Catalina's newest attraction gets visitors into the island's rugged interior for the Trans Catalina Trail. This hiker's dream provides dozens of miles of trail ranging from one end of the island to the other. While taking on the entire trail is multi-day camping extravaganza, visitors can explore many legs of the trail with a day-trip out of Avalon. Visit http://www.catalinaconservancy.org/ for more details.

Labels: catalina Conservancy ball, catalina Island activities, Catalina Island hiking, Catalina island vacations

Tuxedos and high heels, bowties and ball gowns may not seem like appropriate attire for taking a hike, but that’s what will be worn by hundreds of couples in the Casino Ballroom on May 2. Commemorating the recently opened Trans-Catalina Trail, “Take a Hike” is the theme of the annual Catalina Conservancy Ball, an evening extravaganza that is the primary fundraiser for the Conservancy, the organization responsible for ensuring that Catalina’s wildlands remain wild.
With dancing to the Pete Jacobs Orchestra and a plated dinner prepared by the renown Ballroom chefs, the evening promises to be filled with traditional black tie gala fun as well as several surprises. Live and silent auctions round out the evening’s activities.
While not a usual activity on a trip to Catalina Island, the Catalina Conservancy Ball offers the ideal way make a difference while on your Catalina Island vacation.

Labels: catalina Conservancy ball, catalina Island activities, catalina Island vacation

On Saturday, March 21, Avalon's iconic Casino Ballroom will host the inaugural Catalina Island Gospel Festival.
Featuring the incomparable Temptations, the Starlights and six-time Grammy winner Vicki Winans, this will be a not-to-be-missed event in one of Southern California's most distinctive musical venues.
Tickets are available now through www.Tix.com. For more information about the festival 310-510-1520.

Labels: Casino Ballroom, Catalina Island, gospel festival, Temptations

Looking for something big to see on your next trip to Catalina Island? Until mid-spring, Pacific Gray Whales can frequently be spotted between the mainland and the island. These 40-ton behemoths spend the summers feasting on fine Pacific seafood in the Arctic and the winter in Baja where they frolic, flirt, mate and give birth. In between, they take part in the longest known mammal migration, traveling about 12,000 miles.
While you may very well be able to spot a whale on your migration to the island, there’s a much better way to do it. Catalina Ocean Rafting offers two-hour trips during whale watching season designed just to experience these magnificent creatures. Gray whales probably won’t be the only wildlife on the trip either – common dolphins are also quite common, as are bottlenose dolphin, Pacific white-sided dolphin, California sea lions and much more.

Labels: Catalina Island, gray whales, whale watching

Known as the Undiscovered Season, winter is the ideal time to visit Catalina if you’re looking to experience the island without 10,000 of your fellow vacationers.
While you may not want to plunge into the Pacific – or maybe you do, who am I to judge? – there are plenty of other things to do.
Rediscover: Winter’s cooler temperatures provide the perfect ambiance for a serious island hike. Looking across the channel on a clear day and seeing the mainland’s snow-capped mountains will be something that’s seared into your memory. Hiking sound like too much work? Jeep Eco-Tours are the perfect way to see much of what Catalina’s remote interior has to offer while giving your legs a break.
Reconnect: A quiet weekend on Catalina can take a relationship to the next level, strengthen the bonds between friends and allow some time to set priorities.
Relax: Start your day with a massage, take a nap, read a good book. Watch the weather and the sea while discovering a new favorite vintage at CC. Gallagher’s. Savor the fine dining at the Country Club in front of the fire.
On the island, winter’s charms are much more subtle than the raucous energy of summer, but for those looking to getaway from the mainland madness, discovering the Undiscovered Season may be just the ticket.

This fall could very well be the coolest autumn Avalon’s ever seen.
First off, there’s the Catalina Festival of Art, which for 50 years has attracted art and art lovers to Crescent Avenue. This year’s festival will be held Saturday and Sunday Sept. 20 and 21.
Then there’s the Catalina Island Wine Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27. With dozens of wines, a silent auction, temping appetizers and live music, this afternoon of fun has become a favorite of visitors and locals alike.
And I don’t care if you’re into blues, jazz or classic Irish, if you like music – any kind of music – you’re going to find a festival that fits your taste.
Let’s start with the blues. Starting Sept. 26, there will be a three-day Blues Festival, with performances on Wrigley Stage, the Casino Ballroom, Descanso Beach and at a couple more watering holes in town. The headline show, Saturday night in the Casino Ballroom, will be enough to get any blues fan into overdrive: Buddy Guy and Jonny Lang.
The world famous JazzTrax takes over the island for the first three weekends in October. If you’re a fan of smooth jazz this is an event that’s not to be missed. Each weekend features a different line-up, so you can either pick one weekend or if you’re seriously into jazz, pick all three.
On Saturday, Oct. 25, Catalina will host the first annual Festival of World Music, featuring a tempting taste of musical genres and a sampling of food and family fun. The music will be the big draw that day, with more than half a dozen bands representing music from around the world scheduled to perform. The main attractions include Benny and the Swampgators playing hot bayou zydeco, Gtonic’s afro-latin funk, Skelpin, a classic Irish quartet and Delta Nove, masters of rockin’ Brazilian reggae. Tickets, which are $26 in advance and $30 at the door, are available from the chamber of commerce, (310) 510-1520.

Labels: entertainment, festivals

Welcome to the Avalon Hotel's blog, where we plan to tease and tempt you with Catalina's many charms and attractions. Whether it's hot bands at the coolest venues in town, fascinating festivals or delectable dinner specials at your favorite restaurant, about once a week we'll let you know what's happening on our little island paradise.