# Catalina Island



## swift (Feb 26, 2006)

What is there to do on Catalina Island? We are going to LWR in June. Is this someplace to go with the kids?


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## Icc5 (Feb 26, 2006)

*Shopping*

Catalina Island has been part of a 3 day cruise for my wife and myself and part of a 4 day with the kids when they were 12 and 17.  They were both bored with it.  Iris and I shopped around and went on a tour but there really isn't much to do there.
Bart


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## nightnurse613 (Feb 26, 2006)

Wear the little kiddies out (??) by biking around the island!


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## isisdave (Feb 28, 2006)

There is not much to do. You can tour the island or do the shops or the glass-bottom boat.  The boat ride over might interest them ... how old are they? There are a couple of types of ride, including I think a hydrofoil. Most go from San Pedro, Long Beach (next to the Queen Mary) or Dana Point (www.catalinaexpress.com) but there used to be one from Oceanside and/or San Diego too.  Or you can helicopter over ...


http://www.gluckman.com/Catalina.htm


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## swift (Feb 28, 2006)

isisdave said:
			
		

> There is not much to do. You can tour the island or do the shops or the glass-bottom boat.  The boat ride over might interest them ... how old are they? There are a couple of types of ride, including I think a hydrofoil. Most go from San Pedro, Long Beach (next to the Queen Mary) or Dana Point (www.catalinaexpress.com) but there used to be one from Oceanside and/or San Diego too.  Or you can helicopter over ...
> 
> 
> http://www.gluckman.com/Catalina.htm




They are 14, 13 & 8.  I think we are going to skip the island on this trip. I want to do the zoo and one day at Disney Land. That is about all my DH could handle of amuzement parks so I was looking for some low key fun that will interest the whole family.


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## tustinbells (Feb 28, 2006)

I think the boat ride over is expensive for what there is to do over there.  If you want the beach, there are plenty over here.  For shopping, go to Laguna Beach, Fashion Island, or any of a number of other beach areas.  I have lived in So Cal all my life.  I went to Catalina for a week as a teen and was bored.  Most kids around here only go over there for Summer or YMCA camps.  I would not bother.


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## ricoba (Feb 28, 2006)

tustinbells said:
			
		

> I think the boat ride over is expensive for what there is to do over there.



We have only lived here 10 years and I have been tempted from time to time to visit Catalina, but then I look at the cost for a family of 4 and it persuades me not to go!  

Rick


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## mapper (Mar 2, 2006)

Hi Theresa!

Wow at 14 I loved Catalina, my two sisters aged 11 and 13 at the time did too!  Two of my children have gone for camp and we are planning a family weekend over there this summer.

The glass bottom boat and the flying fish tours were fabulous.  We also took the bus tour of the island and got to see the buffalo and Wrigley' s mansion.  I remember eating Belgian waffles for the first time at the grand old "Casino" which I think is a ballroom now.

My husband and his buddies went over night on a fishing trip and had a great time.  We plan on going over, taking the kids on some tours, enjoying the beach and the trip over.  It is a relaxing touristy kind of place but there is so much beauty to see there and lots of interesting things to learn about the island, the Wrigley' s, and the sea creatures.


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## Andi (Mar 5, 2006)

*Wasting Time*

Visited there this past year and was one of the biggest mistakes we have ever made in our travels. Could not recommend it for any age.

Andi


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## jerseygirl (Mar 5, 2006)

My dd (probably about 14-15 at the time) and I had a blast touring the island in a golf cart.  We loved it ... but, we only had 6 hours or so to kill.  Not sure if I'd feel the same if getting there wasn't so easy -- we were on a Celebrity Cruise out of San Francisco, and just stopped on by!


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## RumpleMom (Mar 6, 2006)

We took the kids to Catalina Island for the day.  We enjoyed touring the island in a golf cart, went to the Wrigley(chewing gum) Mansion (I remember seeing olives growing), and did the semi-submersible boat ride to see Garibaldi fish.  I think it would be more interesting than a glass bottom boat. The family still mentions, years later, the great number of fish we saw that day.

Ok, now the cons.  The boat ride was a high speed ride causing one kid to turn green and almost lose breakfast. The restaurants were expensive, so we opted for lunch at a take-out place and ate on the pier.

We are glad we did it, but once was enough.  You will see Catalina Island pictured on TV and the kids think it is cool that they have been there.

We also had brunch on and toured the Queen Mary which is docked at Long Beach, that was well worth  the price.


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