With over a half-mile of beach, Leo Carrillo State Beach offers a few different good dive sites with easy parking and great amenities. Unusual for a beach dive, the kelp bed here is huge and easy to reach from shore. The shallow depth and proximity to shore makes this site great for diving and snorkeling alike.

An easily accessible dive site from Channel Island Beach. A great spot for beginners with an easy swim out to the site. Lots of critters hiding within the rocks of the break wall.

From spectacular walls and deep drop-offs to dive-bombing sea lions, wrecks, and relaxing kelp, Anacapa Island, the smallest of the Channel Islands, has it all. Although Anacapa Island is only reachable by boat, there are several dive charter operations that leave from the mainland daily, making it very accessible.

Parson’s Landing is a beautiful secluded cove on Catalina Island that’s just as scenic above water as it is underwater with great diving and snorkeling right from the shore! You can even camp here right on the beach. The cove is usually nice and calm as it is protected from most weather.

Camp Emerald Bay is home to a long time Boy Scouts of America camp and one of the most popular dive sites on Catalina Island. This is an easy entry dive site from the beach with a gently sloping bottom and beautiful kelp forest right offshore.

Considered the jewel of Emerald Bay, Indian Rock is full of amazing rocky outcroppings and kelp beds in the heart of Catalina Island. It’s a popular mooring spot for pleasure boats so be aware of boat traffic in this area. It’s best dived via boat charter as it’s a bit too far to swim from shore.

Eagle Reef is a large rocky structure teaming with life. This is an awesome kelp dive; Catalina Island at it’s finest. This site is only reachable by boat, either private or dive charter. Plan to dive in the morning before winds have a chance to kick up and watch for possible strong currents.

Not to be confused with it’s close, more popular neighbor Eagle Reef, Lulu Reef is a series of three rock pinnacles inside Eagle Reef on the mainland of Catalina Island’s west end. Since it is a bit off shore it’s best reached by boat.

One of the best dive sites on Catalina Island, Bird Rock varies from shallow rocks to steep drop-offs and a beautiful arch. The shallow rocky area is great for snorkeling and the entire site is great for new to advanced divers. The water is nearly always clear, calm and generally without current.

Isthmus Reef is a popular dive site on Catalina Island reachable only by boat. It’s a great site for open water students and newer divers due to its sheltered location and shallow depth.