No this is not the place you’ll get to live out your Ocean Eleven fantasies. Yes the name of this attraction is misleading, because this lovely cultural hotspot is not an actual casino (no gambling here!), but represents the Italian meaning of the word “casino” in its original form – a gathering place. Commissioned in 1929 by William Wrigley Jr. to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the idyllic Catalina Island, this charming attraction remains as a local favourite for a romantic getaway and as the hub of Avalon nightlife.

As the most visible landmark in Avalon Bay, the Catalina Casino is beautifully decorated in the Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival styles, complete with stuccoed walls and colourfully embellished facades. The interior of the building is artfully designed with sterling silver and gold leaf accents, and offer visitors a glimpse of life in the 1900s, from the first movie theatre in America designed with superb stage acoustics, to the world’s largest circular ballroom on the top level, in which more than 3,000 dancers once twirled to the beat of big band music.