Who’s to blame, Julius Caesar or Pope Gregory XIII? Or maybe the question is, Who’s to thank? Both the Julian Calendar and Gregorian Calendar have leap years built in, but the pope’s method ended up more accurate than the emperor’s.
Either way, it’s an extra 24 hours in February. Now, what to do with it?
How about a weekend getaway to somewhere somewhat local, yet totally different in style and feel? Or what about staying in Pacific Beach, but with a different perspective? Let’s check out some options.
CATALINA ISLAND
Catalina is a rocky island off the coast of Southern California in the Gulf of Santa Catalina of about 75 square miles and 29 miles south, southwest of Long Beach. Its history didn’t get interesting until the 1920s when chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr. bought a controlling interest in the Santa Catalina Island Co. Wrigley invested in infrastructure and attractions, including the construction of the Catalina Casino, which opened on May 29, 1929. Then the fun started.
Celebrities, movies (“Treasure Island,” “The Ten Commandments,” and “Ben Hur” were shot there), and the captains of industry all made the island the place to be and be seen. The famous buffalo herd, which still roams the hills and valleys, was brought to the island in 1924 for the filming of “The Vanishing American.” Even Wrigley’s Chicago Cubs spent spring training on the island from 1921 to 1951.
The rich and famous still visit (Zooey Deschanel, Rob Lowe, and Taylor Swift recently), and the landscape still doubles as exotic locales for TV shows and movies, but for most people, the island is a relaxing getaway from the grind of everyday routines. The one city, Avalon, perched on Avalon Harbor (go figure), is a small, quiet walkable town (look both ways for golf carts) filled with charming shops and wonderful views. Sold? Let’s go already.
CATALINA EXPRESS
The easiest way to get there is on the Catalina Express. From San Diego, head north up I-5 for about an hour to Dana Point Harbor, buy tickets, and board for the 9:30 a.m. trip. Catalina Express is the fastest, safest, most frequent, and comfortable form of transportation to Catalina Island. The company operates a fleet of high-speed, high-tech vessels providing up to 30 departures daily year-round, with scheduled passenger service to Avalon and Two Harbors on Catalina Island from San Pedro, Long Beach, and Dana Point.
Founded in 1981 as a commuter service for island residents, Catalina Express now operates eight vessels and carries more than one million passengers annually. The boats offer a spacious main deck with comfortable seating, large windows, and a small galley with drinks and snacks. The upper deck upgrade features a Commodore Lounge offering priority boarding with beverage and snack service included. The ride from Dana Point usually takes about 90 minutes.
BELLANCA HOTEL
You arrive at the dock with the beautiful Avalon Harbor glimmering in the sun and say to yourself, “I made the right choice.” Now let’s get situated. Stroll down Crescent Avenue to Marilla Avenue (about 10 minutes) and the luxurious Bellanca Hotel is ready to accommodate. A big comfy bed, a sunken tub, a harbor view deck, and the best feature, a fireplace for cool evenings and warm, romantic hearts.
Bellanca (which translates to “beautiful”) re-opened in 2020 after undergoing a nearly $4 million transformation and was inspired by the location’s natural beauty and meant to showcase a contemporary, nautical-inspired oasis. The color palette reflects the blue harbor view, morning seafoam mist, and rich green kelp forests. The two-story 19,800 square foot hotel features 40 rooms, cabanas, and suites.
The hotel is home to Naughty Fox, a modern beach bar serving coastal cuisine. The restaurant’s outdoor seating looks out onto Avalon Harbor with the Catalina Island Yacht Club and iconic Catalina Casino to the north. It’s a great spot for coffee and breakfast (order the frittata), and then after a day of adventures – and there are plenty from bison tours to hiking to zip lining – settle back at Bellanca and fill your appetite with delightful dishes like hummus and naan bread (the hummus is divine), blackened shrimp over rice, and plump burgers served with papas bravas. For drinks, there is a full bar for cocktails and cold beers. They make a mean old-fashioned.
ADVENTURES
A fun way to get the lay of the land is with an e-bike tour. Walk down to Pebbly Beach Road and rent e-bikes from Brown’s Bikes for a self-guided 4-hour tour. Head south down Pebbly past Lovers Cove, take a right at the power plant and up Wrigley Road to the harbor overlook, and then continue – follow the scenic road signs, which will eventually bring riders past the golf course, zip lines, and Chimes Tower before descending back to Crescent Avenue. It’s a fun
ride and there is also a pet cemetery to check out if you’re into that sort of thing.
