Santa Catalina island may be just 22 miles from Los Angeles, but it's a virtual world apart. My family first visited three years ago and got hooked on the island's small-town charm: The year-round population is just 3,500, and one school services all the grades through high school. Buffalo, brought over in 1924 for a cowboy film, roam the interior, and sea lions guard the bays. On my first visit, I brought a new white swimsuit and a tube of Bain de Soleil. By my second, I was packing hiking boots and windbreakers. The rocky beaches of Catalina (as it's more generally known) are best for exploring, not lolling, and the island has far more beautiful critters than beautiful people.
This low-key sporting haven is easily reached by ferries that depart from Long Beach, San Pedro or Newport Beach and take you to either of Catalina's two principal towns. Avalon, on the east end, is the more citified; it is the hub for the island's many tours and water activities. Two Harbors, to the west, is isolated and pristine, perfect for camping and hiking. Between the two towns lies the island's rugged interior, home to so many species that 86 percent of the island is protected by a nature conservancy.
Avalon has plenty of junky beach town charm (one visitor dubbed it "Kmart by the Sea"), including arcades, shops, cafés and any number of water sports clustered around the venerable old Pleasure Pier. The town is also the home of a famous Casino, but don't expect to find blackjack dealers: The Casino in question is the gorgeous round building you always see in the postcards, and its Italian name means "gathering place." Built in the 1920s by the Wrigley family of chewing gum fame, the Casino was a prime destination for the wealthy and famous who would yacht over to the island and dance all night to big band music in the mammoth ballroom. Now that those glam days are gone, spending a night in Avalon is surprisingly affordable, with a number of hotels and inns in the $80 range and camping even cheaper.
Among kids, like my 12-year-old, Leigh, and eight-year-old, Jordan, Avalon is revered for its sight-seeing tours, which let you see as many of the island's unusual creatures as possible in a small amount of time. The Undersea Tour, offered by Discovery Tours (800-626-1496; fees are $33.25 for adults, $16.75 for kids ages two to 11), features a boat known as a semisubmersible. Sitting in a viewing chamber suspended below the waterline, kids get the best view of marine life this side of a snorkel. They also get a fish finder card so they can mark off species as they spot them (a guide up on deck throws out bait to ensure you'll see something). I once described the tour as educational, only to have Jordan say doubtfully, "Oh, I don't think so, Mom. It was really fun."
Other tempting options include a night tour to spot eels, a tour for flying fish and--Leigh's favorite--the sea lion tour. Landlubbers can take The Inland Motor Tour deep into the island's interior, where they'll see buffalo, foxes and, perhaps, a bald eagle.
OK, so we're touring fools, a definite Catalina type of family. But if you'd rather get away from it all, visit Two Harbors. The town has one restaurant and one shop. Most visitors camp, or you can stay in the town's inn, the 11-room Banning House Lodge (310-510-2800). Two Harbors also offers a host of outdoor sports, the most popular being hiking, fishing and sea kayaking.
In fact, aside from skiing and bullfighting, it's hard to think of a sport you can't do on Catalina. The marine life inhabiting the island's rocky coves makes snorkeling and scuba diving especially tempting. Outfitters even offer snorkeling with dolphins and scuba diving with sharks. The sharks are small and toothless, but this is still the ultimate "what I did on my summer vacation" experience.
On our last trip, my family opted to try ocean kayaking classes with Descanso Beach Ocean Sports (310-510-1226; reservations are necessary). Kayaking works best if kids are old enough and strong enough to literally pull their own weight, something I learned the hard way (massage therapists, by the way, are listed on page 83 of the Visitors Guide).
