casino tour avalon

Catalina Casino

About the Casino

Today, the casino stands on a piece of land that was known as Sugarloaf Point. This was cleared to make room to build Hotel St. Catherine. However, the hotel building was eventually constructed in Descanso Canyon instead.

Eventually, the cleared land was used to build a dance hall under the direction of William Wrigley Jr., of the chewing gum company. Wrigley Jr. named the new dance hall, Sugarloaf Casino. At one time, this building did have a casino that was short-lived. It had a ballroom and even was home to the first high school in Avalon.

Experience the stunning architecture of the Catalina Casino

The casino was demolished in 1928 and then rebuilt as a bigger building. At the time, Sugarloaf Rock was destroyed to better the view from the new Casino building. An investment of $2 million finalized the new Casino in mid-1929. The design is known as both Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival. In fact, it was the first completely circular building to be created in the modern era and received awards. The actual height of the building stands equivalent to that of a 12 story building.

There are walking tours of the Catalina Casino which are very interesting. Two of the more popular tours are Behind the Scenes tour and the Discover the Casino tour. These are offered year-round and feature discussions about the history of the casino.

Entertainment and History

Just as it has for decades, the Catalina Casino continues to offer great entertainment. It has long been a top choice for entertainment of all types from first-run movies to Broadway productions.

Restored in recent years, the ballroom still continues to maintain the style of grace and romance that recalls Avalon’s past. The ballroom features walls with rose coloring, five massive Tiffany chandeliers within the 55-foot ceiling, a raised stage, seating areas and a full-service bar.

The Avalon Theater is located on the lower level and seats 1,184 people. There are wall murals by John Gabriel Beckman giving a great art deco atmosphere. It’s a spot to catch the latest first-run film nearly any night of the week.

The Catalina Casino also is home to a number of annual events on the island. Those interested in the history and stunning architecture, can enjoy a tour of the casino.

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Discover Avalon

Quick Details

• Users Ages: All ages
• Clock Duration: 50 minutes
• Map Marker Location: Avalon
• Calendar Available: This Catalina tour operates year-round.
• Wheelchair Accessibility: Guests must be able to transfer from their chair and navigate several stairs within the vehicle.
• Heart Restrictions: This tour is available for most guests. Please see restrictions below.

Avalon Scenic Drive Tour

• Journey through the heart of Avalon and up along the foothills above town.
• Discover great ideas for places you want to visit after the Avalon tour has completed.
• Experience some of the best coastal views and scenic vistas on Catalina Island.
• Learn about classic Santa Catalina landmarks along with fascinating Catalina Island history.

*Refunds & exchanges are subject to availability. Click here to read our cancellation policy.

• Chevron down What to Expect

Discover the enchantment of Avalon on this delightful journey along the beachfront, up the hillsides, and through the heart of this friendly and historic town. This tour always receives the highest ratings for customer satisfaction and is one of the most popular things to do on Catalina Island. You’ll see picture-perfect views and colorful local attractions from the comfort of our passenger vehicle as your driver & guide shares interesting Catalina Island history and folklore. This seven-and-a-half-mile journey provides a comprehensive history of Santa Catalina Island’s only city, Avalon.

• Chevron down Restrictions

For your safety, you should be in good health & free from back problems, motion sickness, or other conditions that could be aggravated by a bus tour. Guests who are pregnant are welcome on this tour. Participants must be able to transfer to and from the vehicle (several steps up to and down from the seating area).

• Chevron down What to Bring

Wear comfortable clothes based on the season. Sunscreen & sunglasses are recommended for the warmer summer months. While a gratuity is not expected, it is always appreciated.

• Chevron down Where to Meet

Avalon Scenic Tour Island Tour Plaza Avalon, CA 90704

GET DIRECTIONS

• Chevron down FAQ

What kind of bus is used on the tour?

This tour takes place either in an open-air tram or a new touring e-bus with a built-in sound system, which makes it great for seeing the views from the island valley of Avalon.

Can I take pictures on tour?

Absolutely! Don’t forget your camera or phone. Just be cautious if you are holding your phone or camera out the open sides or windows of the bus.

Can infants & children enjoy the Discover Avalon tour?

Yes – this is a great Catalina Island tour for infants and children. It’s just under an hour in duration, it travels by scenic areas and is narrated so that everyone on the bus can hear the information. Due to the nature and speed of this bus, boosters or car seats are not required.

Do I need a reservation for the Discover Avalon tour?

Yes. While reservations are not required, they are recommended. There are a limited number spots on each tour.

Are there restrooms available on the Discover Avalon tour?

While there are no restrooms on the bus, they are available in the Island Tour Plaza. Please make sure to use them before you go on tour or plan to use them upon your return to the Plaza.

