Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Back in the day, the City of Avalon was buzzing with Tinseltown's biggest names (Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, to name a few) thanks to Catalina Island's ridiculously picturesque views and pristine greenery—which remain pretty much the same as Catalina's Old Hollywood days, thanks to strict environmental protection. It's why most of the island's staycation-worthy activity is centered in Avalon, which is just 22 miles off Cali's coast.

Although the island town's quaint shopping stretch is hardly a coastal cousin of Rodeo Drive (this is why we're leaving the mainland, remember?), its multimillion-dollar retail and real estate makeover will unveil even more beach-minded options this summer. Before the new additions attract more shoppers by the boatload, let's take a moment to truly appreciate Catalina's small-town charm.

In addition to its majorly revamped Island Spa Catalina, see a few more of the island's visit-worthy stops below, from one of the only spots in Cali where beach boozing is legal to a stylish surf-happy boutique and more.