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Avalon

Happy Birthday to Me on Santa Catalina Island, CA

  • by PatriciaRinaldi
  • A February 2005 travel journal
  • Last Updated: March 4, 2005
Journal Usefulness Rating 2 out of 5
Journal Usefulness
7
Reviews

My husband surprised me with a two-night stay in Avalon on Catalina Island to celebrate my birthday. After the torrential rains in Los Angeles, we enjoyed a relaxing getaway on an island locale.

Happy Birthday to Me on Santa Catalina Island, CA

Overview

This was a surprise trip, 26 miles across the sea, to Santa Catalina Island to celebrate my birthday. We took the 1-hour boat trip offered by Catalina Express and spent 2 glorious days walking the little town of Avalon, taking tours of the Avalon Casino and the Skyline Drive, eating in locale restaurants, and walking the coastline.

Quick Tips:

Pick up the tour brochures and local newspapers and talk to the tour director at the boat departure, but do not book until you are on the island. Local conditions can change options! If you take the boat out of San Pedro to reach the island, be prepared to pay a day for parking your car.

Best Way To Get Around:

You do not need transportation in Avalon - you can walk to everything. If you want to explore the island, golf carts are for rent at an exorbitant price of about an hour. Take a tour if you want to see the interior of the island.

Catalina Island Hotel Mac Rae

Hotel

Hotel Mac Rae

WE were very pleased with Hotel Mac Rae. It has been family owned and operated for many years. While not plush, the location is right on the boardwalk of the harbor. The rooms are clean and comfortable. They have a few rooms that have a harbor view, but these need to be booked way in advance. The simple continental breakfast was appreciated. The service was very good and the staff was friendly.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by PatriciaRinaldi on March 4, 2005

Catalina Island Hotel Mac Rae
409 Crescent Avenue Avalon, California 90704
(310) 510-0246

Armstrong's Fish Market and Restaurant

Restaurant

Armstrong's Fish Market and Restaurant

We had lunch at Armstrong's. Since we were there in the off-season, after the torrential California rain storms, it was not crowded. We sat outside on the deck overlooking the harbor. We had a wonderful lunch of oysters, calamari steak, and a scallop kabob with two glasses of wine and coffee for about $60, including tip. The fish was fresh and service was good.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by PatriciaRinaldi on March 3, 2005

Armstrong's Fish Market and Restaurant
306 Crescent Avenue Avalon, California 90704
(310) 510-0113

Cafe Prego

Restaurant

Prego

Prego is a restaurant we passed as we walked from the boat landing to our hotel. It is a small, comfortable trattoria-type Italian restaurant that advertised linguini with clams, which sold me on it. I order that and my husband had steak with peppers. The atmosphere was very casual, and people conversed across tables. We had a bottle of wine, and our total bill was $77, including tip.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by PatriciaRinaldi on March 4, 2005

Cafe Prego
603 Crescent Avalon, California 90704
(310) 510-1218

Pancake Cottage

Restaurant

Pancake Cottage

This was our favorite place for breakfast. It has been there forever and is the king of places where "everybody knows your name." The regulars walk in with the morning newspaper under their arm, pick up their own menu, and take their usual place at the counter.

We had egg dishes for breakfast, but the kicker was their wonderful homemade salsa topping their home-cooked potatoes. The waitresses are attentive and friendly. We ate both breakfasts there.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by PatriciaRinaldi on March 4, 2005

Pancake Cottage
118 Catalina Avenue Avalon, California 90704
(310) 510-0726

El Galleon Restaurant

Restaurant

El Galleon

We ate our last meal at El Galleon. It was right next door to our hotel, and they were showing the Oscars on their TV. We had smelled the wonderful aroma of barbeque coming from their place for 2 days and were ready to try it.

We enjoyed the dinner, but it was nothing extraordinary. It has a karaoke event every night, but we are bit past that kind of entertainment. Service was good, but it was a touristy place.

  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by PatriciaRinaldi on March 4, 2005

El Galleon Restaurant
411 Crescent Avenue Avalon, California 90704
(310) 510-1188

Avalon Theater and Casino Ballroom

Activity

The Avalon Theater and Casino Ballroom

We decided to take the Discovery tour of the casino, and it turned out to be the highlight of the trip. We had no knowledge of its history. We were fascinated with the story. The casino is in marvelous condition and still instills awe as you view the artifacts, the ceilings, and the size of the ballroom. You can almost hear the strains of Jimmy Dorsey and the big bands.

The price includes free admission to the museum. Coming from Illinois, my husband really appreciated all the information about the Wrigley family and how they put their mark on the island.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by PatriciaRinaldi on March 4, 2005

Avalon Theater and Casino Ballroom
The harbor of Avalon Avalon, California

Skyline Tour, Discovery Tours

Activity

Skyline Tour, Discovery Tours

The recent rains had washed out many roads in the interior, but Discovery Tours had their skyline tour going on very remote roads that had been opened by the Conservancy. It was a great trip. The driver/guide, Starr, shared her love of the island and a detailed story of its development and history. The views were spectacular. We had a rest stop at the airport, where we ate fantastic chocolate-chip cookies before heading back. The entire tour took 2 hours. We got a discount by combining it with the Casino Tour.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by PatriciaRinaldi on March 4, 2005

Skyline Tour, Discovery Tours
150 Metropole Avenue Avalon, California

About the Writer

PatriciaRinaldi
PatriciaRinaldi
Playa del Rey, United States

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