Wrigley Botanical Gardens

Wrigley Botanical Gardens is a sprawling botanical space covering roughly 38 acres near Avalon with collections focused on plants that grow in the Channel Islands region. The structures on the grounds use local stone and materials that reflect the character of this island location.

The gardens grew from a significant figure's influence on the island in the early 1900s, with structures and plant collections developing as part of that legacy. The site reflects the broader changes to Catalina Island during that transformative period of early island development.

The space reflects the island community's values through its focus on native plants and regional materials that connect visitors to local ecology. Walking through it, you experience how the place emphasizes what grows naturally on Catalina rather than imported species from elsewhere.

The gardens sit on a slope above Avalon town center and require either a walk of around 30 minutes from downtown or using local transport options. Wear comfortable shoes as you will be moving through planted areas on uneven ground.

The gardens protect several plant species found nowhere else on earth, including a tree type that exists only on this island. These rare species make this place part of a broader conservation effort for this region.