Best anchorages and harbours in Southern California
33 documented anchorages and harbours in Southern California, ranked by boaters' ratings: shelter, seabed, services, photos and reviews, ready to open in the BoatMap app.
Top rated
33 places
1AnchorageUnited StatesA1 ‘La playa’ anchorage
5.0Designated weekend anchorage in the Shelter Island Yacht Basin, San Diego Bay, between San Diego and Southwestern Yacht Clubs.
- Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E, SW, S, SE
2AnchorageUnited StatesDana Cove
5.0Designated anchorage in the west basin of Dana Point Harbor, on the Orange County coast of California.
- Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E, SW, S, SE
3AnchorageUnited StatesEmerald Bay
5.0Mooring cove on the north-west shore of Santa Catalina Island, California, with a sand beach and a sand bottom.
- Sheltered NW, N, NE, E
- 4AnchorageUnited States
Glorietta Bay
5.0Managed anchorage in a small bay on the east side of San Diego Bay, off Coronado, southern California.
- Sheltered W, SW
5AnchorageUnited StatesLittle Harbor
5.0Cove on the Pacific side of Santa Catalina Island, California, with a campground and fresh water ashore.
- Sheltered NW, N, NE, E, SE
- 6AnchorageUnited States
Cuyler Harbor
4.7Bight on the north-east shore of San Miguel Island, the westernmost of California's Channel Islands and part of the national park.
- Sheltered NW, N, W, SW, S
7AnchorageUnited StatesAvalon Harbor
4.6Main harbour of Santa Catalina Island, on the south-east shore below the town of Avalon, with a sand bottom.
- Paid
- Sheltered SE, S, SW, W, NW
8AnchorageUnited StatesDescanso Bay
4.5Mooring field and anchorage on the east end of Santa Catalina Island, California, immediately north-west of Avalon Harbour.
- Paid
- Sheltered W, SW, S
9AnchorageUnited StatesSanta Barbara anchorage (Seasonal)
4.5Seasonal open-roadstead anchorage off Santa Barbara on the southern California coast, on a sand bottom.
- Sheltered NW, N, NE
10AnchorageUnited StatesMariners Basin
4.3Anchorage in the south-west corner of Mission Bay, San Diego, with a sand and mud bottom and protection on every side.
- Sheltered N, NE, W, E, SW, S, SE
- 11AnchorageUnited States
Little Scorpion anchorage
4.0Anchorage on the north-east side of Santa Cruz Island, in Channel Islands National Park, California, a short distance east of Scorpion Anchorage, on a sand bottom.
- Sheltered SW, S, SE
12AnchorageUnited StatesMoonstone Cove
4.0Anchorage and mooring cove on the north-east shore of Catalina Island, around 20 nm south of Los Angeles Harbour, with a sand bottom.
- Sheltered NW, N, W, SW
- 13AnchorageUnited States
Scorpion anchorage
4.0Cove with a pier on the north-east side of Santa Cruz Island, in Channel Islands National Park off Ventura, California.
- Sheltered W, SW, S
- 14AnchorageUnited States
Little Fishermans Cove
3.3Open anchorage on the coast of Santa Catalina Island, California, with a sand bottom. It sits about 20 nautical miles south-west of San Pedro.
- Sheltered SE, S, SW, W
15AnchorageUnited StatesA9 "Cruiser" Anchorage
3.0Designated cruisers anchorage in San Diego Bay, California, off the eastern tip of Harbor Island, with fresh water available nearby.
- Sheltered NW, N, NE, E
16AnchorageUnited StatesBechers bay
3.0Broad semicircular bay on the north-east side of Santa Rosa Island, the main point of entry to the island in Channel Islands National Park, California.
- Sheltered NW, W, SW, S
- 17AnchorageUnited States
Big Drakes Bay
3.0Anchorage off Peacock Park in Coconut Grove, on the western shore of Biscayne Bay, Miami.
- Sheltered NW, N, NE
18AnchorageUnited StatesCatalina Harbor
3.0Mooring off the West End of Santa Catalina Island, California, near Howland's Landing, set on a sand bottom with all-round shelter.
- Sheltered N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW
- 19AnchorageUnited States
Indian Rock
3.0Open anchorage off Santa Catalina Island, California, on a sand bottom. It lies roughly 19 nautical miles south-west of San Pedro.
- Sheltered S, SW, W
- 20AnchorageUnited States
Lanning cove
3.0Small open cove on Santa Cruz Island, off the California coast, with a sand and rock bottom.
- Sheltered NW, W, SW
- 21AnchorageUnited States
Lovers Cove
2.3Open anchorage off Santa Catalina Island, California, on sand. It lies about 22 nautical miles south of San Pedro across the channel.
- Sheltered S, SW, W
22AnchorageUnited StatesIsthmus Cove, Two Harbors
1.0Anchorage and mooring field at Isthmus Cove, Two Harbors, on the north shore of Santa Catalina Island, California.
- Paid
- Sheltered NW, W
23AnchorageUnited States4th of July Cove
Small mooring cove on Catalina Island, just west of Isthmus Cove and Two Harbors, with a sand bottom.
- Sheltered NW, W, SW, S
24AnchorageUnited StatesCabrillo State Marine Reserve
Anchorage along the Cabrillo State Marine Reserve off Point Loma, San Diego, on California's south coast.
- Sheltered NW, N, NE, E
- 25AnchorageUnited States
Cherry Cove
Mooring cove on the west end of Catalina Island, west of Two Harbors, with a sand bottom.
- Paid
- Sheltered W, SW, S
- 26AnchorageUnited States
Lobster Bay
Small bay on the west coast of Santa Catalina Island, California, about 0.85 miles west of Catalina Harbor.
- Sheltered NE, E, SE
27AnchorageUnited StatesParson’s Landing
Anchorage off Hoppys Landing, by the causeway linking West Island to the mainland at Fairhaven, Massachusetts.
- Sheltered S, SE
28AnchorageUnited StatesPrisoners Harbor
Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the California Channel Islands, about 23 NM offshore from Santa Barbara.
- Sheltered SE, S, SW, W
- 29AnchorageUnited States
Ripper’s Cove
Anchorage on the north shore of Santa Catalina Island, California, about 4 nautical miles east of Isthmus Cove.
- Sheltered W, E, SW, S, SE
- 30AnchorageUnited States
Santa Barbara
Open roadstead off the Santa Barbara waterfront in California, anchoring on a sand bottom east of the harbour.
- Sheltered NW, N, NE