Camping Catalina: Going for the geocache

Newbies to the island, we wanted to remain within walking distance of the main drag and get to know Avalon. For seven people on a budget, that meant staying at the only Catalina Island campground that's within the city's 2 square miles: Hermit Gulch. It's a bit more civilized than Catalina's four other campgrounds, which include — at the opposite end of the spectrum and the opposite end of the 21-mile island — isolated Parson's Landing, a hike-in primitive site with no fresh water. Hermit Gulch, on the contrary, is "close to Avalon, with hot showers and flush toilets, a microwave, vending machines, shuttle," said amiable ranger Waylon Graham.