Catalina Island Casino Reviews

You can't go to catalina and not go to the casion point building - its sacrilegious! We did the behind the scenes tour which was really neat. It went into the history of the wrigley's, the island, and the building and had original movie projection equipment that my VFX husband drooled over. Also, we went to the dance room at the top and I was seriously lusting over the amazing tiffany chandelier there. Def worth a few hours to visit

Frankie really made this tour a fun time. The history behind the Casino was fascinating and Frankie shared additional info about the island and Wrigley family. If you don't spend a couple of hours with Frankie your missing out!

The building is art nuvio in beauty. It can hold up to 500 people for large events. Has a wrap around outside patio. The view is unbelieveable. The movie theater is a must see.

This is a fabulous building. If you don't want to see a show or movie you can pay a minimal fee to go into the theatre and listen to the organ music played before the movie. That was excellent. The theatre has been restored and it is like a walk back in time. Well worth seeing.

We did the Casino Tour that shows you the inside of the building (45 minutes). Rebecca, out guide, was amazing! She sang so we could hear acoustics, told great stories, and has a real enthusiasm for the history of the casino. If you think it's a gambling hall, then you need to visit and learn its real history!

We spent another New Year at this gorgeous place....great food, music, service, and decor. Definitely worth every penny.

No offshore gambling, no Indian casino, just a unique historical facility dating back to another age. There is a huge ballroom, that adds to its uniqueness. On the lower level, there is a grand old style movie theater.

Had the Behind the Scenes tour. Was so much fun! Frankie from Avalon was our guide, and he was absolutely perfect. Loved the swing dancing at the end!

Prepare to be stunned by the early-20th-century ornateness of the movie theater in this casino. The maritime-themed murals. The intricate lighting, evoking stars in the heavens. Yes, the seats are a stiff throwback and lack modern conveniences like cupholders, but what do you expect when you sit inside a work of art? You may or may not remember the movies you see here, but you will never forget the venue.

this is a great spot for anything sight seeing (during the day) and romantic at night... they always have it lit up with vibrant colors, movies inside, and the occasional special event. its truly a must see!

The Catalina island town of Avalon is blessed with a history of class embodied in the lush edifice called the Casino. Not a casino at all, (casino means 'meeting place'), this Art Deco masterpiece will take you away to the yesteryear of big bands, ball gowns and tuxedos as you tread the very dance floor where the stars once twirled. Much more than a getaway for the well-heeled, the Casino, built by Wrigley of gum fame, is its magnificent architecture, massive theatre and astonishing organ, whose thousands of pipes still bring soundless films to life if you happen to be there on days when the reels spin and the bellows blow. Don't miss this well-preserved tribute to the glory days of Hollywood. Moderate walking is involved as you ascend to the upper level dance hall.

Saw some poor reviews that is was too loud and could not enjoy it.
Here is the secret. Opt for the less expensive tickets and sit all the way in the back.
The two stage speakers are the size of a car, so if you sit in the front row, you will have to be deaf when you leave!
Catalina Jazz Festival is incredible, performers from all around the world come!

We really enjoyed our tour of the casino. "Casino" means gathering place in Italian and this is what the building is. The 40 minute tour was informative and it allowed you to see the theatre and ballroom. Recommend!

We got free tickets to see the ”Discover the Casino” 40 min tour through our Helicopter and Hotel package at the Pavilion Hotel. I’m SO GLAD WE WENT! We had no idea the history and that the Casino is still in working condition! The lower level is a stunning Movie theatre ( a different movie is shown once a week) and the top is the largest circular Ballroom in the world! Highly recommend this informative tour! You have to see the interiors for yourself and the view from the Ballroom Balcony up 12 stories looking out onto the Avalon Harbor is breathtaking!

This beautiful building full of US and Catalina history is a theater and a ballroom. We really enjoyed the tour and harbor views from the top. I learned that this is not a place to gamble, the word was Italian for place of entertainment. Who Knew?

“Casino” means “gathering place” in Italian. Several tour options, including all the levels and the ballroom. If you like the movie that’s playing, the Avalon Grille offers free movie tickets with dinner.

You can almost hear the music of the Big Bands as you enter the Casino. Wonderful art Deco architecture and art work. I highly suggest taking one of the tours.

If you are ever in LA LA Land, Quite often the TV Weathermen /Women will show a picture of the Casino.

Now just to be clear this is not a gambling place. But it does have a very nice dance hall and Movie Theater. That and some amazing architectural details. Which is amazing in that almost everything had to be shipped over from the mainland in the 1920's.

We came upon the casino and saw a tour group leaving the premises. I was curious as I did not see where one could purchase tickets. nor was I sure what this casino was. Well apparently I was not the only one to ever ask a wrong question about the casino because the tour guide started rudely advising me that it was not a gambling casino but a place of gathering. Proceeded to be condescending to me and yelled if I wanted to learn more to buy tickets instead of trying to get free information. I am a firm believer that there is no wrong questions but this man (I cannot call him a gentleman) obviously thought there were wrong questions. We went May 27th and I was so appalled that he would even talk to me like! There were several people around that heard him and even said how rude he was. Maybe he was having a bad day, but I doubt it. Too bad that he was that way. Might have even done the tour!

We did a last minute tour here and it was one of the highlights of our day on the island. The building is a must see with a cool theater and ballroom upstairs. There is a short film and it is really interesting. Our tour guide was also friendly and fun! Highly recommend.

If you love history you will love this place! The tour is $14 a person and there is also another behind the scenes tour which is more but I think totally worth it!

If you go to Catalina Island you must take the Catalina Island Casino tour. This is not a gambling casino but rather a historical landmark that dates back to the late 1920's. It is a theatre, and a ballroom that was frequented by the big bands during that era. Our tour guide, Frankie, was very good! They have 2 tours but we only had time for one. I wish we had the time to do both to see more of this grand place!

The Casino on Catalina Island is the "opera House in Sydney Harbor" - an icon that everyone recognizes. Beautiful to look at with beautiful views. It's also a theater!

Very enjoyable a lot of interesting history. It was under construction so area not able to see . Would be nice to have sample of organ playing.

Took the longer behind the scenes 90 minute tour, and it was so cool! Loved it and and it was beautiful. The architecture and what you see from a historical perceptive is just amazing. A must see and highly recommended.

The building is beautiful but the tour guide was a little strange. It was fun to see the theater and ballroom. The view from the top was wonderful.

Our group of five really enjoyed the "Behind the Scenes" Tour. It was about 70 minutes long and was beautiful and educational. Frankie our guide was entertaining and even danced with all the ladies is the ballroom. I recommend this tour.

We watched a movie in this theater and it was amazing!!! Very beautiful theater!! Very vintage and very very clean and nice!

We knew we wanted to go to the Casino for a movie as well as the tour behind the scenes the next day. This place is beautiful & built by William Wrigley the chewing gum magnate. It was the very first talking movie theater in the world. The first visit was at night to see The Black Panther. (WE got tickets from the Avalon Grille for going early to dinner). The acoustics are perfect, we learned about that from the tour we did the next day. They were playing Barry White when we arrived & the ticket taker was a very pleasant fellow who gave us lots of information about the building. The murals on the walls are gorgeous & I love the Venus de Milo on the top near the screen. There is a organ which pipes are covered by ornate grills which is played pre-movie on Friday & Saturday nights. The next day we returned for the tour. Our tour guide is Frankie from Avalon & he's a hoot. You can tell he really enjoys his job & he taught the ladies how to swing, after the tour to the top floor, where the ballroom is. This is a very informative tour which covers all the history as well as the different rooms to see where performers would stay before shows. We also visited the Wrigley suite in the Casino where the Wrigley's would entertain. He gave us lots of information about the walnut wood, the gold leaf, the architect & the painters of the murals. It was a very well planned and informative tour.
TIP: If you go to the Catalina Island Museum, which I highly recommend, you get $2.00 off your ticket for the tours of the Casino.

I’m very glad a went on this tour! Very informative and very neat seeing an old theater with so much detail and art. I will definitely be paying to see a movie here now that I’ve been on the tour. Tour guide was funny!

Went to see the nightly movie and was treated to an organ recital before hand which was excellent. Beautiful theater and well worth the price of the movie tickets to get the whole experience.

Beautiful venue but man please install elevators..youll be out of breath after a 6 stage ramp..but the concert and service was well worth it.

We took the “behind the scenes tour“ and it was very informative. They show you the casino from top to bottom (literally) and talk about the history. It is about 90 minutes and well worth the price.

We have been on the other Casino tours many times before so we took the Twilight Tour to get a different "feel" for the place. Frankie of Avalon and Rebecca were great hosts while we enjoyed the organ music in the theater (with our popcorn) and then danced in the ballroom to big band music. We had wine and cheese while watching the lights come on in the harbor. Fun way to experience the Casino.

It may seem overrated but there's something about this place - whether it's the Art Deco style, the history, the setting or the people - that just makes this landmark wonderful to check out.

Very nice place with a lot of History. Our second visit and it never gets old. Take in a movie while your there.

Attended both musical events as well as got to visit the theater while they were running sample movies. Well maintained and great history. Key stop when visiting Catalina.

The Casino has a movie theater with usually only one showing per night (on Friday & Saturday evenings they have an one hour organ playing that should not be missed) The history of the theater is just like taking a step back in time. The theater is very large and ornate. They show first rate movies but only one per week. I wasn't crazy about the movie they had showing at the time but the experience made it worth while.

While being on a Carnival cruise, we (a couple) had a chance to visit Catalina Island.

The gem of Catalina Island is the Casino, which is not really a casino, but a place of "gathering". This place used to be a gathering point of Hollywood stars and other famous people back in the days, where they were attending ballroom dances and other events.

Nowadays, people can visit the casino and have an informational tour about its history. Sometimes, it still hosts several events like chorus, music events and film festivals.

We highly recommend you to visit this wonderful place!

We visited in the rain and even then it was cool and fun to see. If you aren’t seeing a movie, and just want to see the casino (no gambling casino), you have to either book a tour in person at the Casino and wait to go inside (all other doors are locked until the tours ends). Or maybe book online in advance. Tour guides can be weird, so be warned. Frankie is eccentric, likes to talk about “ladies” and “dancing with ladies”. Other than that, very cool place to see and walk around. The history is very interesting and the architecture just as rich as Hearst castle.

WOW! First time we backstage toured this place and it was FANTASTIC! Tour Director was extremely knowledgeable and fun to listen to. Wer came back in the evening to watch a movie! Highly recommend!

What a beautiful place. Worth the trip to get a look into the past. Wrigley really went overboard building this structure. This was part of the island tour we took from our Carnival Cruise Ship. Well worth the price. The theater does not need a P.A. system as the acoustics are perfect.

