Five Catalina tours for first-time visitors

It’s hard to imagine, especially for those of us with a life-long love affair with Catalina Island, but there are folks who’ve just never gotten around to visiting this Southern California resort island. If that’s you — or someone you know — here are just a few of our top Catalina Tours for first-time visitors.

Catalina Food Tour – If you’re looking to get the lay of the land and find out what’s on the menu, there’s no better way than an Avalon Tasting & Walking Tour. This delicious tour features samples from the menus of six of Catalina’s best restaurants, as well as a fascinating overview of the history and culture of this fascinating Southern California resort destination. Perfect for a first-day activity, the Catalina food tour takes about three hours and is offered daily.

The Avalon Tasting & Walking Tour is a delicious introduction to the island’s food and culture.

A tour in the interior – While Avalon offers plenty of charms, to really see Catalina Island you need to venture past the city limits. Stretching across 76 square miles, the island offers unique wildlife, spectacular seascapes and stunning terrain. Check out a Jeep Eco-Tour, Skyline Drive Tour or the East End Adventure to see more of what Catalina has to offer.

Get out of town and check out the interior of the island.

Catalina Casino — Catalina’s most distinctive landmark has graced Avalon Harbor for nearly 100 years. This Moorish masterpiece is a Catalina icon, gracing countless paintings and photographs. Inside, dramatic murals, a circular ballroom and a fascinating span of history compel exploration. Book the Discover the Casino Tour or the Casino Behind the Scenes Tour to learn more.

Don’t miss a chance to see inside the Catalina Casino

Tour the city of Avalon — Get an overview of thousands of years of history and a century as California’s top island destination aboard the Avalon Scenic Tour. Suitable for all ages, this tour provides the first-time Catalina visitor with an insider’s view of this charming city named for King Arthur’s resting place.

The Avalon Scenic Tour showcases the beauty and culture of the city.

Undersea Tour — Catalina’s underwater world has been attracting explorers for more than century. Replete with compelling marine life and fascinating ecosystems. Check out the Catalina semi-submersible tour to sit beneath surface — while staying completely dry — or go old school and book a voyage on the Catalina glass bottom boat.

See beneath the sea on the Catalina glass bottom boat.