Catalina Island -- FREE Catalina Express Birthday Boat Ride to Through 2016

[sunny45]

This is a great thread. We are going during my birthday week (and anniversary week) but won't be there the day of my birthday (darn!!)

I was wondering what you think the crowds will be like on Labor Day on Catalina Island? Also, where is the best point to take the boat over. We were thinking Newport Beach (we are staying in Anaheim).

I am trying to plan out the week between Disneyland, San Diego and Catalina Island all in one trip (and a a little touring of LA during our fly in and fly out days as well) which is Saturday through Saturday.

TIA :

 

[Sherry E]

This is a great thread. We are going during my birthday week (and anniversary week) but won't be there the day of my birthday (darn!!)

I was wondering what you think the crowds will be like on Labor Day on Catalina Island? Also, where is the best point to take the boat over. We were thinking Newport Beach (we are staying in Anaheim).

I am trying to plan out the week between Disneyland, San Diego and Catalina Island all in one trip (and a a little touring of LA during our fly in and fly out days as well) which is Saturday through Saturday.

TIA :

Hi, sunny45!

I'm so glad you found this thread. I know I referred you to my Catalina photo-heavy trip report a week or two ago (in the thread about viewing the Hollywood sign), but I was amazed to see that this thread about the Express had been revived!

Okay, first of all - about which boat to take. Here is what it boils down to for me, and this is why I stick with the Catalina Express (which runs out of Long Beach and San Pedro at its closest points): the Catalina Flyer (out of Newport Beach) simply does not have anywhere near as many departure and return times. The schedule is really limited. The Express (especially out of Long Beach, which is maybe 20 or 25 minutes from Anaheim, with no traffic) has a lot of departures and returns - especially on a holiday such as Labor Day. This allows more flexibility for visitors to plan activities for their day.

If you were to, for example, try the Flying Fish tour (which I highly recommend), that tour takes place after the sun goes down (the fish come out at night!) and you would not be able to do it if you were taking the Catalina Flyer out of Newport. You'd have to either take the Catalina Express back at night or you'd have to be staying overnight on the island to do that tour,

I really only recommend the Flyer out of Newport if you are spending at least a couple of nights on the island. If you are just making a day trip, and you want to be able to have the time do a lot of things, the Flyer's limited schedule will not afford you that time. The Express will.

If you don't want to stay very long in Avalon and maybe just want to rent a golf cart and take one tour or something, then the Flyer should be okay. Its return time (back to Newport) will be in the mid-afternoon range, if I recall correctly.

I am one who likes to take the earliest boat out on the Express (which is usually in the 6 a.m. hour during the summer months, through Labor Day) and the latest boat back at night (which is usually in the 9 p.m. hour on summer weekends and holidays) so I get the most bang for my buck, take a lot of photos, etc.

As for crowds on Labor Day - there will probably be a lot of people who travel to Avalon on that day, as it is a holiday and the end of the summer. It's been a long time since I did a Labor Day trip to the island but I remember that it was more crowded when I did.

However, unlike a Disney park or other theme park, crowds in Avalon are not necessarily problematic. Because there are so many water activities available on the island, as well as zip lining and all of that, a lot of people are off doing those things and not necessarily crowding the streets of Avalon at every moment. Where the crowds might come into play is if you want to rent a golf cart and zoom around in the hills without waiting. If it is a crowded day and you take a later boat out (like the Newport Flyer boat), you would possibly have to wait for someone to return a golf cart before you could get one. If it's not a crowded day and if you take an earlier boat, you'd be sure to get one of the very first carts!

 

[sunny45]

Hi, sunny45!

I'm so glad you found this thread. I know I referred you to my Catalina photo-heavy trip report a week or two ago (in the thread about viewing the Hollywood sign), but I was amazed to see that this thread about the Express had been revived!

