with Cindy Lowe, it was a great tour though the middle of the island. Cindy was fun and knowledgeable on tour. Her theme music for certain areas of the tour was spot on. I would highly suggest this tour and if you can request Cindy she made the tour even more better. read more

Catalina Tours - Historical Tours Near Me

See all

*** I am editing my review ONLY because Chelsea with the snorkel tour was absolutely AMAZING. I was disappointed to find it was the same company, but my husband had an absolute blast snorkeling and Chelsea was a fun and informative guide. To quote my husband "Chelsea was a cool cat". So thank you Chelsea! I booked my husband and I a bus tour on our stop in Catalina for his birthday. Our tour was scheduled at 12:00pm. We arrived at 11:45am, followed the signs that said wait to board, and sat down on the benches to wait for our turn. The hummer was loaded and left and we waited another 5 minutes. At this point it was past 12. My husband went up to the counter and talked to the girl working (she was VERY sweet and helpful). Apparently that was our bus, and the guide/driver didn't check tickets closely enough and let two people on who weren't scheduled until tomorrow (Feb 3rd) and who took our spot. Since the driver had 11 people he didn't even check with us even though we were waiting, and just left. We got a refund so I guess that's something. I've been to catalina before, and my mom worked on the island many years ago as a scuba instructor/guide and I was looking forward to sharing my stories with him (and hers!) as we toured across the island, as well as taking photos to show her what the island's like now. We were offered a spot on the 1:30PM tour but have snorkeling at 2pm and declined. Your staff really should be more mindful and pay more attention to who they let on tours. We're going to enjoy our trip irregardless. But it was disappointing. read more

So I recently visited Catalina for the very first time. And was hoping to have a nice experience. And let me tell everyone the "Truth" on here! I wouldn't waste my precious time if it wasn't. I would give them 0 stars. This company is a 3rd party and I "DO NOT" RECOMMEND ANYONE BOOKING through this company. PLEASE BE AWARE. We Had a malfunction on our boat and did not make the appointed time. Which they could call. I emailed and reached out to Catalina tours before they even opened to let them know what was going on. I even asked if an available opening came up that my husband and I would be willing to take that slot. So they said ok. They offered a " Night time" tour after 5pm!? Like who The Fuck would wanna ride near the cliffs at night time when you can't see shit?! So basically we never TOOK the Tour! I tried to reach out to them them several times, and I knew they were bullshitting me and didn't want to give me "MY REFUND" of $270.00. When reaching out the staff told me the " Owner Elizabeth" was in " MEXICO" go figure! This company is taking advantage of " Tourist" people who are first timers and " STEALING PEOPLES MONEY". All I want is my refund back for a service I never received. This is a CROOKED COMPANY WHO TAKES ADVANTAGE OF CUSTOMERS/ TOURIST AND STEALS YOUR MONEY . SAVE YOURSELF AND BOOK On the BOARDWALK AT A BOOTH INSTEAD OF THIS "CROOKED 3rd Party" COMPANY CATALINA TOURS. SINCE THIS COMPANY IS REFUSING TO REFUND MY MONEY FOR SERVICES I NEVER RECEIVED. I WILL BE UTILIZING ALL MY OUTLETS WITH COMPLAINTS. read more

Catalina Tours - THIS COMPANY WILL CHARGE YOU FOR SERVICES YOU NEVER RECEIVE. THEY DO NOT CARE WHAT HAPPENS. DO NOT BOOK WITH THEM - Historical Tours Near Me

We did the Bison Expedition tour with Cindy Lowe. It was fantastic! We saw a few lone bison and a herd of about 30 bison. Some were within 20 feet of the hummer. She stayed at each lookout spot for as long as the group wanted. Throughout the 2-hour tour, she was informative and very funny. read more

Catalina Tours - Part of a herd of 30 bison. - Historical Tours Near Me

See all

Booked the Twilight Tour at the Casino for our last night in Catalina. Started with popcorn and viewing the beautiful theatre, before heading upstairs to the promenade for gorgeous views of the bay and ocean at sunset. Finished in the stunning ballroom with wine, cheese, fruit and dancing to big band videos playing on an enormous screen. Frankie of Avalon (tour guide) was lovely. A lot of fun and our group had all ages, with everyone seeming to enjoy it. read more

