09/27/2026
When Avalon was a class act!
Stepping off the boat and into that hotel courtyard felt like arriving somewhere the rest of California couldn't quite reach. 🌺🏨
Catalina Island, summer of 1956. The whole pace of the trip slowed down the moment the boat docked, suitcases handed off to a bellhop who seemed to know exactly which room fit which family, bougainvillea spilling over every wall in a way that made the mainland feel a world away rather than just a channel crossing. Kids stood at the railing taking in the harbor view while the grown-ups handled the check-in details, sailboats swaying gently at anchor below. It wasn't a fancy trip by design, but something about the island itself made an ordinary family vacation feel a little more special the second you stepped off the gangway.
Did your family ever stay overnight on Catalina Island, and do you remember the hotel you stayed at?
