Santa Catalina Island lies off the Los Angeles coast, with the charming harbor town of Avalon, the iconic Catalina Casino, snorkeling, kayaking and a wild interior of trails. Most hotels are small and in Avalon, so booking midweek and outside summer saves the most.
Finding cheap rooms in Catalina Island is easier when you know where to look. We compare live hotel rates across the top booking sites and point you to the neighborhoods where hotels are cheap but the location is still great.
Rooms come in more shapes than hotels — in Catalina Island you can also compare apartments with kitchens, vacation rentals for families, B&Bs and budget hostels in one search.
Avalon is a port of call on many cruises from Southern California, and year-round passenger ferries connect the island with the mainland.
Hotels along the bay, steps from the beaches, restaurants and ferry landing.
Quieter inns up the hill with harbor views, often a little cheaper.
A remote village on the isthmus with very limited lodging and camping.
A mainland base for early ferries, with many more hotel choices.
Zoom and pan the map to compare hotel prices by neighborhood; rates come live from the booking sites.
Late spring and early fall are ideal; summer weekends and holidays are busiest and priciest, and winter midweek stays bring deals.
By passenger ferry from mainland ports such as Long Beach, San Pedro and Dana Point, or by helicopter.
Most hotels are in Avalon, which is compact and walkable.
Midweek outside summer and holidays; weekend and summer rates are much higher.