Avalon on Catalina Island is about 26 nautical miles from the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors. That is roughly 30 statute miles or 48 kilometers across the open San Pedro Channel. In a fast center console you can be tied to a mooring in Avalon in a little over an hour. From the Newport or Dana Point side the crossing is shorter, closer to 22 to 30 miles depending on your departure point.
Los Angeles to Catalina Island distance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight-line distance | 26 nautical miles |
| Statute miles | 30 miles |
| Kilometers | 48 km |
| Typical on-the-water routing | about 28 nautical miles |
The run crosses the San Pedro Channel, the open stretch of water between the mainland breakwater and the island. There is heavy commercial shipping traffic in the middle of the channel, so cross the lanes at a right angle and keep a sharp watch. Avalon Harbor is a mooring field, not an open anchorage, so call the harbor patrol on VHF 16 before you arrive to get a mooring assignment.
How long does it take, and how much fuel, by boat type
These are real numbers from the same engine that powers our boat fuel calculator, run over the 26 nautical mile crossing at a steady cruise. Plug in your own boat in the calculator below to get your exact figure.
| Boat | Cruise | GPH | MPG | Trip time | Fuel | Fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 ft center console (twin 150s) | 28 mph | 17.2 | 1.6 | 1 hr 04 min | 18 gal | $83 |
| 38 ft express cruiser (twin gas) | 26 mph | 43.0 | 0.6 | 1 hr 09 min | 50 gal | $223 |
| 50 ft trawler (single diesel) | 10 mph | 21.7 | 0.5 | 3 hr 00 min | 65 gal | $292 |
Fuel cost assumes $4.50 per gallon. The channel can build a stiff afternoon chop that knocks miles per gallon down hard, so do not just scale from the table: run your own hull and load.
Estimate the fuel for your own boat
The calculator below is pre-loaded with this crossing. Change the engine, horsepower, load, cruise speed, and tank to match your boat and it recomputes the fuel, range, and time instantly.
Best season and weather for the crossing
Best window: year round, with summer and fall the calmest and the least swell.
The San Pedro Channel can stay glassy in the morning and build a stiff afternoon westerly, so leave early and plan to be moored before the wind fills in. Fog is common in late spring and can drop visibility to nothing in the middle of the channel, so have radar or a good chartplotter and know how to use it. Watch for shipping traffic the whole way across.
Route notes
- Departure: the Los Angeles or Long Beach breakwater. Clear the harbor entrance and set a course for the east end of the island.
- San Pedro Channel (about 13 nm out): the open middle of the crossing and the busiest shipping water. Cross the traffic lanes at a right angle and keep watch.
- Avalon Harbor (26 nm): a mooring field, not a free anchorage. Call the harbor patrol on VHF 16 for a mooring before you arrive.
- Fuel: top off on the mainland. Avalon fuel can be busy and pricey, so carry the round trip plus a real reserve.
Gear to sort before you go
- A fuel system you trust: clean filters, a known tank gauge, and a real reserve calculation, not a guess.
- Ground tackle in case you end up on a fair-weather hook off the back of the island.
- A hull and gelcoat in good repair before an open-channel run; fix the soft spots and chips at the dock, not at sea.
Need to get the boat crossing-ready first? See our fuel tanks and systems and marine gelcoats for the repair and maintenance supplies that keep an open-water run uneventful.
Plan the rest of your trip
Catalina Island from Los Angeles: frequently asked questions
How far is Avalon, Catalina Island from Los Angeles / Long Beach, CA?
Avalon, Catalina Island is about 26 nautical miles from Los Angeles / Long Beach, CA, which is roughly 30 statute miles or 48 kilometers in a straight line. A typical on-the-water routing runs about 28 nautical miles.
How long does it take to get from Los Angeles / Long Beach, CA to Avalon, Catalina Island by boat?
A 24 ft center console (twin 150s) cruising at about 28 mph covers the 26 nautical mile run in roughly 1 hour 4 minutes. A slower trawler takes much longer, and a fast express cruiser a little less. Use the fuel calculator on this page to plug in your own boat.
How much fuel does the Los Angeles / Long Beach, CA to Avalon, Catalina Island trip use?
The 24 ft center console (twin 150s) burns about 18 gallons on the 26 nautical mile run at roughly 17.2 gallons per hour and 1.6 miles per gallon. Your number depends on horsepower, load, and cruise speed, so run your own boat through the calculator below.
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