Avalon Golf Cart Tour & Scenic Route Preview

• ALL MAP & ROAD SIGNS MUST BE OBEYED
• PLEASE STAY ON THE RECOMMENDED SCENIC ROUTE IN BLUE
• GOLF CARTS ARE PROHIBITED FROM ANY ROUTES IN RED
• USE CAUTION ON ALL DOWNHILL ROADS
• NO ALCOHOL OR DRUGS IN GOLF CART AT ANY TIME
• CALIFORNIA STATE DRIVING RULES APPLY
• SPEED LIMIT IS 15 M.P.H
• STAY ON PAVED ROADS
• DO NOT OBSTRUCT TRAFFIC
• PULL OVER SAFELY AT ALL TIMES
• HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME!

Welcome! Thank you for downloading the Catalina Compass app! We’re excited to share some fun island history with you today.

As you drive around Avalon, simply stop at each marked location and press play on your phone to hear the audio.

When the narration ends, tap “Back to Map” to continue along the scenic route to the next destination…… Each stop also includes the tour narration in text form along with photos you can explore anytime—this tour is yours to keep forever.

You’ve just arrived at Three Palms Overlook, one of Avalon’s favorite scenic viewpoints.

Locals still call it “Three Palms,” even though the original palm trees have been gone for years,

Down below is the city of Avalon, at just one square mile in size, it is home to about 4,000 year-round residents. Because the town is so small, news travels fast!......usually before you even finish your morning coffee!

See the furthest point down the coast? That’s Long Point, the widest part of the island. Catalina stretches 22 miles long and 8 miles at its widest point.

Long before Catalina became a resort, the island was called Pimu and home to the Pimungans. For more than 7,000 years the island sustained the Pimungans and their simple way of life.

After the ancient islanders, came Spanish explorers, Mexican rule, and finally…the United States and William Wrigley Jr., the genius behind Wrigley's chewing Gum.

Wrigley purchased the island in 1919 and proceeded to create this unique Mediterranean style paradise just 26 miles from LA.

Take a moment to enjoy the sparkling bay and colorful town below, and on a clear day you can see the mainland across the water—so close, yet it feels worlds away.

Once you’re ready, we’ll take a short drive down the hill to Mt. Ada, Wrigley’s island home.

Please use caution on the road ahead—it’s steep and narrow, so take it slow.

Welcome to Buena Vista Point! Take a look behind you at that sweeping staircase leading up to Mt Ada, the Wrigley Mansion.

William Wrigley built this hilltop home for his wife Ada, choosing the spot because it catches the first morning sun and the last afternoon light each day.

Island legend has it that on quiet nights, Wrigley’s figure can still be seen by the fireplace with his pipe, quietly enjoying the home he built and the town he helped create.

And when you look down at Avalon below, it’s easy to see why this place meant so much to him. This very view helped inspire Wrigley’s dream for the island.

After buying the island, he invested his time and his fortune building roads, hotels, and attractions, all to create his dream of Catalina Island as a "Playground for All”

In the 1920s, Wrigley even brought his Chicago Cubs here for spring training—why practice in freezing Chicago when you can train in Catalina sunshine?

Now look across the harbor at that magnificent round building and Avalon’s most iconic landmark, the Catalina Casino.

Built in just over a year at a cost of 2 million dollars, the Casino opened its doors in May 1929 to celebrate Wrigley's tenth year of island ownership.

Here's a fun fact: despite the name, there was never any gambling there. "Casino" simply means a ‘gathering place. It hosted movies, live music, and elegant ballroom dances.

From here, we’ll head back down the hill to sea level and then continue up the canyon to the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Gardens.

Alright, let’s roll! We’ll meet up again in about 15 minutes. The hills are steep and roads are narrow, so please, keep right and take your time.

Up ahead is the Wrigley Memorial & Botanical Gardens — one of the most peaceful and picturesque spots on the island.

After William Wrigley’s passing in 1932, his wife Ada created this living memorial, filling the canyon with cacti and succulents from around the world, blending her love of gardening with his love of Catalina.

A few decades later, the gardens expanded to nearly 38 acres, with a special focus on the unique native plants of the Channel Islands—many found nowhere else on Earth.

Look up toward the memorial at the top of the canyon. The stonework, steps, and colorful tiles were made mostly from island materials, including tiles from Wrigley’s own Catalina tile factory. The result is a beautiful mix of Art Deco design and natural island scenery.

If you have time later, it’s well worth the walk to the top for incredible views overlooking the gardens and the canyon.

Our next stop is just a few minutes down the hill, where we’ll talk about two historic Catalina landmarks you drove past — the Catalina Island Golf Course and what was once the location for the Catalina Bird Park.

