Catalina With Kids

We loved our trip to Catalina with the kids and had an awesome visit! When Mark and I went first, we knew we wanted to bring the kids on our next weekend adventure. We stayed at a great hotel with excellent views, enjoyed delicious meals and did a few must-do Catalina Island activities. Our trip was sponsored by Catalina Express and Catalina Island Company which are both very family-friendly. I love Catalina for its island vibes, mellow activities and beautiful views.

How to Get to Catalina Island

We boarded the Catalina Express in Dana Point around 10 and arrived on the island at 11. The kids loved the boat ride. I brought a few sticker books and snacks for the way over. They offer snacks and drinks on board as well. This was the kids first time on a boat in the ocean and they did great. They loved watching the water go by and we were all super excited to see a whale on the ride back!

Where to Stay and Eat in Catalina with Kids

When we arrived in Catalina we checked into the Bellanca Hotel, (named Portofino Hotel at the time) to drop our bags off then we quickly headed over to lunch at Bluewater Avalon. We were all starving after our drive up in the morning and the boat ride over. Our lunch at Bluewater was very tasty. I loved the cute bento style lunches they served up for the kiddos. They also had a few crazy fun cocktails like the one below skewered with shrimp and olives. All of the dishes we tried were pretty delicious. Bluewater is a must try while on the island. The restaurant sits right on the water and has amazing views.

Catalina Island Activities with Kids

We loved checking out the Undersea Expedition. It’s about a 40 minute underwater tour around lovers cove where we saw bright orange garibaldi, calico bass and rockfish. The kiddos got to point out all the fish they could see on this relaxing tour. On the last few minutes we got to ride on top. The little sir really got a kick out of seeing the captain drive the boat. He kept saying “Thanks Captain!”

We also took a scenic bus tour from Catalina Island Company. The tour took us all around the town of Avalon through the hillsides and down the beachfront. The tour guide highlighted its rich history with wit and funny jokes all along the way.

On Sunday we took the kiddos out for some mini golf. It was our first time for the four of us together. The kids ended up going ahead of us a bit and then we caught up. I remember playing that mini golf course when I came as a kid with my parents.

The kiddos were pretty worn out after lunch and two tours so we headed to the the hotel room for some downtime. We ended up picking up a pizza for dinner and enjoyed a picnic in the room. We turned on the fireplace and the kids watched a few cartoons. The views from the balcony at our hotel room were absolutely beautiful! It was nice to have such a pretty view while we relaxed in the room.

In between our tours and meals we walked along the shops and the boardwalk. There is such a small town charm to Catalina. We saw the same people a few times since it is so small. I loved sitting by the water and watching the boats as the sun set and in the morning. This adventure was packed with more activities than the last one and was a super fun trip for us with the kiddos. Have you been to Catalina?