I was just wondering for those who have been there can you recommend a hotel to stay at. Also if there are some must-do things while visiting please share.

Me and the fiance wanna plan a small trip somewhere for memorial day weekend. Our original plan was to go to Napa Valley but the hotel we wanted to stay at is now booked. The reason we chose catalina island is because we wanted to go somewhere to relax, hence the reason we didn't choose Vegas, SD,LA etc..Just somewhere with not too much goin on.

I'm looking at their site and there is so much to choose from so i wanted some opinions first before i book a place to stay at. Thanks in advance.

 

The beach used to be topless, this is a "to do" activity. I was only there for the day so no idea on a hotel. Enjoy the trip.

 

If you're going to take a day trip to Catalina, might as well go to Long Beach. Lol...

Just kidding, I don't know how it is now. I went for a day when I was a kid and I remember there was nothing special about it.

 

I went there about 2 months ago just for a day and there wasn't really that much to do there . It's nice just to get away for a day but I probably wouldn't go back any time soon

 

my wife and I were also planning to go that weekend as well. I have never been, but I checked the catalina website and its $75 roundtrip per person which is a lot of money. But they have 2-person kayaks for like $22 for 2 hours and 2 hour snorkling gear including the wetsuit for like $20/person.

 

Went some years back. It's an "ok" place. If you scuba dive, the water is clear. Didn't try snorkeling. We took a helicopter there and back. Think I had more fun on that than I did on Catalina.

One item of note. We did not schedule our return trip. I figured it'd be easy enough to hop on the boat....wrong. We were basically stuck there with no hotel reservation (were only going for the day) and every where we called was booked. Luckily, someone in the Chamber of Commerce was nice enough to call a friend who had a room.

 

Seaport Village Inn
Studio guest suite- 2 nights -stove/oven/sink/ocean view/private/jacuzzi
Helicopter there for 2 - $160
Boat ride back - $60
Descanso beach - drinks served on the beach
Pool tables at the Marlin club
Karaoke at night in the nice enclosed bar on the strip
Bloody Mary's at the Italian restaurant with the red bricks on the strip(the best ever)
fish & chips/ Buffalo burger at Luau Larry's
Bike rentals
2 souvenir glasses
visit the mission
Ski ball at the arcade
walk up to the bell tower

* I spent less than $1,000
Not bad considering we were drunk most of the time

U can also :
Snorkel at lovers cove- too cold at the time we went
Go over to shark harbor on a tour & go rock jumping/kayaking
Tour of the Wrigley mansion
Para sailing
Glass bottom boats

 

Me and the woman vacationed in Catalina last summer and enjoyed it very much.

Summary:
Helicopter ride from Long Beach
Hotel Villa Portofino; has a good view of the ocean and comfy king bed
Snorkeling at Lovers cove
SCUBA diving but the casino building
rent golf carts to go through the island
biking
kayaking and picnic on isolated beach (pkg with snokeling)

 

Wow, how much did you end up spending?

 

catalina's awesome!!! ride the bike around the island. also rode the submarine which was pretty neat. didn't get to scuba this time around. also went on the pedal boat thingy.