Whether your first time or more, you have to check out the memorial and gardens. It's a trek to get there but worth it if weather permitting. We rented electric bikes, which was a quite a fun experience and great way to see the island.You can see clear across the water at the top of the Memorial.
The grounds were kept nice and clean. It was a beautiful little area. Peaceful. We really enjoyed the beginning to our hike.
This botanic garden is at the end of the canyon. the shuttle will get you there in just a few minutes with great views along the way. The plants are well labeled and there is lots to see. The memorial makes for some great picture opportunities. I never go to the island without visiting the garden. The interpretive center gets better and better and the staff are both friendly and helpful.
it was nicely laid out with numerous types of cactus. The memorial is quite an uphill walk, with numerous steps at the memorial but the view from up there was well worth the walk.
I enjoyed the garden and the views. Lots of cacti...but somehow it was kind of cool. I probably won't visit it if I come back to the island, but I am glad I visited it once. No regrets.
Had the time to visit, but nothing outstanding. Unless you are a California endemic plant enthusiast, you could skip this stop. Nice, quiet mini-garden with the Wrigley memorial towering above. Mr. Wrigley is no longer entombed there.
The walk to the Memorial was nice and scenic, it passes the beautiful golf course and has a manageable incline. Entry to the gardens cost $5. The gardens are a hodge podge of cactus and other native plants, no design apparent, just plantings with paths through them. The memorial was big and elaborate, but there was not signage to indicate what we were looking at or what it was used for. Pretty views from the top, though.
This botanical garden features many rare species that are endemic to Catalina - and is a very nice walk through the gardens plus a climb to the Wrigley memorial up on the hill. Also a very enjoyable bike ride up to the gardens from town. The Entry fee was $7 which we could pay on the honor system into a metal box while the staff were out to lunch.
We took the last trolley ride to the Botanic gardens and paid $7pp to walk through some cactus to the Wrigley memorial. They should really improve the "botanic gardens" to make it worthwhile
Learning about the history of the plants on the island, the gardens and the memorial was very interesting. The desert garden has many succulents, cactus and desert vegetation. Many different varieties of each over many acres. Take your time and learn about the unique plants and it will add to your visit. The memorial is really neat. The history of how it was constructed and the materials used was fascinating. It is very beautiful and the view down the valley from the top is great. I enjoyed the visit and know more about Wrigley the man and Catalina island after visiting. One last note about the property. After you pay the $7 or so fee for entrance the gardens begin (dirt and gravel paths) and they have a slight upward slope. As you head towards the memorial the slope increases steadily. The memorial itself has multiple flight of stairs to the top, but you can reach the base without stair climbing.