Avalon Pier and Waterfront

Avalon is built around a curve of water, and the best way to start any visit is to walk it. The Green Pleasure Pier, dating from 1909, is the town's front door: ferries tie up nearby, tour boats and fishing charters leave from its slips, and the planks are lined with kiosks selling tickets, snacks and sunscreen. Behind it, Crescent Avenue sweeps along the bay with palm trees, benches and a beachfront promenade, backed by a mix of hotels, restaurants, shops and the Casino at the far end. The scale is small and walkable, the pace is slow, and the postcard views come every few steps. It costs nothing, and it is where many people spend the best hour of their trip.

Begin at the pier at the start of the day, when the water is calm and fishermen are casting off. Look down through the planks to see schools of bait fish and the bright orange garibaldi that live around the pilings; the shallow water beyond the sand is clear enough that snorkelers can find a lot here.

Sea lions and gulls compete for scraps near the fish stands, and the sound of boat engines, halyards clanking and chatter gives the pier a lively character. From the end of the pier you can see the whole bay, the white circle of the Casino, and the hillsides stacked with cottages.

Crescent Avenue is the main promenade. Stroll its length and you will pass the Tuna Club, a fishing institution founded in the 1890s, the little park with fountains and tiled benches, and a string of bars and restaurants with outdoor seating. Side streets climb the hill toward Avalon's residential district, where narrow lanes are lined with tiny cottages and golf carts parked at the curb.

Because cars are heavily restricted, the sound of the town is quiet and human, with bicycles and carts replacing traffic. Pick up a map at the visitor information center, and walk the first few blocks without a plan.Make use of the waterfront for the practical parts of your trip too.

Most tours depart from or near the pier, so you can pick up tickets, rent a kayak or paddleboard, hire a golf cart or book a table for dinner within a few steps. At sunset the town glows, the bay turns gold and families gather on the beach for ice cream. In the evening the string lights come on, music drifts from the bars, and the whole scene feels like a stage set.

Take a few photographs, sit on a bench, and watch the boats come and go, and you will see why visitors have loved this stretch of coast for a century. Wear sun protection by day and bring a light jacket for the breezy evenings.

There are small pleasures to look for along the way: the old-fashioned candy and ice cream shops, the stalls selling hats and sunglasses, the bookshops with local history titles, and the murals on side streets. Street musicians appear on busy afternoons, and the benches facing the water are perfect for people-watching.

If you like to eat well on a budget, grab fish tacos or a sandwich from a takeaway counter and picnic on the beach. When the day is done, walk back along the waterfront slowly and watch the boats settle in for the night; it is one of the island's simplest and most memorable moments.