How far is the Discover Avalon tour starting point from certain areas?

Walking time to common locations:

• Cabrillo Mole Area: 7-10 minutes
• Basketball/Volleyball/Old Ben Park Area: 5-7 minutes
• Green Pleasure Pier/Island Tour Plaza: 2-3 minutes
• Casino Building: 10-15 minutes
• Descanso Beach: 15-20 minutes

Is there food provided on the Discover Avalon tour? Can I eat and drink while on tour?

Due to the brevity of this tour (50 minutes), this tour does not have any food or beverage included. To keep the bus clean, food and beverage, with the exception of bottled water, are prohibited on the tour.

How is the Discover Avalon tour different from the local city bus (Garibaldi)? Am I able to hop on and off the tour?

The Discover Avalon tour is a guided narrated tour, while the tour bus does stop at several scenic locations, guests will not be permitted to leave the vehicle.

Still have questions? Visit our FAQ page.

Related Activities

• Clock Up to 7 hours (10 AM - 5 PM)
• Users All ages

The Catalina Casino

Take a trip down memory lane, when bands were big and movies were just beginning to talk. Discover the famous Catalina Casino!

Check out videos on hundreds of California adventures

Touring the Historic Casino on Catalina Island

The island of Catalina, off the coast of Southern California, has been a popular spot for weekend adventures for over a century. The iconic building, known as the casino, is one of the island’s most well known landmarks. The casino is not a casino in the traditional sense with gambling and such, but a gathering place for people with a movie theater and one of the largest circular dances floors in the world. While it is still open for movies and events during the year, you can also tour the casino daily as well. We went for a tour on a recent trip, and I have to say it was an enjoyable experience and one I highly recommend while on the island.

• Hours: Daily at 11:45 am and 2:30 pm
• This information was from my visit in 2019
• Read about all of my favorite spots in Catalina here

Getting There

To get to the island, you have to take a boat from either Long Beach or Dana Point. Once you get to Avalon, you will be able to see the famous casino building and can walk over to it for the tour.

We got there about 15 minutes before the tour started and paid to join it. There were only three other people with us on the tour, but it was a weekday, so I am not sure if it is more popular on the weekends.

Our tour guide started the one hour tour with some history on the large murals at the front of the Casino. These panels were designed by famous artist John Gabriel Beckman.

From there, we entered into the lobby and then moved into the fantastic movie theater. This theater was immaculate with a sizeable cylindrical ceiling that helped provide amazing acoustics and that the Radio City Music Hall in New York was based on.

We got to watch a short 15 minute movie while we were in the theater on the history of it, and it was a fun way to get a better understanding of the area and to experience seeing a movie there.

From the theater, we walked up to the second floor on the slanted cement pathways that resembled what you would find in a baseball stadium (the creator was William Wrigley Jr. from Wrigley Feild).

The next stop was a visit to the famous ballroom, and it was just as impressive as you would imagine.

The 20,000 foot circular ballroom is gigantic (it is the world’s largest circular ballroom), and I have to imagine the parties in here are pretty special.

The ceiling and chandelier are also impressive with an art deco style that I spent a lot of time admiring.

For our last stop on the tour, we got to go out on the balcony and overlook the city of Avalon.

It was a fantastic last stop as the views were awe-inspiring and were worth the price of admission for me. The tour guide gave us a lot of time to take photos out here before we starting walking back down to the lobby.

This is a great tour and a fun way to experience the history of Catalina Island. I highly recommend you go on it if you are into this type of thing and let me know what you think in the comments.

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The Aval on Theatre  at the Catalina Casino

General Admission

Get an up-close look inside catalina's iconic landmark ​.

$19.50/Adult | $17.50/Child, Senior, Military

- Self-Guided Exploration

- Avalon Theatre

- Wrigley Ballroom

- Ocean Promenade

VIP Backstage Tour

Explore areas of the casino closed for over 70 years, $38.50/adult | $37.50/child, senior, military  .

- Guided Experience - Theatre Dressing Rooms

- Producer's Viewing Gallery ​- Cinema Projection Booth

- Exclusive Access!

- General Admission Included

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Avalon Theatre

One of the first movie houses built for "talkies".

Located in the lower level of the iconic Catalina Casino, the historic Avalon Theatre features a 50-foot domed ceiling that soars over the theater's 1,184 seats below, and the Art Deco murals by John Gabriel Beckman that adorn its walls create a stunning ambiance. Constructed in 1929, you’ll be amazed by the theatre's ground-breaking acoustics. 

Many events are held in the theatre throughout the year. Visitors can explore this beautiful movie palace on one of our guided and self-guided daily tours  of Catalina Casino.

The Avalon Theatre proudly presents current and classic films, and live performances. View the upcoming  entertainment schedule .

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