There are several methods of
getting to Avalon from the mainland. By far the most popular is via one of
the ferries that regularly make the crossing between several of the
coastal towns and Avalon.Channel
crossing takes between 1 and 4 hours depending on the type of ferry that
you choose to take.
Their are currently five departure ports that offer scheduled ferry
services to and from Catalina.
They are from LA county in the North to Orange county in the South:
Marina del Rey, San Pedro, Long Beach, Newport Beach, and Dana
Point.
Be sure to check prices and availability as these may regularly
change depending on the season. Also verify the amount and weights of
luggage that you can take on board. Weight and luggage quantity
regulations vary from company to company.
Review the following Transportation Companies
Catalina Express is a
smallish shuttle ferry operating out of two locations in Long Beach, and
one location each in San Pedro and Dana
Point. To catch their shuttle from Long Beach take the 710-freeway west
until it ends at the Queen Mary (the old passenger ship that is
permanently docked). By the way, it is well worth your time to take a tour
of the Queen Mary if you happen to be at the Catalina Express ferry
several hours early.
There are signs from
the 710 that point the way to the Catalina Express. The maximum
parking fee is $35 with $10 charged per day up to the $35 dollars. You
can even pay by credit card at the tollbooth as you are leaving. Be
sure not to park underneath the tall eucalyptus on the west side of
the parking lot. These shed, birds like to roost in these trees, and
if you will be parked here for more than a day, your car will be
absolutely filthy upon your return.
General admission
varies slightly depending on whether you leave from San Pedro and
Long Beach or Dana Point. At press time the price is approximately
$34 one-way and $68 round trip. Beware as fares change depending on
the time of year and price of gas (a gas surcharge may be added).
For more information
about the Catalina Express including fares, scheduling, directions and
other useful information please call (800) 481-3470 or (800) 360-1212
or visit their web site at: www.catalinaexpress.com
Catalina Marina
del Rey Flyer can be reached
by calling (310) 305-7250 They depart from Marina del Rey just south
of Santa Monica. If you are in the LA and west of LA area this is a
good alternative to reach Catalina rather than driving down to
Orange County. Visit:
www.catalinaferries.com
If you can afford
the added expense of taking a helicopter from the mainland consider
using
Island Express
for this
service. They depart from Long Beach or San Pedro. They can be reached at (310) 510-2525 or (800) 2-AVALON. The
flight takes between 15 and 20 minutes and lands either near Avalon or
at Two Harbors. One way and round trip flights available; they also offer a packaged price
discount which includes the flight, a
taxi ride to and from Avalon, a casino tour, and a glass bottom boat
trip/tour. Browse their website at: www.islandexpress.com
Laheli Helicopter
also offers helicopter rides to and from the island of Catalina. You
can also request customized aerial tours of Catalina and Los Angeles.
For more information call (800) 976-HELI.
Flights leave from San Pedro.
www.lahelicopters.com/tours/ports-o-call-tour.htm#catalina-odyssey-tour
Queen Mary For those planning on
visiting the Queen Mary before or after you go to Catalina, here is a brief synopsis. The Queen Mary is a
beautiful extremely large ship. In fact despite its age, it is still one of the largest
passenger liners ever built. There are several different tiered
admission prices.
General admission is $24.95. The ship is are
open daily 9am to 9pm from late June to Labor Day. They are open 9 to
6pm the rest of the year. The tour is self-guided and you can visit
the inner workings of the ship such
as the engine room, staterooms, and the
upper decks. For more
information call
(562) 435-3511. More information about the Queen Mary:
www.queenmary.com
Island Transportation mainly consists of golf carts, both electric and gas powered.
This is one of the few places in the United States where you don’t
have to worry about being run over by a car; its quite refreshing to
be in a city where are there are few or no automobiles. Even though
there are not many automobiles present you still find the names Lexus
and BMW, only they are not on cars, they are on golf carts. On several
occasions I found myself bitten with “golf cart envy.” Some of the
locals had customized their golf carts with fancy rims, ornately
decorated sunshades, and my favorites, the heavy-duty humvee type golf
cars.If you are thinking of purchasing a golf cart before
visiting Catalina, don’t.
One service offering
gas powered golf cart rentals is Island Rentals. They are open
year round and are located under the Holly Hill House at 125 Pebbly
Beach Road. Call (310) 510-1456. The rates vary depending on how many
hours you will rent them and the size of the card. Expect to pay at
least $40/hour for a maximum of two hours.
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