You know it from the 1958 song:

“Twenty-six miles across the sea

Santa Catalina is a-waitin’ for me

Santa Catalina, the island of romance … romance … romance … romance”

This island paradise, part of Los Angeles County, is a treasure. It’s a bit of California mixed with a Caribbean island. The views are absolutely gorgeous, the dining choices are plentiful, the water sports are many and the high-end yachts in the harbor are impressive. The traffic, except for golf carts, is minimal and there is no crime. This is a sharp contrast to the rest of Los Angeles County.

Accessible only by boat or airplane, the local government of this island of 4,000 enforces strict regulations on car ownership and residency.

The main town of Avalon is completely walkable with many shops and restaurants. Ninety percent of the island’s residents live in Avalon.

Once owned by William Wrigley of chewing gum fame, his family deeded the island to the Catalina Island Conservancy in 1972, giving the Conservancy 90 per cent of the land. The Chicago Cubs owner, Wrigley promoted the island by holding the club’s spring training there from 1921-51. The games drew many new visitors. But it was the Four Preps’ hit song that made it famous. The group’s lead singer, Bruce Belland, got the idea for the song while he was surfing with a friend who told him they could see Santa Catalina 26 miles away.

The views from the island are stunning; however, the Inland Tour is not for the faint of heart. Similar to a cruise ship shore excursion in a third world country, we piled into an old van – nine people – which was four too many for this rickety old van with no air conditioning. The roads are very narrow, and the van always seemed to be too close to the edge of the many cliffs. At one of the highest points, the tour guide told us all to make a wish. He was as close as possible to the edge of the road, with no room for error, as the cliff dropped hundreds of feet. After we left for yet another cliff-hugging road and switchback, he told us that his wish was that we got back to the harbor safely.

When we reached the highest point on the island, 2,097 feet above sea level, we were in for a surprise. We found bison roaming there, left over from the 1924 silent film, The Vanishing American filmed there. The film crew “just left them,” according to the tour guide. They are now permanent residents. When their population exceeds 500, the “extras” are taken to a Native American reservation in North Dakota.

Our tour guide, an island native, informed us that all the teachers and many of the island’s employees, including himself, commute from the mainland to the island every day. That’s 90 minutes each way, which is pretty typical for a Los Angeles commuter. Like the rest of southern California, the cost of living is very high.

As we reached the highest point, looking back to the coast of California, we saw parasailers, yachts and a clear blue sky. Smog is not allowed here.

Melanie Staten is a public relations consultant with her husband, Vince.