Haunted Catalina Island - Avalon

August 21, 2026

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Few places combine history, tragedy, mystery, and natural beauty quite like Catalina Island. Located just off the Southern California coast, Catalina has a history stretching back thousands of years—and beneath its reputation as a picturesque vacation destination lies a fascinating collection of stories involving Indigenous history, early settlement, devastating fires, Hollywood, military activity, unexplained encounters, and reported paranormal activity.

For us, Catalina Island offered the perfect opportunity to explore both its history and its darker side.

Catalina Island’s Early History

Indigenous people have lived on Santa Catalina Island for at least 8,000 years. Long before Avalon became a popular resort destination, Catalina Island was home to Indigenous communities with deep cultural connections to the island and the surrounding Southern California coast.

The inhabitants most closely associated with Catalina are the Tongva tribe, who refer to the island as Pimu. The Indigenous people living on the island were known as the Pimungans or Pimuvit.

The arrival of Europeans brought profound changes. Spanish colonization introduced diseases, disruption of traditional trade networks, and displacement which severely affected Indigenous communities throughout Southern California. By the early 19th century, much of Catalina’s Indigenous population had been removed or relocated to the mainland and the island would soon enter another chapter of its history.

From Ranching and Mining to Avalon

Throughout the 1800s, Catalina passed through several different phases. Ranching, fishing, and mining became important activities as settlers and prospectors searched the island for valuable resources.

In 1887, George Shatto purchased Catalina Island for $200,000 and began developing what would eventually become Avalon as a resort community. The following year, in 1888, the Hotel Metropole opened, helping establish Avalon as a destination for visitors.

In 1894, the island became under the control of the Banning family. The Banning brothers established the Santa Catalina Island Company, developing roads, hotels, transportation, and attractions that helped transform Avalon into a major Southern California vacation destination, but soon, Avalon would experience a devastating setback.

The Great Avalon Fire of 1915

In 1915, a catastrophic fire swept through Avalon, destroying a large portion of the town and numerous buildings and hotels. The Banning’s worked to rebuild and restore tourism, but the fire had a lasting impact on the island. Eventually, the family sold its controlling interest in Catalina.

In 1919, chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. acquired controlling interest in the Santa Catalina Island Company for approximately $3 million dollars and began investing heavily in Avalon. Under the Wrigley family, Catalina developed into the glamorous resort destination that visitors recognize today.

The Wrigley family also brought another famous connection to the island: baseball. Wrigley owned the Chicago Cubs, who used Catalina Island for spring training beginning in 1921. The Cubs continued training on Catalina for decades, with the exception of several years during World War II.

The Catalina Casino

One of Catalina’s most recognizable landmarks is the magnificent Catalina Casino, completed in 1929. Despite the name, the building was never intended to be a gambling casino. Instead, it was designed as a massive entertainment and gathering center featuring a theater and one of the most spectacular ballrooms in the region. During the Big Band era, some of the country’s most prominent musical acts performed there. The building itself is remarkable, but for paranormal investigators, it is the stories surrounding the Casino that make it especially intriguing.

Catalina also became closely connected to Hollywood. More than 500 movies, television programs, documentaries, and commercials have reportedly been filmed on the island, adding another unusual chapter to Catalina’s history.

Catalina’s Famous Bison

One of the strangest chapters in Catalina’s history involves a herd of American bison. Bison were brought to the island during the 1920s for a film production. Rather than all of the animals being removed afterward, some remained on Catalina. Their descendants continue to roam portions of the island today. It is one of those unusual pieces of Catalina history that seems almost too strange to be true—but became part of the island’s identity.

Catalina During World War II

Catalina’s history took another dramatic turn during World War II.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the island was closed to visitors, and the U.S. military occupied Catalina for much of the war. Its location off the Southern California coast made the island strategically important for military operations and coastal defense. The island’s peaceful resort atmosphere was temporarily replaced by a much more serious military presence.

