Catalina Casino

Catalina Casino is a stunning canvas for romantic couples’ portraits. Its iconic Art Deco architecture, waterfront setting, and varied vantage points—from the jetty and archways to the ballroom and promenade—offer endless, cinematic backdrops. Especially at dawn or dusk, the soft natural light transforms each shot into something truly magical.

Incredible display of murals. We were definitely surprised at the detail in the artwork and architecture. It was about $20 to enter. There is a huge roller rink in the top floor ballroom. It was empty on a Monday so no bar was open. Not sure if there is food but they should have a restaurant here.

Beautiful piece of California history. The new skating rink in the ballroom is a blast and still a little secret as it's just opened up. Definitely worth the entry fee. Highly recommend taking some time to skate in this historic venue.

The Catalina Casino is a truly historical treasure that is worth visiting if you are in Catalina. It is easy to do a self-guided tour of the site. Just buy an admission ticket and they will provide you with plenty to read and listen to. It took us about 45-60 minutes to enjoy Catalina Casino (not an actual casino gamblers!) The part I found fascinating was it was a Chicagoan (Wrigley) bringing this to life and that the Cubs used to spring train here. I grew up in San Diego and how I never spent any time on Catalina is beyond me. Trust me, if you love architecture or art deco or even just immersing in the past... a stop is worth it.

Catalina Casino is a true gem of Avalon! The architecture is stunning, rich with history and charm. We took a guided tour at sunset and loved the views from the top. A must-see landmark if you’re visiting Catalina Island!

Cecilia was our tour guide and she was awesome very courties and patient with us during our vip tour. We loved the all of the back scene rooms very historical. We felt the beautiful history in each room.

The very rude greeter selling tickets needs customer service training 7/22025 345pm. We did not enter because she is very inconsiderate. Two thumbs down for her disposition.

Last time I was there, a few decades ago, there was only a museum on the ground floor. I was pleasantly surprised that they had moved the museum to another location on the island, but opened up the theater and the top floor balcony (behind the pillars) that goes all the way around the building. It offers beautiful views of Avalon.

October 25 & 26, 2024 | Catalina Island: The Avalon Theatre at The Catalina Island Casino is absolutely breathtaking! What a glamorous way to see a movie, as you relax underneath the 50-foot domed ceiling, surrounded by beautiful murals! There's even a gorgeous organ at the front of the theatre! I hear that sometimes someone is actually playing before the movie starts! Imagine that! Lights, Camera, Action: Before the movie, a short clip of the cartoon Popeye was playing, super cute! I saw House on Haunting Hill in black and white on Friday & Hocus Pocus in living color on Saturday night, just in time to celebrate Halloween! Both movies were entertaining! Tickets: $16.50 Super friendly customer service as your tickets are taken before the movie! You can also order tickets online! There is also a concession stand stocked with goodies to eat and drink! Casino: In Italian means gathering place! You won't find any gambling here, but you will find the most beautiful theatre & with an old world ambience! It was built in 1929! The Theatre also Includes a step and repeat in the lobby, with lighting on both sides, perfect to take a snapshot or two! The lobby is also very moody with plush sofas, chairs, and beautiful, lighting! Being there is an experience in itself! Be Our Guest: The seats are so plush & stylish, especially with details on the end seats! Plenty of seating, as there are over 1,800 seats! Overall: I recommend seeing a movie and/or taking a tour of the Casino, as it's a beautiful place that will have you in awe! I loved it & looking forward to returning, as movies are here on the weekends! Happy Halloween!

Took a tour of the casino, and wow! Worth the time and entry ticket. We did the self-guided tour, which was perfect for us. The view at the top is amazing. Loved learning a bit about the history. Feels like you step back in time just walking through. Highly recommend.

Experiencing this beautiful piece of Art Deco architecture exceeded every expectation. It is stunning and the views of Catalina are unrivaled. Such a fantastic piece of California history. Definitely worth the admission!

I'v always loved this gorgeous landmark on Avalon bay. They have casino tours daily and movie showing at the Avalon theatre on weekends. We attended the 50th anniversary NYE gala at the grand ballroom. The event was truly one of a kind and so much fun! Party goers were dressed glamorously and the crowd was classy & upscale. The entire event was very well organized from the beginning to the end. The food was buffet banquet style and served all night long. I enjoyed salads and soup very much. Everyone else loved the prime ribs and tiramisu. The NYE decorations were amazing, since this is a historic place so everything looked grand and beautiful in vintage style! The live band was very entertaining, dance floor was huge and packed all the time. The midnight balloon drop was so much fun to be part of. Our family had a great time and all staffs were amazing the entire evening. The night views of Avalon bay from the balcony was a nice touch to the lovely evening! This is such a special experience, definitely one of the top NYE events I'v ever attended! A very happy way to start year 2024!

