Marinas in Los Angeles: getting there, harbour info and sailing destinations

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Los Angeles has two major harbour areas for yachts: Marina del Rey on the Pacific coast in the west, north-west of LAX airport, and San Pedro in the south at the Port of Los Angeles. Both have guest berths for yachts that are passing through or setting out on a sailing trip. Here you can read how to get from the airport to the marinas in Los Angeles, where the guest docks are, where to park and shop, what the sailing weather is like, which sailing destinations lie off the coast and what skippers should bear in mind when approaching and clearing in.

Where are the marinas in Los Angeles?

Visiting yachts can moor in Los Angeles in three places: at the guest docks at Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey in the west of the city, and at Cabrillo Way Marina and California Yacht Marina Cabrillo in San Pedro in the south. The two marinas in San Pedro lie next to each other in the Port of Los Angeles, only around 300 metres apart. Marina del Rey is a long way from them, on the coast north-west of San Pedro.

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Feature	Guest docks at Burton Chace Park (Marina del Rey)	Cabrillo Way Marina (San Pedro)	California Yacht Marina Cabrillo (San Pedro)
Operator	County of Los Angeles	Marina in the Port of Los Angeles	Family-run business in the Port of Los Angeles
Berths	County guest docks (whole port: over 4,600 berths in 23 marinas)	695 berths for 28 to 130 feet	885 berths
Visitors	no reservations, maximum 7 days in 30 days	Guest stays of up to 90 days	Guest berths for a few nights up to one month, bookable online

Arriving for the start of your sailing trip in Los Angeles

From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) you can reach both harbour areas by car, taxi, or by bus and train.

From LAX airport to the marinas

Marina del Rey lies north-west of the airport. San Pedro is about 18 miles to the south. At the harbour in San Pedro there is plenty of free or inexpensive parking.

By bus and train, a free shuttle takes you from the terminals to the LAX/Metro Transit Center. The Metro C and K Lines and several bus routes stop there. Transfers within two hours are free if you check in with your ticket at the reader.

By train and bus

To San Pedro, the Metro J Line runs from El Monte via Downtown Los Angeles to Harbor Gateway and San Pedro. Bus route 246 connects San Pedro with the Harbor Gateway Transit Center, and the city's DASH buses and the Commuter Express also serve San Pedro. In San Pedro itself, the free Waterfront Trolley line along Harbor Boulevard takes you to the main destinations at the harbour. To Marina del Rey, services include Metro bus route 108, which starts in Marina del Rey.

Parking

In Marina del Rey, public car parks are located on Fiji Way, about 300 metres from the guest docks, and on Mindanao Way, about 350 metres away.

The Cabrillo Way Marina has a large car park of its own; the marina office is in car park E, row 1, at Berth 39. A public car park on Dave Arian Way is about 300 metres from the docks. The California Yacht Marina Cabrillo offers free parking throughout the site, with the nearest space about 200 metres from the docks.

Showers and sanitary facilities

The Cabrillo Way Marina has washrooms with showers. The California Yacht Marina Cabrillo has private bathrooms with showers and a laundry; access to the docks and washrooms is electronically secured.

Shopping for the trip

In Marina del Rey, several supermarkets are within walking distance of the guest docks: Trader Joe’s about 550 metres away, and two Ralphs stores about 800 and 900 metres away. For a big shop by car, Pavilions is about 1.1 kilometres away and Whole Foods Market about 2.6 kilometres.

At the marinas in San Pedro, you can get ice directly at the Cabrillo Way Marina and live bait at the California Yacht Marina Cabrillo. Restaurants and shops are only a few minutes from the Cabrillo Way Marina. From the marinas in San Pedro, the nearest supermarket, Vons, is about 2 kilometres away; for your shopping, it is best to take a car or taxi.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

In Marina del Rey, the Marina Del Rey Pharmacy is on Admiralty Way, about 800 metres from the guest docks, and a CVS Pharmacy store is about 1.1 kilometres away. There are doctors' surgeries in the Playa Medical Plaza, about 1.5 kilometres away. The nearest hospital is the Marina Del Rey Hospital, about 900 metres from the guest docks. In San Pedro, a CVS Pharmacy store is about 2.2 kilometres from the Cabrillo Way Marina. From the marinas in San Pedro, the Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro hospital is about 3.4 kilometres away.

• 911: Emergency number for police, fire brigade and ambulance service
• At sea: VHF channel 16, which reaches the US Coast Guard, the Los Angeles Harbor Police and, in Marina del Rey, the Sheriff’s Department
• US Coast Guard, 24-hour emergency line: +1 800 221 8724 (800-221-USCG)

Where are the guest docks in Marina del Rey?

