Out Catalina

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Hiring a charter boat in Marina del Rey was not very difficult. It was not like trying to convince Humphrey Bogart to sail me down the Nile. There were no bloodthirsty natives, no problematic steam engines, and waterfalls to contend with. There was just the beautiful marina, a friendly crew, and a luxurious thirty-foot yacht at my disposal.

No, this was not like any ordinary charter. No, I had twenty of my closest friends in tow, and a day full of catered food ready to be served. For those who have never experienced a day out at sea in Southern California, you just don't know what you're missing. For locals, it's practically a tradition. A day out at sea, a leisurely cruise, and a tours of the island.

What island? That would be Catalina Island, of course. Yes, there's much ado made about the island, but if you have ever seen it, then you know there's not much to it. No, the beauty of the island pales in comparison to the island as simply a destination. It's not getting there, really - it's getting there and dropping anchor at sea. Think of Catalina as the North Star of yachting in SoCal. It's just a reason, a pretense, a place to steer the boat towards.

Now, where you drop anchor or moor or circle or list, it doesn't really matter. In the end, it's about what's going on on-board. This is where the catered food comes into play. And, of course, you have to make sure there are plenty of libations to be had as well. After all, what's the point of a day at sea without a crisp, cool beverage?

No, if you're interested in enjoying a day away from it all, but still close to amenities that make it all worthwhile, then a quick jaunt to Marina del Rey is definitely in order.

Hiring a charter boat in Marina del Rey is nothing to be feared. Of course, you may want to book well in advance and not all yacht services offer catering.

Catalina Honeymoons Await on the Island of Romance!

Planning my honeymoon had become a daunting task. My fiancé and I wanted affordable luxury, an exotic but accessible location, and a timeless romantic setting all in one. We had spent a fortune on our wedding (sound familiar?) and wanted to locate the lovely, fun, romantic places that would accommodate, well... cheap honeymoons. After considering all kinds of far away, and financially far out of reach island honeymoon destinations, I stumbled across the beautiful, historic, laid back Santa Catalina Island. Just an hour away from the southern California mainland on any one of the Catalina ferries, the aptly named "Island of romance" began to capture my imagination, and after a little investigating, we were soon settled on a Catalina honeymoon.

After considering each of the Catalina resorts, I decided on the Catalina Canyon, a beautiful Catalina resort and spa, which is modern and up to date with all of the amenities that honeymooners could ask for. They have a great restaurant and bar, complimentary shuttles that take you to and from the nearby Catalina ferry terminal, which is just a few minutes by shuttle into town. Their spa has registered massage therapists, saunas, facials and a beautiful pool and poolside... I was pleased. I told them on the phone that I would be on my honeymoon and asked for any honeymoon travel deals and the woman immediately changed my rate and was very fantastic to deal with. I found the prices extremely reasonable. I will add that at all the places I checked out there was a two-day minimum stay

Although we settled on the Catalina Canyon hotel, there were other amazing Catalina hotels that we easily could have chosen. The best Catalina luxury hotel would probably be Catalina's newest hotel, the Avalon Hotel. A very romantic Catalina luxury hotel would be the Inn on Mt. Ada. Stunning views of Avalon Bay and beautiful grounds make the Mt. Ada hotel ideal for a Catalina honeymoon. If you're watching your budget, a great hotel (in keeping with the cheap honeymoons theme) would be the Hermosa Hotel. It may not be the ideal romantic type, but rooms start as low as fifty dollars a night! Remember, in all of these places ask for any honeymoon travel deals or all inclusive vacation honeymoon travel deals, when you make your reservations... the hotel manager will most certainly cut you a deal!

There are tons of romantic activities on Catalina Island. You can rent scuba equipment or snorkel in Lovers Cove (yes, that's really what it's called), rent bikes, or just go for a hike. Wildlife abounds all over and around beautiful Catalina Island, including Bison, which were brought in for a movie many years ago and now roam wild, deer, birds, sea lions, dolphins, whales, myriad fish, including of course California's state fish, the striking bright orange Girabaldi. There are extremely affordable Catalina island tours which for many, are the best way to see the abundant marine life, bison herds, whales and dolphins and historic buildings like the Wrigley estate and Catalina Casino.

Tours of the 1929 Catalina Casino are $15 and it's a great way to learn about Catalina Island's rich history. I should mention that this casino is not the gambling kind (which will only disappoint some) but instead is known for its elegant Art Deco ballroom and movie theater, which plays first run movies as well as silent movies from the past. The building is truly an architectural wonder, and nowadays is available for full service weddings, events, and is home to many events like the Catalina Island Jazz Dance festival, Valentine's Day Sweetheart Dance, New Years celebrations and events throughout the year.

Our Catalina resort, the Catalina Canyon, has its own restaurant that offers a fantastic menu, but with so many amazing Catalina restaurants to choose from, we decided not to make reservations and just play it by ear on the day. The Pancake Cottage and Sally's Waffle Shop are Catalina's most famous breakfast restaurants, featuring decadent honeymoon worthy breakfast fare. Lunchtime you can check out The Busy Bee (right on the water!) and the Buffalo Nickel, which is just a short ten-minute shuttle (free service to the restaurant!) south of Avalon, where the locals go for authentic Mexican food. Ask your Catalina resort staff where they eat, and they will likely tell you "The Buffalo Nickel." For dinner, seafood lovers must visit Armstrong Seafood. Known as the islands premier seafood establishment, they masterfully prepare lobster, shrimp, fish of all types and offer a full service bar. Villa Portofino is casual but elegant and also has great reviews for its cuisine, with famous chefs often behind the scenes in the kitchen. The Catalina Country Club has a beautiful dining room with an outdoor patio and although it is a private country club, it is opened to the public for lunch and dinner. They serve California cuisine and in the summer, jazz bands liven things up as part of the Catalina Jazz Festival.

A Catalina honeymoon not only fits the budgets of those in search of cheap honeymoons, but also offers an amazing range of Catalina Island tours, Catalina luxury hotels that won't break the bank, and is truly a romantic destination for newlyweds in search of a compromise between exotic and affordable.

About the Author

Jamie-Lynne Kennedy is a professional party planner and avid outdoor adventurer. She also is a contributing editor to several online travel websites and magazines. To Find out more about
Catalina Island Vacation Packages
and
Catalina Honeymoons
, visit http://www.catalinaislandvacation.org.

What will be the best way to get to Catalina Island from newport, and how long it will take to get there?

New to boating and fanatic to fishing. I have a 17.5 open bow with a 130 hp Johnson what are my chances to survive a fishinig trip to Catalina Island? Going out from New Port, San Pedro or Long Beach. I have installed a marine radio, a compass, also have handheld GPS. Thanks for any info.

Yep, cell phones work pretty much the entire way across the island. Verify your GPS coordinates, and watch the weather forecasts for your trip - make sure nothing funky is blowing in, etc. I have a friend who goes over in his small speed boat with his wife. Not a problem.

SARATOGA SURPRISE: No. 8 Santa Catalina is upset in the first round of Division III, 2-0
A sense of urgency never set in. That mental edge that had catapulted Santa Catalina to near perfection this year was missing. "We didn't come out with that mindset to destroy,'' striker Kate Wright said.

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