The Catalina Island Conservancy

Another major chapter came in the 1970s when the Wrigley family transferred approximately 88 percent of Catalina Island to the newly established Catalina Island Conservancy. Today, the Conservancy protects much of the island as a nature preserve, helping preserve Catalina’s undeveloped interior, wildlife, and natural landscapes.

With thousands of years of human history, dramatic events, abandoned and historic structures, and generations of stories, Catalina certainly has no shortage of material for those interested in the paranormal. And that’s where our investigation begins.

Catalina’s Haunted History

Catalina Island has accumulated countless stories of strange occurrences, unexplained experiences, tragic deaths, and reported hauntings over the years. One of the locations most frequently associated with paranormal stories is the Catalina Casino.

During our tour, we were told a story about a man who reportedly fell to his death during the Casino’s construction in 1928–1929. Another version of the story suggests that wet cement may have been involved and that the man’s body was never recovered. We were unable to locate reliable documentation confirming this particular account. Construction of such a massive structure would certainly have involved dangerous working conditions, but we could not find documentation establishing those additional deaths occurred during the Casino’s construction either. And sometimes, the mystery surrounding a story is what makes it so fascinating.

Another story associated with the Casino involves a man who supposedly saw the woman he loved dancing with another man in the ballroom. According to the tale, he consumed a drink before jumping from the highest balcony to his death.

The Casino has also developed a reputation for paranormal activity involving its women’s restroom, shadow figures, and unexplained encounters. The location received considerable national paranormal attention when Discovery’s Ghost Adventures investigated the Casino in the episode Curse of Catalina Island. The investigation explored several reported phenomena throughout the building.

Natalie Wood

Perhaps the most famous modern tragedy associated with Catalina is the death of actress Natalie Wood. In 1981, Wood drowned after disappearing from the yacht Splendour near Catalina Island. Her death remains a subject of significant public interest, and the circumstances surrounding it have generated decades of discussion and speculation. The incident occurred near the Two Harbors and Blue Cavern Point area, and the location has consequently become part of Catalina’s modern folklore. Over the years, there have also been stories of people claiming to have seen what they believed to be Wood’s apparition in areas associated with her death.

The Glenmore Plaza Hotel

This next location was especially interesting to us because this was where we stayed during our trip. The Glenmore Plaza Hotel dates back to Avalon’s early resort era and is widely described as the city’s oldest surviving hotel. The hotel opened in 1891, making it one of the few remaining structures that connects modern Avalon with its earliest resort history. That alone makes the Glenmore fascinating.

But there is another reason paranormal investigators may find the hotel intriguing. The Glenmore survived the devastating 1915 fire that destroyed much of Avalon, and stories have developed over the years connecting the hotel with the fire and other unexplained occurrences.

Reported experiences include:

The smell of smoke when no fire is present
Apparent sightings of the building burning
Apparitions
A figure reportedly appearing to pass through a wall

Whether these experiences have a paranormal explanation or are simply stories passed down through generations is impossible to say. But given the hotel’s age and its connection to one of Avalon’s most significant historical disasters, the stories certainly add another layer of mystery.

The Glenmore also has a documented tragedy in its more recent history. In 1999, 18-year-old Avalon resident David Ramirez Jr. died after falling approximately four stories from the Glenmore Hotel. According to a 2006 Los Angeles Times report, Ramirez and another student were attending a post-prom party when they climbed from a balcony onto the hotel’s roof to smoke. While attempting to return to the room, Ramirez slipped and fell. This tragedy is part of the hotel’s documented history and is separate from the paranormal stories associated with the building.

Our Haunted Catalina Investigation

We didn’t waste much time once we arrived on Catalina. After checking into the Glenmore Plaza Hotel, we headed straight out for a haunted tour on a golf cart with Haunted Catalina. Our tour guide, Jess, was extremely knowledgeable and took us throughout Avalon,

Exploring Avalon by golf cart gave the tour a completely different feel than simply walking through the town. We traveled through the narrow streets and along the waterfront, taking in the historic buildings, harbor views, and unique atmosphere of the island along the way. At each stop, Jess shared stories about the location, including its history, tragedies, and reported paranormal activity. There was something especially exciting about arriving at each location by golf cart and wondering what we might encounter next.

