‘Best of Winter' Deals Are Now Sailing for Catalina Island

AVALON UPLIFT-A-TUDE: It's true that Catalina Island has several sublime and sunshiny spots for a cool sip and warm chat, and pretty places for plunking down on the sand for an hour or two, and so many vintage charms, including that crowning example of ultra vintage charmingness, the iconic Casino building. But the extremely fine feeling in the air, something you might merrily refer to as Avalon Uplift-a-tude, can be found throughout the little island's biggest town, a sense that everything has become both easier and breezier. And breezy, easy times continue throughout the calendar on Catalina, which finds a number of nice ways to embrace winter's cooler days. If you're eager to soak in some of that bright and crisp sunshine while basking on a beach or at a local café, be chuffed: The popular "Best of Winter" promotion has begun, giving travelers the chance to hop aboard a Catalina Express trip and enjoy slumbering at an island hotel while saving money.

CATALINA EXPRESS... revealed the 2022-2023 winter details just ahead of the season's official start, and there are a number of participating inns to ponder, so perusing all before you book is key. But this isn't a chore in the least: You can begin dreaming about your stay at the Aurora Hotel, Hotel Vista del Mar, Catalina Canyon Inn, Mt. Ada, or Bellanca Hotel. Each hotel has its own perks and pleasures — Bellanca Hotel will have a bottle of sparkling wine to welcome guests who book that package, for example — but keeping "midweek" in mind as you decide is important, for these offers are very much about tempting travelers eager to enjoy an Avalon adventure outside of the window of the weekend. Round-trip passage on the Catalina Express for two people is the common denominator, which you might expect, given that the company is at the helm of these limited-time deals. Ready to winter-it-up at SoCal's 22-miles-across-the-sea play place? Start here.