See all

Horrible Customer Service at Kiosk I recommend going to a different submarine tour I travelled to Avalon on 06/30/2021 with my partner, who decided to surprise me for my birthday (06/30) with a submarine tour. I was worried, because we already had a packed day and this tour made the day even more jammed packed. He bought the ticket morning of (I was on a different boat) for 06/30 3pm tour. Needless to say we (he was at the submarine) didn't make it on time because I was waiting for our lunch. He attempted to get a refund, which of course was denied due to your policy. I attempted not long afterwards, I thought perhaps the person at the kiosk would have some sort of sympathy since it was my birthday (ID at hand). I don't believe I will get a refund, but I wanted to complain about  the person running your kiosk. Sympathy was far from what I received, I understand policy, I work for a government agency and it involves following strict laws, what I don't understand is someone having a cold heart and horrible customer services. The woman at the kiosk was beyond rude. Again, I understand explaining that a refund cannot be given due to company policy, but she had the audacity to say that my partner "needs to get me another birthday present" because the submarine left literally one minute before I arrived. I could not believe that she would say that. That is her opinion and has nothing to do with my request for a refund. This was negativity that was unnecessary and I hope that there are some repercussions. If she did this to me, who's to say that she isn't doing it to others. The older white woman at the kiosk was there on 06/30/2021 during the 3 o clock hour. read more

5 star exceptional review for the Bison Expedition, and the Aerial Adventure. Bison - amazing adventure with the best guide Ron. You get up close to Bison and learn a wealth of fascinating historical information about Catalina while you climb to the top of the mountain in a Hummer Aerial Adventure - thrilling physical experience with guides Aaron and Trent. You test your body in new and exciting ways with the utmost safety. Their training and encouragement made the experience wonderful. read more

Friendly service and easy process , make sure to have cash they do not have credit card processor . It's an historical location and they will provide a map on the best route . So much fun ! read more

Catalina Tours - Catalina tours with golf cart - Historical Tours Near Me

Thank you so much Beth for a wonderful private tour! Our company booked the Eco Tour to see the buffalo . We saw 2 bison! We also saw the airport in the sky! I was so amazed the entire drive. One of our parties got stung by a bee . (there are SO MANY bees!!!) Beth was so kind to her! Immediately Beth gave us disinfectant wipes, a cream, a bandaid, and even a little ice pack! All while driving. I was so impressed and thankful for her kindness. Of course these things happen and are unexpected. Very thankful for Beth and her knowledge of the island. She told us everything from environmental contaminations to virus outbreaks on the foxes to the process of contraception for the bison. I was thoroughly entertained and captivated by the information. I learned about celebrity female pilots! I learned about baby bald eagles! I learned about ground squirrels! Just so much in a fast pace environment and honestly it was the best! I would definitely do this eco tour again! :) read more

See all

My boyfriend and I had such a great experience here. We signed up for the frog rock kayaking tour (highly recommend!!) first of all the staff at the front desk were amazing. My boyfriend forgot his bathing suit and they provided us with an extra pair of clothing so that they don't get wet. They also provided us with a water proof bag so that we could bring our phones and other things like sunscreen and water. Also water and cookies were provided for us! Our tour guide was Aaron who was AMAZING. Nice, funny, and informative. The waters at Catalina are so clear we could see a lot of marine life while kayaking including leopard sharks, sea otters, Garibaldi, and our favorite a bald eagle flew really close to us/ our kayaks while on frog rock beach. The kayaking tour was not too strenuous, and it helps to do a tandem kayak. Definitely one of the best things to do while in Catalina! read more

Catalina Tours - Kayaking back to Descanso Beach from frog rock beach - Historical Tours Near Me

See all

A cool experience to Discover Two Harbors. Ride the Cyclone to two harbors and get away for a fun time. It's a little cheaper but still with the same great views. read more

See all

Great ride around the island on a modified Humvee. Tour guide (Mariam?) was awesome- super friendly and definitely knew her stuff. Saw a couple bison too- one right off the road! Great time- would highly recommend. read more

We took the Bison Expedition this weekend with Joy and it was incredible! Joy was an amazing tour guide, and she taught us so much about the island's history and environment. Incredible panoramic views of the island and the sea from the hilltops--would highly recommend! read more