What a beautiful place to visit!!! It was a beautiful walk to get there along the bay with the palm trees. We got our tickets to go inside and the first floor is an old movie theater with movies playing. The theater was lovely and had paintings around it. We then walked up to the ballroom which was amazing as well. During summer weekends they have events in the ballroom in the evening for all ages. Walking the outside on the top floor was great because of the different views. I would absolutely recommend visiting here for the history and beautiful views!!

If you think this is a waste of time, think again. The Casino takes you back in time to a splendid era. The art is abundant inside, all throughout. If you're not into art, by all means, spend time on the outside balcony for the epic views.

The Casino is such a landmark for Avalon and the Island; one should spend some time to visit it. The history is interesting, and how the tour illustrates the changes in cinemograph technology are done well. I've posted some pics of the interior of the building showing the art deco style. And a pic of the views from the ballroom overlooking the harbor. But these pics don't do justice to the grand history of the building and the entertainment that has taken place here over the decades. Our tour guide was quite good and very knowledgeable; the tour has a leisurely pace. So if you want a break from the sun, water or the Island's nightlife, this may be a way to peek into a bit of history and its former glory days. This was our 3rd attempt of getting on the tour. Our 2 prior reservations, on 2 previous and separate trips, were cancelled on us. On this trip, they called us about 4 hours prior to our reservation time to cancel, but offered an earlier time option. We changed our existing plans, and made their earlier time slot. FYI

The entry ticket costs more than a movie ticket at this place. Otherwise a must see for the island visitors. The theater has impressive acoustics. The big ballroom at the top is spacious, and perhaps even more impressive. Can easily spend an hour here.

Wow! What a surprise and such a deal! We decided to take the VIP Backstage Tour of the casino! Worth every penny! Our guide, Katelyn, was very knowledgeable and brought the history of the casino to every part of the tour. We were able to tour the theater and go backstage behind the curtains; peek at the private dressing rooms of the actors and actresses; the private screening room of Wrigley; vintage projectors; best of all...the huge dance floor! You could just imagine it all in its heydays. We will definitely tour again next time we're here and bring our guests. Thanks! Darla and Geoff

Beautiful classic building. Great tour of a historic place. Awesome views or Avalon and the bay from the upstairs ballroom balconies. Definitely recommend

Rebecca our guide was amazing. Lots of stories, History of Casino, back stories. Loved it

Visiting the Catalina Island Casino while in Avalon is a must do at least once. It's an absolutely beautiful and interesting building from a long ago era and it's well maintained. If you do a self guided tour there isn't much in the way of informational signage to learn more about the history, but it's still cool to see. There are even interesting old-timey bathrooms on the upper levels that are worth checking out. It's a bit pricey and you likely won't spend more than an hour walking around.

Unfortunately I didn't not enjoy the experience, I do like the history but they should bring the casino to its former glory to show how it looked. I don't mind the change to see it because hopefully it will go to renovate and fund the project

So much history. Also fun to know my Grandmother visited the ballroom to here in her youth. Beautiful views, haunted stories and so many artifacts. Tour takes about 75 minutes and there is a lot of walking, including up a few ramps (think a sport stadium). Just be physically prepared to handle that. We booked the tickets when we got off the boat (green pier, middle of town) after a lady in our boat recommended we do so. It was such a special visit. A must see! PS. They offer weddings in the ballroom, starting at 75K.

Such a wonderful experience. Loved getting to see the history behind the casino and head about all the intricacies that went into building it. Did a tour and so glad I did. The tour guide was very funny. She told a ghost story and didn't know EVERYTHING about the place, but didn't pretend to. Very refreshing having a tour guide who is not putting on a facade. Anyway it was such a nice experience getting to sit in the theater and see the ballroom. We even all took a group trip to the ladies room. The view from the top is unmatched, besides maybe from the Wrigley mansion. Saw a group of seals in the water below us before we left. 10/10

Simply gorgeous! We were visiting for the day and were recommended to check the Catalina Casino out. Please do not go in expecting to gamble as this is NOT a traditional gambling type of casino. This activity is moreso a tour/museum, however, do they do host events/movie showings on specific nights. Prices start at $19.50/adult and offer cheaper tickets for children and active military/veteran personnel (must show ID/proof). Overall, this activity took us approximately 45 minutes to an hour to tour the entire structure (on our own) and let me just tell you, this is was definitely worth it - beautiful architecture with so much history and detail behind it.