Well organized and well done tours that give you a good overview of Catalina. Some are a bit pricey.
Highly recommend the Twilight at the Casino tour. Not only is it interesting with the history but "Frankie from Avalon" is a magnificent host and makes guests feel welcome and comfortable. A true gentleman. And he knows that gals yearn to dance so he does his 10 second swing lesson with them and has them floating on clouds in no time. Husbands, boyfriends, and significant others, you will have to step up your game.

Iconic Catalina. The tour is well worth it to enjoy the beauty of the building and the guides are a hoot!

We signed up for the 11:45 AM tour of the casino and ballroom. Our guide, Frankie from Avalon, was memorable and a gem for knowledge about the island's history, casino's construction and history, and a great ballroom and swing dance teacher. The tour starts outside the Casino and finishes on the upper deck outside the ballroom. The casino theatre is amazing with its red, pink and gold color scheme, elaborate woodwork and plush velvet curtains. The ballroom is enormous! Frankie taught swing to about four women in our group about 30. A fun time! For those with time, there is a combined ticket for the casino and the glass bottom boat. Given the clear water, the boat cruise would have been fun, if only we had the time.

The best and only way to really spend time inside and get backstage info about this magnificent art deco theater and dance ballroom begun by William Wrigley. The precursor to NYC’s Radio City Music Hall. Tour guide Rebecca was elegant in presentation, sharing stories and insider info — bonus was she captivated and moved us to tears at the end with her gorgeous singing of the historic song “Avalon.” Historic in its role as the first theater for “talking pictures.” I can’t understand why Hollywood moguls who want us back in theaters aren’t investing. Don’t lose this gem. Open it back up with regular classic or current-run movies and live music and theatre events for tourists and VIPs to attend and enjoy. Hollywood is only 22 miles away. Come on!

We took the "Behind the scenes" tour. It was an fascinating 90 minutes your. Our guide Rebecca was amazing. The theatre, Ballroom, changing room and all stories were so interesting. Thank you Rebecca.

Yesterday I visited Catalina Island, I booked the behind the scenes tour (1.25hrs roughly) Joe was our guide of a small group of about 15 people. His knowledge and love of the place was amazing! The way he conducted himself was outstanding and made you want to know more and more with each new part of the casino we explored. Joes knowledge of the artwork and finer details was second to none. I had a wonderful time learning the history of not just the casino but the island and the Wriggly family. An absolute must visit!!

The $20 tour is well worth the price. Amazing architecture and great stories from Frankie from Avalon! The only downside was that they stopped showing movies there just 2 days before our arrival!! I hope they bring them back!

I don't often take tours of historic buildings, but this was worth it. Our tour guide, Rebecca, was very knowledgeable and had plenty of stories to add interest (as well as an excellent singing voice).

We did the Behind the Scene Tour. It was interesting to learn about the history of the building and see the artwork throughout the casino. Daniel at the front desk went above and beyond and allowed us to get into the tour at the last second. If not for him, we wouldn't have been able to go since it was our last day on the island. We are so grateful!

Looking forward to going back to take the official tour- we just peeked in very quickly, but it was beautiful.

I just wanted to walk in and take some photos but they want me to take a tour and I didn't want to. I think it sucks that that place is so greedy.

I have viewed pictures of Avalon for years. As such, I was excited when I finally viewed this iconic building, now bathed in LED lights.

It's an easy walk from the ferry port. Though I don't gamble, just being at this famous and unique place was a great experience. I would definitely recommend it as part of your tour of Avalon and Catalina Island.

Fantastic tour. Beautiful Art Deco building with an amazing history. Glad that I got the chance to do the tour.

The building was definitely stunning, but Frankie's lack of COVID precautions and blatant sexism/homophobia completely ruined our experience. At various points during the tour, he:
- claimed he has a worm living in his body that prevents him from catching coronavirus
- bragged about dancing with girls as young as 3 years old on the ballroom floor, claiming girls are "born knowing how to dance". This was in response to a mother refusing to allow her young daughter to dance with him in a demonstration
- told us about his wife's drinking habits
- reflected upon the good old days when women dressed up "like women"
- made a joke about not dancing with men because he's Italian (??)

The tour with any other guide might be worth it because the casino was beautiful, but we found it hard to focus on anything other than Frankie's bizarre unsolicited opinions. If the casino is the only obsolete piece of history you're interested in, avoid Frankie at all costs.

The best way to see the Casino is to take the tour... there are three I believe, the standard, the backstage and the nighttime. I took the backstage and thoroughly enjoyed and learned a lot about the history of Avalon and was able to take some amazing pictures!

The theater is out of this world. Breath taking decoration. The organ concert before the movie was great fun. The silent movie we went to the next day, with orchestration was wonderful.

We took a wonderful tour of the Casino; before we came to the island, we thought this iconic building was a gambling establishment based upon the name. Casino means gathering place in Italian, and this dazzling building is just that; the bottom level contains a beautiful art deco movie theater with amazing architecture and lovely hand-painted murals. Interestingly it was created by the same architect that designed the famous Chinese Theater in Hollywood. The upper level contains a grand ballroom that was a gathering place for famous big bands and the upper crust back in the day. You can still see movies in the nearly one hundred year old theater, and there are some nice ocean views from the upper level. Our guide was excellent, and it was wonderful to take a step back in time and learn about the history of this beautiful place.

I worked at Catalina Island Casino back in the in the late 90s I did many things there I also worked with a professional team of people where we served many people I worked the Blues Festival the jazz festival multi-million-dollar weddings and saw that people had a great time it changed my life being around people who love people and took care of each other it was part of my lifetime I loved it it was the best job I ever had my entire life I learned a lot about myself and about others doing this in my lifetime helped me know about myself and others and the people that I worked with this job I will never forget in my whole life if you've never experienced anything like this you should it is something you'll never forget I will never forget it as long as I live I would also at Descanso Beach at that time.

We booked a 12:45 pm tour and was it ever worth it. We were given wonderful information about the building of this magnificent casino. We found out about the outside entrance murals, ceilings in the foyer, state of the art movie theatre with the organ that still gets played before movies. We sat in the theatre and watched a short film
about the theatre. We then went upstairs to see the various projectors used over the years. We walked up the large ramps to the top floor to take in the wonderful dance floor. We were thrilled to then go outside on the top floor balcony to take in the great views of Avalon and the bay and island. We had two guides and they did a fantastic job.

We did the Casino tour! wonderful tour guide who offered dance lessons when we all got to the ballroom. Learning the history behind the Casino was just fascinating. Well worth it. We also watched movie one night in the theatre. highly recommend!
very nastalgic.!!!

My husband and I went on this tour having never been. It was so very interesting. Frankie was so much fun. He's been on the island since the 50's so he has a boat load of info to share. He also taught me to ballroom dance in 30 seconds. Lol! We highly recommend this.

I have wanted to visit Catalina Island ever since I lived in L.A. in the 1980's, so this was kind of a Bucket List trip. We visited the Casino the afternoon of 6/30/17. I had read about the Wrigley-built dancehall/movie theatre many years ago. It intrigued me. The 1920's and 30's are my favorite era for music and design. We took the basic tour and got to stand on the stage of the theatre and see the dressing rooms and the dance hall. The walking was not as exhausting as I thought it might be after reading all of the warnings they post before you purchase tickets. It is a moderate amount of walking and climbing. (I am 57 and my husband is 61, and we are in just average shape.) I don't think little kids or teens (unless they are theatre-types) would find it very interesting, but for adults who appreciate Art Deco design and historic architecture and the chance to experience how people were entertained 100 years ago, this was a fascinating tour.

Don't let the name fool you. It is not a gambling casino. It's an "entertainment" venue built in the nineteen teens. Walnut adorns the hallways and entrance the ballroom and theater. The "light fixture" in the ballroom is worth a billion dollars according to our tour guide, "Frankie from Avalon." He has lived on Avalon since the late 1950s, and has a great knowledge base of Catalina and Avalon. The Casino was built by the Wrigley family, and boasts the largest dance floor (swing dancing) in the world. It has a great art deco architecture, and you almost feel transformed back into the roaring 20s. The theater shows a new-release film every evening at 7:30. The theater was built for a new "fad" of talking films. The acoustics in the theater are immeasurable - no microphone needed. If you want a spattering of Avalon culture and history, this is a great tour to learn about the beautiful island of Catalina.

It is worth to visit. Sadly you cannot get in the lobby unless you pay for a tour. Lot of history there

It was interesting to learn about the history and construction of the building and the art deco design. You really get a "wow" moment when you walk into the movie theater and ballroom.

Perhaps no other part of the island symbolizes Avalon's interesting history like the Casino - a place that's never housed gambling.

I took the 45 minute tour of the Casino and was happy I did. I don't think you can really understand Catalina without knowing something about this beautiful landmark.

Built in 1929 for about $2M, by chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr, it holds claim to the first movie theater built specifically for films with sound ("talkies") which were just taking off at the time. But there's also a magnificent Page organ as well and each weekend there's usually a short organ recital before the usual 7:30 film viewing.

The insulation/acoustics are so perfect, movie-goers can't hear the music from the ballroom above them, but every nuance of a film can be heard easily from any seat. Architects of the Radio City Music Hall traveled to Avalon to study the theater's design before building RCMH.

On the top floor of the 12-story casino is the world's largest circular-floor ballroom. In it's heyday, the ballroom was host to the best and most popular dance bands and could accommodate up to 3,000 dancers. As with the theater, the acoustics are before their time.

Add to all this, art deco architecture, furnishings and original artwork and you really have one of the best preserved examples this genre.

Be ready to walk some stairs and ramps. The ramps are necessary to get to the ballroom - Mr. Wrigley used the same concept as the ramps at Wrigley Field in Chicago, as they were more efficient than stairs at moving large crowds.

If you're a lover of 20s/30s Americana or just interested in the art and music of the period, this is a must-see facility. It was the center of activity for the island and a technological marvel in architecture and acoustics of its time. Now it's a direct link to an amazing time of growth and prosperity in U.S. history.

This is a Catalina Icon, love walking around and watching the scuba diving on the water front. If you continue past there is a great beach with music and bars, as well as food.

The tour was amazing!! Loved to hear all the history about how and when this beautiful place was built! Thank you!! ❤️

On our previous eight visits to Avalon, we have never been able to line up our schedule with the Casino tour schedule. This time we were lucky twice. We got the tour tickets and we scored “Frankie from Avalon” as our tour guide. He’s been living on the island since 1958 and had great stories and knew a lot about the building, the island and the colorful history of both. The theater is mind blowing and Frankie seemed to know everything about the construction and operation of the theater and ballroom. And he’s a great dancer!

