Photo: Brian MacIntosh, CC BY-SA 4.0Swim through a kelp forest, with bright orange garibaldi following you down the stairs and sea lions barreling past in the shallows. Catalina is the easiest real kelp forest in Southern California, and the ferry from the mainland takes about an hour.
Want a Southern California kelp forest without chartering a boat? Catalina is the place. Walk down the stairs at Casino Point Dive Park in Avalon and you are floating in a no-take marine protected area, over giant kelp, California sheephead, opaleye and the bright state fish, the garibaldi. A short walk east by the Green Pier, Lover's Cove is another protected cove where the fish are used to swimmers.
The water is cool. Expect about 70 to 75 F in summer and 59 to 65 F in winter, so most people wear a wetsuit, and tours include one. Visibility swings with swell and plankton. Two Harbors quotes 40 to 100 feet.
On the quieter west end, Two Harbors has sandy beach entries, rental gear at the pier and calmer, often clearer water. Sea lions are common. At the edge of the kelp at Casino Point you may spot a giant sea bass, once nearly fished out. Most visitors arrive by Catalina Express from Long Beach, San Pedro or Dana Point, or the Catalina Flyer from Newport Beach.
Tap a spot to see what it is like, then open its guide or get directions.
Tap a card for spotting tips and the Guardian rule for each animal. Filter by what you most want to meet.
California's bright orange state marine fish. Males guard their rocky nests fiercely and will swim right up to your mask.
Guardian rule: Fully protected in California. No taking, ever.
Hypsypops rubicundus
A fast-growing seaweed that rises from the rocks to the surface and forms underwater forests along Southern California. Sunlight through the fronds is the classic California snorkel view.
Macrocystis pyrifera
A big wrasse with a black head and tail and a red middle in males. It crunches urchins and crabs in kelp and rocky reef.
Semicossyphus pulcher
An olive green fish with bright blue eyes that schools in shallow, rocky water and tide pools along Southern California.
Girella nigricans
A large ray with wide, pointed wings and a raised head, common over sand and kelp edges in Southern California. It digs in the sand for clams and crabs.
Myliobatis californica
Playful, noisy and fast in the water. Sea lions haul out on rocks around La Jolla Cove and Catalina and sometimes zoom past snorkelers.
Guardian rule: NOAA asks you to stay at least 50 yards (150 ft) away. Never approach pups, and let curious sea lions come to you.
Zalophus californianus
A spotted, round-faced seal that rests on beaches and rocks in Southern California. Shyer than sea lions, it often slips into the water if people get close.
Guardian rule: Stay at least 50 yards (150 ft) away, especially during pupping season.
Phoca vitulina
A gentle giant that can grow over 7 ft and 500 lb, returning to La Jolla and Catalina kelp beds in summer after decades of protection.
Guardian rule: Protected in California. Watch calmly and do not chase.
Stereolepis gigas
Take the stairs into a no-take kelp park below the Casino, where garibaldi, sheephead and bat rays wait. The best all-round Catalina snorkel.
No park entry fee found. Guided tours include the City of Avalon harbor use fee in their price. Directions
A protected cove beside the Green Pier where the fish are bold and feeding is legal. Rocky entry, and a glass-bottom boat shows it too.
Free to enter. Gear rental and tours cost extra. Directions
A rocky cove just north of the Casino with fish and the odd sea lion. Rent gear at Descanso Beach Ocean Sports.
Visit Catalina Island lists a $2 beach access fee for Descanso Beach Club. Confirm before you go. Directions
Quiet west end, sandy entry. Rent gear at the pier and swim to the reef right of the beach for clearer water, fewer crowds.
No entry fee found. A full snorkel package rents for $40 per 24 hours plus tax and eco fee. Directions
Shore entries with easy parking and calm water on a normal day. Still check the surf and ask the lifeguard.
Take the stairs into a no-take kelp park below the Casino, where garibaldi, sheephead and bat rays wait. The best all-round Catalina snorkel.
Quiet west end, sandy entry. Rent gear at the pier and swim to the reef right of the beach for clearer water, fewer crowds.
Calm Choppy Rough. Wave heights are offshore model values.
Loading tides…
Forecast: Open-Meteo. Tides: NOAA station 9410660. Model data, not a lifeguard report. Always check posted warnings.
by Catalina Tours
About one hour in the water at Casino Point with a guide. Mask, snorkel, fins and a required wetsuit are included, plus the Avalon harbor use fee. Ages 8 and up, swimmers only, two guests minimum.
Guided inside a no-take marine protected area, with an orientation before you enter the water.
by Catalina Divers Supply
A divemaster leads a 1.5 to 2 hour shore snorkel at Casino Point, daily at 12 pm and 2 pm. Mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit are included. Ages 8 and up, comfortable in deep water.
The shop's site lists underwater cleanups and PADI AWARE conservation work.
by Catalina Divers Supply
Boat trip to sheltered leeward-side sites with a staff member in the water. Gear, wetsuit, water and lunch included. Ages 8 and up, comfortable in deep water. Dolphins and whales are possible on the way.
Led by a trained staff member from a shop that reports running underwater cleanups.
by Two Harbors Dive & Recreation Center
Divemasters guide kayak and snorkel trips to coves near Two Harbors. Price not published online, call 310-510-4272 to book. Rental gear and wetsuits (3 mm or 7 mm) are also available at the pier.
Small-scale guided trips run by the island's own dive center.
We may earn a commission when you book through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which tours we pick. How we choose tours.
