Santa Catalina Island : California

Santa Catalina is an island some 22 miles southwest of Los Angeles. The population is small - just over 4,000 - because almost 90% of the island is reserved as a conservancy. There are only tow towns: Avalon and Two Harbors. There was once a gold rush on the island. Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. fell in love with the island and helped to develop its infrastructure. He built a casino and moved Chicago Cubs spring training here.  It is difficult to live on the island because there is so little land available for development, along with being very expensive. However it is quite beautiful with mountains rising over 2,000 ft. above sea level.  Actress Natalie Wood drowned in the waters near the settlement of Two Harbors under questionable circumstances over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 1981. Photo from the air courtesy of Wikipedia and NASA, in the public domain; photo of Catalina Island Interior courtesy of Wikipedia and D Ramey Logan, Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0/

There are very few places to live on the island since so much of it is protected. Most people live in Avalon, although there is some development in Rancho Escondido and Middle Ranch. City-Data reports the median price of a home to be well over $500,000,  which makes things difficult for the tourist and hospitality workers who live here.

It is a beautiful island that tourists love to visit.  The temperature is moderate throughout the year since it is located in the Pacific Ocean.

It is hard to get to, there are few places to live (and those are expensive), and there is not much happening here except nature and tourism. It has been hit by tsunamis.

People who love nature and living on an island.

Tourism.

This is one of the Channel Islands. It is 22 miles long by 8 miles wide, and is 22 miles south southwest of Los Angeles.  The average temp is in the mid 50s in January and 70 in July. There is very little rain except in winter.

There is not much culture in Santa Catalina.  But there are restaurants, since tourists have to eat somewhere.