Things to do in Avalon, Catalina Island

Oct 21, 2026

A bright orange garibaldi swimming through a sunlit kelp forest off Catalina Island.

Avalon is small enough to cross in a golf cart in minutes, yet there is enough here to fill a week. Here are the things our guests love most, from lazy beach days to the island’s wild interior.

On the water

Descanso Beach Club. Just past the Catalina Casino, Avalon’s beachside restaurant and bar, with ocean-view tables and private cabanas and chaise lounges you can book ahead. Open daily from 11 a.m., and it is cashless.
Snorkeling at Lovers Cove. A marine preserve on the edge of town, known for bright orange garibaldi and other friendly fish close to shore.
Casino Point. The underwater park between Descanso Bay and Avalon Bay, with stairs into the water. Divers and snorkelers both use it, and gear can be rented nearby.
Kayaking, paddleboarding, parasailing and fishing. All run from Avalon’s waterfront, along with boat tours and glass-bottom and semi-submarine trips to see the kelp forest without getting wet.

History and landmarks

The Catalina Casino. Avalon’s round landmark, opened in 1929, has never been a gambling casino — the name means “gathering place”. It holds a movie theatre and, upstairs, a grand ballroom. Tours run from town.
The Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Garden. A memorial to the Wrigley family at the top of Avalon Canyon, with a garden of plants native to California’s Channel Islands, including six found nowhere but Catalina.
Green Pleasure Pier. The centre of Avalon’s waterfront, for snacks, tour bookings and watching the boats.
Catalina Island Museum. The island’s story, from its first people to Hollywood visitors.

The island’s wild side

Bison tours. Bison have roamed Catalina since the 1920s, most likely left behind after a Western was filmed here, and guided tours into the interior go looking for them.
The Zip Line Eco Tour. A run of zip lines down a canyon above Avalon.
Hiking. From short walks above town to the Trans-Catalina Trail, which crosses the whole island. The island’s trails need a free hiking permit from the Catalina Island Conservancy — online, or in person at the Trailhead visitor center in Avalon.
The Airport in the Sky. A small airport on a ridge in the middle of the island, reached by tour.

Many of these change with the season, so check times before you go.

Getting around

Most of Avalon is a short golf cart ride from Hamilton Cove. With COR’s golf cart drop off and pick up, if your villa offers it, the cart is yours for the whole stay — see our guide to getting to Catalina.

Once your booking is confirmed, the COR Tour Guide puts the whole island on your phone until check-out: beaches, restaurants, groceries and adventures, each with its distance. Tap Listen to hear about a place, or Directions to find the way, and it keeps working offline. Every COR stay includes it.