Snorkeling In California

We have not done much snorkeling in California, but the little we have done has been fairly interesting. But BURRRRRR! With the warmest waters in the low 70's, these are definitely not tropical waters. We like it about 80 or above in the water. And while California does not offer the wonderful warm tropical waters and sea life that we love, it is well worth doing just to get in the water and see something new.

For us snorkeling in California is a cheap way to get in the water. San Diego is only a half day drive from our home in Tucson. And while not a first snorkeling choice, it is very interesting to see the differences between this Pacific Ocean sea and the warmer tropical spots.

But a wet suit is a must for us. In late summer, wearing a 2mm shorty wet suit, we can stay in the water for an hour (in San Diego). But lots of locals go in without a wet suit and stay in just as long (at least in San Diego). We would freeze without a suit!

You are not going to see any coral in California. Instead you will be snorkeling in greener waters that have seals, beautiful kelp beds, lots of sea grass and rock, and an interesting variety of fish and rays.

There are a handful of places that people snorkel in California that we know about. And all of these locations are in southern California.

Places To Snorkel in California

Just down the road from La Jolla Cove is La Jolla Shores. And were it not for the amazingly beautiful Leopard Sharks that congregate in the shallow waters in the late summer, there would be nothing to see here but sand.

More on San Diego beach vacations.

Offshore from Santa Barbara are the Channel Islands. And apparently there is some very interesting snorkeling to be had here. The waters are supposed to be a mix of tropical and cold waters, which leads to an interesting habitat of over a thousands species. But it is pretty cold with water temperatures averaging about 52-66 degrees. So a wet suit is a must. The visibility is supposed to be excellent, over 50 feet.

The preferable areas to snorkel are from Anacapa, Santa Barbara, and the east side of Santa Cruz islands.

But this is not a snorkel spot for novices. The currents and wave conditions can be very dangerous in the Channel Islands.

It sure sounds interesting though, and it is on our list of spots to check out.

Learn more at these links:

Snorkeling Channel Islands Official Website - Snorkeling in California

Here is a good Gorp article on Channel snorkel spots.

South of Los Angeles, 22 miles off of Newport Beach, Catalina Island is one of the most popular places for snorkeling in California. You can access a number of beach spots or take snorkeling boat tours. One of the most mentioned spots is Lover's Cove. It offers a protected cove with kelp forests and lots of other sea life. The waters are a bit warmer than the Channel Islands.

This is the best site I have found that lists snorkel spots in Catalina.