The casino is a pleasant 5 min walk from town. The theater was impressive though ongoing construction marred some of the views. The ballroom upstairs was huge.

This was our first time coming to the island and we’d heard the casino tour was a must-do. We did the behind the scenes tour and loved it! 90 minutes went by quickly. Rebecca was our fabulous tour guide. She was dynamic, knowledgeable, interesting, ran the tour on time and clearly knew what she was talking about. We learned a lot not only about the fascinating history of the casino, but about the whole island as well. Such fascinating stories! It was easy to imagine what a spectacle it all must have been in its day. Highly recommended!

You can’t stay in Avalon and not go on the Casino tour. Step back in time to one of the most beautifully painted theaters and the magnificent ballroom that can hold 6000 people , while learning about the history of this marvelous structure and the town. And the views from the 360 degree balcony of the harbor and the town are amazing! One of the most beautiful performance spaces I’ve seen anywhere in the world. It is the crown jewel of the town, the iconic structure that defines the harbor and absolutley not to be missed.

we expierenced a great visit, and a wonderful walking tour of this historical building....try and catch a movie if you can, the theater is truly beautuful +++

There is no gambling at the Catalina Casino!
The casino contains a fabulous theater on the first floor and a huge dance floor and bar on the top floor. The balcony promenade offers marvelous views of the island, harbor, and the ocean. The building is gorgeous and has a wonderful history.
We took the tour and our guide, Paul, made us want to be one of the people who came to dance and have fun back in the 20's! So romantic! The Casino does offer weekend evening activities in the summer and fall and the theater has movies some evenings. We saw the current "Pirates of the Caribbean" one night.
Love the Casino and Catalina Island!

My family rented a home in Avalon, Ca for the week of 4th of July. We were happy to hear playing at the movie theater in the beautiful Casino theater was Spider-Man a new movie that just came out!
So nice to view the beautiful art and decor inside.
The screen seemed out dated. The quality was not worth the cost of the movie ticket. There were huge imperfections on the screen. Sad to see this. Have been to this theater many times. It was never like this. This was my husband's first time to the island and theater. They made some upgrades to the food and drinks. But the money needs to go to the picture quality. It's a movie theater in a beautiful room. The sound only seemed to come from the front. Sounded strange. Again in this big round room I am sure there is a way to have better surround sound.
Tuesday is "discount" day, $10 and once we arrived we were told it was cash only. After waiting almost an hour before they let us in I was happy I had the correct amount of cash for five people. No were on their website did it say cash only. No signs posted in their ticket windows either. We walked out the day before to make sure Spider-Man was the movie playing for sure.

We took a behind the scenes tour. To correct a previous reviewer.... the casino is OPEN for these tours. The movie theater is closed for movie viewing. We got to see the movie theater from the doors. It is beautiful! There are some problems with the ceiling but you can see the organ and the frescoes from the doors. It is just beautiful! You just can't watch a movie from the theater. The tour also takes you up to the dance floor on the top floor and the balcony outside. It's a sight! We loved hearing about the history and thinking about all the people that have danced on that floor (it's the original floor). The tour guide turned on some big band music and allowed people to dance during the tour. The views from the balcony are marvelous.

We took advantage of the Behind the Scenes Casino Tour and were favorably impressed with the knowledge of our guide, Rebecca. While the tour could only go for a little over an hour, it was still worth the investment. I am hoping the Tour can eventually be extended to at least 90 minutes. Our guide had so much information to share and could only cover so much in the time we had. The Casino Tour was definitely one of the highlights of our Anniversary visit!!!

A lot of history here! It was enjoyable to see backstage where the stars had stayed. The ballroom is beautiful! We even went one night to see a movie in the grand auditorium.

Must see if your a history fan. We took a tour of the casino, which is not a casino by the modern definition, the history is amazing. Highlight of our trip.

I highly recommend a visit to this historical building. I would recommend you do a guided tour as there is just so much interesting history attached to this amazing place..

We thoroughly enjoyed all the Art Deco decor and sitting in the grand theatre watching old movies. The ballroom as well is certainly grand and must have been very special crowded with dancers in its heyday.

The views from the circular verandah at the top of the building were quite spectacular. A must do when visiting Catalina Island.

As the title says, the Casino is not what you think it is, we thought is was where people went to gamble. According to our guide, not true. there has never been any gambling is the building.
If you are going to do a Casino tour, I would recommend the one that is called, Behind the Scenes Tour. Definitely worth the 90 minutes.
Lastly, but important was Frankie, our tour guide who was funny and knowledge and kept the tour very informative and light hearted.

We took the tour of the Casino and found it very interesting from many aspects: historical, arts and culture and architectural. We'd certainly recommend this tour for any first-time visitor.

Frankie of Avalon gave us an great tour of the casino with many interesting stories of his youth in Avalon!

My husband and I took the Behind the Scenes 90 min. Tour. We had not expected to do all we did. Frankie was a great tour guide and opened our minds and took us back to the hey day of the Casino. Casino is an Italian word that means "gathering place," so no gambling ever took place here. We had a chance to danceswing in the balroom, actually go on the stage and perform in the huge theater. We went back stage, up stairs down stairs and yes in the ladies chamber room. Great way to enjoy the afernoon.

First went to the casino theater to see Beauty and the Beast. It was a perfect film to see in this beautifully appointed theater. The next day we took a tour and saw the beauty on the outside of the building as well as the record-setting dance floor upstairs and the inside of the theater. I loved walking around the outside walkway on the second floor next to the dance hall. The views were fabulous.

We visited the casino (place of entertainment, no gambling) at the last minute and it turned out to be our favorite tour! Impressive Art Deco original paintings with gold & silver leaf. Informative film about Avalon's history. The ballroom upstairs is AMAZINGLY large with impressive views. Enjoy--worth the time!

No casino but lots of history. Beautiful 1920s style movie theater and great views from the dance floor.

We saw Jumbo at the theater inside the Casino. They have an organist that plays prior to the movie. Very beautiful and a piece of history on the island. You should take a tour of the Casino if you like history....

Although it is an historical site, I was bored shortly after paying the entry fee. It's not easy being old and ADHD!

Booked the Twilight Tour at the Casino for our last night in Catalina. Started with popcorn and viewing the beautiful theatre, before heading upstairs to the promenade for gorgeous views of the bay and ocean at sunset. Finished in the stunning ballroom with wine, cheese, fruit and dancing to big band videos playing on an enormous screen. Frankie of Avalon (tour guide) was lovely. A lot of fun and our group had all ages, with everyone seeming to enjoy it.

A historic building which can be seen from many parts of the island including at sea. It is a casino in name only as it is now a theater, ballroom and tourist spot. Although I didn't have time to take the tour, the building is a one of a kind to see even from the outside.
Stunning architecture worth a visit to see.

We took the tour of this casino, which means gathering place in Italian. It had a 1/2 acre dance floor and large theatre. The history of this place and art deco design made it a must-see on Catalina Island.

Despite the title, Casino, it is a 'meeting place' not a gambling place. It is the real deal Art Deco. There is a large movie theatre on the first floor, and the ceiling is fantastic with a 'sky' look to it. Hard to describe, but worth checking out. There are some half-naked mermaids in the tile on the outside of the building, so that might distract your Disney-aged kids, or they might not even notice. I have not been on the upstairs 2nd floor, but told is has a large wooden dance floor. It is a circular building that you will see in almost every photo of Avalon on Catalina Island. And the movies are the most reasonably priced item on the whole island- cheaper than the mainland, and in a great venue. Highly suggested you at least take a tour, or take-in a movie. One of the 3 things that you must do while you're here.

The history is fascinating and the venue is amazing.

Plan to spend some time though... it's pretty thorough.

Didn't get a chance to go inside but the outside is beautiful. I plan to go do the night tour one day.

What an amazing place to hear Jazz been coming here off and on for the last 10 years and always am awed by this venue.

Was worth taking! Learned so much about the building and the island. Our guide knew his stuff and really seemed to enjoy sharing all the information he could.

If you go to Avalon, this is the one tourist attraction that is a must-see. The casino (not a gambling casino, but the definition of "casino" that means "gathering place for entertainment") stands out in Avalon, the most prominent building or feature in the bay. You have to be drawn to it and want to know what it's about.

The tour is a great way to find out about this piece of history and the story behind it, get a good look at what's going on inside. It's reasonably priced, about $14 for a 45 minute tour. It's essentially an old movie theater at the bottom (but one of the very first and grandest movie theaters built for the first motion pictures with sound) and a great big "big band"/ jazz/ swing style ballroom at the top, with a fantastic view of the bay.

The entire building was designed with a lot of art deco styles from the jazz era, when it was built. Most of the original art and architecture is preserved wonderfully. The movie theater has an interior dome shaped ceiling designed to perfectly bounce the acoustics so that you can hear clearly from anywhere inside without amplification. They have a very unique old pipe organ in the theater as well, where I believe they occasionally have concerts. The movie theater itself is very much active as well, showing one movie every night.

The tour guide does a great job of quickly bringing you up to speed on the history of the place, it's connection with the heyday of L.A. and Hollywood... it's really kind of strange because it's such a relic of a lost time, but yet so well preserved and seemingly untouched that it kind of transports you to another era. Definitely worth $14 and 45 minutes of your time.

We walked around the outside of this eye-catching building while exploring the island. We noticed that there were fliers advertising first run movies at the Avalon Theater. It took me a moment to figure out that the Avalon Theater was inside the Casino. You might want to look up the Avalon Theater on TripAdvisor for better information about the theater itself!

This is a unique place. The word casino here is different from a gambling hall. This word is used to mean “meeting place” which is exactly what it is. The casino has a movie theater in the bottom which was built by the same guy who designed the Graman Chinese Theater. It is impressive. Also on the top floor is a converted skating rink which was previously a dance hall. This is a fun place to explore.

Beautiful historical building! Loved the basic Casino tour with Tony "from Avalon" when we go back will do the "behind the scenes" tour to see more of the building!

The Catalina Island Casino Tour is very worthwhile. Casino means "gathering place" and this Casino has the amazing Avalon Theater that still shows a movie every night and a ballroom dance floor above the Theater. The tour is very informative and the Casino is amazing to see. Our tour guide, Frankie (of Avalon) was excellent. He provided a great deal of information. This is a must see in Avalon!

Iconic Catalina island feature. We didn't take the inside tour nor did many of the island visitors (mostly from the Cruise ship) but still nice to take photos with.

