Catalina Island welcomes millions of visitors every year, and offers an incredible experience in its unique allurement. Beyond its many spectacular views, tasty eateries, and Island atmosphere, the incomparable style of transportation stands alone. The Town of Avalon may be small in size (just 1 mile long), but the size of its beauty is immeasurable. Throughout the narrow streets, tight corners and elegant hills, the primary means of getting around are janky golf carts and more efficiently, but hardly less nerdy, Smart Cars. Among these many beauties of Catalina Island, a unique artistic culture lives within. This culture normally isn’t represented by a standard golf cart, but is preserved through the head-turning shuttle carts of Mark Malan’s Hermosa Hotel and Catalina Cottages. Although, these “shuttle carts” are exceedingly more amazing than any shuttle I’ve ever seen.
The three main carts include a red Model T, an H3 Hummer replica, and a classic blue roadster. These original carts are, as of August, accompanied by a 12-seater Limo Cart for maximum guest accommodation. To the staff of the Hermosa Hotel, they see the experience of riding in one of these carts as more than just a groovy means of Island transportation, but a pure tourist attraction. It is a memory to be made, a memory to be shared with family and friends. To summarize the reason he provides such a unique experience to the visitors of Catalina, Mark Malan calls it “currency in smiles.” Catalina Island is already such a beautiful place to explore and create new experience, and the luxury that is packed in one of these custom golf carts encompasses a similar goal.
In many vacationer’s cases, it is possible to hop in a taxi or ride in a shuttle van. The occasional shuttle bus comes around for some hotels, but for others, they mainly wheel their four bags, two bikes, a dog or a stroller across the brick boardwalk and up a few blocks to their hotel. While I’m sure no kid complains about that journey, these studly carts present a popular and stylish way to arrive at your hotel and even catch a lift to your room from the lobby. Oh yeah, the carts are also available for guests to drive themselves around in. Talk about the full Avalon experience, driving one of these roadsters around the town will catch the attention of visitors and locals alike. Next time you’re walking your bags across Metropole Avenue, take a stop by Hermosa Hotel and Catalina Cottages and take a picture in one of the carts, and next time you visit, you’ll be driving it for real.