I spent three days on Catalina a few years ago and had a blast, so when we recently went on a cruise that would stop in Catalina for the day, I knew exactly what I wanted to do!

Our Day on Catalina

After getting off the ship decently early, I believe we took the first tender over, we headed straight for the golf cart rental guy.

I recommend doing this first if it’s in your plan, because the golf carts will sell out by the third or fourth tender boat.

Rent Golf Carts

The Carts cost $45 an hour. Cash. It’s worth it to me, because you get to see most of the Island in a short time. You pay $45 for the first hour and leave another $45 for the second hour, or you’ll get the full or a prorated amount back if you don’t want the second hour. We made it back in an hour and 15 minutes and we felt like we weren’t rushing at all. We saw many beautiful views and were thoroughly able to explore the Island.

After dropping the cart off, we wandered around the many little stores, shopping and exploring. Catalina is a beautiful town, it’s also fun to just sit on the beach and enjoy the harbor.

On warmer days, its great to rent snorkeling gear and head over to Lover’s Cove. Here you can swim through swaths of seaweed and see giant abalone!

Catalina has many activities to offer and is fun for the whole family. Personally, I think its more romantic for couples.

Eating

For lunch, we ate at the Lobster Trap, because of its glowing reviews. Unfortunately we were disappointed and I do not recommend it. The lobster was so dry, it was almost inedible. However, Ristorante Villa Portofino is superb for Italian, as well the ambience at the Bluewater Grill is breathtaking. If you’re there for the evening, El Galleon is a fun place for music and meats.

And breakfast? Check out, Original Jack’s Country Kitchen.

Did you know you can get to Catalina for free on your birthday? Check out this promotion for the Catalina Express.