I went along with the group. But wow is a tour worth it of the casino. Amazing history and it’s really fun to see where some of the LA HIGH LIFE crowd have partied over the years. I believe they have had after Oscar parties here for years! Now there is a bucket list adventure!

Feels like ghosts of big band eras are still roaming the ballroom. Fabulous facility that is totally underused.

We did the twilight at the casino tour which is a relatively new tour of the casino. 10/10 would recommend. Frank and Rebecca were just the loveliest of people and we got to tour the entirety of the casino and ballroom. Definitely the best tour my husband and I took on the island.

Took the "Behind the Scenes" tour with Paul, tour guide. Very informative, funny and cordial. Building is beautiful and in magnificent condition. A must see!

Do not miss your opportunity to visit the Casino. The theatre shows first-run movies, with a free organ concert on Friday and Saturday nights. The historic auditorium is gorgeous, featuring Art Deco murals depicting the history of California, and twinkling stars on the domed ceiling.

If you get a chance, take the "Casino By Twilight Tour" for the opportunity to tour the theatre and the world-famous Avalon Ballroom. We were lucky enough to have "Frankie, From Avalon" as our guide and it's clear he loves his job - and the Casino.

The casino is filled with a by gone era of memories, well preserved for all to experience. The décor is beautiful Art Deco with lovely ambience. It also host festivities such as Jazz Trax, etc..

Tour Guides were fun and interesting. Great views, fascinating history, delicious wine and cheese on our evening tour!

We had a fun time taking the full tour Of the famous Catalina Casino. We has a chance to so a little dance too.

Very nicely preserved theater at the base of the casino. This is the first theatre that showed talking movies. They only show 1 movie per month.

Absolutely unique architecture and wonderful history of the Wrigley family and their love of the island. A great guided tour really enjoyable.

This was my second time taking the 90 minute tour of the Casino. I went with my boyfriend and we ended up getting the same tour guide I had with my family 2 years ago, Rebecca. You can tell that she loves her job and enjoys every second of it. Such a beautiful building filled with so much history. I would do this tour again in a heartbeat!

This gorgeous ballroom is worth the trip to Catalina. It made me want to swing dance! The engineering is a marvel and the design is equally alluring.

If you have time, take the behind the scene tour. Paul have us a wonderful tour of the casino including the back stage, the private screening room and the projection room. Another local who graciously answered all of our questions. The ball room is a must see and the outside walkway.

While in Avalon, we had to visit the Catalina Island Casino. Since it was my first visit to the island, and I had only heard of the casino, I just assumed it was a gambling casino, but I was wrong. It never was a gambling casino. We didn't have time to take the guided tour, but we did get to see a movie in the historic building. It has a lot of beautiful architecture. They are currently doing some renovating and updating. I am glad we went to the movie, so we could see a little bit of the inside. They show only one movie per week. The city of Avalon closes down very early, so it was about our only option for something to do on the night we were there. It was a fun experience.

Beautiful historic site on Catalina that you cannot miss seeing! The history was absolutely fascinating and Tour Guide Mark was fantastic! Largest movie theatre and ballroom in the world! Don’t miss it! 🎉🎉🎉

This building on one end of the bay is not a casino but a cinema and theatre. This has been the focal point of Catalina island since it opened in the late 1920's. This has been the venue of great entertainers, live theatre productions and films. This building having been lovingly restored typifies the Art Deco style and is a glorious reminder of Catalina's past where so many film stars had holiday homes or used to frequently visit.

This art deco building that was a casino in the roaring 1920s currently has movies at night. However, it's well worth a stroll along the waterfront to view the box office portico with mosaics where you can book a tour of the interior. Also, walk around this structure as you'll find in back a small surfing museum and park benches where you can watch the active bay with Garibaldi fish and divers.

This is a must visit for ANYONE that visits Catalina Island. I was fortunate to visit Catalina Casino and watch a "scary/action" movie one night...by myself. The walk back to my B&B was done at a much faster pace. Must see!

The iconic casino must be seen to be fully appreciated. The guide is knowledgeable, personable, and informative.You won't be disappointed by taking the longer tour. Be sure to make reservations.

Not only is the Casino an grand structure, it's an ICON! We did the backstage tour with Rebecca and we were very impressed by the history of the building and all of its nostalgia. You really are taken back in time to an era that fancied dancing, music and art. Listening to Rebecca relaying the various "stars/celebrities" that walked through the building (although at that time, they weren't popular until later); the dress code for both men and women; and the revolutionary history of how the building was developed and utilized during its time as well as present day. A MUST SEE when visiting the island!

Very nice visit to a beautiful Art Deco building with beautiful murals all over the front of the building. Amazing history of the building built by Wrigley

Not a gambling den! It has a beautifully decorated movie theater downstairs and upstairs a huge ballroom with fantastic views. We took the tour (45 minutes - 1 hour) and were entertained by Frankie. He was very knowledgeable about the casino. We did not do the behind the scenes tour. Wanted to know more about the ballroom, as it

A must see while on Catalina. The theater and ballroom are beyond imagination. Take the “Behind the Scenes” tour. Tickets are available at the Casino box office, but reserve online if visiting on a weekend to ensure a spot. There is a SCUBA museum on the harbor side of the Casino: very interesting and informative. And in case you are wondering, it is not a Gambling Casino. Look up the meaning of ‘casino’ in Italian.

Beautifully kept. Awesome Views from the outside Veranda. We always enjoy the view of the Marina and take some awesome pictures. Concerts are our main reason for visiting.

The most compelling image of Catalina as you pull into the harbor on your vessel is the casino. It's an unusual structure - we didn't go inside but walked around it. Interesting design and fits the unique island that is Catalina.

We all have seen the Casino, but does anyone really know the history of it?
Well after taking the tour I now know the history and I was amazed!
Such a beautiful place and until you are inside and up close you really don't know.

Take one of the tours, they aren't that long but you will leave doing all about the Casino!

We did the behind the scenes tour with Frankie of Avalon...what a fun tour guide! He even treated all of us ladies to a swing dance around the huge wooden ballroom floor! It was wonderful to see all the equipment, as well as to stand on the stage. The views from the top are gorgeous. I would consider this a MUST DO on a trip to Avalon!

This is a dance-hall and theater, not a casino. Beautifully refurbished "casino" that reflects the ambiance of this era. A must to see a movie in the theater and snorkel off the point.

I have taken this tour more times than I count count! REALLY! Do I get tired of it's beauty? NO WAY!!!
A MUST SEE!!!! You are transported to days gone by, The Ballroom is my Favorite...........second is the theater.

Make sure to take the behind the scenes tour with Frankie of Avalon. The casino is a beautiful building with lots of history. Wonderful acoustics and magnificent theater and ballroom. A must see while in Catalina

Amazing Art Deco architecture. All original dark wood lighting. THe movie theatre acoustics are bar none and still has the original theatre organ installed. They have silent movie night once a month. Home of a 5,000+ Sq feet wood dance floor contructed in the 1920 - 30's All of the big bands played here and you can feel their vibe to this day. THis is a must visit.

Took guided tour with Frankie of Avalon. Starts with film clip. Then presentation in theatre. Amazing story! Then walk up ramps to ball room! I've never seen anything more exquisite. A must see!!

This historic structure was built in the 1930’s and it has been maintained and preserved in excellent condition. We found out the only way to see the movie theater and the artwork is to take a tour, as it is not open to the general public except for movie shows at night and dates when the ship is not in harbor. The tour was very informative and gives one a touch of the island history and the special town this has become. Our tour included one of the first all-electric buses for the island and it rode very comfortably and very quietly. Another option of renting a gasoline golf cart to do a self-tour of the town and immediate island, but you will not be able to tour the Casino unless you take the formal island tour.

The Catalina Island Casino was never a gambling hall as we would assume, but a world class ballroom and state-of-the art theatre. The name came from the Italian definition which means gathering place. Our tour guide who grew up on the island and used to dive for clubs in the 50’s, was lively, passionate and truly engaging. The building is art deco and worth seeing for the interiors and the views from the ballroom. The Casino is used for special events, but I believe they are missing an opportunity to use it and the theatre which the technology for sound was so innovative, the creators of Radio City Music Hall adapted it. Well worth visiting.

I loved the tour of the Casino! Our guide, a handsome 73-year-old Italian who grew up on Catalina Island, provided us with a wealth of interesting historical information! The movie theater and ballroom were so beautiful; I was very happy to become a part of their history by visiting them!

The tour includes a look at the movie theatre with old organ used to accompany silent pictures, the old movie projectors, some dressing rooms and the enormous ballroom. The Casino gets its name from the Italian language term casino, meaning a "gathering place". There has been no gambling there. In 1929, William Wrigley, Jr. built the lovely building. Movie studio tycoons such as Cecil B. DeMille, Louis B. Mayer, and Samuel Goldwyn frequently came by yacht to the Casino to preview their newest cinema productions.

This is primarily a movie theater. Movie ( singular ) plays nightly at 730pm.
It was a pretty cool experience. Don't expect anything modern. Seats are stiff and don't rock. No cupholders, not much legroom. But it brings back an old fashioned theater ambience. Place gets full, so get there early. 1 snack line which can get pretty long. Stood for 15 min to get a refill on popcorn and soda.
Eric, the ticket taker is a nice guy. I think he has about 20 jobs on the island. Every time I go somewhere different, he seems to be working there. Lol.
Overall a great experience. Great crown and brought back good memories of seeing movies as a kid.

This place is so BEAUTIFUL!! We did the Wrigley tour that tells you the history of the Island. You get to see breath taking views.
The last stop on the tour was the Catalina Island Casino Ballroom, words cannot describe how BEAUTIFUL this place is and that they show movies here on Friday evenings. I’d LOVE to sit in that theater to watch a movie and then stroll downtown to enjoy dinner. The water, boats, sunshine and the friendly people that live there make me want visit again. If you have the chance go visit, relax, shop, eat and talk to the shop owners and local people. You will not regret your visit. Bring your camera for some spectacular photos.

The “casino” is really a beautiful historical theater and dance hall, just amazing and worth a quick tour. We had Franky as our guide, he was adorable!

It was fun to see the casino and hear its history. The guide and the movie were so helpful to take us back to the time of the big bands. All ages enjoyed the tour.

It's not commonly advertised yet--in fact with our first phone call with the company, it wasn't mentioned as a touring item--but ask about it and you will not be sorry.

We took the later ferry out of Long Beach that evening--the tour was at 6:15, and it was limited in size. It felt like a private tour of the Casino, after which there was swing dancing to Jazz music and refreshments up in the ballroom, which is only used for balls four times per year.

