Catalina

Only 26 miles from Los Angeles, is Catalina Island. You can get there by a 2 1/2 hour boat ride(Catalina Cruises) or 1 hour by hydrofoil (Catalina Express). Once there, you can rent bicycles, kayaks, motor boats (sea lions sun on the windward side of the island), golf carts,take a ride on the glass bottom boat, or rent snorkeling equipment. There are lockers near the dock and Descanso Gardens or Lover's Cove are both walking distance. The water temperature in late summer is appx. 70 degrees. Hint: Bring bread or peas and carrots in a plastic bag, the garibaldi and sea bass will swarm around you when you feed them! If you forget, there is a local market in Avalon.

There are plenty of shops and restaurants to eat at, like the Blue Parrot Inn. Everything is within walking distance including the Casino. The Casino was never a gambling house, but rather an Art Deco dance hall circa 1929. It is at present a museum, but can be rented out for special events.