Been years since I wanted to visit the "Casino". It looks majestic. Finally had an opportunity to visit from a "base" at Oceanside, dedicated a full day to visit the Catalina Island. Decided not to take a ferry at Dana Point (Catalina Express), we drove about an hour to Newport Beach to catch a ferry (Catalina Flyer). Ferry cancelled for the hour we wanted. Review said no reservation needed. True. But reservations help the operator to make its decision to go or to cancel. Makes sense. Wasted $35 daily parking. Staff was helpful, suggested we check Long Beach or San Pedro. Drove another half an hour to Long Beach. Another $22 daily parking. Got to the island. Nice day. Beautiful bay. Walked from one end where the ferry docks, to the other end, where the Casino is. $19.50 for a self-guided tour. First floor is a huge theater. Upstairs - several ramps up - is a huge ballroom. The whole building is an empty shell. There is a breezeway all around. Very nice view from high above the bay. The picture from a distance is much better than the real thing. Would I go again? No.

This fun little slice of island history is even cooler because the staff is terrific. We were so lucky to have Rebecca give us a show and tell, concluding with a surprise rendition of Happy Birthday from the ballroom floor for my lovely wife!

I was not really sure what to do when I stopped in Avalon on the cruise. Once I got here and I heard it was a Wrigley I had to go just for that aspect alone. Of course, I had no idea the treat in store for me as a theater, history, and retro lover. The first talkies were showed and broadcasted from here??? WhAAAA????? I learned that, "the Casino" was never a casino. Casino means, "meeting place" in Italian. This place was so amazing I never wanted to leave. I was so entralled with the antique theater and organ. I did do the backstage tour as well, which was worth the extra few bucks. I also toured on my own. You will get your steps in for sure. I loved it so much I put their NYE ball on my bucket list of things to do before I die list, I took a million photos I will update and post a few. Catalina has an amazing history so check it out. A must do for theater lovers and history buffs. That ballroom, sigh!

We had a great time touring the casino. We did our own excursion from the Royal Carribean Navigator of the Sea. It was worth the walk to the Casino to see the beautiful tiles and the history of the Casino. The employees were very helpful and friendly. The tour was informative and it felt like we took a time machine into the 1900s. I would recommend this.

It is must when in Catalina. We are lucky to have our your guide Paul. My kids were the only young ones in the group and he kept everyone attentive. The museum and its history are simply gems of the community.

It is a very popular spot in Catalina! You can see it from the boat! You can't miss the big round building surrounded by beautiful water. Here you will find the casino and movie theater. They play pretty old movies here. Usually only 2-3 movies play at a time. They also give tours. A must place to visit when you get in town.

Rebecca was AMAZING! What a great tour and beautiful story of the building and history. We would certainly do this again. Thank you for showing us your singing and dancing talents, you truly are gifted.

Mr. Wrigley sure dropped a lot of coin on this Island. Where all his money came from they don't say on the tours. That's OK, as long as he doled it out in wheelbarrows, which he did to build this monument to Catalina... and to his largess. To me the Casino is even more stunningly beautiful after touring the inside. The ballroom is one of my absolute most favorite places on Catalina, second only to sitting across from The Lovely and Gracious Mrs. Yelper at one of the seaside cafes. We took the basic (not insider) tour, a little pricey at $39 each but well worth the price if that's what it takes to keep this place in good shape.

The Catalina Casino is the gathering facility located on Santa Catalina Island, which is the largest building on the island and the most visible landmark in Avalon Bay when approaching from the express vessel. The movie theatre here has very affordable ticket rates though show times are very limited, and it would be more fun to actually watch a movie inside.

Great architectural building and one of the most famous tourist attraction in Catalina island. Not as such casino in lay man language. Looks stunning being next to ocean and great side pathway to walk to it. They have threatre inside and play movies. Today show was Frozen 2. Also there is a small booth with an attendee to assist on the casino tours option. $20 for adults and runs timely. We couldn't do immediate one since next tour was like 1 hour later. Seems during tour from balcony there is a great view of the island.

