Vacations are for getting away from work stress and although it’s a task in itself to plan a trip, sometimes it’s nice when you can just wing it. That was exactly what we did when we wanted to go away for a romantic getaway and decided to go visit Catalina Island- off the coast of California. I had seen Catalina Island as the back drop for many old movies so I was excited to explore. The weather was around 60 degrees when we arrived by ferry in the morning so we knew it was going to warm up even more and be a lovely day.
We checked into our hotel- The Aurora Hotel which was quaint hotel, with modern design, good views which made for a relaxing spot. We then decided to head out for a stroll to experience the town and get to know more of what it had to offer. As it was getting late, we went to get dinner at the Lobster Trap. The food was delicious and we also got to hang out with some folks that gave us some ideas for local activities.
The next day we set our sights on the submarine and headed to the long green pier and explored the underwater life. We saw calico bass, urchins, rock fish and many more sea creatures. After the tour we went for a bite to eat at Buffalo Nickel restaurant on Pebbly Beach where the ceviche was good and the drinks flowed at a reasonable price. We later went out on the kayaks for a bit and enjoyed the views.
The last day we did a self guided golf cart tour. We checked out all the scenic spots like the botanical gardens and the old Wrigley Mansion. We did follow the other tour companies for the most part as we discovered that they were some areas that the golf carts were prohibited. We spent the remainder of our final day there relaxing with a couples massage and enjoying the sunset on the rooftop bar.
Catalina Island has a lot of historical beauty and can be a quick fun getaway. I would recommend it if you are in the surrounding states, for a quick weekend and just looking to try something different for a couple days. It has a Mediterranean charm to it that makes it a unique romantic setting, so if you are near the Cali area go out and explore it!
