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Twenty-six miles across the sea, separated from you and me, by the gray waters that lie in hand, is a jewel of an island by the name of Catalina.

CATALINA, CA

Dave
2004-02-21 13:55:20

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Some of the locals had customized their golf carts with fancy rims, ornately decorated sunshades, and my favorites, the heavy-duty humvee type golf cars. If you were thinking of purchasing a golf cart without visiting Catalina, don’t.

One service offering gas powered golf cart rentals is Island Rentals. They are open year round and are located under the Holly Hill House at 125 Pebbly Beach Road. Call (310) 510-1456. The going rate during peak season is $30/hour for a maximum of two hours.

Avalon is the human pulse of Catalina. It is a mix of divers, sightseers, and fisherman but mostly Southern California tourists. The town is built around the harbor, which is what gives it its life. Once away from the harbor you find yourself along quaint residential streets. The colorful wooden homes will remind you of Key West (see KEY WEST) for comparison. It almost seems a shame that the streets are paved.

Brightly colored flowering flowing bougainvillea drape over the sides of homes while pungent honeysuckle and inviting hibiscus line their walkways. Freshly cut lawns evoke memories of childhood, playing soccer on the grass some Sunday afternoon or running through sprinklers on a hot summer’s day. It is a veritable paradise.

The main street running along the harbor (Crescent Ave), is an excellent place to people watch, enjoy a smoothie, read a good book, or shop along many of the waterfront facing shops.

If you get the chance be sure to walk along Crescent Ave out to the Casino. This is about a 1/4 mile walk from the pier to the Casino. There are some excellent sunset or sunrise shots along this walk in the early morning or early evening.

Expect to pay much higher prices on the island versus mainland. Food, lodging, and other supplies are much higher priced than the main land. Dave found that the highest priced items compared ...