Catalina Island (whose official, but rarely used, name is Santa Catalina Island) is near the southern end of the Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California. It’s technically in Los Angeles County and is a popular day trip and vacation destination for locals and tourists. Catalina is a world unto itself, a distant asylum from the hustle and bustle of the rest of Southern California. Most of the island is owned by the Catalina Conservancy which is chartered with protecting its environment. Many visitors to the island come from cruises offered by Royal Caribbean. The area codes for Catalina Island are 310 or the soon to be 424.