Catalina Island Behind the Scenes Casino Tour

Overview

Take a trip down memory lane to the days when bands were big and movies were just beginning to talk. The Catalina Casino epitomizes everything glamorous about Santa Catalina Island. You'll see the extraordinary Art Deco murals and a classic 1929 pipe organ inside the Avalon Theatre, which still shows nightly movies on its massive screen. A short film is shown highlighting the history of this iconic building and its Hollywood connection. This tour requires uphill walking inside the casino.

City: Catalina Island

Tue 06 May

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $37.45

Make a reservation

Tue 06 May

Starting at $37.45

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Professional guide

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
A moderate amount of walking is involved, including climbing 8 ramps in a 12-story building, then descending the 8 ramps back to ground level.
Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a non-motorized wheelchair
Please check your email through Viator for your confirmation number and tour information

What To Expect

Catalina Island Casino

Tour areas of the Casino once closed to the public for over 70 years. Visit green rooms used by Errol Flynn and Cary Grant; see the room where Cecil B. DeMille screened his latest films; and stand on the stage where Benny Goodman became the King of Swing

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (10)

Torte_Sue

Jan 2022

This 90 minute tour is a great way to learn about the construction, history, and art work in the building. But it’s really made enjoyable by the stories associated with the big bands and visitors over the years. Rebecca was our guide snd she was so enthusiastic over every detail—she was quite the character snd we woukd go on the your again with her! We love Art Deco architecture and em details, and there are so many Art Deco touches throughout the building. Highly recommend!!!

Response from Host

Nov 2022

Torte_sue, thank you for your kind review; we are happy to pass along your comments to Rebecca and the team here at Catalina Island Company!

Dale R

Mar 2020

The casino is amazing and the behind the scenes tour is the best. I”ve done the same tour before and it was great (5 stars). This time we had a tour guide named Frank who was terrible. He talked more about himself than the casino, and a lot of his information was wrong. While I would still recommend the tour, see who your tour guide is first.

Response from Host

Mar 2020

Thanks for joining us for another peek into this historical icon, Dale! We apologize that you did not have a positive experience with Frank. We will speak with him, and will review the information that he is providing to guests.

Todd_A

Jan 2020

We thoroughly enjoyed the tour led by Frankie. His personal stories were a lovely addition to the history of this amazing building. We hope to someday return to attend an event in the ballroom. We highly recommend this tour. Our only complaint was in booking the tour itself. During the online booking process, there was no option to choose the time of the tour. It was not clear that we had to call Viator, who then gave us another number to call to arrange the time of our tour. Then when we arrived at the casino, there was difficulty pulling up the booking. I had the receipt on my phone and the lovely woman working at the ticket desk went ahead and let us into the casino as the tour had started minutes beforehand. Viator needs to make.it clear to those booking online that there are further steps to securing the time of the tour.