Bald Eagle Habitat, Airport-in-the Sky & Cape Canyon

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

If you like to combine natural history, ecology and outdoor adventure with your sightseeing experiences, then this is the tour for you! Venture far from the quiet, resort atmosphere of Avalon Harbor during this four-hour, guided adventure into the island's rugged interior - in an open-air jeep!

Begin your adventure at the Island Tour Plaza just a short walk from your pier, where you will be greeted by a friendly guide/driver. Then step aboard your jeep and embark on an exhilarating drive that has you climbing along winding roads that offer views of Avalon Harbor, filled with colorful sailboats and yachts bobbing to the rhythm of the ocean currents.
Isolated coves, pristine beaches, rolling hillsides and broad valleys dotted with wild bison and boar beckon you as you make your way deep into the island. Your knowledgable naturalist guide will point out these highlights as well as the native plants and animals that make Catalina so unique.

Your destination is Middle Ranch, headquarters of the Catalina Island Conservancy which is dedicated to the conservation and preservation of Catalina Island. Also located here: the James H. Ackerman Native Plant Nursery, established to provide plant and seed material for the island's re-vegetation needs.

Have your cameras at the ready, because Middle Ranch Canyon is also a bald eagle and Catalina fox habitat! Step out of your jeep and watch for movement in the scrub. It just might be the endangered Catalina Island fox! A resident on the Island for 4,000 years, the conservancy protects Catalina's endemic fox through captive breeding, vaccinating against canine distemper, and population monitoring.

You'll also want to glance skyward for a chance to glimpse one of Catalina's majestic bald eagles circling overhead.
Back in your jeep, you'll traverse the island from Middle Ranch to Cape Canyon where panoramic vistas greet you! Enjoy a photo stop at an overlook here between two of the highest points on the island.

Then up, up you go, as your jeep takes you to the 1,602-foot-tall mountaintop at the island's center that is the site of Catalina's only airport. Aptly named "Airport In The Sky," its 3,250-foot runway was constructed here in the 1940's because there was no other location on the island flat enough for plane landings!

Want to get an idea of the places you've visited? Take a look at the three-dimensional diorama of the island that is on exhibit here. There is also an educational exhibit about the various peoples that have inhabited the island over the years.

Take a break to sit and relax at the airport restaurant where you can enjoy a delicious lunch on your own that includes (if you choose) the island's signature buffalo burger! Then spend some time browsing the gift shop for souvenirs of your island adventure (including collectible glazed tile in the style of the famed Catalina Pottery) prior to re-boarding your jeep for a scenic drive back to Avalon and your Princess ship.

Special Notes:

Interior roads may be rough, rugged and dusty. This tour is not recommended for pregnant women or persons with bad backs, necks or knees.

Child Price:

12 years & under only