The setting is incredible, the guides are so personable--I cannot give a review that is glowing enough for our experience with this particular tour. You get to see Avalon at sunset from one of its most beautiful buildings in style. This is a must-do.

If given an opportunity to tour this gem of a building you should jump on it however, if you discover that Frankie is your tour guide you might want to rearrange for a different time.

A historic building with this glamorous of a past is something that should be accompanied by a very knowledgeable guide, not someone who avails themselves of a captive audience in order to self promote and push outdated social norms not to mention a complete disregard for social distancing, proper mask protocols and other pandemic related expectations. He literally ridiculed and taunted those of us in the group that tried to back up from him when he approached us talking with his mask hanging down and at one point went so far as to touch someone and laugh when they tried to move back. Completely unacceptable.

Additional gems included comments like, “the women that came here to dance were dressed appropriately, in nice dresses, like women”... “Only men used to scuba dive and now you see women doing it. Women are doing all kinds of things that boys used to do”...”I’ll only teach the women in the group to dance, I’m Italian, I don’t dance with other men.”

Lastly, we were left wanting when it came to information about the building. We heard absolutely nothing outside of what we had already heard on the DVD. Well, with the exception of all of his personal anecdotes that our group certainly didn’t want to hear about.

We would give the tour more, but Frankie really did the tour a disservice.

Love this nostalgic gem! The Casino is so beautiful and time-treasured! It does have a bit of a musty smell, but I'd rather have that then have them remodel it! I do wish the seats had a little more leg room.

Tour guide Rebecca was very informative, entertaining and engaging. This is a must see in Avalon. Very interesting history and beautiful Art Deco murals and architecture.

We did the 40 minute tour . Our guide Paul was great. Tour group of 6 allowed us to ask lots of questions. One of the first things you learn is that this was not a gambling casino. Beautiful building with a history.

We walked around the Casino during the day, it is a beautiful building in a great setting. We went into the theater in the evening. The seats and view were fine, the building is pretty inside too. Later that night we attended a concert on the steps. We had a blast!

The Casino is beautiful. The ballroom is impressive. Sesilia was a great host. She really seemed to enjoy sharing all the information she has learned about the Casino and its history.

We were positively enchanted by the tour. Rebecca has a friendly presence and a sweet singing voice!

Really cool. We went to the theater to watch a show which was great! The casinos actually now a theater where you can see movies. The theater also has an organ player which was interesting

I highly recommend this tour, you will learn so much about the island and this amazing Deco building!!

My sister and I took the Casino behind the scenes tour. Stephen was our guide, so knowledgable. 90 minutes of history and stories of entertainers of days gone by. Highly recommend.

There is no such thing as a casino, this casino is more of a gathering area for events, when we went the doors were all locked up

The evening tour with Frankie from Avalon was so fun! Frankie is so charming, and it includes wine and cheese and a little ballroom dancing!

My husband and I were here as one of our port stops of the cruise. We did this tour and this is such a great place that is still in business today. Very detailed art work in the autotorium. We didn’t get to see the ballroom but hopefully we can go here again to see it.

There are 2 guided tours of the Casino, around Noon and then Two. There is a tour guide by the name of Frankie who grew up on the Island and did an fantastic tour of the Casino, describing the history not only the Casino but his experiences of growing up on Catalina. When touring the main ballroom, he even dances with the ladies. Well worth the $15.00 and investment of an hour of your time.

I am a Los Angeles girl and not until today had I seen the inside of the Avalon casino. Breathtaking!! The theater, with Old Hollywood art/curtain/acoustics and twinkling celling stars was a wonderful view of the glamourous days. The ballroom and circular wooden dance floor made me wish I had been born into this world a generation earlier. Frank comes from that perfect elite of tour guides! What luck that we changed on this experience 🤗.

Well worth the nominal fee. A really comprehensive 50 minute your of a beautiful iconic piece of the jazz age. Loved it!

The tour guide, Rebecca was friendly, knowledgeable, and easy to hear. The video was the very informative and a great way to start the tour.

A lovely theatre and worth taking time to see a film. Large, comfortable, old fashioned "movie palace." It's a must see on the island

No place better to listen to live music! It's a magical place! The acoustics are wonderful, as is the atmosphere.

Pre-plan your visit to Catalina Island to include a tour at the non-gambling Casino....hopefully with Frankie Avalon who will tell you all about this iconic building built by the Wrigley family.

This is a world class building with stunning artwork and architecture. The theater has perfect natural sound. The ballroom hosted many Hollywood stars and famous people.

We danced a swing dance under an amazing chandelier ball.

The tours are usually around 11:45 AM and may only be once per day so check ahead. A small admission fee supports the efforts to preserve and protect this magnificent building.

Frankie from Avalon was hilarious! We had a blast learning the "inside" information on the Casino. Beautiful place to visit!

This is an absolutely must see! The only way is to take a behind the scenes tour. Ours was about 40 minutes, so I wish it had been at least an hour for the price, but it was still definitely worth! The architecture, art, and history of this place is amazing, and the guy was very informative. Contrary to popular believe, there is no gambling here, but it is rather a gathering place with a Theatre and Grand Ballroom. You can watch a movie every night in the 1929 Theater, the first Theater built for talking films, which also has a beautiful pipe organ. Upstairs, by large ramps, is the magnificent ballroom. It was originally 15,000 ft.², but after adding some platforms on the sides, it is still a 10,000 square-foot wood floor. They do still have events there and even rent it out for weddings. You can also step out onto the beautiful balcony with great views of the island. Don’t miss the lovely mermaid mosaic over the ticket booth.

The first thing you should know is the Casino is a beautiful building with a theater inside and a ballroom upstairs. The theater is in Art Deco style that features a Wurlitzer “Voice of the Theater” pipe organ. There are free concerts on Friday and Saturday nights right before the movie starts. The seats are roomy and comfortable and the art work on the ceiling and walls is fantastic. The lobby is paneled in beautiful walnut wood that is virtually knot free and probably worth more than $1,000,000 in today’s market. The movie is current popular films (we saw Black Panther this past weekend). This is usually a favorite place for us to visit on our trips to the island. The snack bar is less expensive than more modern multiplex theaters but there is only one choice for the film. In addition the film that you go to see is started without 20 minutes of previews of other films. I really like this. There are tours you can take of the building for a fee that give you lots of information about its history and worth doing once. Overall it is almost always on our itinerary when we visit the island.

Beautiful architecture and a must see attraction when in Catalina. So much history has happened in this building and when you walk through it you are overcome by its vast greatness. Words can’t describe its beauty, it is quite a bit of walking but so well worth it!

Joe - the tour guide- showed us an behind the scene tour at the Casino. Good job. Absolutely worthwhile talking the time to visit this building

My husband and I went here to see a movie. What a magnificent theatre! I felt like I had been transported to the 1920's. The murals, the seats, the entrance, the kind staff--it all made for a fun evening.

Our group of 7 took a Casino Tour with Franky as our guide. He provided great background on the island and shared with us the history of the casino. It is now used as a movie theatre and can be rented for private events. Inside the casino there are artifacts displayed from the Casino's heyday and the ballroom has weathered and historical orignial hardwood floors and the views from the balcony outside of the ballroom will leave you breathless. It was quite amazing to consider that I was standing where some of early Hollywood's most elite and revered figures had been before (e.g. Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Cecil De Mille, Clark Gable). The materials used in the construction of the casino are some of the best in the world, art deco in design, and the overall beauty of the theatre is striking. I would recommend a tour of this iconic landmark to anyone who visits the island.

We took the 45-minute tour and got to learn about this gorgeous amazing structure and see the ballroom, theater, etc.

we didn't have enough time to join a guided tour of the building, but even the exterior of the building promises very interesting landmark.

Make sure that you see a movie here. The murals are truly exceptional. There is a live organ player in the evenings. It is a very special treat.

This is an oppulent landmark built in the '20s. It is worth the visit. We did the backstage tour and it was quite good and well narrated.

Take the behind the scenes tour of the casino with Rebecca. So much fun and interesting . The building is gorgeous and Rebecca makes 90
Minutes fly by with all the stories of Catalina’s pst.

This 45-minute tour ("Discover the Casino") is not cheap at $19.95 plus tax, but the casino is definitely worth a visit. My wife and I enjoyed a tour with Frankie of Avalon. While we thought Frankie was initially too repetitive on the point of taking pictures right away and not wandering away from the group ("We'll leave you, and there's no way out . . ."), he was knowledgeable and humorous. This is a very educational tour, and we learned A LOT. Frankie even provided ballroom dancing lessons.

The History of this place was amazing! The place itself was beautiful! The dance floor on the top was beautiful. I would love to attend an event there.

gorgeous theater and you get to go on the upper balcony from which you can see fish and seals in the clear water. It was a marvel to hear the accoustic genius of the theater as well as being a visual treat. $14 adult

We visited on a quiet weekday in July 2018. Two teens and two adults. There's a lot of walking up and down ramps; I believe the guide said it's 10 stories tall. We also got to tour the theatre and hear the acoustics, a little history of the building. The outside panoramic views are worth the walk. Ask for senior citizen or military discounts.

We had an awesome time touring the casino yesterday. Our guide Steven was super knowledgeable about the casino, the art and era and the history of the casino. It helped that it was like a private tour since it was only me and my wife and we could ask questions and take pictures whenever we wanted. The casino is amazing and has amazing architecture as well as beautiful art work from the 1920’s era. The theatre in the casino is super cool especially when standing in the very center of the room where it’s like an echo Chamber. The main floor at the top is a huge dance floor that still has the original wood floors. Great overal tour and highly recommend it. Thanks Steven for an awesome tour.

We watched a first run movie In a very beautiful old style movie theatre on the coast of Catalina Island

Great Art Deco style architecture a real feel of going back in time and a view on top of Avalon is so beautiful

Great place to go experience kelp forests without having to pay for a charter boat. The diving access can be a little tricky if the water is rough, but the stairs are pretty wide and the handrail is in good condition. Also plenty of friendly fellow divers to dole out advice if needed.

The Catalina Casino is a truly historical treasure that is worth visiting if you are in Catalina. It is easy to do a self-guided tour of the site. Just buy an admission ticket and they will provide you with plenty to read and listen to. It took us about 45-60 minutes to enjoy Catalina Casino (not an actual casino gamblers!) The part I found fascinating was it was a Chicagoan (Wrigley) bringing this to life and that the Cubs used to spring train here. I grew up in San Diego and how I never spent any time on Catalina is beyond me. Trust me, if you love architecture or art deco or even just immersing in the past... a stop is worth it.

