Avalon’s the urban core of Catalina Island, one of the Channel Islands
Avalon is the only incorporated city on Catalina Island, a little over 20 miles from the coast of Southern California. “The reason people gravitate to the island is its accessibility to Orange County and Los Angeles County. It draws people from all over Southern California,” says Sean Caddell, a real estate agent with Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty. Spanish Revival-style condos rise from cliffs that meet turquoise water, and the grandiose Art Deco Catalina Casino juts out in the bay. “It’s accessible, but you feel like you’ve really gone somewhere different. It has Mediterranean influence, almost like you’re in Spain or Italy,” says Kathleen Connor, a Realtor with Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty and Caddell’s partner. “We call it our Capri.”
Condos in the gated Hamilton Cove complex and 1920s seaside cottages
Some properties in Avalon come with transferable rental licenses for second-home buyers interested in additional income, while others include golf carts or two-seat smart cars in the listing price. Charming seaside cottages in an array of pastel or off-white hues built between 1900 and 1930 range from $650,000 to $1.5 million.
Condos in Avalon were largely built between the late 1970s and the early 1990s, and most have balconies or patios that overlook cliff-side architecture or the boat-dotted bay. Monthly homeowners association fees range from roughly $780 to $1,800, and the gated Hamilton Cove community has upscale amenities like a swimming pool, a spa, putting greens, a private beach, tennis courts and 24-hour security. Most condos list for between $675,000 and $1.2 million, while penthouse villas or detached structures in Hamilton Cove can fetch between $2 million and $2.4 million.
Aquatic adventures, rugged inland trails and other outdoor recreation
Access to Avalon Bay means an array of aquatic activities. “There’s amazing offshore fishing and diving. I dove in Hawaii and the Great Barrier Reef, and the kelp forests around Catalina Island are magical and rival everything else,” says Jordan Lake, a broker and the owner of Catalina Realtors, the longest-standing brokerage in Avalon. Farther inland, the public Catalina Island Golf Course — constructed in 1892 — offers nine holes that have been played by the likes of Tiger Woods. Next to the golf course, Avalon Skate Park consists of a variety of ramps adjacent to a playground and a set of outdoor fitness equipment. The rugged and scenic Trans-Catalina Trail stretches for more than 38 miles, starting on the outskirts of Avalon. “Wildlife you may see while traversing the Trans-Catalina Trail include bison, Catalina Island foxes, mule deer, Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawks and possibly even rattlesnakes, too,” Lake says. It takes hikers about four days to reach the other end of the trail in Two Harbors, and designated campgrounds are set up along the way.
Golf carts, high-speed ferries and car restrictions on the island
The streets of Avalon are busy with people biking, whirring around on golf carts or traversing the city on foot. In fact, the city regulates the size and number of vehicles allowed on the island, and parking space is sparse. Two high-speed ferries travel to the island from the California mainland. Catalina Express ferries depart from San Pedro, Long Beach and Dana Point, while the Catalina Flyer picks passengers up in Newport Beach. The trip takes about an hour and 15 minutes, and the fare for both services costs between $40 and $50. Though there aren’t any fixed bus routes that travel the island, the City of Avalon Seaside Transit — better known as COAST — offers on-demand, point-to-point service via the Ride Circuit mobile app.
Seafood at Bluewater Avalon, beachside drinks at Descanso Beach Club
Crescent Avenue — known by locals as Front Street — buzzes with pedestrians between Avalon’s beachside shops and its sandy bay. “When we were all younger, it was a sleepier town. It’s going through almost like a renaissance. It’s a completely different place than it was 20 years ago,” Caddell says. “There’s upscaling with restaurants and more luxurious homes being built,” Connor says.
Bluewater Avalon prepares upscale seafood dishes, like walnut-crusted halibut, togarashi-spiced ahi tuna and rock lobster tail, enjoyed with waterfront views of the harbor and the island’s iconic casino. It also serves Catalina Island’s official cocktail, Buffalo Milk, which is best compared to a White Russian. The Descanso Beach Club offers casual bites and a variety of cocktails that can be enjoyed at the bar or delivered to a rented chaise lounge on the sand, where DJs perform every Saturday during the summer. A Vons is in the center of the city for groceries.
Advanced Placement and career technical education at the Avalon School
The Avalon School serves children on the island from grades K-12, and it receives a B grade from Niche. Part of the Long Beach Unified School District, the school has a student body of about 450 each year. It offers six Advanced Placement courses and a career technical education pathway in hospitality. Students complete an internship during their third, final year of the program.
Environmental Factors
Catalina Island, like much of the surrounding Southern California region, is at a relatively high risk of earthquakes, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