Okay, first of all - about which boat to take. Here is what it boils down to for me, and this is why I stick with the Catalina Express (which runs out of Long Beach and San Pedro at its closest points): the Catalina Flyer (out of Newport Beach) simply does not have anywhere near as many departure and return times. The schedule is really limited. The Express (especially out of Long Beach, which is maybe 20 or 25 minutes from Anaheim, with no traffic) has a lot of departures and returns - especially on a holiday such as Labor Day. This allows more flexibility for visitors to plan activities for their day.

If you were to, for example, try the Flying Fish tour (which I highly recommend), that tour takes place after the sun goes down (the fish come out at night!) and you would not be able to do it if you were taking the Catalina Flyer out of Newport. You'd have to either take the Catalina Express back at night or you'd have to be staying overnight on the island to do that tour,

I really only recommend the Flyer out of Newport if you are spending at least a couple of nights on the island. If you are just making a day trip, and you want to be able to have the time do a lot of things, the Flyer's limited schedule will not afford you that time. The Express will.

If you don't want to stay very long in Avalon and maybe just want to rent a golf cart and take one tour or something, then the Flyer should be okay. Its return time (back to Newport) will be in the mid-afternoon range, if I recall correctly.

I am one who likes to take the earliest boat out on the Express (which is usually in the 6 a.m. hour during the summer months, through Labor Day) and the latest boat back at night (which is usually in the 9 p.m. hour on summer weekends and holidays) so I get the most bang for my buck, take a lot of photos, etc.

As for crowds on Labor Day - there will probably be a lot of people who travel to Avalon on that day, as it is a holiday and the end of the summer. It's been a long time since I did a Labor Day trip to the island but I remember that it was more crowded when I did.

However, unlike a Disney park or other theme park, crowds in Avalon are not necessarily problematic. Because there are so many water activities available on the island, as well as zip lining and all of that, a lot of people are off doing those things and not necessarily crowding the streets of Avalon at every moment. Where the crowds might come into play is if you want to rent a golf cart and zoom around in the hills without waiting. If it is a crowded day and you take a later boat out (like the Newport Flyer boat), you would possibly have to wait for someone to return a golf cart before you could get one. If it's not a crowded day and if you take an earlier boat, you'd be sure to get one of the very first carts!

Hi Sherry-


Thanks for the info re: The Flyer and the Express-I think we would rather do the Express for the reasons you mentioned.

I think we may attempt going on Labor Day. I don't want to go to DL on Labor Day (we'll be doing that Sunday, one day mid-week and Friday at the end of the week to optimize the parks hours) and I don't know if I want to drive to San Diego and back on Labor Day (that's going to be a one day trip too) and there are a few things there that I have noticed aren't open on Labor Day.

I don't mind if it's crowded, just not ridiculously so. I like the idea of the Express having many different departure schedules in both directions.

 

[Sherry E]

Hi Sherry-


Thanks for the info re: The Flyer and the Express-I think we would rather do the Express for the reasons you mentioned.

I think we may attempt going on Labor Day. I don't want to go to DL on Labor Day (we'll be doing that Sunday, one day mid-week and Friday at the end of the week to optimize the parks hours) and I don't know if I want to drive to San Diego and back on Labor Day (that's going to be a one day trip too) and there are a few things there that I have noticed aren't open on Labor Day.

I don't mind if it's crowded, just not ridiculously so. I like the idea of the Express having many different departure schedules in both directions.

Sounds like a good plan! I think that the crowds kind of 'move' differently around Catalina/Avalon than they do in Disneyland or California Adventure so even when there are a lot of people visiting the island at a given point it might not be as big of a deal. At Disneyland, it's all about waiting in line for rides and attractions, staking out spots for fireworks or other shows, etc. That's when the crowds can seem ridiculous. On Catalina it is a bit different because there are so many people taking tours inside the island (going over to the other side, where Two Harbors is) or renting boats, parasailing, zip lining, taking some of the water tours, hiking, etc. So everyone kind of spreads out and doesn't necessarily stay congregated in one place.

Endy (Wendy) - who you probably saw some posts from in this thread - went to Catalina over 4th of July a couple of years ago, and she didn't seem to indicate that crowds were immensely bothersome.

