The Casino Building is a stunning example of original Art Deco architecture. It has been well maintained over the years and has also undergone much restoration, both inside and out.

A Grand Opening

The Casino Building officially opened on Wednesday, May 29, 1929. The City of Avalon proclaimed a legal holiday and requested that all businesses close. Festivities included a parade along Crescent Avenue, a flag-raising ceremony, live music, escorted tours of the building, ceremonial presentations, a stage show, and other events.

The Avalon Theatre

Located on the main level of the Casino Building, the Avalon Theatre was the first theatre designed for sound movies before its construction. Its circular dome is unbroken by pillars or balconies. The screen measures 18 feet high by 36 feet wide and accommodates Cinemascope motion pictures.

The acoustics in the theatre are so good that you can hear normal conversation from the front to the back of the theatre. Though the projection booth still houses originally installed equipment, it also contains the latest screen, projection, and sound systems available. The theatre ceiling is of hard acoustical material, covered with silver leaf, and decorated with star designs and star shaped openings through which recessed lights twinkle.

The Avalon Theatre is also home to a Page Organ, one of only four crafted by the Page Company in Lima, Ohio.

Murals

The murals in the Avalon Theatre and on the exterior of the building were designed by John Gabriel Beckman, a well-known artist who had worked on a number of theatres, including Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Nine panels encircle the inside walls of the theatre loggia and are stylized underwater scenes of marine life. Originally designed to be executed in Catalina tile, the murals had to painted directly onto the concrete surface in order to be ready for the Casino Building’s grand opening.

The Casino Ballroom

The Casino Ballroom is unlike any other in the world. It is 180 feet in diameter, with no interior columns, and is the largest ballroom of this type in existence. The dance floor is laid in strips of maple, white oak, and rosewood on a layer of felt and acoustical paper, over a subfloor of polished pine floating on cork. (People in the theatre below would never even know that there were hundreds of people dancing in the ballroom above them!)

The largest number of dancers ever in the Casino was 6,200 people dancing to the music of Kay Kyser, on May 8, 1940. Virtually every big band of that era played in the Casino Ballroom. Live broadcasts were carried over CBS radio from 1934 into the 1950s.

Explore The Casino Building

Today, visitors can see the inside of the Casino Building on one of several daily walking tours. The Casino Ballroom is also available for private functions, and is a very popular spot for weddings and special events.

If you are planning to spend the night in Avalon, why not catch a movie in the beautiful Avalon Theatre? Movies show every evening, twice nightly on weekends.

The Art Gallery and Catalina Island Museum are also located in the Casino Building, on the lower level. From the Native American Indians who inhabited Catalina 7,000 years ago to the Hollywood legends who vacationed there in the 1950s, the Museum is a great place to immerse yourself in the island’s history. Open daily, the Museum boasts an outstanding collection of archaeological material excavated on the island, as well as historic photographs, displays, and Catalina pottery.

Catalina Island’s year round Mediterranean climate makes it the ideal destination to enjoy outdoor activities. Swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and fishing are just a few of the water activities popular on Catalina Island throughout most of the year. The scuba diving on Catalina Island is some of the best in the world. You can also go para-sailing, or just relax on our sandy beaches.

There are plenty of options to fill the day on land, as well, including horseback riding, sightseeing, hiking, golf, or just strolling through Avalon’s quaint shops and galleries.

When you’re ready for some pampering, how about making an appointment at one of Catalina Island’s beautiful spas?

If it’s tranquility that you are looking for, there’s no better place to find it than Catalina Island in the off-season. Temperatures normally stay in the 70s year-round, offering mild, comfortable conditions to enjoy the island’s many land and sea activities. There are no crowds to deal with and the atmosphere is more laid-back.

Best of all, although everything is still open and there are plenty of fun things to do on Catalina Island, most hotels offer reduced room rates, another pleasure reserved for those visiting in the off-season.

