From the casino radiates a classic promenade of palm trees that leads north to Descanso Beach with its neat lines of beach tents right out of a ‘30’s movie or south toward town with its mix of small ‘50’s bungalow homes and art deco facade bars and restaurants. (who purchased the island in 1919) it never served as a casino but rather a massive dance hall with Big Band entertainment and an equally grand movie theatre - the first in the world to show ‘talkies’. The Casino that dominates the harbor sets the art deco tone and was built in 1929. Avalon, at Catalina harbor has that pull that not only wants to take you beneath it’s crystal clear water but also a very persuasive tug toward its past.
I can’t speak for you, but there are moments when I feel like stepping back in time and I don’t mean a decade or two, I mean nearly a century.