Just a short walk from the green pier is this beautiful building. Worth seeing and walking around- even getting a tour

Rebecca did an excellent job of sharing the history of Catalina Island Casino. Plus, Rebecca is an amazing singer! She added to our enjoyment of this experience immensely !! Namaste, Lorraine

I enjoyed the tour of the "Casino" very much (no gambling was ever done there). If you enjoy art and/or architecture, then I highly recommend you go. It's about $14 for a lovely tour and very much worth it.

The most iconic building on Catalina Island is a must see.
The history and location make this an an absolute treasure.
The story behind the building is very fascinating and the opulent inside will blow you away.
Catch a movie, take a tour, imagine the stories these walls could tell.

This is Casino is NOT for gambling. Casino is an Italian term for gathering place for family and friends. The lower level is a very old theater. It is restored, shows a silent movie, and has an organ actually used when they show silent movies. The next level up is a small cafe, restrooms, and lots of historical photos of the casino when it was "the place" to visit. Even the restrooms and cloak rooms are decorated as if it is in the 1920s and 1930s again. The top floor was originally a ballroom where famous big band came to entertain. It is still used sometimes as a ballroom but during the week when we were there you could rent roller skates for $10 and hour and skate around on the lovely wooden floor. They play music that is not too loud. At most there were only about 7 of us on the floor at any one time. I hope more people take advantage of this great skating rink. We had a wonderful time visiting the Casino, learning about its history, watching the short movies in the theater and roller skating.

There is no gambling or anything else at this casino. They have occasional shows here. It was a waste of time to walk over to visit.

A must visit in Avalon. The 1940's theater on the bottom floor is an American attraction that should be a national treasure. The famous ballroom is on the top floor, which was visited by all the "big bands" of the 30's and 40's, and still feature some these days. Go early to the movie to see if the antique organ is being played, what a treat. Take your camera to shoot the unbelievable decor on the ceiling and walls. If you ever want a remembrance of a lifetime, attend the New Years celebration in the ballroom. Casino is a very pleasant oceanside walk from town, romantic to boot. My favorite island on earth.

The Casino tour is definitely worth the time even tho I know everyone wants to spend time outside. Our tour guide, Paul, was very knowledgeable. The casino is a real gem!!

This iconic building is extraordinary, and the tour we received that went onto the stage, behind the scenes, to the ballroom, and outside onto the upper balcony was a perfect look at everything we were curious about.

You cannot visit Catalina Island without seeing the Casino. The Casino is intertwined with the history of Catalina Island. Built by the Wrigley's who purchased the entire Island in 1919. The Casino is a gathering place and to my knowledge has never officially had any gambling. It hold a luxurious movie theater that has seating for thousands and according to curators it was the first sound theater in the world. It still has an organ for silent pictures and it still shows movies. Perhaps on a rainy evening you may wish to take in a movie. Above the theater, according to the curators, is the largest circular ballroom in the world. It is beautiful with balconies and wonderful views all the way around. Catalina Island has been used to shoot scenes from more than 200 movies and from the 1920s on had been a favorite travel destination and playground for many Hollywood stars.

We did the 50 minute tour on a Thursday afternoon. Our tour guide was a young guy who was very informative. He knew his information extremely well. The theater and ballroom were beautiful. The tours are the only way to see inside the Casino. Definitely worth doing this once. Lovely experience and beautiful structure. Pictures are allowed inside.

This building just screams history. All the stars and bands that have performed. It's just fun to stand and look at the ceilings, the coat room. Love this building.

A beautiful place and a must see. The building is a fabulous art deco design. The architecture is stunning and unusual. The murals are beautiful.

The guided tour is well worth the cost. Information overload certainly but what a fascinating place and some great stories from the guide.

Beautiful place with a rich history. The tour will provide you with an appreciation of the initial development of the island and its uses.

Went on a Friday night to catch a movie and went early to enjoy the organ concert. The casino was so musty and smelled of mildew that I couldn't stay for more than 30 minutes. When I left I asked if I could give my ticket to someone else since I couldn't stay for the movie and I was told that I could NOT give my ticket to anyone. I ended up throwing my ticket away. If you have breathing problems (asthma, etc) I wouldn't recommend the theater until it gets a deep cleaning. Could see mold/mildew spots on some of the seats. Behind the scenes tour on another day was fabulous - tour guide informative and fun. Just clean the theater!!

Built by William Wrigley as "a gathering place" (casino in Italian) opening in 1929, it is an architectural delight. Take a tour to see the beautiful theater - shows nightly at 7:30 - where the walls are covered in murals depicting early CA in art deco style. If you go on Friday or Saturday night, you can hear music played on the historical Page organ, always ending the mini-concert with "Avalon", popularized by Al Jolson. Upstairs is the ballroom, where bands still play as they always have and the huge dance floor has hosted many a gala event. The views from the walk-around balcony are spectacular.

Our group guide was Rebecca who even sang for us. Her bubbly personality really made this tour a success.Great views and so much history. If not on a cruise ship, go on a non-cruise day so the groups will be smaller. There were only 9 people on our tour which was just about perfect to fit in some of the smaller rooms. I took the last tour of the day and because it was the last tour she took time to let us look around while she circled back to shut off lights behind us (tour lasted about 15 min longer than scheduled) I would highly recommend the Behind the Scenes tour

The casino is the most prominent visual landmark in Avalon and the behind the scenes tour is well worth it to see the insides of the gorgeous building and learn of its history.

Lots of history on this tour of the entire building. Very worthwhile and we had an excellent guide for hte 1.5 hours or so. This gathering place goes back to the 1920s and thru the 1950s had many big bands, hollywood celebs and more. On the dance floor and with the good guide you can imagine yourself at a ball. In the theatre you can imagine yourself at the birth of the talkies. For a Catalina fan this is a must

The highlight of our visit to Catalina Island was the tour of the Casino. Everyone should get a chance to whisper in the theater which is said to have perfect acoustics. Stepping onto the wood floor of the round ballroom almost gives you the shivers thinking about all the people who danced there and bands that played in it. Next time we will do the even longer tour. We loved it.

This place is unusual enough to justify the price of tour, otherwise you can only look at it from the outside.

...but the architecture and history are interesting. Pretty murals at the entry. You can't go inside anymore except when there's an event for which you have a ticket.

We caught the new Lion King movie in this wonderful theater in the main level of the casino, which was built in 1929. The large 1000+ seat theater was a great venue to view the movie. Experiencing it with a large audience and hearing their reaction made it all the more enjoyable. The murals on the walls are fantastic both inside and outside the theater. We’re able to walk to the theater from our hotel in the heart of town.
This building was built before accessibility for the disabled was important so there are some challenges for those in a wheelchair. For example I did not see any special seating area, although I did not look, and there was a step in the men’s room which would require assistance for someone in a wheelchair.
However, I highly recommend visiting this place on your visit to Catalina. The senior rate for tickets was $13. Not sure of any of the prices or how this would change for other films.
My one regret is that we did not take a tour of the upper level of the building, which is the large dance floor area.

The behind the scene tour is very cool. We got a chance to go back stage & into the dressing rooms of the old stars. Fun tour.

Well preserved theatre, a credit to the volunteers,long walk to get to it if you are on a walking stick. Impossible to get a cab as it was the off days of the week?.. it rained so we got quite wet.

This iconic landmark is recognizable all over as Catalina's signature. It is a beautiful building on its own and they offer tours where docents will walk you through the whole place and explain when different levels were built and what they were used for in the past ....and present.
At holiday times (like July 4th) they have special events here and you can book tickets to attend these awesome events. Usually including dinner and dancing, they also have a fantastic New Year's Eve party that is said to be wonderful.
Films are shown on the first level's restored theatre which boasts an antique restored organ. So many things to do here, it is not to be missed. Make sure it is on your "to-do" list! You won't regret it!

Remarkable murals from the same artist who decorated Grauman's Chinese in Hollywood. Quite the edifice,but it's the decoration that distinguishes it.

There was so much beach and fun to experience and we were only there for three days, two nights. We didn't think we wanted to take the Casino tour.....but our friends, JaneO and Bill made us. And we are so glad they did! The gentleman that gave the tour arrived on Catalina Island in 1958 and graduated from high school there. The stories he could tell about the Casino, the big bands, the big names and how he could dance and had all ages on the tour dancing with him. Thank you Catalina for preserving the magnificent building, the art deco tiles, the 22 carat gold embossing and art.

If you are able, you HAVE to get the tour of the casino! John was super informative about the history and the details of this amazing structure!

My husband was interested in the past glory years of this beautiful building. The tour did not disappoint. It is a walking tour, must walk up 7 stories of ramps to get to the top ballroom. The theater is absolutely beautiful and same with the ballroom. If you are looking for some history of Catalina from the Hollywood days, take the tour. I think it ranges around $15.00. I'm glad that we took it for sure!

Considering everything tour on the island is expensive this one is the best deal. Honestly I have never seen anything like the Casino. Very unique! Dont be fooled by the name "Casino." It was not one previously. You will have to go on the tour to find out. I would not recommend kids on this tour.

This time we only went to the movies and of course walked the area around the casino. The theater is unbelievably beautiful and something you should see. If you can, a tour of the casino is truly worth the time.

The reciew is relating to what my wife and I experienced on the Casino tour with Rebecca.

At first we were very excited to go to the Casino tour.

We were greeted by Rebecca who at first seems very friendly and open to questions.

After initiating the tour I asked a question and received an unsufficient amount of information. Essentially it was a one word answer. I am familiar with GIVING tours and in the hospitality industry. When you ask if there are any questions and receive a question you respond to it with more than a one word answer. Usually I'm very happy that someone asked me a question because it shows interest. In this case I felt that she brushed me under the rug and moved on.

The second time someone asked a question she blatantly ignored the question the first time. After asking a second time. Rebecca mentioned that she would talk about it in the next room approximately 5 feet away. Then Rebecca proceeded to go over non relevant information and completely ignored the question. It did not help the fact that she did this to my wife.

At the end of the day I understand that the tour guide, Rebecca did not want to answer our questions, but rather wanted to essentially give the tour and only talk about things that she was interested in. At the end of the day we felt that this was a tour about her ego and what information was important to her and not the guests.

I would be willing to give the casino tour a second chance. But it wouldn't be with Rebecca again.

This is truly a special place. The views from above are astounding, the history of the structure is fascinating. I highly recommend the guided "behind the scene's" tour. The guides show you all the hidden areas of the casino while they tell you the history.

A few things:
It is NOT a casino. "casino" means meeting place.
Don't bring young kids, they will be bored.
Don't go with anyone who doesn't appreciate this sort of thing. It is niche.
Off the cost of the point that it is on, there is scuba diving and an aqua park.
The Catalina Film Festival holds their red carpet & awards at the Casino.

