Catalina

In the 1930s and 1940s Catalina, just 22 miles from Los Angeles, was a romantic getaway for couples who ferried to Avalon for an evening of dancing to big bands in the harborside Art-Deco Grand Casino Ballroom. And by Southern California standards, remarkably little has changed since then. Today's ferries are faster, but the small village of Avalon, surrounded by an amphitheater-like backdrop of steep hills, has never outgrown its charm. There are still the tight clusters of quaint old cottages on the handful of streets; the beachfront shops and restaurants; and the landmark Chimes Tower, which has sounded every 15 minutes since 1925. Perhaps it's not surprising that most visitors never leave Avalon's congenial confines. Many of those who do, catch the ferry for the 90-minute trip to the little village of Two Harbors, also know as the Isthmus. Even kids can make the short walk from Two Harbors to the surf-lashed west coast, and a trip to the island's rugged interior is a step back in time. You can hike or bike your way across the hills (solo mountain bikers need a $50 annual permit; family passes cost $75) and see wildlife that ranges from deer to bison. But after the day's activities, an evening stroll along the waterfront, with the lights shining on Avalon Bay, is still the most romantic of Catalina moments.