A great mini golf course, no question about it. We try and stop by here on every Catalina trip! It's easily within walking distance of the pier (isn't everything, though?). I cannot think of a better outdoor mini golf course than Golf Gardens! Despite the course being right in the middle of Avalon, the landscaping makes it feel very secluded. This course takes a lot of skill and luck to beat - every time I've played here with friends, a different person has won (though every time I've played here, we've stopped for drinks prior to golfing...). But no question about it, it is a challenging course - which really makes it lots of fun. SPOILER ALERT / BONUS TIP: The not-so-legit way to beat the 7th hole (if you can pull it off) is to chip it straight into the middle on your first putt. read more

The miniature golf garden is small, but fun. There weren't too many annoying kids around. The course wasn't difficult to play and yet, it was very entertaining. We will highly recommend this place to all of our friends. read more

This is the definition of perfection. If you like miniature golf, you'll like this place. If you like tourist attractions that are more than tourist attractions, you'll like this place. If you like the fact that someone put a great deal of thought into a miniature-golf course, you'll like this place. It's expensive, but so is Catalina. If you've gotta be in Avalon, you can do a lot more boring than spending an hour playing some premiere miniature golf. read more

2 Words: Ghetto FABULOUS It is a family tradition to come here every time we visit the island. I love this place, it hasn't changed since I was a kid which is the most charming thing about it in my opinion. Most of the construction is with concrete and brinks, no bells and whistles. Signs are hand painted, it's adorable. Don't underestimate it just because of the simple looking facade, this is no walk in the golf course, its tough! The whole course is shaded by trees. It's just really beautiful! One thing that cracks me up about this place is once in awhile you'll look in a bush and see some junk lying in it..like golf course left overs. it's rad - ghetto-fab. read more

I played mini golf at Golf Gardens in Avalon, CA on 1/10/2018. I've played here before but that was years ago. I was told that they recently fixed it up, and it shows. It is a beautiful 18 hole course with each hole individually named. A regular game cost $13, but you can get a senior discount if you are over 55. My cousin Lisa paid for the three of us since we all qualified for that. I shot 64, Lisa shot 76 and her husband Lance shot an 87 --- but you should be able to do better than the 3 of us. Plus, I took photos. read more

I would definately recomend this place, it is surprisingly fun. Each hole is super creative and has a theme of everything Catalina Island. I loved that each hole was inspired by something to do with the Island and had a sign you can read that teaches you something about Catalina. Not an hour into being on the island and I already felt like I knew a ton about the island. The course was well maintained, educational (if you wanted it to be) and a ton of fun. Definitely two thumbs up. read more

My family and I spent a day on Catalina Island a couple of months ago, and besides the self-exploration via golf cart, this miniature golf experience was the one activity we all could enjoy together. The birthday celebrant got a free game, and the rest of us were fine paying the affordable entrance fee. The course is nice with a lot of challenging features, and the nerd in me liked the informative descriptions about the island at each hole. The only issue that we noticed were a group of unsupervised children setting off stink bombs throughout the course, so we felt the staff should have been able to monitor the activity in their facility better. Otherwise, it was a fun time at the family friendly Golf Gardens! read more

Free round of golf on your birthday with proof of ID. The lady greeted me even before I approached the booth. She was very friendly and let me select the color of my golf ball. Located in a Plaza about 5 minutes from the "pier." This is a common spot to meet for sightseeing tours. The miniature golf area is actually really nice. There are 18 holes and it takes relatively 1 hour to complete. The course is somewhat difficult. It has unique "courses" that make the game interesting. At least I thought it was but I'm not a really good putter. The best was 41 strokes but the average is 51 I believe. Not only are you golfing and having fun but it can be an educational experience as well. They post signs of different plants. Each course also has a purpose with its reason behind it. The 18th hole is the American Eagle which is non-extinct in Catalina Island if you count all the man-made ones. Overall, great place to relax if you are staying in Catalina Island for a while. It is $9 per adult. Kids also frequent this place so you may have a kid screaming "Oh Yeah!" and lose your concentration. Anyway worthy of stop if you are looking for some family fun on Catalina Island. read more

$10/person/game... And it's worth every penny! It's a quirky little mini golf course that built around a beautiful garden. I was here many years ago & it hasn't changed at all, which I love. DEFINITELY go here!! It was one of my favorites from our weekend on Catalina. read more

This place had one of the best courses I've ever been on! It looks like a small place, but the holes are all very challenging (in a good way.... Well, most of them in a good way ), and super creative. Some have multiple pipes leading to different tiers, which was super fun and creative. Will definitely be back when we visit again! read more

This is probably the best mini-golf course I've ever played before. There were a lot of unique holes that had features I had never seen before on a mini-golf course. I also loved that all of the holes were named after different plants, animals, and other notable features of the island and had information to read. I actually learned some things while playing mini-golf! This was a great way to kill some time while we were on the island, and it's right in the middle of town so it's easy to get to a play through. My boyfriend golfs as a hobby and didn't beat me by too much, so it's challenging for everyone. read more

Hi! I wanted to say thanks for your great Birthday celebration specials in Catalina! I enjoyed playing mini-golf on your course. I went there last year and had a wonderful time. Please check out the fun birthday video of my experience, while I enjoyed your generosity! https://vimeo.com/76983284 I am definitely going to be there again this year! read more

Best thing on catalina!

