Quote:
Originally Posted by Steely Dan
as for LA's islands, it's always been a bit surprising to me how low they seem to fly on the radar screen, at least out here in flyover country.
other than "the freaking catalina wine mixer" i never hear anything about them, which seems a bit odd because they look pretty awesome and the US pacific coast is relatively sparse with offshore islands of decent size.
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Catalina flies under the radar locally as well, and there are several reasons for this. One, it doesn’t boast the natural beauty of, say, Capri (Italy) with the majestic cliffs and bluffs (of course, Catalina has bluffs), nor is it as commercial/developed with vacation homes for the rich, and by extension, AirBnb. But the appeal of Catalina is that it’s mostly unspoiled by human settlement; it’s mostly about about hiking, camping, and wildlife.
Accessibility is also a factor, as the Catalina Island Express only operates out of San Pedro, Long Beach, and Dana Point. If there was a route out of Marina Del Rey, perhaps it would be more integrated into the cultural fabric.
The real nice islands are part of the Channel Islands National Park, which include Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Islands. Unfortunately, we can only lay claim to Anacapa (as it’s Ventura County, part of the LA CSA). The other three belong to Santa Barbara County. I consider them to be California’s best-kept secret.