a fabulous Christmas vacation
Written: Dec 29 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lovely, exotic place for the whole family
Cons: golf carts are smelly and noisy
The Bottom Line: It's a wonderful place to bring a family of older children or to visit as a couple. Compared to a cruise of the same length, it was a bargain.
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| lmlowe's Full Review: Catalina Island |
My wife and I visited Catalina Island for a few hours on a cruise ship about 3 years ago. We were captivated by the beauty and charm of Avalon and were determined to bring our entire family back for an extended visit when schedules would permit. We finally made a reservation for a house during the 2001 Christmas holiday and spent a delightful six days there with our family. My parents joined us there for 4 of the days. They stayed in the very lovely Hotel St. Lauren, a victorian-style hotel up the hill a bit from the beach with a spectacular view of the harbor, mountains, and valley leading up to the Wrigley memorial.
The weather was mild and pleasant. We left Utah with deep snow, temperatures in the teens and high winds. The temperatures at Catalina in the low 60's with nearly no wind were very comfortable. Just bring a warm jacket for the early morning and the evenings.
One of our concerns before we left was whether or not we would be able to snorkel in the cold ocean water. Not to worry! The snorkeling was fantastic. We wore full body wet suits. Go to the Descanso Beach Club on the West side of the Casino. They are open every day of the year. The snorkeling at Descanso beach was far superior to the snorkeling in Lover's cove we did as part of our cruise. The rock formations just off the coast at Descanso Beach host an amazing variety of marine plant and animal life.
The glass bottom boat was more interesting than I thought it would be. The kelp forests are a sight to see, and when they feed the fish hundreds of large fish swarm right under the boat. We went twice. The first guide was in a hurry. The second time we went, our guide took us slowly through a facinating kelp jungle.
Of course, after snorkeling the glass bottom boat seemed tame, but it was great for my youngest daughter and my parents.
We rented golf carts and drove them along the designated "legal" course up around through the hills above Avalon. The views are worth the high cost of the rental.
We saw "Harry Potter" at the Casino theater. What a lovely walk it was back from the Casino at night along the shore with the lights from the harbor, the Christmas lights along the water front, and of course the lights from all the houses built up and down the hillsides. Pure magic.
One of our favorite activities was to take the $1.00 bus ride up the the botanical garden. The cacti growing there are worth seeing. At the far end of the garden is the Wrigley memorial. To the side of the memorial is a trail which leads to the top of the mountain you are on and a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean on the other side of the island. A great reward for a somewhat strenuous little hike! Just take comfortable walking shoes and a bottle of water for everyone-available at Von's (right where the bus picks you up).
We loved going down the the water and playing on the beach. Our younger kids took their shoes off and got numb feet (actually so did I) and the rest of us shopped, played with frisbees, or just relaxed and watched the boats, birds, and people.
We ate a very good Chinese meal at Mr. Mings, and had good pizza at both locations of Antonios. The Waffle cones they toast while you watch and then fill with ice cream were fresh and delicious.
We came over on the Catalina Express from Long Beach. The trip was rough and exhilarating on the way over and gentle and uneventful on the way back. It took just less than an hour both ways.
The house we rented had a kitchen and also a back yard barbeque. We ate breakfast and most of our lunches at home, and then splurged for dinner. We also had a barbeque in the back yard with my parents. We acually bought a large Christmas tree at Von's and decorated it with things we brought from home. We feel like it was a favorite Christmas Eve. Our rental house helped make the stay very homey and comfortable for all seven of us. You can see it at www.avalonca.com
We all loved our vacation at Catalina Island!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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Epinions.com ID:
lmlowe
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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