California (Los Angeles Area)
Santa Catalina Island

Sail or fly from San Pedro or Long Beach to Catalina Island, 26 miles across the sea. Relish the sight of the vivid blue waters sparkling in the harbor of Avalon; tour the streets of this lovely resort town. For an unforgettable adventure, view undersea life in a glass-bottom boat or semi- submersible submarine. Like L.A. itself, it's another world.

Santa Catalina has been in private ownership since 1811, when the Gabrileño Indians were forced to resettle on the mainland. It remains a wilderness, devoted to the conservation of unique species such as the Catalina shrew (so rare that it’s only been sighted twice), and tourism has been held largely at bay. 

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Hotels are unobtrusive among the whimsical architecture, and cars are largely forbidden; the two thousand islanders walk, ride bikes or drive electric mokes. Return ferry trips to Catalina run several times daily from San Pedro and Long Beach ($25–35; operators are Catalina Cruises, tel 1-800/464-4228, and Catalina Express, tel 562/519-1212 or 1-800/995-4386). From Newport Beach, the Catalina Passenger Service (tel 714/673-5245) runs a $30 daily round-trip.

AVALON
Named after the legendary Elysium of King Arthur, Avalon has become a legend in its own right. Twenty-six miles across the sea on the island of Catalina, and a world away from Los Angeles, the small city wraps around picturesque Avalon Bay.