For decades, Catalina Island has served as the stomping grounds of Hollywood’s elite set. The storied island, once owned by baseball and chewing gum magnate, William Wrigley Jr., (who brought the Chicago Cubs to the island for spring training during the 1930s-1950s), was also the site of films such as Ben Hur and Treasure Island. These days, though, the island is an outdoor playground for everything from ziplining and hiking, to eco jeep tours (expect to see unobstructed views and even a few Bison), and spa. Thanks to the Santa Catalina Island Company, the newly opened Mediterranean-inspired Island Spa Catalina makes it the island’s first-ever resort spa complete with nine treatment rooms, a café, a nail salon, a boutique, and an open-air relaxation deck with views of the ocean.

Outfitted by Backen, Gillam & Kroeger Architects (of Solage Calistoga, The Poetry Inn, and Meadowood), the spa is housed in the historic El Encanto building designed by David Malcolm Renton in 1933. Locker rooms and lounge areas are a wink to property’s seaside surroundings with soft tones of blue, green, and white, nautical-style mirrors, pewter fish sculptures, and vintage black-and-white photographs culled from the island’s archives. Signature treatments include a Sea Oxygen De-Age facial packed with pure white algae, white tea, and copper peptides, and marine-based ingredients to brighten skin and combat hyperpigmentation, while body treatments range from the detoxifying Seaweed Surrender wrap comprised of a blend of seaweed and acai to buff and polish dull skin. For a customized treatment, book the Catalina Classic massage designed to promote relaxation and target individual tension areas. For tight and achy muscles, try the Hot Sand Therapy, atop an innovative German-designed quartz table filled with warm sand. After, relax in the sauna, eucalyptus steam room, or take a dip in the outdoor pool or Jacuzzi.

Think of it as a real-life fantasy island—at least for the afternoon, anyway.

Getting There
Take the Catalina Express (approximately one hour) from Long Beach, San Pedro, or Dana Point to Two Harbors or Avalon. For a quick, 15-minute scenic trip, opt for a comfy flight on a five-passenger AS350 eurocopter with Island Express Helicopters (Depending on the time of year, you might get lucky and spot a Gray whale, or a pod of dolphins.)

By Jennie Nunn

Pictured: Island Spa Catalina
Photos By Daniel Solomon

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