Experience Catalina: Hollywood's Historic Hideaway Just Off L.A.'s Coast
There are a lot of magical things about living in L.A., but my newfound favorite is jumping on a ferry for a quick 70-minute ride — accompanied by schools of dancing dolphins and the occasional whale — to arrive at the craggy shore of the paradise that is Santa Catalina Island. The island has a rich history rooted in pirates and smugglers, gold diggers (the panhandling kind, at least back then) and missionaries — long before it became a resort destination for well-heeled Angelenos seeking an Amalfi Coast-like locale.In the Golden Age of Hollywood, Catalina Island became a hideout for Tinseltown celebrities who came in droves. Marilyn Monroe. Joan Crawford. Jimmy Cagney. Charlie Chaplin. Cecil B. De Mille, a prominent film director, was quoted in an island newspaper saying that Catalina was 'the only place where I can get away to work amid real inspiration.'It's easy to see why the minute Avalon comes into sight. As the charming town and its commanding view of the world-famous Catalina Casino built over the surf appears, it's mesmerizing. A scene out of, well, a movie. Or many, in fact. Some of Hollywood's best films were shot in part on Catalina Island, dating back to silent films in the '20s. Later movies with scenes set around Catalina Island include The Glass Bottom Boat, Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown, Jaws, Apollo 13 and Step Brothers, which spawned a real-life Catalina Wine Mixer.
STAYI disembarked the ferry and rolled my suitcase over to the Hotel Atwater, a charming 95-room hotel built in 1920 — a year after chewing gum magnate and Chicago Cubs owner William Wrigley Jr., flush with Doublemint cash, fell in love with Santa Catalina and purchased control of the Santa Catalina Island Company, which continues to be run by generational members of the Wrigley clan to this day. The hotel has recently undergone a renovation and greets guests with vibrant, oceanic hues that are immediately soothing to frenetic Angelenos (at least this one). The hotel is named for Wrigley's daughter-in-law, Helen Atwater Wrigley, one of a long line of businesswomen in the dynasty that fought to preserve the island's pristine natural state with the creation of the Catalina Island Conservancy — which manages 88 percent of the Island's 48,000 acres of land framed by 60 miles of rocky waterfront. The rooms are small but sweet, and come with sparkling wine. A nod to Helen's love of a nightly glass of bubbly before bed.
DOThere is no doubt that strolling over to the ultra-luxurious Descanso Beach Club, a private beach where guests can sip a drink with toes in the sand, is to experience an afternoon of respite in the sun. The club's food is an upscale spin on beach shack fare, which can be enjoyed at a private cabana or at a table just feet from the soft waves of the bay. The lounge chairs fanned by the ocean breeze invite a snooze. But for the more active visitors to Catalina, there are 165 hiking trails crisscrossing the island with stunning views and special guests: bison. There's also the Botanical Gardens and a zipline with panoramic vistas.
DINEThe Avalon Grille, just a quick jaunt from the Hotel Atwater, is an upscale steakhouse with impressive meat and fish dishes. But the real draw to this spot is rooted in the rich history of the Wrigley family's indelible imprint on Catalina Island: the Wrigley Martini, which was made famous by ink-stained scribes and sports figures in 1950s Chicago, where it was served in the Windy City's landmark Wrigley Building. Now, the drink has been recreated by the mixologists at the Avalon Grille and it's easy to see why it was a favorite of the old-school hard-bitten news gatherers of that era.
LOCAL LEGENDOn Thanksgiving weekend in 1981, Hollywood star Natalie Wood was found floating in the Pacific Ocean near the 60-foot yacht shared with her husband, actor Robert Wagner, called 'the Splendour.' The couple had set sail that weekend with Wood's co-star in the movie Brainstorm, actor Christopher Walken. After dinner and drinks, Wood, 43, vanished and was found drowned on Nov. 29, 1981. Her death was initially ruled an 'accidental drowning' but her case was reopened by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department homicide division with the investigation focusing on Wagner after witnesses described a fight earlier that night. The LASD cleared Wagner in 2022 and Wood's death continues to be mulled over as an enduring Hollywood mystery._Side TripThe El Rancho Escondido, or 'the hidden ranch,' is where Helen and her husband Phillip once maintained a stable of prize-winning horses. For the first time, the family is offering tours. The ranch is now home to some of the most exquisite Arabian horses and serves as a small museum for the Wrigley family's equestrian victories. It's also home to the family's grapes for Rusack Vineyards.
_GETTING THERE The Catalina Express departs from Long Beach, Dana Point and San Pedro, and the Catalina Flyer ferries from Newport Beach.
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