Santa Catalina Island, California - Tourism and Attractions

Tourism and Attractions

Close to one million people travel to Catalina Island every year, though the total numbers in any given year varies depending on economic conditions. Glass bottom boats tour the reefs and shipwrecks of the area, and scuba diving and snorkeling are popular in the clear water. Lover's Cove, to the east of town, and Descanso Beach, to the west of the Casino, are popular places to dive. The Avalon Underwater Dive Park was the first non-profit underwater park in the United States. The area is famous for the schools of flying fish and the bright orange Garibaldi which teem in local waters. Parasailing is also offered. Bus tours are given of the interior. While tourists rarely have an opportunity to surf, two beaches on the "backside" of Catalina offer good waves: Shark Harbor and Ben Weston Beach.

A report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council listed Avalon as one of the 10 most chronically polluted beaches in the nation for failing state health tests as much as 73% of the time. Researchers have identified Avalon's sewer system as the cause of the pollution. Many of the city's century-old clay and metal pipe pipes have deteriorated to the point where they have vanished, allowing human sewage to enter the city's ground water and into Avalon Bay.

Two Harbors is the second, and much smaller, resort village on the island. Located at the isthmus of the island, north of Avalon, it is the primary landing spot for those who wish to tour the western half of the island. It is accessible by boat from San Pedro and by bus or boat from Avalon.

The Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau assists tourists with any information on how to get to Catalina Island.