There was one major challenge for us as investigators: noise. The golf cart was extremely loud while traveling, so we wore headsets that allowed us to hear Jess throughout the tour. Unfortunately, the engine noise created a significant amount of audio contamination.

We brought two portable audio recorders with us, and although we weren’t able to capture everything clearly, we still managed to record several potential EVPs—Electronic Voice Phenomena. Paranormal investigations rarely go exactly as planned. You have to work with the environment you’re given, deal with unexpected noise and technical problems, and hope that something interesting makes it onto the recordings.

This time, something did.

EVP: “You Guys Sleeping?”

Only about 15 minutes into the tour, one of our recorders captured what sounds like a male voice saying:

“You guys sleeping?”

or possibly:

“Guys sleeping.”

The voice is surprisingly clear considering that the golf cart was moving at the time.

We classify this as a Class A EVP based on our own classification system.

For our investigations:

Class A: A clear voice that can generally be heard without headphones.

Class B: A voice that is reasonably audible but is easier to hear with headphones.

Class C: A very faint or unclear voice that generally requires headphones and careful listening.

Everyone’s classification system can differ, so these categories represent the system we use for our investigations.

What makes the “You Guys Sleeping?” EVP particularly interesting to us is that we do not believe it matches any of the male voices on the tour. Because the golf cart was moving at the time, we also wondered whether the voice could have originated from inside or immediately around the cart. Could it have simply been an environmental sound? Absolutely. Could it have been something else? That’s what makes reviewing these recordings so much fun. And if the voice was paranormal, perhaps someone—or something—was simply checking to see if we were paying attention.

“AHHHHH!”

At another stop, we captured what sounds like a male voice saying:

“AHHHHH!”

Interestingly, we recorded what sounds like the same voice on both of our recorders. We have no way of knowing what the voice might have been reacting to, but the tone of the recording made us laugh when we heard it. One thing we enjoy about paranormal investigating is that not every unexplained recording has to be frightening. Sometimes, they are just funny.

A Whispered “Where?”

Another recording captured a very faint female voice that sounds like:

“Where?”

Just before the voice appears, the recorder produces a strange sound resembling Morse code. The voice occurs immediately after that sound stops. We frequently encounter unusual sounds immediately before potential EVPs, although we cannot determine whether there is any actual relationship between the two. It could simply be an audio artifact. Or it could be something we don’t yet understand.

“Hello”

Our final clear EVP from the golf cart tour was another recording we classify as Class A.

While the golf cart was traveling and Jess was speaking, we captured what sounds like a male voice saying:

“Hello.”

It almost sounds as though someone was greeting us from inside the cart. Because we were driving down the street at the time, we found this recording particularly interesting. Perhaps someone—or something—wanted to say hello.

Haunting Tales & Mysterious Melodies

Later that evening, we headed to the Catalina Casino for a tour called Haunting Tales & Mysterious Melodies. Interestingly, this tour also utilized headsets. Much of the tour information was delivered through a prerecorded presentation, while the tour guide provided additional information along the way.

From an investigative standpoint, this created another challenge. With recorded narration, a paranormal investigator has to be extremely careful when reviewing audio because voices from the tour recording could easily be mistaken for potential EVPs. Fortunately, there were only two other people on our tour, but even that was enough to create some questionable recordings. Any voices that could reasonably have come from another person or the tour recording were excluded from our evidence. We would much rather throw out a questionable recording than call something paranormal when there is a reasonable explanation. That is an important part of investigating. Fortunately, we still captured several recordings that left us scratching our heads.

“Extra Scared”

The first two interesting recordings occurred while we were sitting and waiting for the tour to begin.

A female voice sounds like it says:

“Extra scared.”

The voice is very quiet and whisper-like, but it also sounds surprisingly close to the recorder. At the time, the other two people on the tour were farther away from us, which made us question whether the voice could have originated from them. Not long afterward, we captured another recording containing what sounds like a male voice saying:

“I’m scared.”

