Have you ever heard of Catalina Island? It's 22 miles off the California coast, but it might as well be 2,200 miles from L.A. For starters, there are very few cars on the island. If you're stuck in a traffic jam there, chances are you're in a line of golf carts.
The hub of activity on the island is the resort town of Avalon. Its most recognizable building is the historic Casino, which was built in 1929. There's no gambling in the building and never has been, but legendary director Cecile B. DeMille and screen legend Charlie Chaplin premiered some of their movies there. The theater was one of the first to show "talkie" pictures. Avalon is full of quaint shops and every restaurant seems to have an incredible view of the Pacific. You can walk just about anywhere in Avalon and never have to worry about being hit by a car. Bicyclists, however, are another matter.
Writer Zane Grey made Catalina Island famous when he shot one of his movies there. He apparently brought some bison to the island for a movie and a few of the animals were left behind. Today, 150 bison roam the island's wildlands. I'll write more about Catalina's wildlands, which are stewarded by the Catalina Island Conservancy, next time.
Caption: Avalon Casino and harbor welcome visitors to Catalina Island. Note: Just beyond the Casino is Descanso Beach, which was rated L.A. County's most polluted beach last year. Can't wait to go there!