We got lucky to joined a tour when we were there. This place is a piece of art work. It is not the casino that you may think it is.

Paul was our tour guide for the Behind The Scenes tour and he was amazing! He had great knowledge and provided us with lots of historical facts and fun tid bits. Covid protocols were followed and we felt comfortable as we walked inside and around the beautiful building. Unfortunately there was a family with a child under 2 yrs old who were incredibly distracting to all the guests and to Paul. He tried numerous times to ask the family to keep their child with them however they let her run all over the place especially inside the theater going up & down the isles. I'm a mother and I found the parents behavior embarrassing & rude. Thankfully he asked them to leave. The rest of us erupted in applause once they were gone.

Joe was our tour guide. He was wonderful! The history of the casino is absolutely amazing! I highly recommend visiting this iconic theatre/ballroom. You will not be disappointed. Thank you, Joe, very much!

Catalina Casino is one of the landmarks in this island that's been around for almost 100 years. Once inside you see pictures and displays of what was the past and when actual gambling took place here....currently just stands as a museum, a major landmark and a big tourist attraction. I was hoping to see a full live casino with slot machines, card tables and gambling action but NO, none of that and I was disappointed. Rating is generous and based on how well maintained this building has been despite its close proximity to the beach and moisture exposure, this building is still standing. A landmark worth a look see.

I was wowed by my tour of the Catalina Casino. As the word casino meant a place where people got together for entertainment, it wasn't until Las Vegas and other places used the word casino to mean gambling. On Catalina, there is no gambling--just a movie theatre and a ballroom. I walked quickly from the Green Pier when I learned the tour would be starting soon. I made it just in time. For me, the cost was $14 and it was well worth it. After an introduction outside when the art deco murals were described, we moved inside. There, our guide gave some more information before pulling back the drapes to let us enter the movie theatre. It is absolutely stunning! It opened in 1929 and was the first theatre designed specifically for motion pictures with sound. As plans were made for Radio City Music Hall in NYC, architects came to the Avalon Casino to study the marvelous acoustics and the shape of Radio City mimics Avalon. After hearing about the murals in the theatre and some other items, we saw a short video on the construction of the building. Then we walked up four double ramps to get to the ballroom at the top of the casino. It is immense. It's also used today for Big Band and jazz dances and concerts. Then you move out to the balcony that looks over Avalon Harbor to enjoy the view. The ramps were built for getting to the ballroom because there's only one elevator and with thousands of people going in or out of the ballroom, another way was needed. Mr. Wrigley used what was used in the Cubs ballpark. If you visit Santa Catalina, make sure to do this tour. It is a treat!

The Casino is the landmark of Avalon and we walked there this morning to see if it was open. There was someone at the ticket booth selling tour tickets for $20.00 for a 45 minute tour. We thought that was too expensive , so we skipped the tour.

Well worth doing the tour if you find yourself having some down time during your visit. Tour staff is so friendly and knowledgeable, the history is rich, and the venue is so beautifully preserved.

Discover the Casino tour. Purchase tickets online in advance because I noticed that they were slightly more expensive at the casino. Then you can pick up your tickets 10 mins before the tour at the casino. Tour was informative about Catalina history and the casino. You get to see the theater, ballroom, watch a short video, and see the views from the top. A fun way to spend 50 minutes.

Wow - the Art Deco in this establishment/theater?!? Amazing! Plus, buttered popcorn and a movie? #WIN

Oh my gosh! Where do I even begin this review? Between the many time see came to Santa Catalina Island, either by cruise ship or staying a few night s in a vacation rental- I've always put off touring the casino. Mostly because I wanted to save this when we knew our visit tot the isthmus would be on a short time frame. And this is why I FINALLY booked the tour when our Carnival Cruise ship stopped here & let passengers visit Catalina for 8 1/2 hours. And no- this tour does NOT last 8 1/2 hours. It's a good hour of your time. And when you book this tour thru Carnival's excursions- it cost guests $20. Hey, I can't beat a good deal. When you get on the island- it's a decent 15- 20 minute walk. I knew from our last stay on Catalina that actual movies (yes, like at the movie theaters) are shown here. And what a beautiful venue to sit back in the comfy cushiony chairs. You think the murals outside of the front entrance are works of art? Step inside & step back into time. Even the foyer/ hallway before enter in the casino (and not the gambling kind. Casino drives from the Italian word "little house/ noisy environment" and I've also read, a place to gather.) The smell of the wood- various types of wood used throughout the entire building- bring me back to visiting Historical sites (e.g. the Whaley House in Old Town San Diego & the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose). No food or colored drinks are allowed on the tour. Guests are allowed to sit on the plush red velvet seats as the guide speak of the history of architecture, planning, events, that have/ still are currently ongoing at the Avalon/ Catalina Casino. This is also a community gathering area. Just last year 75 high school graduates walked on that stage to receive their hs diploma. And there was plenty of room for 1,000 friends & family to attend. In January- there's a weekend devoted to the Silent Film Era. And the audience gets to boo & hiss the villain of the movie being played. There is even a person playing on the organ during the silent film! I don't want to delve too much into the history of this beautiful landmark- because this is why you, the guest/ tourist are paying for. The ballroom is breathtaking in it's own right & the outside views on a beautiful sunny day captivate the Catalina spirit as you look out into the harbor. I looked online and regular adult prices for the tour are $27.