Have you ordered the free Visitors Guide for 2013? I posted a link for it in the first post of this thread, although it was for an older version of the Guide. I would imagine that the link is still valid, though.

​

I wanted to mention, also, that earlier in this thread I was talking about some of the great shows that local TV personality Huell Howser did about Catalina, and that occasionally there will be a "Catalina Week" on Huell's primary public television channel out here (KCET), which features 5 or 6 of his shows about the island.

Huell, very sadly, passed away from cancer a couple of weeks ago (which is going to be a great loss for many reasons), but before he did he left his entire body of work and every single show he has ever done to Chapman University in Orange County, California. He wanted Chapman to be able to digitize all of the shows and make them available for free to everyone, for research and educational purposes.

My 3 absolute favorite Huell Howser/Catalina shows are the ones that I most want to include in this thread - the Flying Fish tour show, the Casino tour show and the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden show. And...not one of them has been digitized and loaded to Chapman's website yet! Those 3 shows really showcase some of the iconic parts/attractions of Catalina that many visitors would be interested in seeing.

From what I have been told by Huell's production company, all of Huell's shows should be turned over to Chapman in the course of the next 6 months (they only have a portion of them right now), and by the end of the year all of the episodes should be loaded.

So that means that the 3 Catalina shows I really want to share with everyone here could pop up next week...or they could pop up in December! There's no telling - it's an ongoing, laborious process.

In any case, even though these are not the shows I was specifically seeking, here are links to a few of the Catalina-related shows that Huell did that have been digitized thus far (again, these are all totally free to everyone!):

California's Gold #403 - Islands - December 1993

California's Gold #504 - Wings Over California - March 1994

California's Gold #709 - Camels and Bison - January 1996

California's Gold #6004 - Catalina Cubs - January 2004

California's Gold #9003 - Catalina Arabian Ranch - January 2007

 

[Sherry E]

Just a heads up to anyone who may be silently subscribed to or following this thread -

It was in March last year when we found out that the Catalina Express Free Birthday Boat Ride was being extended for a second year (through April 2013). Since March is almost upon us, and the current wave of free birthday boat trips is due to end on April 30th, I would expect that we should find out in the next 2 or 3 weeks if Catalina Express is going to extend the birthday promo for a 3rd consecutive year (starting in May).

When I did the free birthday trip last year (see blue link to Trip Report/Photo Report in my signature below), one of the clerks who worked in the Bay of the Seven Moons shop (which gave out free birthday trinkets) told me that the Avalon City Council and/or Catalina Visitors Bureau and/or Chamber of Commerce wanted to keep the birthday promo going and going, indefinitely. However, many of the island's vendors were not gung ho on offering up free goodies (cups of coffee, ice cream cones, etc.) for a third straight year.

So IF Catalina Express is to renew the birthday boat ride promo again, I don't know what other freebies will be available, if any.

Personally, as much as I would love to have another chance to get a free boat ride to Catalina this year, I cannot see how the Express could afford to give away another year of totally free birthday trips. They had been allowing people to claim the birthday offer more than once - in other words, the folks who claimed the offer in 2011 could claim it again in 2012! That was amazing and unexpected! But I have to think that IF they renew the promo again and begin it on May 1, there would at least be some new limitations to it, i.e., anyone who has claimed a previous offer cannot claim it again, etc. Or, perhaps they might do a free one-way trip instead of a free round trip. Who knows? I just keep thinking the previous offer was too good to be true and couldn't possibly keep going.

But...as I mentioned above, in 2 or 3 weeks we should find out what - if anything - Catalina Express has up its sleeve for this year in the way of promos. I will be sure to report on it here, and revise the thread title accordingly!

 

[Sherry E]

Hello, everyone!

As I mentioned in my previous post (from over one month ago), there was a possibility that the Catalina Express would renew the "free birthday boat ride" promotion for a 3rd consecutive year , and if they did we would probably find out about it in March.

The current free birthday boat ride ends on April 30th.

