Best anchorages and harbours in Southern California

Little Fishermans Cove

Open 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

Burton Chase Park Dooking

Public guest dock attached to Burton W. Chace Park in the middle of Marina del Rey, the large man-made harbour on the coast of Los Angeles County.

A9 "Cruiser" Anchorage

Designated cruisers anchorage in San Diego Bay, California, off the eastern tip of Harbor Island, with fresh water available nearby.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, E

Bechers bay

Broad 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

Big Drakes Bay

Anchorage off Peacock Park in Coconut Grove, on the western shore of Biscayne Bay, Miami.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Catalina Harbor

Mooring 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

Indian Rock

Open 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

Lanning cove

Small open cove on Santa Cruz Island, off the California coast, with a sand and rock bottom.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Cabrillo Way Marina

Large public marina on the West Channel of Los Angeles Harbor, in San Pedro, California.

Lovers Cove

Open 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

Isthmus Cove, Two Harbors

Anchorage and mooring field at Isthmus Cove, Two Harbors, on the north shore of Santa Catalina Island, California.

• Paid
• Sheltered NW, W

4th 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

Alamitos Bay Yacht Club

Private members yacht club on the west side of Alamitos Bay in Long Beach, California.

Alamitos Bay-Lido Lane

Section of the large Alamitos Bay Marina on the east side of Long Beach, California, between Belmont Shore and Naples Island.

Anacapa Yacht Club

Member yacht club inside Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard, chartered in 1967 and focused on sailing.

Balboa Basin Yacht Club

Small private cruising club inside the city-owned Balboa Yacht Basin, on Harbor Island Drive in Newport Harbour.

Balboa Marina

Private CRC marina on the Balboa side of Newport Harbor, at 201 East Coast Highway, Newport Beach, California.

Bayshore Marina

Private CRC marina on the north shore of Newport Harbor, off Pacific Coast Highway, in Newport Beach, California.

Bayside Village Marina

Marina attached to the Bayside Village community on the north side of Newport Harbor, in Newport Beach, California.

Cabrillo 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

California Yacht Marina

Private marina in the West Channel of Los Angeles Harbor, San Pedro, California, the closest mainland marina to Catalina Island.

California Yacht Marina - Wilmington

Family-run marina at Berth 202 in Los Angeles Harbor, on the Wilmington peninsula in California.

Carefree Boat Club of Channel Islands Harbor

Members-only powerboat club at Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, no public berth.

Carefree Boat Club of Ventura Harbor

Boat club base at 1198 Navigator Drive in Ventura Harbor, California. Members reserve power boats up to 27 ft from a shared fleet kept in slips ready to use.

Cerritos Bahia Marina

Small City of Long Beach marina on Alamitos Bay near the Cerritos Channel, off Pacific Coast Highway, California.

Channel Islands

Large recreational harbour at Oxnard in Ventura County, southern California, set back from the Pacific behind an offshore breakwater.

Channel Islands Yacht Club

Private yacht club on the south basin of Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, between Ventura and Point Mugu in southern California.

Cherry Cove

Mooring cove on the west end of Catalina Island, west of Two Harbors, with a sand bottom.

• Paid
• Sheltered W, SW, S

Chula Vista Marina

Large marina in the South Bay of San Diego, California, at Chula Vista, with concrete docks and a park-like waterfront.

CRC Marinas

Operator of four marinas inside Newport Harbor, totalling 455 berths between Bayside, Balboa, Bayshore and Villa Cove. Main office at 1137 Bayside Drive, Corona del Mar.