Sherry E
Currently tag-less...
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2008
I merged your two threads and moved them to our Southern California forum. 
I'm a huge Catalina Island fan -- I have two threads specifically about Catalina in the California forums of this board, and I sat in as a guest on the DIS Unplugged/Disneyland Edition podcast (back in March of this year) to discuss all things Catalina. I can help suggest places to stay, things to do, where to eat, etc.
However.... I am going to say that I think that January might be a very rainy month this time around (we're expecting a lot of El Nino-related rain), as SMD suggested, and I think that it might not be wise to commit to Catalina just in case. At least if you made a plan to go somewhere on the mainland, if rain became an issue you could easily change plans on short notice and do something else. Catalina is more of a commitment because it involves a boat ride and maybe even a hotel stay.
In a non-rainy time, though, I would say that Catalina is great for a 1-day trip or a multi-day trip (I've done plenty of 1-day trips and plenty of multi-night stays -- I even stayed there for a full 7 nights/8 days once). Many times the various hotels and cottage rental places will not let you stay for only one night. A 2-night minimum is usually required. In January (which would be an off season for Avalon), they are a little more flexible in allowing 1 night.
I'm a huge Catalina Island fan -- I have two threads specifically about Catalina in the California forums of this board, and I sat in as a guest on the DIS Unplugged/Disneyland Edition podcast (back in March of this year) to discuss all things Catalina. I can help suggest places to stay, things to do, where to eat, etc.
However.... I am going to say that I think that January might be a very rainy month this time around (we're expecting a lot of El Nino-related rain), as SMD suggested, and I think that it might not be wise to commit to Catalina just in case. At least if you made a plan to go somewhere on the mainland, if rain became an issue you could easily change plans on short notice and do something else. Catalina is more of a commitment because it involves a boat ride and maybe even a hotel stay.
In a non-rainy time, though, I would say that Catalina is great for a 1-day trip or a multi-day trip (I've done plenty of 1-day trips and plenty of multi-night stays -- I even stayed there for a full 7 nights/8 days once). Many times the various hotels and cottage rental places will not let you stay for only one night. A 2-night minimum is usually required. In January (which would be an off season for Avalon), they are a little more flexible in allowing 1 night.
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