Well, a few days ago (while we were still in March) I checked the Catalina Express page on Facebook and didn't see any announcement to indicate that there would be a 3rd year of free round trip voyages to Avalon.

However...sometimes you find out information by reading posts from other people. I happened to read a comment by someone else on the Express' Facebook page, and Catalina Express replied to it by saying that, as of May 1, we will be able to start registering for our free birthday trips again!

That's right. You read correctly.

THE CATALINA EXPRESS FREE BIRTHDAY BOAT RIDE IS
BEING EXTENDED FOR A THIRD YEAR, EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2013!!!​

Apparently the Express decided to renew the offer in conjunction with the city of Avalon's 100th birthday.


So we have at least one more year (probably extending to April 30th, 2014) to enjoy a free boat ride (and the boat rides are not inexpensive, so it is actually a big deal that Catalina Express is doing this for a 3rd year) to the magical island of Catalina and the charming seaside town of Avalon for some birthday fun in the sun!

​

 

[Sherry E]

For the Avalon/Catalina fans and/or potential visitors and the foodies out there:

There is a brand new episode of Chuck's Eat the Street running on the Cooking Channel this week, and it's all about the food in Catalina! This is basically what happens in the show:

1. Chuck goes to Avalon on Catalina Island. As he walks along Crescent Avenue He gives a bit of background about the Island. He heads to Lloyd's (which is a place that is known for its salt water taffy) and learns how to make... caramel/candy apples. Why he didn't learn how to make the taffy that Lloyd's is known for is beyond me;


2. Chuck then heads to Steve's Steakhouse and learns how to make... some sort of stuffed swordfish dish! At least I think it was swordfish;


3. Chuck meets up with the lady who runs Cafe Metropole, which serves a lot of healthy Mediterranean fare. They get in a golf cart and go foraging for fennel (which grows wild in the hills). They come back to Cafe Metropole and make a fresh, healthy, fennel-ish side dish and some cole slaw!; and


4. Chuck finally ends up on the iconic Green Pleasure Pier, at what used to be called Rosie's but it now called Avalon Seafood. Chuck learns how to make... fish & chips!



So this wasn't a travel show, per se, although I caught glimpses of the Wrigley Memorial and other areas I know around Catalina. This is more a show for the foodies out there! If you like Chuck, or can at least tolerate him, check your Cooking Channel listings for Chuck's Eat the Street Catalina Island episode! There are not too many shows solely about Catalina Island or Avalon except for the travel shows done by the late Huell Howser, so it is a rare event!

 

[ksromack]

Thanks for the heads up! I found it using the online guide and it's set to record! Our Catalina excursion is still tentative...still waiting to see how my sister in law will feel that day (she's undergoing weekly infusions and has good days and bad days)...she's lived in Reseda for over 10 years and has never been!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Hi Sherry,

I just signed up, and it looks like the promotion has been extended for 2014. Does this sound right to you?

 

[usnuzuloose]

Is it for the whole year? I would love to go back to long beach for shopping. I could go the day before my birthday.

 

[Sherry E]

Mary Jo & usnuzuloose --

Welcome!

Keep in mind that I have neither checked the Catalina Express website nor the Catalina Express Facebook page since last year (so I am not sure if there have been recent developments), but this is how it worked for the last few years:

The Free birthday trip promo started in 2011, but it didn't begin until May 1st of that year. It lasted through April 30th of 2012.

On May 1, 2012, the offer was extended for a second year and it lasted through April 30th of 2013.

And, on May 1 2013, Catalina Express decided to extend the offer once more -- in honor of the 100th birthday of Avalon (Catalina's main town). So it was scheduled to last through April 30th of 2014 (which I think I indicated in the first post on page 1 of this thread, but I could be wrong).

I missed the 2011 trip (my birthday is in July), but I did the 2012 and 2013 trips. Unless it has been specified to the contrary, I didn't think the offer would be extended beyond April 30th of this year.

