Photo courtesy Santa Catalina Island Company
Catalina Island’s potential as a resort destination is something that has been recognized for more than century. Back in 1894, the Santa Catalina Island Company was formed to help maximize that potential. Over the intervening 120 years, SCICo was the entity responsible for bringing a wide array of services and facilities to Catalina Island.
Today, the Santa Catalina Island Company is Avalon’s largest landowner as well as its premier resort services company. Several dramatic new improvements are due to investment by the company, starting with the zipline in Descanso Canyon, which opened to rave reviews about five years ago and has been met with on-going popularity ever since. The zipline is far from SCICo’s only adventure, it also offers 25 additional adventures on both land and sea, including a semi-sub tour, dolphin quest and the Cape Canyon Expedition.
Adventure is one side of the Catalina Island coin – relaxation is another. The Santa Catalina Island Company also manages the Descanso Beach Club, the perfect spot to relax and unwind. The Catalina Casino, Catalina Visitors Golf Course, the Avalon Grille, the Catalina Country Club and the Catalina Golf Gardens are just a few more popular island destinations under SCICo’s purview.
Recently that Santa Catalina Island Company has begun a series of improvements that it hopes will lay the foundation for the next 100 years of resort services, including building a new spa, expanding the services at the Descanso Beach Club and planning for an expansion of the existing nine-hole golf course to an 18-hole course.