When you have a whole family squeezed into your van or station wagon, then you have quite a challenge on your hand! You have to keep everyone entertained for hours at a time. Luckily, Santa Catalina has something for every member of the family. Santa Catalina Island offers adventure, beautiful scenes of nature, and exciting encounters with exotic animal life.
Activities include kayaking, para-sailing, fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, biking, hiking, and swimming. If you want to tone it down a notch, there are museums and art galleries to visit. Some of the most popular museums in the area include the Museum of Natural History (with a planetarium), the Historical Museum, the Museum of Art and the Santa Barbara Mission. Guided tours are another option, though just as many families might prefer to rent a golf cart or a watercraft and explore the area on their own. Interestingly, golf cars do not count as full vehicles, so no permit is required. While golf carts are not permitted out of town, they can be used to transport the family all around Avalon.
One distinctive guided tour will take you to the interior of Santa Catalina Island where you can feast your eyes on the undeveloped outback and learn its history. You will unwind as you experience the secluded beaches and hidden coves.
One interesting location is Ghost Tours of Catalina. Families will find this adventure scary and fun as you walk with a group to various locations claimed to be haunted with ancient spirits. How about a jeep tour or zip through the air on the Zip Line Eco Tour?
Shopping areas, hotels and restaurants are conveniently within walking distance from some of the beaches (South Beach, North Beach, Descanso Beach) along with restrooms, outdoor showers, lounge chairs and other conveniences. There is a variety of restaurant cuisine, formal and informal, whatever your taste buds crave. Health services are available if needed and hair salons are standing by for that formal night out on the town!
Accommodations in Santa Catalina include Bed and Breakfast inns and hotels (many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places), beach houses, cabins, cottages, vacation rentals, and campgrounds. Some of the camping sites can only be reached by boat, so this is particularly fun for children and adults alike.
Santa Catalina Island makes a good get-a-away vacation for everyone. It is just minutes from the southern California coastline and promises to be a memorable time for the whole family!
