My mom was turning 80, obviously a major milestone and a party worth throwing for the woman who gave me life. As the epitome of sacrifice, she was raised in Ghana as the daughter of missionaries, deprived of riches so she could invest in the poor. Her love for others never faded — she dedicated more than 10 years building schools, clinics and housing alongside my South African father in the country of Lesotho.

Later in life, they left their roots to be close to their two daughters in San Diego, launching a landscaping company to fund their philanthropic projects in Africa. Defying logic, my parents still return regularly, traveling over 10,500 miles to bring hope to the next generation.

As my mother approached her 80th year, my sister and I joined forces to give her the one thing her heart desired most: family.

Among six adults and three teenagers, finding a weekend that worked with a web of schedules wasn’t easy. Hawaii — or flying anywhere, for that matter — was out of the question. Still, we wanted an island getaway close enough to home yet mentally worlds away.

At my mom’s birthday dinner, we brought out a piñata, blindfolded her and handed her a bat. Along with the treats fell out a card that read: “Mom, we’re going to Catalina. All of us.”

Of course, she cried. “You mean it? You really mean it?!”

We did. Just 22 miles off California’s coast, the rocky island is accessible by ferry from Dana Point, Long Beach and San Pedro harbors. We departed from Long Beach.

Like kids on a roller coaster, we sat on the top deck at the front of the ship, cheering when a pod of dolphins sprang from the sea.

Once on land, my mom insisted we walk — luggage, coolers and all — through the main street of Avalon. In this 2-square-mile stretch are a cluster of shops, restaurants, bars and 30-plus hotels dotting the cheerful town. It’s here, the southeastern side of the island, that some 5,000 residents call home and where visitors seek utopia.

From the white-sandy shores of Descanso Beach, we strolled the boardwalk while kayaks and paddleboards glided through our living postcard. Towering palms and water as juicy as blueberries made it easy to lose ourselves on the map. Like a Mediterranean dream, sailboats bobbed offshore, framed by sugary sands and sprawling greens dotted with white cabanas.

The fact that this trip was nearing the 130-year anniversary of the Santa Catalina Island Company — founded in 1894 by the pioneering Banning brothers — made it a season of celebrations. The brothers began developing the island into a resort destination, but a fire in 1915 burned nearly half of the buildings in Avalon.

The party really took off in 1919, however, when chewing gum tycoon William Wrigley Jr. paid the Banning brothers $3 million for the fire-ravaged island. Wrigley invested millions more to transform the rugged island into one with water, utilities, telecommunications, streets, schools, homes, hotels and steamships. His vision wooed everyone from Winston Churchill and Ronald Reagan to Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin.

But Wrigley didn’t build his island empire for Hollywood’s elite; he built it for the gum-chewers of the world. Catalina was his token of gratitude to — in his words — “the tired shop girl, the artisan, the clerk and the Boy Scout.”

In my family, we checked every category, other than “the clerk.” And so, I took my Boy Scout nephews, my artisan niece and my shop-girl self to the Catalina Aerial Adventure. My mom insisted the grandkids experience this adrenaline-filled activity, working their way across zip lines and rope courses with spirit and courage.

Between golfing, paddleboarding, diving, parasailing, fishing, falconry, biking, hiking and tours, we had plenty of activities at our fingertips.

Although the island is 76 square miles, most restaurants, attractions and hotels are along Avalon Harbor. This included our property of choice, Bellanca Hotel.

The following morning, my 84-year-old father insisted we all hike Hermit Gulch. The 4-mile strenuous loop was out of the question, but my parents were determined to give it a shot. Again, defying logic, they climbed steep trails to soak in views of Avalon Canyon across the San Pedro Channel.

After celebratory tacos and margaritas at The Sandtrap, we rented golf carts to explore the wild side of the island. Bumps, turns and curves had my parents hanging on for dear life. Tires screeched as we hugged the cliffside, doing our best to read paper maps flapping in the wind.

Acting as our self-appointed guide, my sister pointed out Wrigley Memorial, an iconic landmark paying tribute to the founder’s vision to protect the island. The monument was appropriately wrapped by the 36-acre Botanic Garden, created in 1935 by Wrigley’s wife, Ada. We zipped by the baseball field where Wrigley set up spring training for the Chicago Cubs in 1921.

Weaving downhill, we leaned in toward the Spanish-style Chimes Tower that rang out as we passed.

Beyond the junglelike terrain of Descanso Canyon, we flew past the historic Casino, the Yacht Club and then our hotel, where my parents jumped curbside.

Away the “youngsters” went, stopping midway for saltwater taffy and fudge at Lloyd’s candy shop. After our rapid-fire tour, we reunited at The Lobster Trap for fresh seafood, followed by movie night at the Casino.

Built in 1929, this dance pavilion was the impetus for the big band era, drawing 3,000 people at any given time. Encompassing the ground floor is a 1,184-seat theater, where motion pictures were — and still are — played.

The following morning, we explored the grazing grounds of Catalina’s bison, descendants of a small herd left on the island by a movie crew in the 1920s.

The two-hour safari traversed Catalina’s rugged interior, where 88% of the island is designated as protected land. Snaking through the grasslands was the 38-mile Trans-Catalina Trail, attracting hikers, campers and, of course, the bison.

That afternoon, my mom and I walked to the Catalina Museum for Art & History, discovering the rich history of the island, which has served as the location for more than 500 motion pictures.

In the 1940s, the Navy conducted clandestine operations by using the island for maritime espionage training. In 2007, the island survived a wildfire burning over 4,750 acres. Through it all, Catalina remained “The People’s Island.” Thanks to Wrigley’s vision, he created a destination that brought Hollywood stars and blue-collar workers together.

In our case, Mom may have brought us together, but it was Catalina that kept us in place. Regardless of age — whether it be 80 years for my mom, or 130 years for Catalina — both were living their best lives and maybe even defying logic, just a bit.