One of the most popular tours is of Catalina Casino, and it’s worth it. Enter the building and time-travel to the 1930s. The most photographed building on the island opened in 1929 at a cost of $2 million. Apparently, 10,000 revelers took the steamer to celebrate Wrigley’s 12-story achievement.
Its design is in the Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival styles. The movie theater, with a seating capacity of 1,154, was the first to be designed specifically for films with sound. Cecil B. DeMille, Louis B. Mayer, and Samuel Goldwyn would preview their newest cinema productions there. The theater’s interior walls retain the original Art Deco murals by John Gabriel Beckman.
The upper level houses the 20,000-square-foot Catalina Casino Ballroom. It is the world’s largest circular ballroom, with a 180-foot diameter dance floor that can accommodate 3,000 dancers. French doors encircle the room connecting the dance floor with the Romance Promenade, an open balcony that runs around the building. The ballroom played host to dozens of big bands through the 1930s and 1940s such as Glenn Miller, Harry James, and Kay Kyser.
The ballroom is still active and rented out for weddings, anniversaries, and other special occasions. And while the theater no longer shows first-run movies, it does screen special movie nights.
STAYCATION
Not in the mood to leave San Diego for your additional day in February? That’s fine. There are plenty of options for a staycation where you can be pampered with breakfast in bed, dine on gourmet entrées, and watch the sunset over Crystal Pier from a private deck.
Well, that last one would be only one place, Tower23 Hotel in Pacific Beach.
TOWER23 HOTEL
Tower23, nestled right up to the boardwalk at Felspar Street overlooking Crystal Pier, is a luxury, beachfront lifestyle resort and one of California’s most stylish and contemporary urban retreats. Deriving its name from lifeguard tower 23 positioned on Pacific Beach, the hotel’s distinctive architecture and style create a cool haven for guests to enjoy a staycation or destination vacation.
The resort features airy bright rooms with views of the ocean. Check-in and receive valet parking, two drinks at the huge ocean-view bar (order a whiskey sour, it’s delish), room service, use of a private deck with lounge chairs overlooking the boardwalk and pier, and complimentary cruiser bikes to explore the vibrant community. It’s a good time to visit as the hotel offers a Leap Year flash sale of 29% off a two-night stay from Feb. 29 through June 15 – limited inventory every night, some blackout days apply.
Tower23 was named one of the Top 25 Hotels on the Water in the US by TripAdvisor in 2022 and was recently voted among the Best Hotels in San Diego by TimeOut.
JRDN
The shiny pearl at Tower23 is its award-winning restaurant JRDN. The upscale eatery features 10,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor ocean-view dining. In addition to an ultra-lounge and jewel box sushi bar and service, JDRN’s private dining room features teak wood, dramatic lighting, and a 1,000-bottle wine wall – an intimate setting for any occasion. The Wine Room’s
adjacent Sunset Patio, with fire and water elements, commands one of the most breathtaking views of the beach. JRDN’s recent accolades include Wine Spectator’s 2022 Award of Excellence.
Chef Jerry Ranson taps into the flavor of the season by working with local purveyors to create a dynamic menu that creatively reflects JRDN’s seaside locale. Bringing his Zen ethos to the kitchen, you can expect a laid-back dining experience while concurrently dazzling dinners with inventive items that pack a culinary punch. Try the steamed mussels, sweet potato gnocchi, and Wagyu burger while watching the boardwalk traffic and the lovely sunset.
CATALINA EXPRESS
Where: 34675 Golden Lantern Drive, Dana Point.
Información: catalinaexpress.com, 800-613-1212.
BELLANCA HOTEL
Where: 111 Crescent Ave., Avalon.
Información: bellancahotel.com, 310-510-0555.
NAUGHTY FOX
Where: 111 Crescent Ave., Avalon.
Información: bellancahotel.com/the-naughty-fox/.
BROWN’S BIKES
Where: 107 Pebbly Beach Road, Avalon.
Información: catalinabiking.com, 310-510-0986.
CATALINA ISLAND
Información: visitcatalinaisland.com.
TOWER23 HOTEL
Where: 723 Felspar St.
Información: t23hotel.com, 858-270-2323.
Promotion: A Leap Year flash sale of 29% off a two-night stay from Feb. 29 through June 15 – limited inventory every night, some blackout days apply.
Wine tasting: Frog’s Leap Year Tasting, held by Kristy Byrd of Frog’s Leap Winery on Thursday, Feb. 29, 6 p.m. tasting, 8 p.m. reception with light bites, guided tasting of seven wines from past Leap Years, $135 per guest inclusive of tax and gratuity.