This is just a lovely gathering place for Avalon. I ran by it early in the morning and realized it wasn't what I thought. Later our tour guide explained, it had nothing to do with gambling, just a great place to gather. Wish we had realized earlier and taken the tour, but the building is still lovely.

I belonged to a group of 25 friends and took the Behind The Scenes tour. The theater is massive, over 1000 seats, the decor, antique and one-of-a kind and the ballroom is humongous!
Paul was our tour guide and he did a wonderful job in explaining everything. The history of Catalina Island is simply fascinating!

Outstanding views of Avalon harbor and the jazz sessions are fantastic.This festival is celebrating 30 years and it is highly recommended for smooth jazz fans.

Jeffrey Osborne rocked the house! Beautiful inside. banquet room style chairs. Great acoustics and sound system. Full-bars inside.

I honestly thought that the Casino is not worth visiting once we arrived at the island especially when I heard about the 40 min tour. Boy was I wrong. This was by far my favorite tour on the island. We had a great guide who told us all about the history of the Casino which proved to be much more interesting than I thought and we took some amazing photos. I absolutely loved it. The tour was about $12! It's great for adults and kids and definitely worth it.

Wasn't sure about it but it was a highlight for sure. Amazing history and stories by our guide Rebecca. We learned a lot but really enjoyed all that this offered. We did the Behind The Scenes tour and would say, don't skip this on your visit. Hit a couple good hikes in too, Hermit Gulch and airport loop, very good as well

This was a wonderful place to enjoy a movie. The artwork on the walls is fantastic and the theater is quite large and very charming.

This building is a must-see. Architecturally, the building and its murals are amazing. But the history of it is fascinating too- built specifically to host big-name bands and entertainment coming over from LA and the like. Learn about why Wrigley built this, who frequented it, etc.

I took the basic tour - the guide was Rebecca and she brought it alive. She's also an amazing singer so demonstrated the acoustics of the building, which were engineered to be second-to-none (Radio City Music Hall acoustic engineers flew here to study the building so they could replicate it).

The casino is beautiful. The Art Deco and woodwork is definitely worth your time to see. We recommend you take the behind the scene tour. We also enjoyed a movie and went early to enjoy the organ music. There is no gambling in this casino, it's more for the arts.

We thoroughly enjoyed the behind the scenes tour. The theater and the ball room are spectacular and getting to see the old equipment in the projection room and the Wrigley private suite, dressing rooms and all was a treat.

If you do make it to Catalina Island this is a tour you have to take. Frankie of Avalon did a wonderful job of explaining the history during the tour. Many interesting stories about the past.

My wife and I went to the Catalina Island Casino thinking we were going to see a casino. You know where you can play on slot machines, Blackjack tables, and more. But surprise, there is no casino. This historical landmark that dates back to the late 1920's. If you go to Catalina Island you must take the Catalina Island Casino tour. The Casino is actually a theatre, and a ballroom that was frequented by the big bands during that era back in the 20's. The Theatre is still active and upstairs there is a great looking dance floor. They have 2 tours seperate tours you can take. Very interesting to here from the tour guides about the history of the Murals on the walls, and the total historical story about the Casino.

This grand dame structure has a black walnut interior with gold stars on the ceilinf. Built in 1927, it is the ultimate in luxury. The ballroom floor is one of the largest in the world. Views from the balcony are breathtaking. It is worth a tour.

Enjoyed during the #catalinawinemixer. Really great island to visit with rich history and wonderful views!

We did not take a tour, but it would probably be a good idea to appreciate the architecture and history of the building. We went into the old, massive movie theater prior to the movie and enjoyed several pieces of music on the 1929 pipe organ. It is definitely worth a walk to this old casino house.

Take the "insider's tour," 90 minutes, to see history - Photos of stars who have appeared there, "green rooms" (dressing rooms), a private viewing room, vintage projectors/projection room etc. FASCINATING history delivered by well-versed - and engaging and humorous - docents, and the beauty, artistry and elegance of this wonderful historical building. You can still go to the movies there, and attend dances from time to time plus other events - The venue adds much to these events. On top of that, views from the ballroom level terrace are worth the tour alone. A "must see" when in Avalon.

We did the Discover the Casino tour and had a great time seeing the theatre and ballroom. Amazing decor and a great guide in Phil.
Would definitely recommend if you have time - 50 minutes in AM or PM.

Don’t expect to game, this is a wonderful theatre and huge ballroom with wooden floor, and the guide was very interesting and funny. Great moment to discover the history of Catalina Highland.

Not a casino for gambling at all! This most incredibly beautiful building was built in the late 1920s and opened in 1930. Never meant to be a gambling site the word ‘casino’ means gathering place in Italian. Went on a great 45 minute tour (‘Discover the Casino’) of the highlights of this amazing building. Our guide was great and very knowledgeable. This tour includes the gorgeous ballroom upstairs (which holds the world record for 6200 people dancing!!) and an amazing (you have to see it in person to believe it) theatre downstairs with incredible murals on the sides of this amazing circular building - the largest of its type in the world. Absolutely stunning and very tastefully done. Highly highly recommend! Was a highlight for us.

Had such a wonderful time meandering through Avalon and seeing the sights! The history is incredible and it's also where the book, "Island of the Blue Dolphins" was based on. Great place to vacation to get away from everything. A West Coast Gem!!!

The Architectural Highlight of the Island. Historically significant and artistically fascinating. I visit it every time I'm on the island.

We walked around it and took photos but did not go in. It's a nice little walk from the downtown along the waterfront.

Our tour guide, Rebecca, was entertaining, easy to understand, and knowledgeable about the historic building. The tour explores all of the green rooms, projection rooms, ballroom, and lavish theater built in 1929. She weaves a fascinating story about those times and how the Wrigley family created a vacation destination of Catalina Island. It was like Disneyworld for the 1930s! Highly recommend this tour.

It was beautiful, i recommend doing the tour , great history and just beautifully thought out building with a 1920s 1950s style , worth seeing

The building and all of the paintings and architecture are absolutely magnificent. There is so much history here and it is absolutely beautiful. I would highly recommend this tour. The curator was full of information. Also, if you have a chance to catch a movie one evening it is well worth it. The acoustics in the theater are amazing!

This is the main landmark for Catalina Island. Cool old historic building with lots of stories to tell. Offer daily tours and even show movies at night sometimes. Worth the visit.

Visiting the Catalina Island Casino while in Avalon is a must do at least once. It’s an absolutely beautiful and interesting building from a long ago era and it’s well maintained. If you do a self guided tour there isn’t much in the way of informational signage to learn more about the history, but it’s still cool to see. There are even interesting old-timey bathrooms on the upper levels that are worth checking out. It’s a bit pricey and you likely won’t spend more than an hour walking around.

We were lucky enough to get a look inside this iconic attraction on a cruise that stopped at Catalina.The Art Deco interior is amazing and brings one back to the more glamorous times!A huge pipe organ resides in this blvd.Would love to hear it playing one day!

The casino gathering building is quite nice inside, but be prepared to walk. The ramp leading around the floors and exterior can be long. The interior cosmetically is very nice and the ambience is beautiful.
Do go outside to see the bay and the water view. It took about 1 hour in the unguided tour,

Beautiful island, especially the Casino. My advice is to reach there early in the morning so that you have enough time to explore the interiors, which we did not have time to do.

A warm welcome from a historian point of view will help the tourists to understand the history of the island.

We had a fabulous tour today with our guide Rebecca. She was knowledgeable and filled with enthusiasm for the building and its history. The casino (a gathering place, not ever a gambling place) is a stunning piece of art deco architecture, in remarkably fantastic shape, with unbelievable acoustics. If you get to Catalina, don't miss this wonderful piece of California history.

Enjoyed an hour-long tour of the Casino. Learned its history, including who built it and why; the famous people associated with it; and the architectural and acoustical basics about the place. Had a nice view of Avalon Harbor from the top floor. Frankie, our guide, knew enough stories to keep us entertained. Tour was late getting started but Frankie made up for the lost time. Enjoyed the back stage and behind the scenes access.

This building houses a large theater that was designed for both silent and talking movies, and the largest ballroom in the world! The theater has amazing Art Deco on the walls!

I've been Lindy Hopping/Swing Dancing since 1996...and finally got a chance to dance at the world famous Catalina Casino Ballroom! I had been to Catalina a few times, but never got a chance to go inside... The historic ballroom is gorgeous, glamourous, ginormous and grand! The symmetry and acoustics carry the music evenly throughout, the lighting scheme with its colors and tones make it magical, even during the day! The first floor theater is a retro art deco dream...incredible!

Not a gambling casino. 80+ year old property. You can just imagine how grand it was back in the he day. They run movies nightly. They play the 1929 pipe organs before the movies on Fridays and Saturdays. They also do weddings and private parties.

This tour takes you back to the old days of Catalina Island and her Hollywood guests. The history of the casino is fascinating, with a theater that boasts perfect acoustics and a location that offers gorgeous views of the bay. I learned that the term "Casino" means gathering place in Italian, so there was never gambling there. Our guide, Rebecca, was fantastic. Ask for her if you can....and boy, can she sing!

So glad we booked this tour. Frankie from Avalon was an excellent tour guide. A beautiful building with good history. The theater was amazing as was the ball room. Not something kids would enjoy necessarily but worth the time.

Such a jewel from the 1920's. So ornate and well kept up. I really missed the pipe organ concert usually played 30 minutes before the movie starts - only on weekends now. The kids enjoyed the Avengers movie and visiting the bathrooms.

Good place for beers & sea food. Clams are delicious. Food is good.
Not a complaint but tv’s could be in better spots. Lots of blocked views by walls that don’t go to the ceiling.

Did not take the tour as there was not enough time. This is not a gambling casino. They also had a movie theater, with one movie. I think the cost was $15. It wasn't the most current release, but I am not visiting to go to the movie. There is a ballroom that I believe also holds around 5K people for events on top.

Unbelievable that you can tour this amazing structure and then watch a movie in the evening. Do this one.

I've been to Catalina Island but never took the time to take the tour of the casino. It was well worth it. The building and islands history is rich and intertwined. Plus you don't want to miss the beautiful design and architecture of the building itself. It reminds us of a glamorous past.

We love Catalina Island to dive at. They provide a dive park at the Casino. There are tanks, wetsuits, snacks there to rent/buy. The first year we came out we didn't know so we brought our own tanks. So much easier renting from the Catalina island Divers.
Diving is great. Visibility was awesome this trip, 30-60 ft. We saw a dozen giant black sea Bass, a scorpion fish, and many more.

