Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
When you take a family trip to Southern Californias Catalina Island, the fun begins for you and children with the process of simply getting there. Because Catalina is an island with no car ferry service, you must choose a boat trip from Long Beach, San Pedro, or Marina del Rey in Los Angeles County or from Dana Point or Newport Beach in Orange county. Your boat trip should take you less than two hours. Or, if you are very adventurous and your budget allows, you can take the family on a fifteen-minute helicopter ride to Catalina, departing from Long Beach or San Pedro.
Because the island is close to coastal locations in both Los Angeles and Orange County, you can visit Catalina for a single day or you can plan an overnight stay. Accommodations range from luxury hotel rooms to primitive beachside campgrounds that are accessed by boat. Some of the local businesses that rent kayaks and snorkeling equipment will also drop you and your camping gear at a remote campground and pick you up later. Because of the primitive nature of these campgrounds, youll need to make sure you take sufficient food, water, sanitary supplies, and other necessities for your whole family. Although such primitive camping may not be appealing if you have very young children, school age kids will enjoy roughing it and having access to the wide variety of wildlife inhabiting the island.
If you decide to stay in a hotel, you may want to choose one with historical significance. If you are on a budget, your children will fascinated by the hotel that was the home of Western writer Zane Grey; it is modeled on a Hopi pueblo. At the high end, the Inn on Mt. Ada, the former home of baseball and chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr., will also be of interest to young history buffs. Of course, there are lots of other hotels on the island that offer both a range of amenities and prices.
Weather is mild year round on Catalina, so outdoor activities are available most of the year. In warm weather, even very young children can enjoy kayaking and snorkeling. A small child can be placed between two adults in a double kayak, and older children can literally paddle their own canoes. If water activities are not an option, the whole family can rent bicycles and cover most of the island on well-maintained roads and trails. In addition, hiking is encouraged on the island, but hiking permits, which are free, must be obtained from the Catalina Conservancy.
As you travel the island with your children, youll see an unexpected sight--the American bison that roam the island. The bison are among sixteen varieties of land mammals that inhabit the islandall of them introduced from other areas. In addition, there are eight varieties of bats, six kinds of frogs and salamanders, and ten different snakes and lizards. Among the most visible creatures on the island are the California sea lions, harbor seals, and elephant seals, which populate the coastline. Be sure to give your kids a quick lesson in sea mammal etiquette. Baby seals and sea lions, who appear to be abandoned, may have been left to bask on the beach while mom goes fishing for dinner. They should not be approached or moved. In addition, adult sea mammals, while they look cute and friendly, may bite the hand that attempts to stroke or feed them.
Even on cool or foggy days, your children can enjoy an excursion on a glass-bottom boat. Many of the latest glass bottom boats not only let you see sea creatures in their natural surroundings, they provide feeding mechanisms so that you can feed the fish while seated on the boat. One of the more recent additions to the glass bottom boat fleet in Catalina is a semi-submersible ship that resembles a yellow submarine.
Because Catalina has an abundance of beaches, wading, swimming, jet skiing, water play, and sand castle building are activities that appeal to children of all ages. Youll want to take plenty of sunscreen, because the sun is intense and air is clear most of the year.
In addition to all of the year-round activities, annual events and festivals abound. Some are centered in the town of Avalon and others are scheduled on the west side of the island in Two Harbors. The following is sampling of annual events that may appeal to a family with young children:
Annual Events in Avalon
-Rubber Duck Derby in the spring
-Conservancy Summer Naturalist Program C nature walks, hikes, and campground events
-Catalina Summer Arts Camp C music, dance, theater, and visual arts for kids, grades 5 C 10, culminating with a public performance
-Silent Film Festival
-Drop Line Fishing Tournament
-December Open House at the Inn on Mt. Ada with homemade cookies and carol singing
Annual Events in Two Harbors
-Easter Egg Hunt
-Childrens Festival in July
-Dinghy Parade (4th of July)
-Childrens Challenge C team relays and races; games of jumping, running, paddling on the beach
-Buffalo Chip Toss in September
-Buccaneer Days in October
For more information on special events and activities, both the Catalina Museum and the Catalina Conservancy can be contacted by phone or via their web sites.
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