Best anchorages and harbours in Southern California

Newport Marina

Small public marina at 621 Lido Park Drive, on Lido Peninsula in Newport Harbor, the busiest recreational harbour on the US Pacific coast.

Oceanside Harbor Fuel Dock

Public fuel berth at 1380 North Pacific Street in Oceanside Harbor, San Diego County, with a small chandlery and mini-mart.

Parson’s Landing

Anchorage off Hoppys Landing, by the causeway linking West Island to the mainland at Fairhaven, Massachusetts.

• Sheltered S, SE

Peninsula Yacht Anchorage

Marina on the tip of the peninsula between the East and West Channels of Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard, with wet berths from 7 to 27 metres.

Peninsula Yacht Marina

Marina at 3700 Peninsula Road in Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard, California, on the south side of Ventura County's main harbour.

Peninsula Yacht Marina

Commercial marina on the peninsula of Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, southern California, opposite the harbour entrance.

Pier 44 Marina

Recently rebuilt full-service marina on the south side of Marina del Rey harbour, Los Angeles.

Pine Avenue Pier

Pier on Rainbow Harbor in downtown Long Beach, southern California, next to the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Catalina Explorer ferry terminal.

Point Loma Marina

Marina in America's Cup Harbour, at the north tip of Shelter Island in San Diego.

Port of Los Angeles/Cabrillo Way Marina, Berth 42

Large Port of Los Angeles marina at Berths 42-43 in San Pedro, on the west side of the main harbour behind the federal breakwater.

Port Royal Marina A California Yacht Marina

Private marina inside King Harbor, Redondo Beach, on the South Bay coast of Los Angeles County, California.

Prisoners 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

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

Safe Harbor Anacapa Isle

Full-service marina of 438 berths inside Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard, taking boats from 20 to 118 ft.

Safe Harbor Cabrillo Isle

Marina on Harbor Island in San Diego Bay, southern California, on the approach between the bay entrance and downtown San Diego.

Safe Harbor South Bay

Large marina on the eastern shore of San Diego Bay at Chula Vista, California, formerly California Yacht Marina, now part of the Safe Harbor network.

Sail Channel Islands

ASA-affiliated sailing school and charter base inside Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard.

Santa Barbara

Open roadstead off the Santa Barbara waterfront in California, anchoring on a sand bottom east of the harbour.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Santa Barbara Yacht Club

Private members club on the east side of Santa Barbara Harbor breakwater, founded 1872, with one 76 ft reciprocal end tie.

Santa Monica Windjammers Yacht Club

Private members yacht club founded in 1941, on Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles.

Seabridge Marina

Marina of 241 berths on the east side of Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, California, at 1601 South Victoria Avenue. Takes vessels up to 60 ft.

Seaforth Marina

Marina on the north-east side of Quivira Basin, in Mission Bay, San Diego, about 10 minutes from the Pacific via the Mission Bay channel.

SeaGate Yacht Club

Small members club serving the SeaGate community on the inner channels of Huntington Harbour, California.

SeaWorld Marina

Marina of 208 berths at 1660 South Shores Road, on the south-east side of Mission Bay, next to SeaWorld San Diego.

Shaws Cove

Small rocky cove on the Laguna Beach shore in California, within the Laguna Beach State Marine Reserve.

• Sheltered N, NE, NW

Shelter Cove Marina

Marina with 178 berths in America's Cup Harbour, on the north-west end of Shelter Island in San Diego.

Shelter Island Marina

Marina at the Island Palms Hotel on Shelter Island, San Diego Bay, geared towards larger yachts up to 58 metres.

Shoreline Yacht Club

Private yacht club on Shoreline Drive in Long Beach, California, on the east side of Shoreline Marina basin.

Topanga Beach

Open mooring off Topanga Beach in Santa Monica Bay, California, between Santa Monica and Malibu, with a sand bottom and shelter only from NW through NE winds.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Ventura West Marina

Large marina inside Ventura Harbor on the southern California coast, about 30 miles south of Santa Barbara and a common departure point for the Channel Islands.