Why Golf Carts Fit Avalon’s Streets
In Avalon, Santa Catalina Island’s main town, many everyday trips happen in golf carts because the streets were not built for a steady stream of full-size cars. The compact vehicles are easier to maneuver and park on tight roads, where adding more cars would mean more competition for limited space.
Cars Are Restricted, Not Simply Absent
Avalon limits the number of full-size vehicles residents may bring onto the island. That makes a car an exception rather than the default: residents generally need authorization, while golf carts provide a practical way to get around town without adding as much bulk to the roads. The restriction is a form of traffic management, not a claim that cars can never be found on Catalina.
The Trade-Off Is Built Into the Ride
Carts make short local journeys possible, but they also set a slower pace. A grocery run or other errand takes place at cart speed, with drivers sharing narrow streets rather than moving through them in conventional traffic. The familiar golf-course vehicle thus serves a very different purpose: it helps keep a small town moving without filling its limited roads with full-size cars.