The guest docks are at Burton Chace Park on Mindanao Way, in the middle of the harbour at Marina del Rey. The park has a stop for the WaterBus, the water taxi in the harbour. Fisherman’s Village, with restaurants and a lighthouse, is about 500 metres to the south.

Marina del Rey is a man-made leisure boat harbour owned and managed by the County of Los Angeles. Its 23 marinas offer more than 4,600 berths. The County itself operates the guest docks, while the other facilities are run by management companies, yacht clubs, hotels and residential complexes.

Facilities at the guest docks in Marina del Rey

Motor and sailing yachts may stay at the guest docks for a maximum of seven days within 30 days (as of November 2026). Reservations are not accepted; berths are allocated in order of arrival. Before using the docks, you sign the County's terms and conditions. Right next to them is a free short-stay zone where you can moor for up to four hours without registering. The harbour is patrolled regularly by the Sheriff’s Department. You can reach the guest docks by telephone on +1 424 526 7910.

Where is the Cabrillo Way Marina?

The Cabrillo Way Marina is in San Pedro on Miner Street in the Port of Los Angeles. It is about 3.2 kilometres to the Catalina ferry terminal. Guests can stay for up to 90 days. The office is open daily from 9am to 5pm and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day; telephone +1 310 514 4985.

Facilities at the Cabrillo Way Marina

The marina has 695 berths for boats from 28 to 130 feet and 375 spaces in dry storage. The docks have water and electricity at 30 and 50 amps, as well as washrooms with showers, lockers, dock carts, ice and free Wi-Fi. The nearest fuel dock is at Berth 74 at the entrance to the main channel, with petrol and diesel, open daily from 6am to 6pm.

Where is the California Yacht Marina Cabrillo?

The California Yacht Marina Cabrillo is directly west of the Cabrillo Way Marina on the West Channel; the address is 224 Whalers Walk. Right next to the marina is the public boat ramp at Cabrillo Beach. The marina offers guest berths for a few nights up to one month and accepts reservations online. The office is staffed daily from 8am to 5pm; telephone +1 310 732 2252.

Facilities at the California Yacht Marina Cabrillo

The marina has 885 berths. Every berth has its own power and water connection, power is available at 30 and 50 amps, and the water is free. There are also private bathrooms with showers, a laundry, Wi-Fi, lockers, pontoon trolleys and electronic access control to all pontoons. Three neighbouring yacht clubs welcome guests.

What is the sailing weather like in Los Angeles?

Between the mainland and the Channel Islands, the wind mostly blows from the northwest. Mornings are often almost calm, and the wind freshens in the afternoon. You should be prepared for strong easterly winds, known as the Santa Ana winds, at any time, especially from September to April. Dense fog is common in summer, but it can occur at any time of year. The calmest conditions for sailing to the Channel Islands are usually from August to October.

The weather service in Los Angeles issues a Small Craft Advisory when winds or gusts of 21 to 33 knots are expected for at least two hours, or when there are hazardous sea conditions, such as waves of 10 feet or more. From 34 knots, a Gale Warning follows, and from 48 knots a Storm Warning. In northeasterly winds at Avalon harbour on Catalina, the weather service issues its own advisories.

Which sailing trip destinations are close to Los Angeles?

The classic destination is Catalina Island, off San Pedro. The island is 22 miles long and 8 miles wide. The main town, Avalon, lies in the east, while the small settlement of Two Harbors sits in the west on the narrow isthmus. There, the harbour authority allocates mooring buoys and operates a water taxi to the shore and a fuel dock. The ferries take around an hour to get from San Pedro to Catalina.

Off the coast you will also find Channel Islands National Park, with five islands. With your own boat, you may go ashore on all five islands all year round. There are no public mooring buoys there and no anchorages that are safe in all weather. For most of Santa Cruz Island you need a landing permit, and on the way there you cross heavily trafficked shipping lanes.

Along the coast, Long Beach adjoins the Port of Los Angeles to the east, with three municipal marinas and more than 3,300 berths. It is around 27 nm from the Port of Los Angeles to Newport Beach. The City of Newport Beach rents out berths and mooring buoys at its guest marina, Marina Park. The big long-distance destination is Hawaii: it is around 2,230 nm from Los Angeles to Honolulu. All nautical miles are rounded distances over water on the usual course; for precise planning, the nautical chart is what counts.

If you are continuing further south along the Pacific coast, you will find a profile of the Marinas in Ensenada in Mexico.

What can you do ashore in Los Angeles?