Are you supposed to be able to get par at Golf Gardens? We definitely didn't even come close. This course is pretty challenging. You know when you go play miniature golf at different places but they all seem like they're the same? They all have the silly windmills and castles and pretty lights but every single hole is essentially a straight shot? I was pleasantly surprised by the creativity of the holes at Golf Gardens. Some had multiple levels that required some skill and a lot of luck. I, clearly, do not have skill but I was able to have a fabulous time. For a cheap thrill on Catalina, go to Golf Gardens. read more

Coolest golf course EVAH. No, really. This place has very pretty landscaping and interesting courses. It's definitely not your typical run of the mill boomers golf courses. This place has character; not out-of-order castles that often eat your golf ball. Whoever designed this course is genius, and I love them for providing me with good, quality fun while I'm in Catalina. Oh and my boyfriend didn't' TOTALLY kick my butt here, so maybe I'm biased. :D I find this to be one of the highlights in Avalon. read more

So I'm not the best mini golfer, but I always enjoy it. Got a free game as part of Birthday package and the man behind the counter was very friendly. The course was pretty tough and most of the patrons were very polite with the exception of one family toward the end. There used to be lots of cats that ran around the course but right now only Mighty the cat sticks around. Such a nice Maine Coon who put a smile on my face. read more

Golf Gardens - Pink on pink. - Mini Golf Near Me - Avalon, California

See all

My BF and I loved this place. Jacob was very sweet and inviting. The course was beautiful well kept and beautiful landscapes. The flowers and trees were nicely kept. Only issue I would say is there were a lot of leaves in the course but I'm sure that is a huge battle to keep up with all the beautiful landscapes around. The course was nice and not too hard and my BF and I really enjoyed the time. read more

This is my favorite mini-golf course I've ever played on... not even close. Inventive design, nice price, great location, really, really fun. Outstanding course and well worth the hour or two that it takes to play. Beware the par 6 hole! Our group's best score was an 8! read more

This place is surprisingly fun. It has more holes than you would think, so you get more play time and value for your dollar. The landscaping is quite attractive. I like the way they labeled the plants on the course, adding some educational value. Speaking of educational value, I very much liked he way this golf course has a theme - the theme being Catalina. For example, one hole that kicked my butt was inspired my Mount Mount Orizaba, the highest point on the Island. You have to shoot the ball up a steep ramp. Each hole also has a sign you can read that teaches you something about Catalina - neat! The course was well maintained - there was a friendly gardener working unobtrusively on the course while I was there, and I didn't experience anything like balls stuck in an underground pipe due to debris or anything like that. Definitely thumbs up. read more

I had a blast here. I love mini golf and unfortunately it's almost non existent in LA. So I was pretty excited to find this place as soon as I got to Catalina. It was fairly priced, and we enjoyed the course. There were lots of holes where you have to get it in one hole so that it brings you to a different level where the final hole is. There was also a friendly cat who wandered around the course while we played. I got a couple of hole in ones and had a great time. read more

Great way to spend a couple of hours on Catalina Island and fun for the whole family. I really enjoyed the layout of this course and the fact that is was landscaped with natural plants instead of kitchy windmills (which can be fun too, but this was a nice change). Most of the holes were quite challenging. Everyone had a good time-from the 11-year-old in the group to the 66-year-old. read more

This mini golf course is so quaint and the course is so fun! It was fairly crowded here today on Earth day here in Avalon, so it took about 75 minutes to finish the 18 hole course. There are some courses that were ridiculous, but that just means you gotta be smart about how you golf on certain rounds. Oh, par 6 hole, you are evil!!!! But fun evil ;). Interesting note: Free round of golf on your birthday with valid ID. Free+mini golf= even more fun!!! read more

It's been a LONG time since I've been to a mini golf course as nice and well kept up as this one! All the mini golf courses on the mainland have been ghetto-fied with torn up carpet, broken moving parts, and empty water features, but this course was in PRISTINE condition!! Whomever designed this course should get a pat on the back! What neat ideas with all the little bridges and ramps that the balls travels through! The one hole that was a par 6 was SO cool! It looked like a big square maze that your ball had to go around and around! All the signs that said the pars and "best shots" were great and helpful! Brightly colored balls, brand new looking putters, pretty little creeks running through, and great shade made this course a delightful treat! I'm used to pay closer to 7$ for a round of mini golf, but I'd gladly pay their $10 asking price if all courses were kept up this nicely! We liked it so much that we actually considered going AGAIN the next day! My ONE issue was that it got pretty dark. It looked like there were lights everywhere, but a lot of them weren't working, so it was hard to see at times..it kind if made it like extreme mini golfing LOL We will definitely return next time we're on the island! And for the record...I won. read more

I must say, this is one of the best mini golf places I've been to. The course was well thought out and very creative. We all had a great time and would love to play again! read more

Such a fun mini golf course! We love coming here when ever we are in town!