The "Behind the Scenes Casino Tour" at the Catalina Island Casino is a unique blend of living history, music history, movie star anecdotes, and luxury life in the 1930s. My wife and I booked the longer Behind the Scenes Tour online three days prior. On previous trips to the island, we found that the tour was usually booked if you tried to purchase tickets at the door. This time we were successful and were there waiting first in line. A few minutes before tour time, a very dapper, polo shirted manager type person greeted both my wife and me by name! Wow! But he was obviously going to tell us bad news and he did. He told us 16 people had canceled (mostly for bad weather) and the remaining couple had not yet arrived. Expecting the worst, we held our breath, and instead, were treated to a big smile and the words..." but we are going to do the tour anyway!" Wow again! Sean Mcalpin is a very talented Personal Concierge for the Catalina Island Company and for our 90-minute tour he proved to be a charming, knowledgeable companion totally dedicated to promoting the wonders of this American Masterpiece of engineering and architectural innovation. Shawn is a bit of an explorer and curator as well as a businessman. He himself has discovered a literal treasure trove of paintings hidden in a previously undiscovered room within the casino. Sean continues to explore the many hidden places in this massive 12-story structure and regularly adds rare items to its tour collection. We could see he really loves this place. We were eventually joined by a couple just off the boat and he gave them a warm welcome and caught them up on the details they had missed. The behind-the-scenes tour included a few extra rooms for our benefit since we were able to move much more quickly than the normal 20-person tour group. We saw the upstairs Ladies' Room... full of mirrors and original period divans, not normally featured on the tour. The Ladies' Room is notable for being the most haunted part of the casino and will soon be featured on a TV episode of "Ghost Hunters", The Men's Room has an adjoining Shoe Shine Room in which John Wayne brawled with another unfriendly patron and having beaten him, picked him up, brushed him off, and bought him a drink at the bar down the hall! You can still smell the shoe shine polish in this beautifully tiled room. So if the Men's Room and the Lady's Room have this much unusual history, just think how much more the Art Deco Movie Theater or the 6,000-person capacity Ball Room with priceless ceiling Tiffany Lamps, hidden spy rooms, and perfect acoustics have to offer! (By the way, James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar) proposed to Linda Hamilton (Terminator) in the middle of this ballroom, and you can do the same for $10,000 a night.) We took photos inside the casino and out on the circular colonnaded balcony overlooking Avalon Harbor. The sky was blue, the water azure and we could see LA and parts of San Diego from the same elevated viewpoint on this 12-story structure! Too much to tell here, but the Catalina Island Casino is obviously the pride of the Avalon community and a popular venue for many West Coast music and movie celebrity events. You'll never see anything like it anywhere else. Thank you Sean!

This place is beautiful and I loved how the space is still used by the public (ballroom/theatre). It's not one of those places where you get scolded for even thinking about touching something. My tour guide was cool. He did his homework and informed us. We did the behind the scenes tour and it was pretty cool. The highlight was the ballroom and the balcony. It would make a nice venue.

This site is lovely but don't be late. They wont let you in or enter at another time.

Yes, its a landmark. Yes, its within walking distance of "downtown Avalon" but... it smells like mold is growing in the carpets and walls, has no air conditioning, and the seats are way too uncomfortable. I decided I don't care that it was finished in 1928, making it a historical monument. Get some freaking upgrades in there. Like... ventilation. Also, went to watch a movie there, the sound system was terrible, which was unfortunate considering the acoustics of the place was pretty amazing. Also, as a complete side note, it was uncomfortable for us to be in there given that when this was built anyone who was not white would not have been allowed to be there. I have no idea if this is addressed in the tour... but history should be remembered so we never forget.