Mary Jo -- did you see something different, that indicated otherwise? I would love to have the chance to go in July again this year, but I figured that the offer would be over at that point.

Catalina Express usually updates its Facebook page and sends out emails about the birthday offer in March-ish, so if the offer is extended for a 4th year -- or if any other birthday offer comes along -- that would probably be the approximate time it was announced.


In any case, along with the free birthday boat ride you can also get a couple of freebies in Avalon, such as free coffee, free ice cream, a free poster, a free map or other little knick knack, etc. There is even a free meal at the Buffalo Nickel, but that is the one freebie I have not taken advantage of yet.


Anyone who hasn't visited and is interested should check out the first post on page 1, and follow the link to order the free Visitors Guide for 2014 (it's a nice, colorful magazine sort of thing).

Mary Jo -- I would have loved to appear on the podcast to talk all about Catalina in general and the free birthday offer, but you and Tom never asked me to!

​

ETA: I changed the title and just tweaked the dates in a couple of sentences in the first post. I actually updated that post when the 3rd year of the offer was announced last year, and that's the offer that extends through April of this year, but because we are now in 2014 I think it may have been throwing people off.

I also checked the Catalina Express website -- specifically the birthday promo page -- and I only saw that it is ending on April 30, 2014, which would be the end of the 3rd promo year. I didn't see anything about the offer being extended for a 4th year.

​

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Thanks, Sherry. I made a reservation for March 14, and will be going to Catalina on that day (hopefully, it won't rain). This is going to be one of my day trip segments on the podcast. I think it would be great to have you on since you've done so much research, and go there.

Now I see that it ends in April. I hope they do extend the offer. Then usnuzuloose can go, too.

I haven't been since '98, so am looking forward to the trip.

 

[Sherry E]

Mary Jo -

I have a lot of history/experience with Catalina, and have taken many trips there since 1988 (although there was a big gap in the trips in the years leading up to 2012) -- day trips, weekend trips, a full 8-day trip, Memorial Day weekend trip, a trip in the "off season" (which was October), etc. I've gone solo and with groups of people. I've literally spent days there where I did nothing but just wander aimlessly from one end of town to another, or alongside every seafront walk I could find, to soak in the scenery. I've spent other days running from tour to tour to tour, with a golf cart rental thrown in, and no time to spare. I've stayed in rental cottages, hotels, apartments, etc.

I have several tips -- one of which is to BRING CASH! While there are places in Avalon that accept plastic, a large number of vendors only take cash (such as at least one golf cart rental place)!

My recommendations:

1. Rent a golf cart from Island Rentals (closest to where your Express boat will dock) and get the "3 hours for the price of 2 hours" deal. That will allow time to park at the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden and wander around for a bit, as well as drive up in the hills, over by the Casino and through town;

2. If you get there early enough to eat breakfast and it is open, try the Pancake Cottage. It's very popular and has pretty decent food;

3. For lunch or dinner, try to get a waterside table at Antonio's Cabaret;

4. For a lovely soak-in-the-scenery walk, I suggest a stroll along the road that is adjacent to the ocean and leads to Lovers Cove (a diving spot). It is absolutely wonderful to listen to the sound of the waves and see them crashing on the rocks. That road was blocked off to visitors for a while, due to falling rocks. It's open once again, thankfully! I walk past Lovers Cove and out to a bench that I call my "Thinking Spot" (but it happens to be a spot where a bunch of noisy birds -- seagulls, pelicans, egrets, etc. -- congregate);

5. If you want to do some sort of boat tour, I'd skip the glass bottom boat and do the Sub (if it is running) instead -- you see many more fish up close. The Casino tour is good for those who like history and architecture; and

6. If you can handle sitting outside on the boat ride to the island, it is often well worth it for the frequent dolphin sightings.