We listened to both recordings repeatedly and could not confidently identify a natural source. If these are genuine EVPs, it raises an obvious question: What were they scared of?

Were these voices somehow connected to the history of the building? Were they simply random sounds? Or was there something else happening around us? We can’t say for certain. But that’s exactly the kind of question that keeps us listening.

“Circus Lumber”

One of the most puzzling recordings of the entire investigation occurred inside the Casino’s ballroom. The ballroom itself is incredible. Its enormous circular wooden floor, historic architecture, and original fixtures make it one of the most impressive spaces on the island. During the tour, the guide discussed the construction of the building and mentioned the story about a worker who reportedly fell to his death. It was during this discussion that we captured a very faint female voice that sounds like:

“Circus lumber.”

Could she have been saying something completely different? Absolutely.

But the phrase caught our attention enough that we decided to investigate it. During our research, we discovered a fascinating local historical tradition involving Holly Hill House in Avalon. According to the tradition, much of the lumber used in the construction of the house was hauled up the steep hillside with the assistance of a retired circus horse named Mercury.

Holly Hill House is visible from the Casino area, making the connection especially intriguing. However, we were unable to find documentation showing that the wood used to construct the Catalina Casino was connected to circus animals or Mercury. There is also an important historical detail: Holly Hill House predates the Casino. So, we are not claiming that the EVP proves a connection between the Casino and Mercury. Instead, we found the coincidence fascinating enough to include. Sometimes paranormal investigations lead you down some very unexpected historical rabbit holes. And this was definitely one of them.

“Drink It” and “Shit”

Less than a minute later, we captured two more interesting recordings.

By this point in the tour, the heat was getting to all of us, and several people were drinking water. Our recorder captured a very clear female voice that sounds like:

“Drink it.”

A few seconds later, another female voice appears to say:

“Shit.”

We listened to these recordings repeatedly and did not believe either statement came from our group. The timing was also interesting. And then we remembered another unusual piece of Catalina Casino history.

Were They Talking About Alcohol?

When the Casino first opened, Prohibition was in effect, meaning alcohol could not legally be served. William Wrigley Jr. was also known for his opposition to drinking and reportedly took the matter seriously.

Inside the Casino, there are small rooms and viewing areas behind the ballroom that were reportedly used to monitor activity in the ballroom. Hidden viewing areas allowed people to observe what was happening below. The idea was fascinating to us.

Could the voices saying “Drink it” and “Shit” somehow relate to drinking? Could they have been residual voices reacting to someone attempting to sneak alcohol into the ballroom? We have absolutely no way of knowing. But when a potential EVP seems to intersect with the history of the location, it is always worth taking a closer look.

“Look Around”

Our final clear EVP from the Casino occurred as the tour was ending. As we walked through the doors toward the outside, we captured a male voice saying:

“Look around.”

That one definitely caught our attention. If we could have heard the voice in real time, we would have loved to know what it wanted us to see. Was there something—or someone—nearby? Unfortunately, we didn’t notice anything unusual at the time. But perhaps that’s the frustrating—and exciting—part of paranormal investigation.

Technical Problems and Unexpected Challenges

Our investigation wasn’t without its technical difficulties. One of our two recorders shut off before we finished. We cannot say exactly why. There are theories within paranormal investigating that spirits can drain or interfere with electronic equipment. However, we cannot independently establish that this is what happened to our recorder. It could have been a battery issue, equipment malfunction, or simple user error. This is one reason we always recommend using multiple recording devices whenever possible.

Unfortunately, our body camera footage also failed to record properly. Since the device was new to us, user error or unfamiliarity with the equipment may have been responsible. Every investigation comes with challenges. Sometimes equipment fails. Sometimes environmental noise ruins an otherwise interesting recording. And sometimes you spend hours investigating and capture nothing. But when you come home with something worth reviewing, it makes the entire process worthwhile.

