Imagine a semitropical island escape barely an hour from Los Angeles. All it takes is a speedy 15-minute helicopter ride or a catamaran ferry ride to reach Avalon on Santa Catalina Island, where an ongoing $40 million revitalization plan by the Santa Catalina Island Company has upgraded vintage venues and added the Hamptons-esque, state-of-the-art Catherine’s Terrace event space at the scenic Descanso Beach Club.
Opened in early 2015, Catherine’s Terrace presides over the resort-like Descanso Beach Club, with its new cabanas, sea-facing bar and colorful outdoor seating. It offers a great vantage point on the placid blue-green waters of Descanso Cove and the famed Art Deco casino, the island’s landmark building built by William S. Wrigley Jr. “We wanted to take advantage of the spectacular ocean views and the island’s coastal location by breaking down the walls of a typical boardroom,” explains Dave Stevenson, vice president of sales and marketing, Santa Catalina Island Co.
The new 3,000-square-foot indoor event space is ideal for corporate or social functions. There’s a wide terrace and outdoor living room for receptions, which adds 2,400 square feet of prefunction space, a foyer with dance floor, built-in drop-down screen, two digital projectors, sound system and complimentary Wi-Fi. For an indoor/outdoor reception, Catherine’s Terrace can accommodate 250-300 or 150 for an indoor sit-down dinner. The neutral tones, built-in fireplace and white clapboard exterior are picture-perfect, while functionality includes an on-site, fully staffed 7,000-square-foot state-of-the-art catering kitchen.
An idyllic setting for a corporate retreat or off-site where golf carts are the preferred mode of transportation, Catalina’s diversions include all manner of water sports, zip lining (a favorite team-building activity), golf and the new full-service, resort-style Island Spa with nine treatment rooms, spa cafe and view deck. Overnight meeting packages can include accommodations at the recently updated and upgraded Atwater and Pavilion hotels; execs can opt for the Inn at Mt. Ada, once the Wrigley mansion and now a deluxe refurbished B&B.
Among Avalon’s larger events are the annual Catalina Film Festival in late September and the Los Angeles Art Deco Society Avalon Ball (May 2015 was the ninth annual fundraiser held at the historic casino). While the island moves toward more full-service, luxury offerings, its natural charms and stunning scenery remain an inspiring backdrop for any gathering.
