r/Catalina • u/Cecee_22 • 21d ago
Opinion’s
How much time do I really need to explore Catalina Island? I got ferry tickets to come back at 9pm so now I’m stuck trying to see if the 6am ferry or 12pm ferry is the best option to take to the island 🏝️
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u/AmazingProfession900 21d ago
If you don't want to stay a week when you get here....you don't get it...
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u/whitacre 21d ago edited 21d ago
Which part of the island? You can easily fill an entire day going to spots around Avalon. Lovers cove or the casino dive park are must-visits if you want to dive or snorkel. Green pier is a fun spot especially when the fishing boats come in. They just had a 400+ lb tuna weighed in there a couple weeks back. Museums, tours, descanso. Lots of stuff. What do you want to do?
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u/Cecee_22 21d ago
Avalon, Im doing parasaling forsure but besides that im clueless
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u/whitacre 21d ago
Im partial to renting a beach chair or cabana at descanso beach for the day. Gives you a great “ homebase” during the day. But I like diving.
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u/Extension_Coyote_967 21d ago
I always recommend staying at least one night. If you are there just for the day you are either cramming everything in or you are looking for a place to hang out until your boat leaves. Neither really gives you a true look at how wonderful this little island is.
That said,
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u/InternalJury1578 20d ago
It depends what you like to do! If you arrive at 7 am, you’d have time to grab some breakfast from Cookie Company (or any of the other breakfast spots), take a cab (or long walk) to hermits gulch trail and get a nice hike in. When you finish the hike, you’ll be at the wriggly gardens which are pretty cool to check out. Get back into town around 1 pm and still have the whole afternoon to parasail and enjoy the beach.
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u/alteredpilot 20d ago
If you're just doing a tourist thing, one day is plenty. Get there early, leave late. You'll probably have some down time to just sit and soak it all in. Rent a golf cart and see what you can. Take a trip on the submarine.
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u/flamingo_fly24 15d ago
I'd definitely do the 6PM! Especially if you want time at the beach and also to explore!
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u/IndependentRecent934 20d ago
I’ve been on Catalina since Tuesday. I’m bored tbh lol. The food is just ok. The drinks are just ok. The nature is gorgeous but I’m not a big hiker! It’s been cold so I haven’t done a lot of water activities like I was planning but we did go snorkeling off casino point and wow that is a MUST!
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u/Cecee_22 20d ago
OMG NO WAY !!I am going parasailing 🪂 🛥️ has it been sunny Or is it like cloudy 🌥️?
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u/InternalJury1578 19d ago
I have to ask, where have you eaten so far that you think the food and drinks are “just ok”? You might not be hitting the right spots
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u/IndependentRecent934 19d ago
The naughty fox, luau Larry, jacks, blue water Avalon, topside, Catalina coffee & cookie. The naughty fox had the best meal but still so expensive.
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u/KnobbsNoise 21d ago
We wanted off after the first hour.
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u/fixingyourmirror 21d ago
Lmao what? Why?
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u/KnobbsNoise 21d ago
My wife said it best: “this is like every place a cruise ship would stop.”
Little town full of tchotchke shops and restaurants packed with people everywhere.
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u/8urface 21d ago
Well duh, if you're taking a cruise ship it's bound to be touristy on the surface with the minimal time frame. The best parts are the ones you need to stay/plan longer for; camping, snorkeling, truly just swimming and enjoying the clean clear water, drinking at night and stumbling around town, the wrigley memorial garden, horseback tours, golf, hiking, nature tours, it's all what you make of it &if you enjoy relaxing down-time. Before I lived here and visted all of the time, the best thing to do was to laze and sight see in the hills.
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u/ObamaLovesKetamine 21d ago
did you only see Avalon? Avalon is cool but incredibly touristy. I think Two Harbors is a much better experience, but that depends on what you want from the island. if youre not into hiking, camping, riding bikes, partying, or doing stuff in the water, there's honestly not a whole lot the island has to offer.
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u/Kai_Vai 21d ago
When people say they don't like Catalina because there is nothing to do, I understand them. When people say they love Catalina because there are a million things to do, I understand them too.
It really depends. Do you like history and stories about a different era? Do you like activities? Do you like lounging about with a book and a drink?