I hope that usnuzuloose gets to revisit Avalon too! Frankly, I was shocked that the free birthday offer ran for 3 consecutive years, and that people who used it one year could use it again the next year and the year after that. Seeing that the regular boat fare for a round-trip ride is over $70, the fact that many folks have already gotten 3 free trips out of the deal is amazing (and not something Disneyland would do...just sayin'). It's a fantastic value...which is why I will be (happily) shocked if it is renewed one more time! Catalina Express must be losing a ton of money, but at the same time they have brought a lot of new visitors to the Island. Last year Catalina had the biggest crowds since the free birthday offer began.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Thanks, Sherry. I made a reservation for March 14, and will be going to Catalina on that day (hopefully, it won't rain). This is going to be one of my day trip segments on the podcast. I think it would be great to have you on since you've done so much research, and go there.

Now I see that it ends in April. I hope they do extend the offer. Then usnuzuloose can go, too.

I haven't been since '98, so am looking forward to the trip.

My birthday is in June. It would not let me sign up since it's beyond the date. Thank you for posting it though.

 

[Sherry E]

My birthday is in June. It would not let me sign up since it's beyond the date. Thank you for posting it though.

usnuzuloose --

Sadly, the offer has always had the April 30th end date, for each year it has run. There's no way the site will let anyone sign up for the free trip beyond that date unless the offer is renewed again.

The other thing is that there is no leeway on when to use the free birthday boat ride -- it has to be on one's actual birthday. That's why I couldn't use my 2011 offer -- I signed up for it but ended up not being able to go on that day, so I missed out. Unfortunately -- unlike certain businesses that will allow people to use their birthday offers after their birthdays (such as Earl of Sandwich!) -- this offer is a "use it or lose it" situation.

As I think I mentioned in my first post from yesterday, if the offer happens to be extended for a 4th year (and the "year" in question would run from May 1, 2014 to April 30th of 2015), we'd probably find out about it (and I would be announcing it here in this specific thread, as I've done for the last few years) in March-ish. Possibly in early April. Catalina Express would announce it on their Facebook page first, then send out emails to those on their mailing list and update their website with the date change by May 1st.

I wish they could have made it a January - December "year," which would be easier to remember and keep track of, I think. The May - April thing is throwing people off.

I don't think it was planned to extend the offer even for a 3rd year (from May 1, 2013 - April 30, 2014), despite how popular it has become but, because it was Avalon's 100th birthday, Catalina Express ran it for one more year. So I will be very shocked (and delighted) if they do it a 4th time. I keep thinking they might do some sort of modified birthday offer that isn't a completely free boat ride (like 50% off or something), but we'll see.

I was told back in 2012 that the Avalon City Council (and possibly the Catalina Chamber of Commerce too?) was really on board with this birthday promo and wanted to keep running it every single year for the immediate future -- mainly because it was bringing in so much new business to the Island (the attendance for the year reached its peak in 2013).

However, as many of the businesses on the Island are operated on a very small level, the vendors were not on board with running endless years of the offer because some of them would have to participate and give away free goodies (like the free coffee and free ice cream, free maps, posters, etc.). That means they'd lose a lot of money.

So it was assumed that even if Catalina Express decided to continue to run the birthday offer, the participating vendors would either eventually stop participating or they would not be able to give away completely free stuff (maybe just discounted items). I noticed that a couple of vendors who participated in 2011 and 2012 were not on the list of 2013 birthday freebies or discounts, or if they were the offers were much less valuable than they had been.

Still, though, even without free coffee, free ice cream, a free map and a free poster (in a cumbersome canister that barely fit in my locker), a free boat ride with a value of $70+ is an awesome deal -- which is what I have been trying to tell people on this board for the last few years! We all know that Disney would not run a free birthday offer for 3 years in a row, so this is really amazing!

 

[Sherry E]

I am very, very excited to announce that...

THE CATALINA EXPRESS FREE BIRTHDAY ROUND-TRIP BOAT RIDE OFFER
HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH THE REST OF 2014!!!!!!​

Wheeeeeeeeeeee!


I found out not from Catalina Express, but from another email I got from Jazz Trax, which hosts a Jazz Festival in Avalon in October. In their email they mentioned that the free boat rides are back for 2014. So I quickly tried to make my way to the Catalina Express Facebook page. My computer froze up. I didn't see any announcement of the renewal of the promo on their page, but I may have missed something.

