Two-Wheeling It on Catalina Island

Rolling around Avalon? Going more adventurous? Yes to both!

GOLF CART CULTURE: Many a place is associated with how visitors get around. The jitneys of the Hamptons are famous, as are the surreys of Solvang and the trams of Yosemite. And of course the sweet mules of the Grand Canyon are pretty dang loved, though it is hard to group them with other modes of vehicular transport, given that they're living, breathing wonders (though they're awfully efficient, too, as a way to get from the top of the canyon to the bottom). So what's Catalina Island's go-to method of getting around? Yep, the flying fishing boats and the glass-bottom boats are two popular icons, as are those cab-fronted buses that take the high hills of the interior oh so deftly. All that said, many people tend to think golf carts first, because they're so ubiquitous. But bikes are up there as an excellent way to toodle around the island, both of the standard and tandem sort, and the more adventurous pedals, too.

RENTING YOUR WHEELS: The island's Chamber of Commerce features several companies that put day visitors and overnighters on the roll. There are bike tours, yep, and ways to go on your own. And, of course, there are ways to book beach cruisers, too. What? You're going to go back to the mainland and tell your cubicle mates you skipped the beach cruiser? Please. Don't even entertain that thought.

HELI-BIKING PACKAGE: To go a bit above and beyond -- literally, above -- there's a new Heli-Biking Deal that whisks visitors to Two Harbors. That's the "heli" part, and the "biking" part? You and your bikes'll be dropped off at the pretty ocean-snug location. And then it is off to explore dirt paths, both near the coast and into the island itself. This one, as you might expect, needs to be booked ahead of time.

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