We stopped by with our toddler for a 18-hole round of mini golf in the afternoon. They also have kids golf clubs. Each hole features a bit of history about the island including warped walls and bridges, not to mention a challenging yet fun mini golf course, make playing a round at Golf Carden in Santa Catalina, loads of fun. read more

Super fun mini golf .....There's no crazy houses and trinkets and sideshow paraphenelia strewn around this course- what it does have is challenging and fun holes...You can tell a lot of thought went into the layout of this course. There's a sign at each point giving you a little history behind the names of the different holes and how they pertain to Avalon's history. Beautiful garden and well maintained. We paid $12 a person. We found a coupon online for $2 off each but it said only accepted printed out coupons- you can't show them on your phone.... Oh well it was well worth it read more

Golf Gardens - Hole #1 - Mini Golf Near Me - Avalon, California

See all

I LOVE the golf course!!! I went there this past August and it was down the street from the hotel. After passing it by for a few days, we decided to play and it was so fun. The 18 holes are creatively done and very adorable!!! There's multi- leveled ones and ones with slopes. Every time I go back to Catalina, I will have to stop by here and play a round!! read more

See all

Fourth trip to Catalina, first time playing miniature golf. Great way to spend an hour or so we enjoyed the course. We didn't keep score so it was more fun for us. I would like to play with another group just for a little more competition. read more

Not usually a huge fan of miniature golf, always thought it's a bit gimmicky. However I was pleasantly surprised by this course, it was really fun! Each hole is designed well and named after some historic elements. We came to play after ending one of the inland expedition tours. For $10/person it was a great way to unwind and kill some time. Recommended! read more

We had such a pleasant afternoon at Golf Gardens today! We were greeted by two friendly gentlemen who were eager to help us check in and explain the process. When the computer struggled with my credit card, we were offered one comp round of mini golf. The course was well-maintained and BEAUTIFULLY landscaped. As we were preparing to leave, the extremely kind worker Jacob came out and offered us all Catalina Island Company koozies. All three generations of our family enjoyed our afternoon on the course, and we will gladly return in our future visits to Avalon. read more

Pam is literally the best she gave us recommendations of things to do around the island and as first time visitors of course we asked what there was to do and she gave us recommendations. She was very helpful and informative and we even went back during the day to ask her a question and she was very polite and answered all of our questions. The mini golf was super fun but the customer service made the experience 109328193x better read more

We had so much fun playing golf here we played 36 straight holes! The whole place it totally old skool, no fancy windmills or anything just good old fashined mini-golf. And you can't beat the price, I think we paid $5 a round and had a blast! read more

Boyfriend and I have a serious ongoing minigolf competition. Pretty much every city we go to, we've played minigolf there. We loved this challenging course and played it 3 times! over two days. Score: round 1: him round 2: me round 3: tie overall score: TIE - seriously! We almost went back for ANOTHER round but figured we could break the tie on another visit. The first time we went was on Saturday afternoon and it was so packed with families that we left - after just a few holes to return when it was less crazy after the ferry left. The staff were so nice that they let us pay half price on all our subsequent rounds. A great way to relax on the island - highly recommended! read more

Perhaps the most challenging mini-golf course I've ever been on. Then again, I've only been on a total of probably four my entire life. I got a birdie on one and almost a hole in one on the second to last (straightaway). There was a crazy 'spiral' square course that took us close to ten shots to finish. Ridiculous, but lots of fun. A very creative course to say the least. It's right at the Tour Plaza for Discovery Tours across from Lobster Trap and Original Jacks between Sumner Ave and Catalina Ave. read more

This place is a must if you're in Catalina. I was initially disappointed because it had none of the trappings I've come to associate with primo minigolf places: no windmill and no waterfalls. From far away, each hole looked traditional to the point of being boring. When you get up close, though, you realize that they're laid out tremendously well. There are multiple holes that have a maze like component, one that has a loop-the-loop, and a few that have a nice slice of incline that you have to navigate your ball around. I would highly recommend forcing everyone with you to participate in the ancient art of Putt Putt here. If someone in your party isn't into it, go to happy hour first until they're feeling that vacation spirit. Unless they're underage, I guess, but if they're underage and they don't want to do this, I don't know how to help you. read more

$12 a game (3/2017) Nice course. Lots of little things to read and learn more about the history. I would love to see this place offer a 2 for one or a happy hour, but I guess they are busy enough not to warrant doing this. We go everytime, cuz kudos love mini golf. But, for me, I'd probably skip it after having been there and done it once. read more

This was my first time ever playing miniature golf and I loved it! The course is not too far in terms of walking distance once you step off the boat from the pier. It's a great way to pass an hour or two depending on how many people are playing ahead of you, but it's actually fun and not so much cheesy! It's challenging on some courses but that just adds to the experience. This is definitely a must do! Also, free round of golf on your birthday! read more

Best part of our stay!!! And you can play all 18 holes again for $5, totally worth it! Loved the educational signs on the holes as well

A CLASSIC! By far the coolest mini-golf anywhere. We actually live across the street from it and it is my son's favorite place to go. Definitely a must-do for a lazy afternoon when you have already done everything else there is to do here! read more