A Final EVP at the Glenmore

There was one more surprise waiting for us. When we returned to the Glenmore Plaza Hotel and began getting ready for bed, we accidentally left one of our recorders running since the Casino tour. When we later reviewed the recording, we discovered two very faint Class C EVPs.

The first sounds like a female voice saying:

“Okay.”

The second sounds like a male voice saying:

“Don’t worry.”

Considering where we were staying, that second EVP immediately caught our attention. The Glenmore survived the devastating 1915 fire that destroyed so much of Avalon. So, we couldn’t help but wonder: Don’t worry about what? Was the voice simply a random unexplained sound? Was it directed toward us? Or, considering the hotel’s history, could the phrase somehow be connected to the stories surrounding the fire? We simply don’t know. The line we try to maintain in our investigations: document what we capture, investigate the history, consider the possible explanations, and let the evidence speak for itself.

Our Catalina Island Adventure

Our trip to Catalina Island was an incredible experience. The island’s combination of Indigenous history, early settlement, devastating fire, Hollywood connections, military history, the Catalina Casino, the Glenmore Plaza Hotel, and generations of local stories created an unforgettable backdrop for our investigation.

And then there were the recordings.

From “You guys sleeping?” and “Hello” on the golf cart tour to “I’m scared,” “Drink it,” “Circus lumber,” and “Look around” inside the Casino, we captured several recordings that we continue to find intriguing.

Were all of them paranormal? We can’t say. Could some have ordinary explanations?

Absolutely. But that’s what makes paranormal investigation so exciting. You never know what you’re going to capture. And sometimes, the most interesting part isn’t simply hearing a strange voice—it’s researching the history afterward and discovering connections you never expected.

We would absolutely love to return to Catalina Island for a follow-up investigation. There are still so many locations, stories, and historical mysteries waiting to be explored.

Catalina may be beautiful in the daylight, but once the sun goes down, the island has a very different story to tell.

Portable Audio Recorder Evidence

Below is a selection of recordings captured with our portable audio recorders during our investigation of Catalina Island.

These represent some of the clearest and most intriguing recordings we captured during our stay.

As with all paranormal evidence, we encourage you to listen carefully and make your own judgment about what you hear.

For the best listening experience, we highly recommend using headphones.

Turn up the volume.

Listen closely.

And see if you hear the same voices we did.

Was it paranormal?

Was it coincidence?

Or is it simply something we haven’t been able to explain?

You decide.

Portable Audio Recorder *:

Audio 1: This is the very first EVP we received on our haunted golf cart tour. It sounds like a male voice saying, ” you guys sleeping?” or “guys sleeping” (.06)

Audio 2: While taking a step off our golf cart to take in the beautiful views you hear what sounds like a male say “AHHHH”. This EVP has a very funny tone to it. (0.4)

Audio 3: This EVP you will hear what sounds like morse code coming from the audio recorder right away. It will stop and you will what sounds like a women saying “where” very faintly. (0.6)

Audio 4: You will hear the sound of the golf cart and the tour guide speaking right away. The voice that is not any of us is a man very clearly saying “Hello” (0.4)

Audio 5: You will hear two investigators talking and very faintly in the background you will hear a female voice saying “extra scared”. (0.6)

Audio 6: You will hear an investigator say go down and the tour guide at the casino say yes, then you will hear what sounds like a male voice say “I’m scared”. (0.5)

Audio 7: This is a two-part EVP. This was in the ballroom of the Casino. You hear a female say “Drink It” (0.5) then hear one of the investigators giggle. Then at (0.8) you hear “Shit”.

Audio 8: You will first hear a women and man investigator talking and at (0.5), you will hear what sounds like a women say “circus lumber”.

Audio 9: You will hear an investigator giggle and then at (0.5) you will hear very faintly a male say what sounds like “oh hot”.

Audio 10: While in the projector room you hear a very faint female say “your turn”. (0.4). Then you will hear two investigators speak.

Audio 11: At first, you will hear an investigator speak while leaving the Casino. At (0.4) you will hear what sounds like someone saying “look around”.