-
We love catching pics of our guests on tour. We post these on a fairly regular schedule to our Facebook Page. You can save and share them from Facebook for free! Because of the volume of guests we host on tour, we are unable to email them to you directly. Our goal is to post your pics within 5-7 days of the completion of your tour. Yes – it is perfectly acceptable to make your friends and family jealous of your time on Catalina Island.
-
We highly recommend you take the tour at the beginning of your visit to Catalina Island. Our guests have found taking the tour on their first day helps them plan meals for the rest of their trip and determines places they want to return to so they might explore on their own.
-
We do our best to work with our vendors to accommodate everyone on this tour. We can provide alternatives for guests with the following allergies and aversions:
- No alcohol
- No beef
- No dairy
- No fish
- Gluten free
- No nuts
- Pescatarian
- No pork
- No poultry
- No seafood
- Shellfish allergy
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Wheat free
*If you and/or anyone in your party has an allergy or aversion, please let us know ahead of time by selecting the appropriate check boxes when you make your purchase.
For those of you with food aversions (not medical food requirements), we will, of course, work with you. However, all of our locations are serving their specialty dishes, so if you are able to check your diet at the door for a few hours, that would be great!
-
We do not provide a waiting list. If a date and time is sold out, there is always a good chance that we will add an additional tour on that day. Please contact us to let us know what date you are interested in if you do not see availability.
-
We ask that you wait to shop until after the tour has concluded; 16 guests trying to shop and stay on schedule would be quite like herding cats… We will make sure to point out some of the best spots to return to upon conclusion of your time with us.
-
Yes. All guests must purchase a ticket whether they plan to partake in the food tastings or not. Non-paying individuals will not be able to join the tour for any reason(s). The ticket fees help cover the costs of all the food samplings and also pay for your tour guide’s wages. This isn’t just a food tour. Our guides are also offering valuable commentary on historical, cultural, and restaurant information during this experience.
-
Yes! Tours often sell out, and due to time-sensitive food and drink orders, we need a head count. Remember, if you have a set date you desire, book even further in advance! You’ll be glad you did! You can purchase tickets online with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.
If a tour is sold out on a date you are interested in, look to see if there is another time offered, and if there isn’t, please email us. Our friendly support staff will respond as soon as possible. If you want to join the tour (eating, drinking, or not), you need a ticket. Get ready to taste Catalina!
Simply click the BOOK NOW button, or call (310) 961-3730 to book tickets now.
-
We dine rain or shine! If the forecast is for rain, wear a hoodie or bring an umbrella. We will have umbrellas available for your use, should rain be imminent.
Here are some fun facts: On average, there are 278 sunny days per year in Avalon, CA. Avalon gets only 12 inches of rain per year, if we’re lucky. The July high is around 75 degrees. The January low can get down to low 50s; however, Catalina is known to have wonderful warmth in January when everyone else is freezing…
As far as dress code, there is none! Wear flip flops or sneakers, but always carry a sweater or sweatshirt as it gets breezy, unless the forecast is for high 80s and up! Whatever floats your boat!
-
Locals who have joined us on tour have told us they learned something new – every time. Feedback of this nature has come from people who have made Avalon their lifelong home. This is a great tour to bring visiting family members on or to take for a fun day-off date or team-building lunch.
We’re happy to offer private tours for locals as well and will be bringing back our Santa Happy Hour Tour in the holiday season, which was first requested by locals who wanted to have a fun night out together. Also, keep our Tasty Blog in your daily reading to be up-to-date on upcoming dining specials, food events, and local happenings in the food world and beyond.
-
Our first restaurant is located up 15 stairs (situated in a fairly narrow hallway with two sturdy handrails). If you can’t physically access the stairs, no worries – we’ll be happy to bring that first tasting directly to you downstairs. Other than that, our tour travels on all flat surfaces! We’d love for everyone to able to join, so you make the call! We walk less than a mile over a three-hour period of time. We’ll have plenty of stops where we sit while eating, and all locations have restrooms available.
-
All taste and drink locations are listed on the individual tour pages. All offerings and server/bartender gratuities at each establishment are included in the overall ticket price. People who like to have a good time take this tour. You should expect to be entertained by our fabulous tour guides who will brighten your afternoon with fun facts regarding our town’s history and culture while you indulge in deliciously delightful fare and mingle with a hodgepodge of people over a variety of beverages.
Conversely, if your family and/or friends describe you as a “picky eater,” a PITA (pain in the a**), or a “Negative Nelly,” then Catalina Food Tours are not likely to meet your expectations of a time well had. While we’re at it, we don’t speak “Stuck-Up Foodie.”
-
Parking is available on Catalina Avenue, Sumner Avenue, and Descanso Avenue. Please read all signage in the parking areas – the closer you are to the beach, the more limited the parking time (generally under an hour). Park toward the upper half of the street to steer clear of tickets.
-
Sitter, anyone? Catalina Food Tours are for those interested in great food, island history, and culture.
Tours may be suitable for teens on the mature side who can enjoy “grown up” food while absorbing interesting facts about the island. Since the tour is three hours long, there is a lot of standing and walking; some children have a limited attention span and therefore the tour may not be appropriate for them. Everyone over the age of 1 must have a ticket.
As far as woogies, sorry, the Health Department doesn’t allow pets on board our tours.
-
Why, yes! To set one up or learn more, please visit our Private Tours page and submit a Private Group Tour Request Form. We will respond within 24-72 hours. We love getting a group of like-minded, ready-to-roll, and up-for-anything people together for their own tour! This is also a great option for guests who would like to practice social distancing and only be on tour with their family group.
-
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled tour time so you can check in and get the best seat in the house at our first venue! No good question goes unpunished! Remember this is Catalina Food Tours, not All You Can Eat Catalina. You can look forward to being reasonably full, which satisfies most foodies on our tours! Unless you are a vacuum, you can expect to be well satisfied after indulging with all of us fellow food lovers! As far as alcohol, there are a few tastings where alcohol is involved… YAY! (ID required) For those of you “on the wagon,” we have substitutes.
-
The cost of living in Avalon is pretty high – we typically have gas prices around $7 per gallon! A gallon of milk is around $5 (if you want organic, it’s nearly $7).
We support our local businesses by paying for every drink, taste, and server gratuity that is offered on the tour. We’re lucky to live on an island; however, each food item or drink item we offer has to be delivered on a barge or an airplane to get here.
As guests have made clear time and again, you are absolutely getting what you pay for (don’t believe us – check out what people are saying – time well spent and definitely worth the money). We provide an experience that you cannot get on your own. This is so much more than a tasting tour!
-
Each tour starts at a different location depending on the tour route. Avalon is a pretty small community, so everything is close. You can find the starting/meeting location on each tour page.
-
If you feel your gracious guide did a sweet job, then by all means show them your savory appreciation by giving them a few extra bucks! Here on the island, gratuities are customarily 15% to 20% if you had a great experience. One more thing: We’d love it if you would leave us a review on TripAdvisor!
Still have questions?
Contact our team directly by phone, email, or the form below.