The Casino is truly an architectural must see. The acoustics in the theatre are amazing. The lack of stairs leading to the ballroom are fascinating and an architectural accomplishment, The behind the scenes tours are well froth the time and expense to see exactly what makes this unique attraction amazing.

Such a beautiful and iconic landmark. We did the Twilight tour with Frank (guide) and enjoyed the full moonrise over the Pacific from the upper promenade.

Gorgeous building! It’s a short tour with a few interesting tops along the way. My favorite part was viewing the ocean and island through the windows—it felt like looking through a “real life picture frame.” It’s definitely a one-time trip for me, but it’s a nice walk especially if you’re with older people.

One of the most important things you should do while on Santa Catalina Island. The tour of he casino, built at the height of the gilded age and the precipice of the Great Depression, is not to be missed. If you have he chance to see a film in the theater or dance in the ballroom above, even better! The tour guides are knowledgeable and entertaining and share their passion for this incredible facility.

The Casino is an absolute MUST see while in Avalon. Art Deco design and still after all these years a classic. Take the tour. It's memorable.

Beautiful theatre, wishing i was born a hundred years ago, or at least 50. Seems like an amazing venue for special events if it was supported for such

The behind the scene casino tour was well worth it. So many interesting things your learn and see. It is really amazing - the whole story how it was built, what is was and is used for. The tour guides are so knowledgeable of facts of Catalina. Food tour was first favorite, behiond the scene casino tour was second

Although only 45 mins, this was a fantastic tour and our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. He explained the entire history of the building and we toured the theatre and ballroom. Well worth the ticket price, highly recommend.

So glad I found the VIP Tour on the Casino website. This is not a gambling casino, but a century old gathering place, built by Mr. Wrigley, Jr., as a gift to the people of Catalina. We were blessed to have the head curator, Sean, as our guide, and his energy and love for this historic gem was unmatched. From the over 1,100 seat auditorium and working movie theatre (later copied by Radio City Music Hall), to the backstage projection rooms and civil defense stockpile, to the dressing rooms, remarkable stories, and stunning dance hall with sweeping views, it was a perfect and incredible climax to our 48 hour stay on the island. The way the Wrigley family still contributes, in having the local public Avalon school perform plays and hold other events there, and the absolute reverence that curator Sean holds for this treasure, is truly beautiful to witness and share. Thank you Sean and the Wrigley family, for preserving this extraordinary masterpiece.

Rebecca was amazing on the “Casino :Behind the scenes tour. Her knowledge was vast.. it was a wonderful experience and she was an excellent host.

We did not have time for the indoor tour but spent some time outside to enjoy the architecture. It is equivalent in height to a thirteen story building and is very beautiful. Next time on the island we will book the formal tour.

What a beautiful theater!
Much of the art has been untouched since the 1920’s.
The Art Deco style building is absolutely breathtaking.
The tour gives you so much history of the casino and the Island.
But don’t go expecting to gamble.
Casino in Italian means a place to gather.
It was never a gambling facility.

We used Newport Flyer coupon. It was a good savings. we walkrd to the Casino for the 11:30 tour. We were 2 minutes late and they wouldn't let us join toe tour! Guess they didn't want our money.

MUST DO-- PICK "BEHIND THE SCENES" Tour (if you have no mobility problems). Wonderful living history.

They offer two tours: 40min. and 70 min. Not clear on their web site the differences--
The 40 min. is for those with ADA issues (can't climb stairs, etc.) and it covers less (I'm sure it is good, but less).

My 70 min. "Behind the Scenes" tour covers all the 40 min. tour area and uses stairs to go into many back-stage rooms, film projection areas, stage manager side-stage showing the 1929 light board (great for those with theatre background) and into the 1100person movie theatre.

Then UP 4 stories into the 15000-20000 sq. ft. circular ballroom. Spectacular upon walking in and being transported to the 1930's

My tour guide, Paul-- was exceptional and with only four of us on the 70min. tour it felt as if I was on a private tour-- he was so generous with his time and spirit. A fellow tour goer covertly gave him a tip afterwards-- I wish I had also thought of it-- he deserved it and more.

You've got to see the theatre and ballroom if you're in Avalon. But avoid The tour guide named Frankie.

Frankie of Avalon is a sweet guy. But he's a horrible guide. Reveals all the spoilers before showing the 10 min video. Extolling his virtues as a swing dancer and dance instructor. Promising to teach any woman to dance in ten seconds and bragging about his dance floor triumphs. He's in his mid-seventies and acts like a lonely egocentric guy for whom tours are a chance to perform, not inform.

A worthwhile tour of a place long past its prime by a guide long past his.

We went with a small party of 4 behind the scenes of the Catalina Island Casino. It was very interesting to see and hear about the construction and decoration of this iconic building. Paul did a great job showing us around and telling us lots of anecdotes about both the theatre and the dance hall.

We were visiting Catalina Island for 2 days and this was one of our scheduled tours. It was within walking distance from our hotel and it lasted for about an hour and a bit more. This was one of the most interesting things we did on our 2 week vacation. Very well organized and a lot of history was shared.

We took the tour which takes you behind the scenes and we were amazed at the history we walked through. Everything was amazing and how the built the building was so interesting!

Although our wedding size wasn’t large enough to require this venue for our wedding or reception, we did find ourselves here for some amazing photos post-reception on 11/11. We were lucky to share 6 days on the Island (4 of which were shared with 60 guests) so we were able to experience much Avalon had to offer in ways of food, entertainment, lodging and venues. This venue offered a stunning backdrop for our Gatsby themed wedding photos.

Great iconic building in Avalon.
Although not generally open to the public inside without a tour, the exterior itself is amazing!
Tile entrance and architecture of the Building are definitely worth visiting.
The building was never a gambling casino though.

It was fun to see a movie in this building. The seats are very close together and not much leg room but the building is wonderful.

The beacon of Avalon and Catalina Island, a must see even if you are only staying the day. You have to purchase either the behind the scenes tour or the discover the casino tour, depending on the day, these can be bought at the Casino or the Pleasure Pier. My party went on the Discover the casino tour which was a 45 minute tour of the main areas of the Casino. The tour starts in the entry way of the theatre, progresses to the theatre where the talkies were shown for years; the organ is still played annually for a fundraiser. The art within the theatre is painted burlap and not canvas so it is in very good condition and has not started to peel or fade. There was a 10 minute brief video of the history of the Casino, followed by seeing the hat room, bar area, ballroom, and the terrace that encircles most of the ballroom floor. Our tour guide, Rebecca was wonderful and had a load of knowledge of the history and significance of pieces within the Casino. She even serenaded us with a rendition of Avalon by Al Jolson (1920- worth a listen).
Honestly, for anyone remotely interested in the history of the Casino or architecture/engineering, it is well worth your time.

This place is a must while you are in Catalina. Also in October they have the Jazz Fest which is awesome. Get your tickets well in advance tho. and get ready for the best Jazz weekend.

If the tour is available, then do it. It's amazing. You will tour top to bottom with colorful history of this iconic building.

We enjoyed our tour of the casino very much! I would like to do it again actually, especially at night. The attached museum isn't much though.

Our guide offered us an informative history of the casino. She had a personable and friendly demeanor, very willing to answer questions. An enjoyable tour!

Three days of jazz at the best venue in southern california! Beautiful ballroom with balcony outdoor views!

The casino with its self leveling floor and ramps to get up was the greatest. The view out over the harbor was to die for. To think Clark Gable and Carol Lumbard danced the same floor you would be standing on. The movie theatre was so beautiful with its painted walls you do not want to leave. To say this is breathtaking place is an understatement.

Before visiting Catalina Island, images of Hollywood celebrities gambling their fortunes away in this "Casino" predominated my vision its past history. However, a forty-minute tour of this extraordinary building dispelled all the preconceptions of the island itself and instilled a greater respect for the people responsible for its presence. Among the highlights of this building are:

1) The Avalon Theater on the ground floor was the first theater built for the talkies. It has a domed ceiling that has near perfect acoustics that was copied by those who built Radio City in New York.

2) The two ramps that lead up to dance hall on the upper floor was designed so that it took very little effort for people to reach an equivalent of eight stories height. This is something that has been copied by sports stadiums.

3) The dance floor on the upper floor is also a domed structure with no supporting beams in the center and holds great number of people without fear of structure failure.

Without a doubt, if time is limited on a visit to Catalina Island, a visit to the Casino is a must!

We enjoyed the casino movie theater! Sit in the last 6 rows p. They are VIP! The ballroom is beautiful!

This grand focal point in the city of Avalon on Catalina Island draws visitors worldwide. The city is a hint of simpler days - with golf carts instead of cars. The casino was built by Wrigley and the name "casino" signifies a gathering place - not a gambling venue. The art deco design, murals and opulence of the Casino are captivating. We visited again during the annual JazzTrax jazz festival in October. Perfect time to visit the Casino with many jazz concerts and repeated opportunities to enjoy concerts in the grand ballroom with dancing, food and drinks.

The steep ramps to the upper level are difficult for those with mobility concerns. I understand an elevator is on site. This elevator did malfunction causing difficulties for those attending concerts. Of note, children or teens were not at the casino and may not enjoy this venue.

History buffs, architects, romantics and jazz aficionados will be wowed by a visit to the casino. Spectacular architecture, romantics walks along the open promenade circling the exterior are enhanced by ocean and Avalon Bay views. At night lights from the mainland are visible. So enchanting and very highly recommended!

We decided to take the "behind the scene's tour" of this beautiful landmark. It was well worth the small additional cost. This Art Deco and Mediterranean style building dates back to 1929 when Mr Wrigley had this beautiful $2 million building built in a little over a year. We loved hearing all about the famous people who enjoyed it over the years. The dressing rooms are staged as if it was still 1929. The artwork in the theater looks as new as the day it opened. The ballroom made you want to learn the charleston dance so you could participate in one of the parties they still have today.

What a spectacular building inside and outside! We got married inside this building 25 years ago and on re-visiting for our Silver Wedding Anniversary we did the “Twilight At The Casino” Tour, conducted by “Frankie From Avalon”.

Excellent tour, very informative, a superb opportunity to see this unique, special and wonderful art deco building on the inside and walk around it on the balcony outside. The ‘cinema’ is beautiful, Frankie knows his stuff and is a great tour guide (as well as a lovely gentleman), we had a glass of wine & nibbles in the ballroom and Frankie danced with all the ladies! Lots of other special features on this tour too.

Highly recommend this tour!

A must-see when visiting the island. The architecture and location are beautiful and you can just feel how it must have been in its heyday.