Catalina Casino is not a place of gambling because this casino is really just a place to entertain. There is a movie theater on the bottom floor and a ballroom which is on the top floor. This casino is about 12 floors tall. The theater here is the first one in America designed with the purpose of playing film with sound. The acoustics in this theater were actually studied because of how good they were and are a huge moment in audio history. The theater is a circular dome which has a huge painting wrapping around it. It is honestly really beautiful and we have never seen anything like this. The Catalina ballroom is a 20,000 square foot ballroom which is the largest circular ballroom in the world. Thousand can fit in here.

Not only do I love the building but I love the four tour guides and I've had over the years, and I have never grown tired of taking the behind the scenes tour of the casino to hear all the details about this amazing building. Highly recommend.

No gambling, it's not that kind of casino. Amazing history and story. Excellent views of the Island. There's a movie theater and a ballroom that can hold 6000 people. I would have love to visit it back in the day.

The building is a five star without a doubt but the tour was made into a very unpleasant experience as a result of our tour guide Frankie. Apparently he doesn't understand the magnitude of a pandemic, in fact he scoffs at all precautions to include proper mask wearing and distancing. While indoors he repeatedly approached people face to face while talking maskless and when asked to step back he laughed and taunted the attendees saying, "look at them, they are afraid!" Any opportunity to focus on the actual history of this beautiful building was completely diminished.

We visited the Casino twice this trip. The behind the scenes tour with Paul was incredible. If you love theater, history, art, old movies, architecture, furniture, vintage things...this tour is for YOU! It was incredible to see how it has evolved but not really changed much. We returned to the casino for a movie night and watched Buster Keaton silent films for a bit, then a classic modern film and never wanted to leave. Opening the movie theater back up is awesome and Wesley Alfin and company did a fantastic job making us feel like we were home away from home. This place is so special and not to be missed!!!

4th of July just wouldn't​ be the same without a visit to the Casino​ at the point. Its beauty is an Art Deco Monument to Avalon, and is​ the pinpoint​ of a time gone by, but not forgotten. Got to take a private tour of this staggeringly​ gorgeous​ home to all things Art Deco in Catalina. I'm​ a member of the Art Deco Society and I love to visit here once a year. Never fails to impress​!!!

My partner and I just took the Catalina Casino tour with our guide Kindra. We'd been to Santa Catalina before, and of course walked to the casino and taken pictures, but being able to see the interior of the building was very enjoyable. The Casino is a piece of history and Art Deco period art all its own, but having a guide of the caliber of Kindra- knowledgeable, personable and passionate about the history of the casino transformed a tour into a step back into history, when big bands made all the people dance, and many believed 'talkies' (films with audible dialogue) were a fad. Kindra's presentation and great respect for a place that for several generations was the place to be and put a little island town on the map, was a delightfully welcome surprise. She not only led a fabulous tour, but very likely recruited 2 new patrons of the casino's events and film festivals. 4 very appreciative thumbs up!

Beautiful venue! They have a theater inside where they currently play 1 movie a day at 7:30 pm (to be changed to 6:30 pm soon). If your hotel offers free tours you may be able to ask to exchange those for movie tickets. The paintings on the outside were beautiful. And the architecture on the inside is breath taking. The walls are covered with black walnut wood. We had never seen so much of it in one place. The ceiling has real gold leaf starts. And some of the chairs have the original structure but with new upholstery. The best part was chatting with Eric, who was checking in tickets at the door. He is the friendliest, happiest, and most excited about the place and the island. He gave us suggestions as to what other places to try. And as his shift was over he offered to show us the wrigley mansion. He took us there on his golf cart as it was getting dark. It was amazing to see the city lights from up high and to listen to all his stories. It gave perspective to life on the island. So very appreciated!

Very educational tour, a must do to get the history of the island. The word "casino" here refers to "gathering place" - a ballroom on the top level where events are held and a movie theater on the bottom level where movies are still shown today. No gambling here. Our tour guide said it perfectly - she loves giving tours to adults (rather than kids on field trips) as this is one of those places where adults eat up the story and history and ask interesting questions. So, sure, bring your kids, but they might not appreciate it the same way that you will. I'd love to attend an event or see a movie here - it's an amazing space with a storied history!