Catalina Island may be only 22 miles away from mainland Los Angeles, but you'll feel as if you've entered another world as soon as you step ashore. Whether you fancy a stroll through Avalon, Catalina's main city, or a more adventurous hike through Catalina's Isthmus at Two Harbors, the island offers a breadth of diverse activities.
The island is only 21 miles long and 8 miles wide. Unlike anywhere else in California, automobiles are looked upon with disdain. As a matter of fact, there are restrictions for the amount of vehicles allowed on the island at any one time.
For at least 7,000 years, Catalina has been inhabited. The original residents of what was then known as the island of Pimu were the Pimungan Indians. Because the island's climate was not conducive to plant life diversity, the Pimungans set up a vast trading network with tribes on the mainland. After the Spanish colonization of Catalina, the Pimungans began to disappear due to disease and disruption of trade.
Catalina enjoyed a brief time as a booming mining town when silver was discovered in the mid-19th century. Squatters and miners from all over the country made their way here, and their names are forever etched in the island's history as geographical points (Ben Weston Beach, Johnson's Landing, and so on).
The feel of the island could not be more different than its neighbor 22 miles away. Catalina's mountain views are reminiscent of the panoramic views of Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera. The quaint, village type atmosphere is seemingly worlds apart from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.
Catalina offers a wide variety of activities in a small amount of space, the perfect place to take a day trip. Bird watching, snorkeling, all manner of water sports, and fine dining are just some of your myriad options on the island of Catalina. The bike trails afford beautiful vistas, if you're willing to sweat a little on the uphill climb. Crime is not even an issue here, so feel free to walk anywhere you please.
