Catalina Island Self-Guided Audio Tour: Local Stories
Hear Avalon from the people who actually live there
This self-guided audio tour of Avalon on Catalina Island uses GPS and your smartphone to play stories at the exact moment you reach each landmark. Local residents (including Matthew, one of 4,000 year-round islanders) answer the questions visitors always ask: how expensive is it to live here, why golf carts instead of cars, what's that mansion on the hill, and how does a casino exist without gambling. The tour works offline and stays with you forever once downloaded.
Step-by-step itinerary
Explore Avalon with self-guided audio tour
- Start at Green Pleasure Pier
- Learn about local landmarks and history
- Use GPS audio on smartphone
- Walk through Avalon streets
What’s included
- Lifetime access to the Avalon City tour.
- VoiceMap mobile application.
- offline access to audio, maps and geodata so you can tour without data or WiFi.
Times
- Every day No fixed time
Information
Walk Avalon's streets on your own schedule with a GPS audio tour narrated by locals: hear the real stories behind the town, the casino, the golf carts.
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The experience
You arrive in Avalon with a free afternoon or a couple hours between ferry connections. Instead of wandering and guessing what you're looking at, you open the VoiceMap app on your phone, and the audio starts automatically as your GPS locates you. The tour begins at Green Pleasure Pier, the geographical center of town where glass-bottom boats and rental skiffs operate, and from there it unfolds through the streets at whatever pace you set. Walk fast or stop to photograph. The audio waits for you to move to the next location.
What makes this different from a printed map is the voices. Matthew and other residents who've lived here for years tell you not just what a building is, but why it matters to them, what the town's real questions are, and how Avalon actually works. You'll learn about the Catalina Express ferry fleet (eight high-speed vessels that cross from San Pedro, Long Beach, or Dana Point in under an hour), and the stories woven into the town's layout and history. Because the audio plays at exactly the right place using GPS, you're not reading ahead or falling behind. The narration matches where you're standing.
The whole tour runs between 1.4 and 2.8 hours depending on how long you linger at each stop. Once you download it, you own lifetime access and can take it again anytime: offline, no data required. Bring your phone, comfortable shoes, and the willingness to let locals show you their town instead of a guidebook.
Top questions
Can I take this tour if I'm visiting Avalon for just a few hours between ferries?
Yes. The tour runs 1.4 to 2.8 hours depending on your pace, so it fits easily into a layover. The audio works offline once downloaded, and you can start and stop whenever you need to catch your ferry back.
Do I need to download anything before I arrive on the island?
You'll need the VoiceMap mobile app on your smartphone. Download it before you travel so the tour is ready when you land in Avalon. The app works offline, so you won't need data or WiFi while you walk.
What exactly is Green Pleasure Pier and why does the tour start there?
Green Pleasure Pier is the geographical center of Avalon and the hub for water activities: glass-bottom boats, flying fish viewing, and skiff rentals all operate from there. It's the natural starting point because it's where most visitors first orient themselves in town.
Will I learn why Avalon has a casino that doesn't allow gambling?
Yes. That's one of the questions locals get asked constantly, and Matthew and other residents explain the history and the reality behind it as part of the tour's stories about how the town actually works.
Can I use this tour with young children or a stroller?
Yes. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, and infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller as you walk the streets. Service animals are also welcome.
Operated by VoiceMap Audio Tours. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated yesterday
Catalina Island Self-Guided Audio Tour: Local Stories
1h 25m–2h 50m · EN
from US$ 6.99 per person
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