Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Catalina's Grand Casino
No trip to Catalina is complete without tak ing the
Casino Tour
(see “Organized
Tours,” above). The Casino Building, Avalon's world-famous Art Deco landmark, is
not—and never was—a place to gamble your vacation money away (
casino
is an
Italian word for a plac e of ent ertainment or gathering). R ather, the incr edibly
ornate structure (the craftsmanship inside and out is spectacular) is home to the
island's only mo vie theat er and the w orld's lar gest cir cular ballr oom. Virtually
every big band of the '30s and '40s pla yed in the 158-f oot-diameter ballroom,
carried over CBS radio beginning with its grand opening in May 1929. Today it's
a coveted venue for elaborate weddings, dances, gala dinners, and the C atalina
Jazz Festival. The 3-w eek
JazzTrax Festival
(
&
866/872-9849;
w ww.jazztrax.
com) takes place every October. To experience the festival, be sure to book your
tickets and accommodations as far in advance as possible.
(see “Catalina's Grand Casino” box, below; $18 adults, $16 seniors, $13 kids).The night-
time
Flying Fish Boat Trips
(seasonal) are a 50-minute Catalina tradition in searchlight-
equipped open boats ($20 adults, $18 seniors, $10 kids). And the ne w
Classic Inland
Motor Tour
is a 31-mile, 4-hour jaunt through the island's rugged interior. The journey
follows the 1800s stagecoach trail though Middle Ranch, where you will enjoy the Native
Plant Nursery and the Catalina I sland Fox habitat. Continue on to the beautiful wind-
ward shor eline and up to
El R ancho Escondido,
a wor king ranch wher e some of
America's finest Arabian horses ar e raised and trained. R eturning to Avalon, you'll visit
the famous Airport-in-the-Sky ($80 adults, $72 seniors, $60 kids).
VISITING TWO HARBORS
If y ou want to get a better look at the r ugged natural
beauty of Catalina and escape the throngs of beachgoers, head over to Two Harbors, the
quarter-mile “neck” at the island's northwest end that gets its name fr om the “twin har-
bors” on each side, kno wn as the I sthmus and Catalina H arbor. An ex cellent star ting
point for campers and hikers, Two Harbors also offers just enough civilization for the
less-intrepid traveler.
The
Banning H ouse Lodge
(
&
800/626-1496;
www .visittwoharbors.com) is an
11-room bed-and-breakfast overlooking the Isthmus. The clapboard house was built in
1910 for Catalina 's pr e-Wrigley o wners and has seen duty as on-location lodging for
movie stars like E rrol F lynn and D orothy Lamour. Peaceful and isolated, the simply
furnished but comfortable lodge has spectacular views of both harbors. Rates range from
$199 to $299 including delux e continental breakfast (June-Sept), and they'll even give
you a lift from the pier.
Everyone eats at the
Harbor Reef Restaurant
(
&
310/510-4215
) on the beach. This
nautical, tropical-themed saloon/restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the latter
consisting of hearty steaks, ribs, swordfish, chicken teriyaki, and buffalo burgers in sum-
mer. The house drink is sw eet “buffalo milk,” a potent concoction of v odka, crème de
cacao, banana liqueur, milk, whipped cream, and nutmeg.
WHAT TO SEE & DO IN AVALON
Walk along horseshoe-shaped C rescent Avenue,
past private yachting and fishing clubs, to ward the landmark
Casino
building. You can
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