On our family cruise this summer one of our ports of call was Catalina Island. I hadn’t been to Catalina in several years. So I was excited to get to explore a little bit with the kids. Trying to figure out a fun way to check out the Island as a family of nine economically was a little tricky. However, I love what we ended up doing! Keep reading to see what we did while our ship was at Catalina, as well as some other fun ideas for what to do on Catalina Island with kids.
what to do on Catalina Island with kids
If you’ve never been to Catalina Island before it’s a great place to go with kids. Catalina is just a short one hour ferry ride from several ports in southern California. It’s also a popular cruise port for Mexico cruises that leave from Los Angeles and Long Beach! I think that Catalina is a fun family-friendly destination for the day or the weekend. Here are some fun ideas for things to do on Catalina Island with kids.
tour the Island on a golf cart
I’m starting my suggestions of things to do on Catalina Island with kids with the activity that our family did while we were in port. Touring the Island on a golf cart is a very fun–and very popular–activity to do on Catalina. There are a couple of different companies that rent golf carts near ferry terminal on Catalina. However, only one that rents six person golf carts, which our family needed. Our family loved our self-guided golf cart tour!
Here are some things you should know to make the most of your time:
- – Golf carts are a very popular mode of transportation on Catalina. Due to this, they actually have very strict rules and a golf cart patrol that drives around to ensure these rules are followed. Make sure you follow all rental rules regarding drivers and passengers.
- – We rented from Catalina Island Golf Cart (referred to as Cartopia on Yelp) because they are the only company I could find that has six person carts available. We knew to make golf carts work for our family of nine (with only two drivers) we would need both a six person and a four person golf cart.
- – The golf cart rental locations offer infant and toddler seats, so there is no need to bring your own.
- – Be prepared with cash for the deposit. That way you can avoid ATM fees as deposits are required to be in cash.
- – Get to the rental counter as early as possible. The lines get quite long and the golf carts get rented out. This is especially true if you need a six person golf cart as there are not very many available. The good news is, most people only use their carts for one or two hours so you can get added to a wait list if need be.
- – You will get a map with a suggested self-guided tour route when you get your rental cart. I suggest you follow it as it really does give you a good tour, and keeps you on the streets where golf carts are allowed.
explore the water–without getting wet
There are two very popular ways to check out the crystal clear waters of Catalina without getting wet. Which is good because the Pacific Ocean off of southern California is cold. If you’re visiting Catalina Island with kids you might want to check out the glass-bottom boats or semi-submersibles. Both types of tours can be booked ahead of time, or on the Green Pleasure Pier in Avalon. Of course, you can always snorkel or scuba dive too, but one of these tours is much easier when you’ve got little ones with you.
- Glass-bottom boat tours: I did a glass-bottom boat tour once as a kid and I remember it was a really neat experience.
- Semi-submersibles: Another activity you can do as a cruise shore excursion or book independently is a semi-submersible. Think of it like the submarine ride at Disneyland but without the track.
| Read: Tips for Cruising with a Baby |
soar above Catalina Island with kids
On our golf cart tour we drove right by the Catalina Zipline Eco Tour and it looked so fun! Located in Descanso Canyon, this activity will let you experience some thrills while you’re taking in the scenery of Catalina. Note that this activity does have age, weight, and height requirements. Make sure to do your research ahead of time so no one in your party is disappointed.
The Catalina Aerial Adventure and the Catalina Climbing Wall are located next to the Zipline Eco Tour. Both these companies also have either weight or height requirements, although the climbing wall does allow any age participant as long as they weigh at least 40 pounds!
| Read: The Best Ropes Course at Lake Tahoe |
drive around with a guided jeep tour
We may have opted for an economical self-guided golf cart tour, but Jeep tours are also very popular on the Island. These open air vehicles (typically either Jeeps or Hummers) can take larger groups around the Island. One of the special things about Catalina is that there are Bison on the Island. So that’s a popular “attraction” on these Island eco tours. Note that although there are age requirements for the open air vehicles, there are also traditional bus tours that are open to all ages.
walk around Avalon and earn Junior Ranger badges
You can also keep things really casual and just walk around Avalon on your own. Your kids will love exploring the shops along Crescent Avenue (which is closed to traffic). Make sure to grab something to eat at one of the many food stands or restaurants in the area too. Your kids can watch people fishing from the pier and dip their toys in the chilly Pacific Ocean waters. Be sure to stop inside the Catalina Conservancy building at 708 Crescent Ave. Here you can learn more about the Island and your kids can pick up Junior Ranger booklets to earn their badges!
This list is only a few of the things you can do on Catalina Island with kids. There are so many more activities, attractions, and ways to explore! Our family loved our golf cart tour, but if we’d had more time we definitely would have picked some more fun activities. Catalina Island has a lot of fun and history to offer its visitors. I hope you’ll keep this article handy for your future family-friendly adventures!
