Getting to Santa Catalina Island

Getting to Santa Catalina Island is easy. There are several ways of getting to California's charming treasure, Santa Catalina Islands. Although you can also fly to Catalina Islands, most people use Santa Catalina Island ferry as a way of getting to Santa Catalina Island.

If you are looking for a Santa Catalina Island ferry, the most common Santa Catalina Island ferry is either the Catalina Express or Catalina Explorer.

Getting to Catalina Islands using the Catalina Express

Catalina Express is a fast Catalina Island ferry that will get you to Santa Catalina Island in about an hour from the mainland of California. Catalina Express consists of high speed boats. There are up to 30 daily Catalina Express departures from various locations in Southern California to Santa Catalina Island. Catalina Express will take you from the port of Los Angeles at San Pedro, Long Beach, and Dana Point to Santa Catalina Island (Avalon and Two Harbors). A boat trip from and to Dana Point from Santa Catalina Island takes an hour and a half instead of just one hour from other Southern California locations.

Getting to Catalina Islands using the Catalina Explorer

Catalina Explorer is another Santa Catalina Island ferry that will take you to the charming Catalina Islands. Catalina Explorer also runs year round departing from Long Beach to Avalon. Catalina Explorer departs daily from Long Beach in the morning and leaves Avalon daily in the evening. The trip takes about an hour an a half, just a little longer than the Catalina Express.

Winter hours on Santa Catalina Island are short

If you are planning your Santa Catalina Island trip, remember that in the winter, most stores on Santa Catalina Island close at 5pm. So, if you are planning to leave Catalina Islands by catching the Catalina Express or other Catalina Islands ferry to Long Beach, San Pedro, or other locations, you may want to leave soon after 5pm or after your dinner. Otherwise, you may get bored with nothing to do on Santa Catalina Island.

• Catalina Express