Catalina from A to Z: Heady helicopters

Hello, and welcome to the Blogging A to Z Challenge! This year my theme is Catalina from A to Z, featuring posts about the Southern California island of Catalina. With a focus on the island’s romantic side, I’ll be sharing info about where to go, what to see and do, plus a few sneak peeks from my novel in progress, Wife For A Weekend, which is set on the island!

One of the two* ways to reach Catalina Island is via helicopter, so let’s talk air travel!

IEX (Island Express Helicopters) is the island’s sole helicopter service provider, and the typical price of a flight is $159 per person, one-way, or $318 round-trip, whether you choose to depart from Burbank, Long Beach, Orange County or San Pedro. The company has choppers that can accommodate either six or nine total passengers, so you can also arrange for group rates.

Flight time to the island via helicopter is just 15 minutes (compared with the hour-long ferry ride), so if you’re in a hurry to scoot over to the Island of Romance, then a helicopter is the best way to get there fast.

If you prefer to fly by airplane, private jets can schedule landings at Catalina’s Airport-In-The-Sky. For more info (and pricing), contact the airport by phone at 310-510-0143.

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* The other way is by boat, whether private yacht, rubber dinghy, or publicly accessible ferry. I would not advise swimming!

The Wife for a Weekend connection

In my book, Wife for a Weekend, Adam Haver – a mischievous director – uses a private helicopter to escape Diego and Vivian after playing a very naughty practical joke on them… but you’ll have to read the book to find out exactly what he does – as well as Diego and Vivian’s resulting nickname for him!