Catalina Islands (Avalon)

We visited Catalina Island, Avalon in May of 2008. May is one of the best times to visit this great serene island. The weather was almost perfect when we visited there.

To get there

There is ferry service from San Pedro Harbor (close to LA) to Avalon. Schedule is @ http://www.catalinaexpress.com/. Ferry is the only form of transportation available. The ferry service does not allow for transportation of cars. We got to park the car in the harbor and take the ferry to Catalina.

There is a city bus that goes around the island. The bus goes around and there is one for every one hour. If you want to go to Two Harbors, you have to take the Safari bus from Avalon. There was only one at 2:30 in the afternoon when we visited Catalina.

Watch sea life on the ferry and on the island

During the ride, we got sight of big cranes, dolphins and sea lions. Watching wild life on the ferry was one of the most memorable things we did on the trip.

Kayaking

Many companies offer kayaking in ocean waters. There was one company that offered a combination of kayaking & snorkelling. We got to see wild sea lions while we went kayaking. If you are lucky, you might even get to see dolphins. I was thrilled to see birds diving and catching fish.

Snorkeling

Snorkelling is easy and you dont need to know how to swim. There is plenty of ocean life around Catlaina including wide variety of fish. Dont forget to take a water_proof camera. 2-hour snorkeling trip, including all the gear cost me around $45.

Things we missed (and I suggest)

• Scuba diving
• Two harbors and Safari bus
• Island tour bus trip
• Camping (I heard good camping spots are available in Two Harbors

Here are nice pictures we took on the ferry and on our kayaking trip.