Island day trip · California

Catalina Island: Avalon day trip

Catalina Island: Avalon Day Trip

A car-free Catalina day from Los Angeles: the Catalina Express from Long Beach, San Pedro or Dana Point, then Avalon's waterfront, a glass-bottom boat or a golf cart, the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden, the Art Deco Catalina Casino and Descanso Beach before the evening boat home. It's planned around the real ferry timetable, which changes by season.

Time: Long day, about 8:45 am to 9 pm
Driving: No car on the island: two 1-hour ferry crossings from Long Beach and about 5 miles on foot (less with the garden shuttle or a golf cart)
Best time: All year; best May–October
Updated: October 12, 2026 at 7:23 AM Pacific

$4 USD

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Avalon Bay under a clear blue sky, with tall palms and a waterfront walk in front, hillside houses and moored boats, and the round white Catalina Casino on the far point — Spatms · CC BY-SA 4.0. October 2025 photograph; resized and displayed with crop.

Suggested times, not bookings

Your day at a glance

8:50 amCatalina Express, Long Beach
10:50 amAvalon waterfront & Green Pleasure Pier
11:30 amGlass-bottom boat, or a golf cart
12:20 pmLunch on Crescent Avenue
1:15 pmWrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden
3:15 pmCatalina Casino
4:15 pmDescanso Beach
6:00–7:45 pmDinner in Avalon and the boat back

Highlights

Worth the trip

A morning crossing to Avalon Bay on the Catalina Express
Island-only plants and a channel view at the Wrigley Memorial
The 1929 Catalina Casino ballroom and Avalon Theatre

What’s in the guide

Matching HTML and PDF guides, detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links, weather alternatives and phone instructions. See an example guide →

Plan for the conditions

Expected seasonal weather

Avalon's average highs sit in the low 60s °F from December to April and about 70–73°F from July to October, with lows from the upper 40s to the mid-60s. The ocean averages about 70–75°F in summer, 65–70°F in spring and fall, and 59–65°F in winter. Rain falls mainly in winter. Wind and swell on the San Pedro Channel can make crossings rough and occasionally cancel boats, and evenings on the water feel cooler than the town. Sun is strong year-round. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast the evening before and the morning of your trip.

Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.

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