Once you leave the waterfront, there’s a whole side of Catalina waiting to be discovered.
Ask most first-time visitors what they did during their trip to Catalina Island, and many will describe a familiar itinerary. They spent time strolling Crescent Avenue, visited the iconic Catalina Casino, enjoyed lunch overlooking Avalon Harbor and perhaps rented a golf cart before catching the ferry back to the mainland.
While those experiences have become Catalina staples, the team at Catalina Taxi & Tours believes some of the island’s most unforgettable adventures begin after leaving the waterfront behind.
Beyond the shops and restaurants of Avalon lies a very different side of Catalina. Nearly 90 percent of the island remains undeveloped, offering sweeping mountaintop vistas, secluded beaches, roaming bison, bald eagles and miles of rugged backcountry that most visitors never have the opportunity to see without local transportation or a guided excursion.
For decades, Catalina Taxi & Tours has helped introduce visitors to that hidden landscape. Whether transporting campers into the island’s interior, providing taxi service throughout Avalon or leading customized four-wheel-drive adventures, the company gives guests access to places that many don’t realize exist.
Today, those experiences begin at Catalina’s Adventure HQ, the company’s new home base located at 1202 Avalon Canyon Road. Sherri Cline, who represents Catalina Taxi & Tours, said the facility was designed to simplify the planning process while giving visitors a central location to prepare for their island adventure.
“Catalina Taxi & Tours now operates out of Catalina’s Adventure HQ, Avalon’s new basecamp for adventure,” Cline said. “The location gives guests one place to plan, gear up and launch a backcountry adventure instead of piecing it together across town. Visitors can book a tour, grab last-minute gear or a souvenir, and hang out in the outdoor social space where we have cornhole and lawn games. Within the Adventure HQ ecosystem, Catalina Taxi & Tours is what gets people out of Avalon and experiencing the rest of the island.”
The facility serves as more than just a transportation hub. Along with housing Catalina Taxi & Tours, Adventure HQ is also home to a new location for Catalina Divers Supply, creating what Cline describes as a convenient land-and-sea basecamp for visitors.
“A guest can rent dive or snorkel gear and book an interior tour, taxi or shuttle in the same stop,” she said. “The two businesses are built to work together: dive in the kelp forests at Casino Point in the morning, then head into the interior with Catalina Taxi & Tours in the afternoon. Adventure HQ is the hub that makes that kind of full-island day easy to plan.”
While many visitors associate Catalina Taxi & Tours with transportation around Avalon, Cline said the company actually offers several different services designed to meet a variety of needs.
The taxi and shuttle services provide convenient point-to-point transportation for visitors traveling throughout Avalon or heading to destinations such as the airport, Black Jack Campground or Two Harbors. Guided tours, however, offer a completely different experience.
“The tour side is a curated experience in the interior with a guide, built around exploring Catalina’s terrain, history and the views you can’t reach on foot or by road bike,” Cline explained. “That includes signature offerings like Toast Catalina, which features private wine and charcuterie at a scenic overlook, and the Picnic Tour. Guides are there to narrate and shape the experience, not just drive.”
Although several of the company’s signature tours follow established routes, visitors also have opportunities to personalize their experience.
According to Cline, private groups can often request specific stops, adjust the pace of their tour or tailor the experience around photography, Catalina history or favorite viewpoints, depending on guide availability and road access. The company also offers fully customized private tours, allowing guests to design their own itinerary through Catalina’s backcountry.
That flexibility has also made Catalina Taxi & Tours a popular choice for special occasions.
“Toast Catalina is designed specifically for scenic, private moments such as sunset outings, proposals, anniversaries and small celebrations at an overlook away from the crowds,” Cline said. “Private excursions can also be tailored around the occasion, timing, location and pacing. All of our tours are private, rather than dropping guests into a standard group tour.”
As Catalina Taxi & Tours continues to grow, the company is also expanding the types of experiences it offers.
Cline said Adventure HQ has created opportunities to introduce new outdoor activities, including guided hikes through Catalina’s interior. She also said the company is partnering with Catalina Divers Supply to develop private snorkeling excursions to some of the island’s more remote backside beaches, allowing visitors to experience Catalina from both land and sea.
“We’re looking forward to offering new ways for people to experience Catalina Island,” Cline said. “Two new adventures we are planning are guided hikes from Catalina Adventure HQ and a partnership with Catalina Divers Supply that will allow for snorkeling from some of the remote beaches on the backside of the island.”
For boaters making the crossing from the mainland, Avalon Harbor may be where the adventure begins, but it doesn’t have to be where it ends. Beyond the waterfront lies an island that many visitors never see, where winding backcountry roads, panoramic overlooks and secluded beaches offer a completely different perspective on Catalina. With local guides leading the way, Catalina Taxi & Tours is helping visitors discover that some of the island’s best memories are waiting well beyond the harbor.
