1 Day in Catalina
Catalina Travel Itinerary & Guide
1 Day in Catalina, California USA
Heading on a cruise with a stop in Catalina? Check out this perfect half day itinerary to make the most of your day!
Day 1:
We took a 3 day Carnival Cruise leaving out of Long Beach. The first full day, we arrived in Catalina around 9am by taking a smaller watercraft in from the cruise.
Explore along the coast
We walked around the main areas and began to get ourselves acquainted with Avalon as we waited for our next activity. It was great to be one of the first off the ship, so we were able to take great photos without too many people in the way.
Parasail Catalina
Imagine parasailing through the sky and looking down to see dolphins jumping in and out of the boat’s wake right below you! Parasail Catalina offers a bucket list experience that was one of the highlights of our entire cruise. The staff is very friendly (our guides were Dave and Ryan) and makes sure you feel safe and secure through the entire experience. It was just us and another couple on the boat, they went first while we watched the dolphins from the boat. I would really recommend this to anyone stopping in Catalina for the day. We booked ours through the cruise ship but you can book for cheaper through their website. Bring sure to bring a little cash for tipping.
Golf Cart Drive
No better way to see Catalina island then coasting around with your own golf cart. There are plenty of places to rent from so just find the place with the shortest line (most places have similar prices). We booked for just an hour and a half I believe which seemed like a lot of time but ended up making us feel quite rushed (especially on the further side of the island), so I would really recommend booking it for one of the extended periods of time. They give you a great map as well so it’s really easy to follow along.
Maggie's Blue Rose Mexican
We finished up our day with a late lunch that was very delicious at Maggie’s. With a casual atmosphere, great service and Tex-Mex style dishes, Maggie’s is a great pick if you want to grab lunch off of the boat. The portions are quite large so you won’t have to worry about returning to the boat hungry. It’s right on the main strip so it’s a hop and a skip to get back to the ship.
Tips and Tricks:
We booked our parasailing activity through Carnival Cruise line, but you can actually book a lot of the activities directly and save a lot. Most cruise ships are too big to reach Catalina so the ship will have timed smaller boats to take you to and from shore. We were one of the first groups off the boat, which was a great way to get some good photos without it being too crowded. With the ship leaves Catalina, grab a glass of wine and head to the back of the boat to see a beautiful sunset.