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On a whim, we decided to check out Catalina Island's city of Avalon one afternoon this past weekend. It was a first for us (okay, for me) and upon returning to the mainland and talking to others, we found that Angelenos really don't take advantage of the resort island and all that it has to offer including hiking, bed and breakfasts, seeing historical sites (hey, the Cubs did spring training here back in the day!), parasaiing, scuba diving, whale watching, beach going, relaxation, etc. In fact, many natives to Southern California we spoke to admitted they had never been to the 76 square mile sized island.
It's like a staycation (tip, it's currently off season right now), except with the added expense ($65 roundtrip) for a one hour, 22-mile boat ride from the port areas of Los Angeles and Long Beach (a little more from Marina Del Rey). We enjoyed our short afternoon there and are looking forward to exploring and sharing the island--especially the outdoors aspect-more in depth at a future point.
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The hiking is really great on Catalina. Haven't been over in several years, but agree that it's an excellent little local get-away.
There used to be a slower boat ride (prob still around) that was cheaper. Takes twice as long if not mistaken, but if you want to save some $, that would be a good option.
Bike rentals are pretty cheap in Avalon and are a fun, inexpensive way to get around and see most of it.
The botanical garden is cool too, but is a bit of walk if you don't have any transportation.
Avalon is nice but gets old after a single afternoon - once you've seen it, you've seen it. The real joy of Catalina is exploring the rest of the island, either on foot or preferably by kayak. Reserve a spot at one of the primitive boat-in campgrounds, rent a couple boats from Descanso Beach Ocean Sports, and spend a fantastic weekend paddling around huge sea cliffs, caves, watching seals and bright orange garbaldi in the super clear water, and then camp out on the beach. This is the perfect time to go as the campgrounds and motor boat traffic is pretty quiet this time of year.