Welcome to the 4th stop on our scenic tour, we hope you are enjoying the island! You’ve probably noticed the golf course as you were driving but did you know this is the oldest operating golf course in California!

The Catalina Island Golf Course first opened in 1892 as a tiny three-hole course for steamship visitors looking to enjoy resort life and the fashionable new game of golf. Today, it’s a scenic nine-hole course, filled with ocean breezes, rolling hills, and more than a century of island history.

Locals joke there are more squirrels than golfers out here, so be careful where you aim—quite a few of the holes belong to squirrels.

Now look across the street to your left to the former site of the Catalina Bird Park, one of Avalon’s most unique attractions.

Opened in 1929, this seven-acre park once housed more than 8,000 exotic birds from around the world. Imagine the colors, the sounds, and the chaos—and best of all, admission was free.

During World War II, limited access to the island forced the park to scale back, and by 1966 it closed for good. The remaining birds were moved to the Los Angeles Zoo.

You can still see the original entrance gate with its colorful Catalina tile work, and behind, the old flight cage which now serves as a playground for local preschoolers.

A lot of visitors drive right past this spot without realizing one of the world’s largest aviaries used to stand here.

From here, we’ll head back through town and climb to the opposite side of Avalon for a whole new perspective of the harbor and coastline. Please drive safely.

We hope you are enjoying the drive and the Tour! Let’s take another look at town. Even at just one square mile, Avalon has everything it needs: one school, one hospital, one library, one gas station, one police station and one city fire department. We also have one grocery store, and one post office—and neither one of those delivers!

Wondering about all the golf carts? They're not just for fun—they're essential. Each household gets one golf cart, but there's a 20-year waiting list for a full-sized vehicle. That's Avalon's answer to traffic control!

Now look at that long pier in the middle of the harbor—the Green Pleasure Pier.

Built in 1909, it stretches 407 feet into the bay. It was built to help ease congestion on the beaches and today is home to the Visitor Center, Harbor Department, lifeguard station, and the official fish weigh station.

Take one last look—the town fits snugly between hills and ocean, and the bay forms a perfect crescent. Legend says ancient islanders called it the Bay of Seven Moons—a name as mysterious and beautiful as its reflection on the water.

Let's roll! We'll head to the top and down the other side.

Please use extreme caution heading downhill—we'll stop again right above Avalon Harbor.

Welcome to another stunning view of Avalon Harbor.

Take it in—the shimmering bay dotted with sleek yachts, sailboats, dinghies, and colorful fishing boats. It's a scene straight out of a postcard.

For anglers, Catalina is the place! Drop a line off the Green Pleasure Pier for calico bass and sheephead or head offshore for yellowtail, white sea bass, and tuna. In summer and fall, blue marlin and swordfish turn fishing trips into stories you'll tell for years.

Just beyond the pier is the Ferry terminal, where over a million visitors arrive each year after a scenic one-hour crossing from the mainland. It also welcomes tenders from the cruise ships that anchor outside the bay.

Tucked past the terminal is Lover's Cove Marine Preserve—a protected sanctuary bursting with kelp forests and marine life. It's one of the island's best snorkeling spots, where you can get up close and personal with the bright orange garibaldi, California's state fish.

Now take a look just down the road and you’ll see the Chimes Tower, have you heard them yet? The Catalina Chimes were a gift from the Wrigley’s to the town of Avalon and have been ringing out every quarter hour for over 100 years.

When you're ready, we'll head downhill and along the coast past the Casino to our final stop—Descanso Beach, a spot once loved by movie stars!

Please use downhill caution and keep right.

Welcome to Descanso Beach—an island destination filled with history…and sparkle!

From 1918 to 1966, this was home to the glamorous St. Catherine Hotel, a luxury seaside retreat that became a haven for Hollywood's elite. Picture Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, and Betty Grable lounging poolside—far from the flashing cameras of Los Angeles.

Built by the Banning Brothers before Wrigley bought the island, the St. Catherine was Catalina's first major luxury hotel. The sprawling resort was thoughtfully designed to pamper upscale visitors and with a saltwater swimming pool, grand dining rooms, manicured gardens, and its own private pier where yachts and steamships would dock.

Today, the Descanso Beach Club keeps that spirit alive with ocean sports, ziplining, adventure courses, and stunning coastal views—a perfect mix of historic charm and laid-back island fun.

As you cruise back to return your golf cart, we want to thank you for joining us today.

If you captured the Catalina magic, please tag us, we'd love to see the island through your eyes.

And if this tour added a little sunshine to your day, a quick five-star review helps us share the good vibes.

Thanks for exploring with us! More island adventures await in the app!

Thank you for joining us today!!

We are a new small local company and would love to hear about your experience with us!

If you enjoyed the tour...we would be grateful for a positive review!!