July to September is the warmest and usually the most comfortable time to snorkel Catalina, with water around 70 to 75 F. October can still be good. Winter works with a thick wetsuit but is cold and often rougher.
Go in the morning, before the day-trip ferries arrive and the harbor gets busy. Calm water also makes the kelp easier to see.
Skip days with a big swell or a posted surf advisory, and stay out of the water right after heavy rain when visibility drops.
| Row | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snorkel conditions | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Best | Best | Best | Good | Good | Fair |
| Garibaldi | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Good | Good |
| California sea lion | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| Giant sea bass | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Best | Best | Best | Good | Fair | Fair |
| Water °F | 61 | 60 | 62 | 64 | 66 | 68 | 71 | 73 | 71 | 68 | 65 | 62 |
Start at Casino Point Underwater Park for kelp, garibaldi and easy staircase entry. Add Lover's Cove for bold fish and a glass-bottom-boat alternative, and Descanso Beach for a relaxed rocky cove with rental gear. Two Harbors on the west end has sandy entries, clearer water and a quieter feel. Boat trips reach leeward-side sites such as Moonstone Cove, White's Landing and Emerald Bay, which need a boat.
Casino Point Dive Park sits below the Casino in Avalon. It is a State Marine Conservation Area of about two acres, roped off from boats, with depths from the surface to roughly 73 ft and a staircase entry. Kelp edges the park, and garibaldi, sheephead, opaleye and bat rays are regulars. Giant sea bass are occasionally seen at the kelp edge. Check in with the dive shop on the Casino's lower level before you go, and wear a wetsuit.
Catalina Express sails to Avalon from Long Beach (about 60 minutes), San Pedro (about 75 minutes) and Dana Point (about 90 minutes). The Catalina Flyer sails from the Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach, with about 75 minutes quoted by most sources and 90 by Catalina Tours. Schedules are seasonal. Two Harbors has its own seasonal service, so check each operator's timetable and fares before you book.
The easy tours are shore-based at Casino Point, with gear and wetsuit included and a guide. Catalina Divers Supply also runs a snorkeling by boat trip to leeward-side sites. At Two Harbors, the dive center rents gear and offers guided kayak and snorkel trips by phone. Book ahead in July and August.
Catalina's best-known snorkel sites are California marine protected areas, and federal guidance protects the marine mammals you may meet.
In Casino Point State Marine Conservation Area it is illegal to injure, take or possess any marine resource. Feeding fish for viewing is allowed, one of only two MPAs in the state where it is. Official rule
Same rule at Lover's Cove State Marine Conservation Area. Recreational hook-and-line fishing is allowed only from Cabrillo Mole. Fish feeding for viewing is allowed. Official rule
NOAA West Coast guidance is to keep at least 50 yards from seals and sea lions. Do not approach, touch or swim at them if they haul out on rocks or docks. Official rule
Giant sea bass cannot be taken anywhere in California. Admire from a distance and never touch or chase one. Official rule
Avalon Harbor and the Green Pier area are busy with boats and shore boats. Stay inside the roped dive park and use a bright float or flag. Never swim in the harbor channel.
How snorkelers protect reefs · Choosing a reef-safe sunscreen
These local groups restore coral, rescue wildlife and keep the water clean. Volunteer a morning, donate, or just follow their work.
Island land protection, restoration and giant sea bass outreach
The nonprofit that stewards most of Catalina. It runs public education, including talks on giant sea bass recovery, and its land protection supports the conditions that keep the island's coastal waters healthy.
Visit catalinaconservancy.org →Casino Point Underwater Park in Avalon is the most popular. It has a staircase entry, kelp and a protected no-take area. Lover's Cove and Descanso are good add-ons. Two Harbors is the best choice if you want quiet water and sandy entries.
Most people do. Water runs about 59 to 65 F in winter and 70 to 75 F in summer. Guided tours include a wetsuit, and you can rent a snorkel package with wetsuit at Avalon or Two Harbors.
Catalina Express to Avalon takes about 60 minutes from Long Beach, 75 from San Pedro and 90 from Dana Point. The Catalina Flyer from Newport Beach is about 75 to 90 minutes. Check the operator's current schedule.
Sea lions are common, especially at Two Harbors and around Descanso. Giant sea bass are protected and sometimes seen at the edge of the kelp at Casino Point. Sightings are never guaranteed. Keep 50 yards from seals and sea lions.
We found no entry fee for either site, and the island tourism board says snorkeling at the beaches and parks is free. Gear rental and guided tours cost extra. Descanso Beach Club lists a $2 beach access fee.
Yes with a guide. Casino Point is open-ocean with a staircase entry, so confident swimmers do well there. Tours need ages 8 and up and comfort in deep water. First-timers can also start at Two Harbors' sandy beach.
What we pack for every snorkel trip. Each link searches the category on Amazon so you can compare brands and prices.
Non-nano zinc oxide only. No oxybenzone or octinoxate, which Hawaii bans.
Shop on Amazon →The best sun protection is fabric. Less sunscreen in the water, less sunburn on your back.
Shop on Amazon →Southern California water runs 58 to 72°F. A 5/4 mm suit in spring, 3 mm in late summer.
Shop on Amazon →An inflatable vest lets you rest without standing on the reef. Lifeguards love them.
Shop on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Disclosure.
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We check fees, rules and access against official sources first, then local operators and recent visitor reports. Conditions change, so always follow posted signs and lifeguards. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