Need help deciding what to do? The Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau is always happy to help! Just call 310-FIVE-TEN-FIFTEEN-TWENTY (310-510-1520) or stop by the Visitors Center on the Green Pleasure Pier in Avalon.

The Catalina Island Golf Course was first built back in 1892 by the Banning brothers as a 3-hole course. By 1929, the course was expanded to a full 18-hole course. Many tournaments were played here, the most famous of which was the Bobby Jones Invitational Tournament held from 1931 to 1955, with a brief break during the war.

The course has the distinction of being the oldest golf course in Southern California (and possibly the West). Old black and white photos reveal women on the fairways dressed in turn-on-the-century style dresses and button-top shoes.

Every spring, top amateur golfers would visit and revisit the Catalina Course. Today, the course offers 9-holes with 2 sets of tees for 18-hole play.

Open to the public, the Catalina Island Golf Course provides a memorable experience for golfers. The unique 9-hole layout has been newly upgraded. Golf packages and rentals are available. There is also a Pro Shop located right in the adjacent Country Club, selling all the basics – clubs, balls, gloves, and more. A PGA pro is also on staff.

Tee time reservations are suggested. For reservations and information, contact the Pro Shop at 310-510-0530.

• General
  information number for the airport and terminal is (310)
  510-0143. Call 800-255-8700 for weather information.
• Landing
  hours at the airport are 8 am – 7 pm, April 15 through
  October 15, and 8 am – 5 pm the rest of the year.
• Landing
  fee is $10 for a plane carrying one individual, $10 for
  a plane carrying 2 passengers, and $15 for a plane load of 3 or
  more. There is a $5 overnight tie-down charge,
  payable each evening.
• No
  fuel is for sale.
• The Runway Cafe, with both indoor and outdoor seating,
  is open from 8:30 am until 4 pm daily. Try the famous buffalo
  burgers! Call 310-510-2196 for info.
• Catalina
  Island Nature Center is a open-air exhibit about the
  flora and fauna of the Island, its geology, and the history of
  its early inhabitants. It’s run by the Catalina
  Island Conservancy. There is a lovely garden featuring native
  Catalina plants and cacti, and showing all five of the Island’s
  native plant communities.

Weather

The
airport is often closed because of low cloud cover or other inclement
weather. Call in advance to check conditions. For
updated Catalina airport weather information call
(800) 255-8700 from anywhere in southern California. You
can also call the Airport Automated Weather Observation Services
at 310-510-9641

Ground Transportation

By
Bus

The
Airport Shuttle Bus to Avalon (310-510-0143)
provides transportation on a regular basis. Buses leave the airport
every 2 hours starting at 9:30 am until 7 pm. The last bus for the
airport leaves Avalon at 5:30 pm or 6 pm on weekends. The cost of
a round-trip is $15.

Catalina
Safari Shuttle Bus provides transportation from the airport
to the village of Two
Harbors (14 miles) stopping along the way at Little
Harbor campground. Buses run twice daily in the summer leaving
the airport at 12:15 am and at 6:15 pm. The fare for the hour and
a half ride from the airport to Two Harbors is $11.75 one way and
$23.50 round-trip; to Little Harbor it is $7.25 or $14.50 round
trip. Call 310-510-7265
for additional information.

By
Foot or Bicycle

The
Airport is 10 (road) miles from Avalon, connected by a picturesque
paved road that follows the ridge. There are several closer destinations
for a walk. Try the beaches at Rippers Cove (4-1/2 miles, steep
descent) and at Little Harbor (7 miles), where there is also a campground.
The nearest campground is Black Jack Camp (3-3/4 miles). Camping
on Catalina Island is permitted only in officially designated areas. Hiking permits and biking permits are required for either activity in the interior of the Island and
are available at the airport. There is no cost for a hiking permit; annual permits for bicycling (the only kind available) are $50 for individuals or $75 for families.

General
Aviation Information Page