Beachgoers relax at Descanso Beach Club, Avalon's only beachside restaurant and bar, on Friday, June 25, 2021, on Catalina Island, California. (Allen J. Scherben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Travelers planning a summer vacation may want to consider one of this year's top summer destinations, listed as part of USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.
According to USA Today, 20 summer destinations were recommended by a panel of experts, but only one will be named the number one summer travel destination.
Contesting for that title is one of California's beloved destinations: Catalina Island.
This 35-mile island off the coast of Southern California attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and is home to pristine beaches, some of the region's most unique flora and fauna, and world-famous seafood. .
Luxury hotels, mid-range bungalows, and budget accommodations are all accommodations that travelers visiting Catalina Island can book.
The island was also a hotspot for film and television production, especially in the early days of Hollywood and the silent film era. Multiple episodes of “Baywatch” were filmed here in the 1990s, and parts of Steven Spielberg's classic thriller “Jaws” were also filmed here.
For a younger generation, the most memorable pop culture moment may be the 2008 comedy “Step Brothers,” in which characters played by John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell discuss the significance of the fictional “Catalina Wine Mixer.” To the real event held every year.
Catalina, the only California state to make the list, is just one of the summer destinations vying for the title. Readers can vote for their favorites now.
Other notable cities and attractions include Cody, Wyoming; Juneau, Alaska. Mackinac Island, Michigan. Utah's Capitol Reef Country includes Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches National Park.
Click here to see the complete list of the top 20 summer vacation destinations and vote for your favorite.
Readers can vote once a day until voting closes on May 13th. The top 10 will be announced on May 22nd.
