THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Walk Avalon at your own pace with a GPS-triggered audio guide that moves from the harbor to quiet overlooks and protected wildlands. Learn local history, spot island foxes, and discover the town’s Art Deco and maritime heritage—all on a flexible 3-hour route.
Walk Avalon at your own pace with a GPS-triggered audio guide that moves from the harbor to quiet overlooks and protected wildlands. Learn local history, spot island foxes, and discover the town’s Art Deco and maritime heritage—all on a flexible 3-hour route.
You arrive at Old Ben Park with gulls arguing over the harbor breeze and the Catalina Chimes Tower ringing the hour across Avalon Bay. The paved promenade leads you past the Casino’s rounded silhouette and into narrow lanes where salt air mixes with coffee, sea-spray, and wild chaparral on the hills above.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Drives & Detours · Avalon, California
You arrive at Old Ben Park with gulls arguing over the harbor breeze and the Catalina Chimes Tower ringing the hour across Avalon Bay. The paved promenade leads you past the Casino’s rounded silhouette and into narrow lanes where salt air mixes with coffee, sea-spray, and wild chaparral on the hills above.
Avalon grew into its modern form under William Wrigley Jr.’s early 20th-century vision; the Casino and tiled chimes tower are visible reminders of that era. Geologically Catalina is an island of uplifted sedimentary rock and marine terraces — low ridges, steep gullies, and a compact interior that supports a surprisingly distinct ecology. Local culture balances a small-town harbor life with summer visitors and a history of film, diving, and maritime traditions.
The Drives & Detours audio guide advances by GPS, steering you from Metropole Market Place to Descanso Bay and up to a light overlook where island foxes and coastal raptors patrol the air. Expect mostly paved sidewalks and short, steep residential stairways; the full route runs about 3 hours with pauses for exhibits and views.
Practical edge: download the app and your access code before you depart the mainland—cell service can be hit-or-miss. Wear supportive walking shoes, bring water and sun protection, and leave time to explore side streets, the small dive exhibits, and the botanical garden near the Wrigley memorial. The tour is flexible—play it at your own pace to match tide, light, or a sudden sea breeze daring you back to the water.
easy.
3–3.5 hours.
Suitable for most fitness levels; requires ability to walk on pavement and climb short flights of stairs.
Yes—this audio tour covers Avalon once you arrive; travel to Catalina requires separate ferry or helicopter arrangements from the mainland.
Yes—the Drives & Detours app lets you start, pause, and replay stops; download the tour ahead of time for full offline access.
Much of the harbor promenade is accessible, but several viewpoints and stair-linked lanes are not; expect some limitations for full-route access.
Free permits are required for hikes into the interior terrain managed by the Catalina Island Conservancy—check trailheads and signs before leaving town paths.
Avalon’s modern identity was shaped in the early 1900s by William Wrigley Jr., whose investments created landmarks like the Catalina Casino and public gardens.
Much of Catalina’s interior is protected by the Catalina Island Conservancy—stay on trails, avoid feeding wildlife, and use established facilities to minimize impact.
Drives & Detours operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You arrive at Old Ben Park with gulls arguing over the harbor breeze and the Catalina Chimes Tower ringing the hour across Avalon Bay. The paved promenade leads you past the Casino’s rounded silhouette and into narrow lanes where salt air mixes with coffee, sea-spray, and wild chaparral on the hills above.
You arrive at Old Ben Park with gulls arguing over the harbor breeze and the Catalina Chimes Tower ringing the hour across Avalon Bay. The paved promenade leads you past the Casino’s rounded silhouette and into narrow lanes where salt air mixes with coffee, sea-spray, and wild chaparral on the hills above.
Avalon grew into its modern form under William Wrigley Jr.’s early 20th-century vision; the Casino and tiled chimes tower are visible reminders of that era. Geologically Catalina is an island of uplifted sedimentary rock and marine terraces — low ridges, steep gullies, and a compact interior that supports a surprisingly distinct ecology. Local culture balances a small-town harbor life with summer visitors and a history of film, diving, and maritime traditions.
The Drives & Detours audio guide advances by GPS, steering you from Metropole Market Place to Descanso Bay and up to a light overlook where island foxes and coastal raptors patrol the air. Expect mostly paved sidewalks and short, steep residential stairways; the full route runs about 3 hours with pauses for exhibits and views.
Practical edge: download the app and your access code before you depart the mainland—cell service can be hit-or-miss. Wear supportive walking shoes, bring water and sun protection, and leave time to explore side streets, the small dive exhibits, and the botanical garden near the Wrigley memorial. The tour is flexible—play it at your own pace to match tide, light, or a sudden sea breeze daring you back to the water.