Stuff 2 Do ... on Catalina Island

by Maggie Espinosa

LIP-SMACKING GOOD
Armstrong’s Fish Market & Seafood Restaurant
306 Crescent Avenue
www.armstrongseafood.com | 310.510.0113
Royal blue awnings and colorful Catalina tile complement the Spanish-style edifice. Huddled alongside Avalon Bay, this restaurant provides spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. Al fresco dining is available on the deck. It is walking distance from the ferry pier. The short stroll will whet your appetite for Armstrong’s mouth-watering fish, sashimi or crab cakes.

Discover The Island Discovery Tours
www.visitcatalinaisland.com | www.scico.com | 310.510.TOUR
Discovery Tours is “the bomb,” as the young kids say. Bomb meaning the best. Discovery allows visitors to traverse Catalina’s land and sea. Eleven sightseeing trips are available. Spot undersea dwellers like moray eels, orange garibaldis and hornsharks from the comfort of a glass-bottom boat or semi-submersible. If it’s wide-open spaces you seek, ride along on the Island Motor Tour. This 32-mile narrated outing takes visitors to Santa Catalina Island Conservancy’s nature center. See Arabian horse demonstrations at El Rancho Escondido. Keep your eyes peeled and you might spot a buffalo or acorn woodpecker along the route. Want to stay in Avalon; no problem; a city tour is waiting. Tickets for all these events are available at numerous locations; including on the mainland. Advanced booking is recommended.

Buffalo Flings
www.visitcatalina.com | 310.510.4205
Safari to the rugged interior to view Santa Catalina Island’s largest resident: the American Bison, also known as buffalo. Along the way explore Catalina’s rugged canyons and back coast Island, home to the highest diversity of any Channel Island for reptiles and amphibians. Researchers study many of these species by monitoring and recording data throughout the year, but the general public can get a close-up view of these magnificent beasts. First introduced in the 1920s for supporting roles in Hollywood movies, nearly 250 buffalo roam the grassy Santa Catalina Island hillsides. In recent years, the Catalina Island Conservancy has kept the buffalo numbers from growing too large by moving some of them to ranches in South Dakota. Additional stops include a native plant nursery and the Bald Eagle Sanctuary. You’ll also learn about the Catalina Island Conservancy’s efforts to preserve the beauty of the island. Cost is $99 per person for a four-hour tour, which is offered year-round. Advance Bookings are recommended.