So then I zoomed over to the Catalina Express website and noticed that the "April 30, 2014" deadline date had been removed from the registration page!





For the time being, I'm not sure if the free birthday offer is going to last into 2015. If Catalina Express were to renew the offer and run it the same way they have been doing for the last few years, the free boat rides would last through April 30th of 2015. All I know as of right now is that the free rides are continuing through 2014.

The current, existing promo ends on April 30, 2014 (this is the 3rd year of the offer, which began on May 1, 2013).

The FREE round-trip birthday rides will continue as of May 1, 2014 and go through at least the end of this year.

I mentioned in my above post that I had hoped that the Express would stop the May - April "years" and just run their promos from January - December because it is easier to keep track of, so perhaps that is what they're doing? Maybe they will run a new promo in January 2015?

In any case, this means that at least some of us will get a 4th chance to ride for free to Avalon (the offer began back in 2011).


I just registered on the Catalina Express website again and got my confirmation email for July! I'm so happy to be able to use the free offer a 3rd time (I had to miss it in 2011, or I would have had 4 trips out of the deal). My birthday is in the summer, which is bad for me in terms of heat (I am not a summer person at all), but it is good in terms of more activities/tours being available on the Island in the summer months.

Unfortunately my birthday is on a bad day this year. I was lucky to have weekend birthdays the last two years and now I have to deal with a Monday, which means shorter hours for the Catalina Express schedule -- I think it will cut at least 2 hours off of my trip, if not more -- but it's still free, so I will deal with it!


I was totally expecting that my birthday freebies this year would consist of:

(1) A meal at IHOP;

(2) A free drink at Starbucks;

(3) A free cupcake at Sprinkles; and

(4) A free sandwich at Earl of Sandwich -- which does not have to be claimed on my actual birthday.

Not to discount or discredit any of those other free things because I would welcome all of them, but getting a free round-trip boat ride on the Catalina Express for another year is a much better value seeing that the regular fare is over $70 -- and I will get free ice cream and free coffee when I'm in Avalon. I may even have to schlep up the steep hill and collect another free poster from the Aurora hotel (if it is being offered again).


So, anyone who has a birthday coming up this year (usnuzuloose, that means YOU!) can claim this free ride (I will update further if I find out about 2015)! Take advantage of it, because we don't know what is happening with the free boat rides as of January 2015!!!!

 

[PHXscuba]

If I can time it right I might be able to get the family there on DD14's birthday the end of June, but it's more likely we'll go in July.

I saw a Groupon deal a couple days ago for $37 for the one from Newport. Convenient location for us, but it returns at 4:30 and that really shortens the day. So I passed on it. I'll keep looking as plans firm up.

PHXscuba

 

[Sherry E]

If I can time it right I might be able to get the family there on DD14's birthday the end of June, but it's more likely we'll go in July.

I saw a Groupon deal a couple days ago for $37 for the one from Newport. Convenient location for us, but it returns at 4:30 and that really shortens the day. So I passed on it. I'll keep looking as plans firm up.

PHXscuba

Hi, PHX!

The famous yearly Entertainment book used to have some coupons for the Catalina Express in certain years, but I don't know if it still does? It's not a big discount, but better than nothing I guess.

That Groupon deal for the Catalina Flyer out of Newport pops up every once in a while -- in fact, I think that it may have been what KCmike used when he and his family visited Catalina a couple of years ago.

You've, of course, been to Catalina before so you know what's there. As a rule I never recommend the Catalina Flyer to folks unless they are planning to stay overnight on the Island, for at least a night or two -- or unless they have already been there and know exactly what they want to do and how much time they'd need to do it. It would be okay if the trip involved more than one day, in my opinion.

