#IPW2023

 WHAT'S NEW AND HAPPENING ON CATALINA ISLAND: 2023

Catalina Island is a place like no other. Consistently named one of the best island getaways by media outlets and digital influencers nationwide, Catalina Island, located just 22 miles off the Southern California coast, is a unique blend of laid back vibe, rich and historic past, features water and land activities to suit any taste and modern day amenities and services for every budget.

The Island is constantly evolving to offer visitors the best experience, whether it's to relax and rejuvenate or rev up the action. Following are some of the most exciting new happenings on the Island this year, from new restaurants, hotels, cultural attractions and retail stores.

Spend an hour aboard Catalina Express which offers up to 30 departures daily and year-round service to Avalon and Two Harbors from San Pedro, Long Beach and Dana Point. It offers comfortable airline-style seats and a galley with a full bar and light snacks. Traveling to Catalina Island in as little as one hour, each vessel was designed and built/purchased specifically for comfort and speed. What do you say? C'mon and visit!

Boat and Hotel Packages: Visitors who book a boat and hotel package enjoy savings and value added amenities at nearly 20 hotels in Avalon.

HOTEL AND RESTAURANT NEWS

Renovated Rooms at Hermosa Hotel – Located just steps away from the water, the Hermosa Hotel has refreshed its “Family Unit” rooms, updating everything from the kitchen, furniture, beds, and linens. These rooms are perfect for accommodating four to five guests. Hermosa Hotel has also partnered with the Catalina Museum for Art & History to incorporate vintage photos of the Island into the décor as a nod to the hotel's rich 126-year history. Each room is unique, so please call the hotel to book the best room for your island getaway.

Cork + Brew Bar at Hermosa Hotel Reopens – Cork + Brew Bar at Hermosa Hotel has reopened its doors. Locals and visitors can once again enjoy the bar's craft beer and wine selection, including a variety of regional craft brews from Ballast Point and Coronado Brewing, and features the best of Daou wines.

Dockdash Boat Side Delivery – Boaters enjoying the day on the Avalon Bay never have to leave the comfort of their boat with this new boat side delivery service. With a variety of beverages and snacks to choose from, Dockdash features beers, seltzers, wine, mimosa buckets, chips, trail mix, ice cream and more. To place an order, customers can view the menu online here and call 310-510-0046.

Flx Biergarten is slated to be the Island's first and only biergarten located in Avalon. Paying homage to the Island's rich history, Flx takes its name from the iconic '50s Flxible buses that once graced the streets of Avalon and wandered the Island's interior with curious tourists. With an open-air atmosphere that includes charming string lights and cozy firepits, Flx is the perfect place to enjoy a cold beer, wine, seltzer or kombucha with friends. Plus, beer lovers can sample a variety of styles with tasty beer flights. This Fall, Flx Biergarten will host Catalina Island Company's first Oktoberfest from September 29 to October 1.

ACTIVITIES

Catalina Museum for Art & History features two exhibits through Fall 2023. Through original artifacts, music, and related ephemera, including historical photographs exploring the Hawaiian craze of the late 1890s to the present Skirting Issues: Hula Moves Stateside. Visitors are invited to dance their way through the gallery and directly into challenging histories of authenticity, American colonialism, appropriation, complicity and resistance.

There is also a new installation at the museum, Below The Surface: The Catalina Photographs of Bruce Hall featuring a collection of underwater photographs captured over decades at Catalina's Casino Point Dive Park, the country's earliest underwater preserve. The art installation is curated by guest curator, Douglas McCulloh, and is currently on view through January 2024.

Prominent Southern California artist Bruce Hall is a legally blind underwater photographer. The diagnosis of legal blindness can have many different effects on people. For Hall, he can see something a few inches away from him, but beyond that, the world turns into a “shaky out-of-focus fog.”

Pier-side Fishing from “Learn to Fish….Hook, Line and Sinker” – Great for beginners, kids or adults, learn to fish like a pro with dock-side fishing lessons off. No equipment or prior experience is necessary – rod, tackle and bait are provided!

Tour of Rancho Escondido -- An adventure inland to El Rancho Escondido, “the hidden ranch,” travels 12 miles outside of Avalon to a small valley nestled in the Island's interior. Guests will board a vintage Flxible Bus, once used to provide transportation to tourists and locals alike, to see the Arabian Horse Ranch, built by Philip & Helen Wrigley in 1930. Today, in addition to serving as a home for the family's horses, the ranch is used to grow chardonnay, pinot noir and zinfandel grapes for Rusack Vineyards, another family venture.

For decades, the Catalina Casino has been available for tours and special events. Starting this summer, the iconic landmark will be open to the public for general admission during regular business hours, allowing visitors to step back in time and soak up the rich cultural history of Catalina's architectural masterpiece. Guests will enjoy movies under the twinkling stars of the Avalon Theatre's Art Deco dome, discover the circular dance floor of the famed Ballroom, and take in spectacular views while strolling along the Terrace.

ISLAND EVENTS

Catalina Wine Mixer | June 2-3: The Catalina Wine Mixer weekend includes live entertainment, wine tastings from more than 18 wineries, special VIP programming, a whiskey and spirits tasting, and an exclusive wine pairing lunch. Enjoy music, dancing, fantastic food, fine wines, and an official Avalon Theatre screening of Step Brothers, the hilarious comedy classic that started it all. Festgoers returning to the Catalina Wine Mixer are also in for an updated look featuring the Island's iconic art tile. The colorful illustrations take inspiration from the classic, hand-glazed clay squares, designed in the 20s and 30s, found all over Avalon. The fun tiles connect to the Island, the event, as well as the cult classic movie which inspired the summer event. Unlimited tastings start at $109. Visit here for tickets and more information.

33rd Annual Buccaneer Weekend | October 5 -- Shake your pirate booty to live music. Enjoy fantastic gruel & grog (that's pirate for food & drink). Don your best pirate attire and set sail for Two Harbors for a weekend of treasure hunts, costume contests, great food, live music and a lot of fun. Getting to Two Harbors: Catalina Express ferry from San Pedro or Cyclone from Avalon.

36th Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival | October 12-15 -- Since 1987 Catalina Island has hosted one of the most respected and recognized music festivals The Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival. Founded by Art Good, The Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival has been attended by audiences from all of the United States as well as a few foreign countries. Each October this festival hosts some of the top entertainers from the smooth jazz genre as well as Exciting New Break Out Up-and-Comers.