Day Trippin' › California › From San Diego › Catalina Island Avalon
The drive from San Diego to Catalina Island Avalon takes about 3 hr 33 min (northwest of San Diego), by real roads from ZIP 92101. Along the way we found 96 stops within a short detour: 22 coffee shops, 3 bakeries, 23 ice cream and treats and 25 places to eat.
The list below is the best few of each kind, in driving order, with how far into the drive you reach each one (counted from San Diego) and the detour it adds. Stops marked Our pick are chosen by us; the rest come from OpenStreetMap listings, so confirm hours before you count on them.
Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Island
A ferry ride to a car-free island town with beaches, glass-bottom boats and golf carts.
Heads-up: Book ferry ahead. Weather may cancel trips.
First third Middle third Last third Catalina Island Avalon
About 3 hr 33 min by road, heading northwest from the middle of ZIP 92101. Traffic and weather change that.
Good ones to start with: Karak House Coffee Co. (San Diego), The Craft Taco (San Diego), Pacific Cafe and Catering (San Diego), Martian Mountains (Rheba) and Milton's (Del Mar). The page lists 33 in all, in driving order.
Karak House Coffee Co. in San Diego, Pacific Cafe and Catering in San Diego, Gordy's Bakery and Coffeehouse in Encinitas and Prager Brothers Artisan Bread in Encinitas. Check hours first; they come from OpenStreetMap listings.
The Craft Taco in San Diego, Milton's in Del Mar, Sushi Lounge in Encinitas and Pizzaiolo in Encinitas.
Martian Mountains in Rheba, Annie's Canyon in Solana Beach, Miniature Railroad in Encinitas and Oceanside Museum of Art in Oceanside.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Stops come from our own picks and OpenStreetMap listings; hours and detours change, so check before you go. We do not store anyone's location.