For the exact reason you mentioned -- the limited schedule and early return time -- it doesn't make sense to use the Flyer for most day trips because it really cuts into the time needed for certain activities. If someone wanted to rent a golf cart and do some tours, for example, those would have to be mapped out over a span of time. If someone wanted to embark on a trek over to the other side of the Island (Two Harbors), or even just into the interior to see some bison, that requires a chunk of time. Having to catch an early boat back to the mainland on the same day would not be conducive to getting that sort of thing done.

Catalina Express out of either San Pedro or Long Beach (especially Long Beach) offers much more flexibility in terms of departures and returns -- especially during the summer months -- so that adds even more value to the free birthday boat ride offer. But the fact that the birthday offer can only be used on the actual birthday (at least the trip out to Avalon has to be used on the actual day, but the return can be on any day) adds a certain limiting element to the whole adventure as well.

Now a situation could come up in which the Avalon-bound traveler is visiting Catalina for the first time and just wants to get a taste of it without committing to a full, long day of fun. Maybe he/she only wants to do one or two things and then come home. I think that's kind of where KCmike and family were coming from when they ventured there. They just wanted to get a little taste and then come home. In that situation, maybe the Catalina Flyer out of Newport would work as well, and with a Groupon discount it can be a nice, economical way to spend a few hours.

In my case -- and I think you know this about me by now, PHX -- if I am doing a day trip then I am in it for the long haul! I am on the first boat out of Long Beach in the morning, which is usually at 6:15 a.m.-ish or so. Then, I am on the last boat home at night -- which, for my last 2 day trips, has been at 9:45 p.m. or so, but will be earlier this year because it will be a Monday. I guess I feel I literally have to squeeze every minute out of that free boat ride offer and I make the most of it!

I was reading an article in the newspaper recently about a new museum that will be opening in Avalon (next year, I think?), on Metropole Avenue/Street. Considered to be part of the whole revitalization of Avalon that has been going on for a few years now, the museum is intended to draw big exhibitions and artists there, as well as crowds from the mainland to see them. There will also be new homes built, a new hotel with 100 rooms, etc.

In large part, Catalina is trying to step up to the plate and offer appealing activities to lure people away from places like Disneyland Resort, San Diego, Lake Arrowhead, etc. Some of the Catalina "purists" are afraid that tiny Avalon will lose its charm and quirky, casual, beach town-ish feel. I can see where that would be a concern, as much of Catalina's allure was/is rooted in just being a simple, no-frills, laid back place to enjoy nature.

The continuation of the offer for the free birthday boat ride on the Catalina Express is great for those of us who use it, but it is definitely drawing more attention to Avalon (which is the goal)...which will then result in more major changes and upgrades being made.

 

[PHXscuba]

Hi, PHX!

In my case -- and I think you know this about me by now, PHX -- if I am doing a day trip then I am in it for the long haul! I am on the first boat out of Long Beach in the morning, which is usually at 6:15 a.m.-ish or so. Then, I am on the last boat home at night -- which, for my last 2 day trips, has been at 9:45 p.m. or so, but will be earlier this year because it will be a Monday. I guess I feel I literally have to squeeze every minute out of that free boat ride offer and I make the most of it!

I totally agree. If I am going to spend that kind of money (even with 1 free ticket I would be paying for 3 or more fares), I am going over early and staying all day! I'd love to stay a night but I know from booking a hotel for DH etc. that many hotels have a two-night minimum during the summer, and I would need 2 rooms. Cha-ching. So one long day it is, for value.

PHXscuba

 

[zanzibar138]

This is exciting! I'm actually going to be stateside on my birthday this year, so I'll technically be able to take advantage of the birthday offer. My birthday is on a Saturday too, and I was thinking of doing something to escape the Saturday crowds at DLR, so something like this could definitely work.

Will just have to see how much extra cost it's going to add by the time we add tours etc. The zip lining, semi-sub and flying fish all sound like great fun (although the flying fish may not be going in September )! We've got more days on our DLR tickets than we actually need, so spending the day there would really not cost us anything.

How would we get to the Catalina Express from the DLR area? We won't have a car for that part of the trip.