• Introduction
• 1. Aspen
• 2. Avalon
• 3. Fire Island
• 4. Little St. Simons Island
• 5. Lopez Island
• 6. Mackinac Island
• 7. Monhegan Island
• 8. Nags Head
• 9. Nantucket
• 10. South Padre Island

Avalon

Though its heyday as a stomping ground for movie stars passed with Hollywood’s golden age, Catalina Island, 22 miles off the coast of Long Beach, California, is still an idyllic seaside escape with a year-round Mediterranean climate (and no freeways!). Avalon, the only real city on this 75-square-mile isle, is a postcard-perfect place where the mode of transport is by golf cart rather than car (it’s the only city in California authorized to regulate the number and size of vehicles on its streets). Most restaurants, shops, and attractions are within walking distance. Check out the Art Deco mermaid murals adorning the grand 1920s circular dance hall known as the Casino – then sprout your own fins and scuba dive in the crystal-clear Pacific. Inland, you'll discover indigenous foxes, bald eagles, and the modern-day offspring of a bison herd brought to the island for a silent-screen-era movie shoot. 

See Aruba Travel Guide | See Barbados Travel Guide | See St. Lucia Travel Guide | See Puerto Rico Travel Guide | See Turks and Caicos Travel Guide | See Key West Travel Guide | See Puerto Vallarta Travel Guide | See Cabo San Lucas Travel Guide | See Oahu Travel Guide | See St. Martin Travel Guide