Avalon, Catalina Island is about 27 nautical miles from Newport Beach by water, roughly 31 statute miles or 50 kilometers across the San Pedro Channel. A typical on-the-water routing runs about 29 nautical miles. It is an open-water crossing and one of the most popular runs in Southern California: glassy at dawn and building an afternoon westerly, so leave early.
Newport Beach to Avalon distance
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight-line distance | 27 nautical miles |
| Statute miles | 31 miles |
| Kilometers | 50 km |
| Typical on-the-water routing | about 29 nautical miles |
The run leaves Newport Beach out the harbor jetties, then it is a straight open-water shot across the San Pedro Channel to Avalon. There is no inside line here: you commit to the crossing and hold your heading through mid-channel, watching the shipping lanes, before the island lifts up off the bow. It lands you right at Avalon Harbor, the busy mooring field on the front side of Catalina.
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 27 nautical mile distance at a steady cruise. They assume one continuous run, so treat them as the underway total. 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 7 min | 19 gal | $86 |
| 38 ft express cruiser (twin gas) | 26 mph | 43.0 | 0.6 | 1 hr 12 min | 51 gal | $231 |
| 50 ft trawler (single diesel) | 10 mph | 21.7 | 0.5 | 3 hr 6 min | 67 gal | $303 |
Fuel cost assumes $4.50 per gallon. This is a short open-water leg that any of these boats handles on a fraction of a tank, so the real question is the channel conditions, not range. Do not just scale from the table: run your own hull, load, and cruise speed.
Estimate the fuel for your own boat
The calculator below is pre-loaded with the Newport Beach to Avalon run. 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 run
Best window: year round, with summer and fall the calmest and the least swell.
The San Pedro Channel is often glassy at dawn and builds a stiff afternoon westerly, so leave early and plan to be moored before the wind fills in. Spring fog is common on this crossing, so carry radar or a good chartplotter. Avalon moorings fill fast on summer weekends, so call ahead.
Route notes
- Newport Harbor entrance (0 nm): the departure jetties out of Newport Beach. Clear the harbor traffic and settle on your channel heading before you commit to open water.
- San Pedro Channel (about 14 nm): open mid-channel water with no shelter. Watch the shipping lanes and hold your line as the swell comes up.
- Avalon Harbor (27 nm): the mooring field on the front side of Catalina. Call the harbor patrol on VHF 16 for a mooring assignment as you approach.
Gear to sort before you go
- A fuel system you trust: clean filters and a known tank gauge, so an open-water crossing stays a short run.
- Ground tackle and lines sized for the Avalon mooring field and the back-side coves of Catalina.
- A hull and gelcoat in good repair before a channel crossing; fix the soft spots and chips at the dock, not at sea.
Need to get the boat run-ready first? See our fuel tanks and systems and marine gelcoats for the repair and maintenance supplies that keep a channel crossing uneventful.
Plan the rest of your trip
Newport Beach to Avalon: frequently asked questions
How far is Avalon, Catalina Island from Newport Beach, CA?
Avalon, Catalina Island is about 27 nautical miles from Newport Beach, CA, which is roughly 31 statute miles or 50 kilometers in a straight line. A typical on-the-water routing runs about 29 nautical miles.
How long does it take to get from Newport Beach, CA to Avalon, Catalina Island by boat?
A 24 ft center console (twin 150s) cruising at about 28 mph covers the 27 nautical mile run in roughly 1 hour 7 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 Newport Beach, CA to Avalon, Catalina Island trip use?
The 24 ft center console (twin 150s) burns about 19 gallons on the 27 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.
Prev post
How far is Martha's Vineyard from Cape Cod?
Updated on 17 June 2026
Next post
How far is Key Largo from Miami?
Updated on 08 June 2026
