Catalina Island Travel Guide… Honest and Slightly Unhinged

What do you get when you mix a chewing gum billionaire, roaming buffalo, overpriced Bloody Marys, and a suspiciously fast “time-warp” hike? Welcome to Catalina Island—and another slightly unhinged episode of The Jocular Pugilists.

Phil thought he was getting a normal birthday weekend. Instead, Stacy secretly put together a surprise trip to Catalina Island — complete with ferries, golf carts, ocean views, old Hollywood vibes, and an island that somehow feels both frozen in time and strangely futuristic.

In this episode, we take you on a hilarious (and occasionally informative) trip to Catalina, where:

•  Golf carts are basically Lamborghinis 💸 
•  Buffalo roam free because… Hollywood logic 
•  The ferry has a “VIP section” that may or may not just be a $20 flex 
•  And somehow, a 45-minute hike turns into a 5-minute return trip (science still pending) 

We also dive into Catalina’s wild history—from smugglers and Spanish explorers to Wrigley gum money turning it into a resort playground—plus honest takes on whether it’s actually worth the trip or just a very pretty tourist trap.

👉 If you’re into travel stories, sarcasm, and discovering how quickly a vacation can turn into a business idea involving golf cart monopolies… this one’s for you.

Let us know what you think.

Email Phil or Tomas at: 

thejocularpugilists@gmail.com

And check out our website at: thejocularpugilists.com