Nothing screams I love you more than a romantic getaway!
Love makes you do the darndest things, especially when it comes to finding the perfect gift worthy enough of your other half’s attention. Lucky for us Angelenos, a spontaneous trip to paradise is a just hop, skip, and jump away! When you live in a city as big as ours, you forget how easy it is to surprise that special someone with a romantic getaway to Catalina Island.
Did you know that Catalina Island was deemed as the 13th city in Los Angeles County back in 1913? Though it sits just 22 miles from the California Coast, many locals tend to not know very much about this seaside town…
Leave the stress of making plans behind on the mainland, because we’ve planned the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day on this beautiful Los Angeles island!
Though the staycation destination sees its peak season in the summer, winters on the island offer a calm and relaxed ambiance making it perfect for the romantic retreat you’re craving this time of year. You can get to this best-kept treasure by helicopter, but hopping on a ferry is much more practical and averages to about an hour of travel time. There are four ports in Southern California — San Pedro, Long Beach, Newport Beach, and Dana Point.
When it comes to hotels, the historic Hotel Atwater is a popular accommodation in the city and was the first hotel built by chewing gum industrialist, William Wrigley Jr after he purchased the Catalana Island Company over a century ago!
After you check into your room and get all nice and cozy, get your bae’s heart racing with a Zip Line Eco Tour! Propel down five different zip lines that drop over 600 feet above sea level with speeds up to 40mph — there’s even a run that is 1,100 lineal feet long, so get ready for an amazing view and a few high-pitched screams!
When you need a break from the adrenaline rush, climb aboard an open-air biofuel Hummer for an exciting excursion. The island’s famous Bison Expedition takes you on a scenic ride through Catalina Island’s interior to witness a heard of bison that were left behind by a movie crew in the 1920s.
If you want to test your luck in a different way, head over to Catalina’s most well-known landmark! The Catalina Casino showcases spectacular beauty and history while even offering tours of the establishment for those interested in fun facts like it housing the world’s largest circular ballroom and as well as the first theater designed specifically for talking pictures.
End the day with an intimate dinner at one of the island’s favored restaurants; the Avalon Grille and Descano Beach Club are rising to the occasion of celebrating love by offering a selection of special culinary delights all weekend long. Avalon Grille is going all out with a themed three-course prix fixe menu that includes a black and white truffle ravioli and dark chocolate amaretto mousse.
All in all, it wouldn’t truly be a proper staycation without some much need relaxation. If you end up gifting that special someone with a round trip visit, we’re sure you’ll receive no complaints if you happen to spend the entire sitting back and taking in the stunning ocean views!
Learn more about all there is to do on Catalina Island over at visitcatalinaisland.com!
Featured photo:@visitcatalinaisland