Looking for a little taste of the French Riviera or the Italian coast right here in the states? Set your sights on Catalina Island. The Mediterranean vibes are probably due to the fact that Catalina Island once belonged to the Spanish Empire. This sun-soaked gem sits just 26 miles off the coast of Los Angeles (just an hour-long ferry from Long Beach to Avalon), but it feels worlds away from city life. There are beachfront restaurants and palm trees lining the seaside, yachts docked in the harbor, a botanic garden that houses rare, native plants, and the famous Garden to Sky Hike, which boasts infinite views of sea, mountains, and sky.