facebook

Family Time : Catalina Express

Family Time

the nautilus

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, work and school, it’s often hard to unplug and spend quality time with the entire family. Let Catalina Island provide the perfect place to reconnect off-the-grid!

Day 1

Morning

As you arrive on Catalina Island, take a deep breath and enjoy the smell of salt water in the air.

Start the day with a 45-minute Semi-submersible submarine tour aboard The Nautilus and explore Catalina’s marine life. This vessel features a fish food feeding system launched by torpedo buttons, so you can feed the bright orange Garibaldi and the other fishy locals from your seat for an additional charge.

Afternoon

Once you finish your underwater adventure, stop by Avalon Seafood & Fish Market on the pier for some poké, tacos and their famous fish and chips.

Relax on the beach after lunch, or rent a pedal boat from Joe’s Rent A Boat on the Green Pleasure Pier. Kids can take out the kayaks while the parents enjoy some beach time. When beach time is done, check into your hotel room at the Catalina Canyon Inn. If the kids didn’t get enough water time, the Catalina Canyon Inn is one of the hotels with a pool. It also has a shuttle that takes your family to the center of town.

Evening

After the kids have cleaned up, go to dinner at Antonio’s Pizzeria & Cabaret where you’ll find a casual, fun family atmosphere right on the waterfront.

For dessert, grab fresh salt water taffy or ice cream at Lloyd’s of Avalon, the local confectionary

golf gardens
pizza kitchen at three palms arcade
joes's rent a boat

Day 2

Morning

As you awake to a beautiful morning, head over to The Original Jack’s Country Kitchen for a good ol’ American, breakfast! Make sure to try the french toast topped with powdered sugar.

For an easy morning warm-up, stop at Catalina Island’s Golf Gardens for a round of mini-golf with the kids. This unique 18-hole course has been a much-loved fixture on the Island for nearly 40 years.

lloyd's of avalon
avalon seafood and fish market
the original jack's country kitchen

Afternoon

Before saying good-bye to Catalina, set out on an adventure to the Island’s interior. With access to over 165 miles of paved and unpaved roads, the naturalist-led Catalina Island Conservancy Eco Tour allows you to explore parts of Catalina Island no other outfitter can reach. Whether you are hoping to learn more about the Island’s rich history, see some of the unique plants, wildlife and bison, or simply explore parts of Catalina that most people never see, this tour will have something for the whole family.

As your vacation winds down, make sure you grab a bite at Catalina Pizza Kitchen at Three Palms Arcade before hopping back on the boat. Catalina Pizza offers fresh pizza, salads, wraps, tacos and beer. Let the kids burn off a little extra energy in the arcade and win their own island souvenir.

Travel Tips

Did you arrive early to the Island? Ask a front desk agent at the Catalina Canyon Inn where you can store your belongings if you arrive before the 4pm check-in or past 11am check-out time.

Looking for a picnic area? The Love Catalina Visitors Center has maps of Avalon where you’ll see three free small parks marked with picnic tables where you can take your kids.

the nautilus

1

The Nautilus

Green Pleasure Pier

562.432.8828

CatalinaAdventureTours.com

avalon seafood and fish market

2

Avalon Seafood & Fish Market

Green Pleasure Pier

310.510.0894

joes's rent a boat

3

Joe’s Rent A Boat

Green Pleasure Pier

310.510.0455

JoesRentABoat.com

catalin canyon inn

4

Catalina Canyon Inn

888 Country Club Dr.

310.510.0325

HIResortCatalina.com

antonio's pizzeria and cabaret

5

Antonio’s Pizzeria & Cabaret

230 Crescent Ave.

310.510.0008

VisitCatalinaIsland.com

lloyd's of avalon

6

Lloyd’s of Avalon

315 Crescent Ave.

310.510.7266

CatalinaCandy.com

the original jack's country kitchen

7

The Original Jack’s Country Kitchen

118 Catalina Ave.

310.510.1308

CatalinaHotSpots.com

golf gardens

8

Golf Gardens

10 Isle Plaza

800.626.1496

VisitCatalinaIsland.com

catalina island conservancy eco tour

9

Catalina Island Conservancy Eco Tour

708 Crescent Ave.

310.510.2595

CatalinaConservancy.org

catalina pizza kitchen at three palms arcade

10

Catalina Pizza Kitchen at Three Palms Arcade

205 Crescent Ave.

310.510.0967

ThreePalmsAvalonArcade.com

family time map

For a printable PDF of the itineraries view Family Time

Daily Boat Trips To Catalina Island

Discover paradise on Catalina Island with daily ferry trips to and from the island. More than one million travelers choose Catalina Island as their getaway each year and Catalina Express' large fleet of boats make the trip in about an hour, operating every day, year round from three mainland ports - Long Beach, San Pedro and Dana Point.

Escape To Catalina Island

Leave the hustle and bustle of the "mainland" behind. Catalina Island is the perfect place to take a break from the demands of daily life. With so many activities to choose from, your visit to Catalina Island can be adventure-packed or filled with rest and relaxation. With its year round Mediterranean climate, it's the ideal place to enjoy ocean air and sunshine.