• Battleship IOWA in San Pedro: The 887-foot Second World War battleship is berthed at the harbour as a museum ship. The free trolley line stops right in front of it.
• Los Angeles Maritime Museum: Housed in the former municipal ferry building of 1941, the museum presents the maritime history of Los Angeles.
• Cabrillo Beach and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium: The beach with the slipway is next to California Yacht Marina Cabrillo. The historic bathhouse of 1932 was used for the boating events at the 1932 Olympic Games, and you can also reach the aquarium at Cabrillo Beach by the free trolley line.
• Point Fermin Lighthouse and Korean Friendship Bell: The lighthouse of 1874 is open for guided tours, and the bell stands in Angel’s Gate Park with views of Catalina and the harbour.
• Fisherman’s Village and Mother’s Beach in Marina del Rey: The excursion boats depart from the fishing village, and at Mother’s Beach (Marina Beach) in the harbour the water is calm and shallow. The Venice Canals in the neighbouring district of Venice are also worth a stroll: the last surviving canal network there, built more than 100 years ago.

For skippers: clearing in, berthing and marine weather in Los Angeles

If you arrive from abroad, report your arrival immediately to US Customs and Border Protection. Anchoring is not permitted in Marina del Rey, and low maximum speeds apply in both harbour areas.

Clearing in at Los Angeles

When a yacht arrives from a foreign port, under US federal law the skipper must report the arrival immediately to the nearest office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) (as of November 2026). The report can be made by any means of communication, and the officers may subsequently ask for documents relating to the boat and crew.

Registration and Berthing

In Marina del Rey, you register at the guest pontoons without a reservation and sign the County's conditions. In San Pedro, you register by telephone at the Cabrillo Way Marina office or book online with California Yacht Marina Cabrillo. For guests not staying overnight, Downtown Harbor in San Pedro has free public docks at Berth 85 for pleasure boats up to 100 feet, daily from 6 am to 10 pm and for a maximum of four hours within 24 hours.

Harbour rules

• Marina del Rey: The entire harbour is a no-wake zone with a maximum of 5 knots. Anchoring is not permitted, and there are no mooring buoys. A yacht may not extend more than four feet beyond its berth.
• Port of Los Angeles: A maximum of 4.4 knots applies in the West Channel, in the marinas and at the yacht anchorages, and Cabrillo Beach is a no-wake zone.
• Certain areas of the Port of Los Angeles are closed to pleasure craft and can only be entered with permission from the harbour police. The main fairway remains open. Recreational swimming and diving are prohibited throughout the harbour.

Approach

At the entrance to Marina del Rey there are lights on the north and south jetties and on the breakwater. Shoaling can occur at both jetties. Shoal buoys mark the danger spots, and you should not pass inside these buoys. Expect very low water levels in winter. In the harbour the average depth is 15 to 21 feet. At the end of the north jetty there is a foghorn that you switch on yourself: press the transmit button five times on VHF channel 81A, and it will sound for 30 minutes, for two seconds every 20 seconds. The Sheriff’s Department will give you the current state of the entrance on VHF channel 16.

The entrance to the Port of Los Angeles is marked by the Angels Gate lighthouse on the San Pedro breakwater, with its green rotating light. Large freighters and cruise ships can hardly manoeuvre out of the way and often cannot see small boats more than half a mile ahead of the bow. Keep clear of them in narrow channels and be especially careful in fog. In the harbour, monitor VHF channels 16, 14 and 13.

Which marine weather forecast applies in Los Angeles?

The Coastal Waters Forecast from the US National Weather Service, Los Angeles/Oxnard office, applies to the Los Angeles coast. It is published regularly on the marine weather page of the weather service. The relevant area is “Inner waters from Point Mugu to San Mateo Point”, which also includes Catalina and Anacapa. The forecast gives wind in knots and sea state in feet, broken down by wave direction, height and period, and begins with the current warnings. The Coast Guard also broadcasts marine weather forecasts twice a day on VHF channels 16 and 22A.

Sailing trips from Los Angeles on Törnfinder

Sailing trips starting or ending in Los Angeles and on the West Coast can be found under Cabin Charter in the USA and in the overview of all Sailing trips on Törnfinder.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from LAX airport to the marinas in Los Angeles?

The quickest way is by taxi or hire car. Marina del Rey is north-west of the airport, and San Pedro is about 18 miles to the south. If you are travelling by bus and train, take the shuttle to the LAX/Metro Transit Center and continue from there by Metro.

Can I reserve a visitor berth in Marina del Rey?

No. The guest docks at Burton Chace Park are allocated in order of arrival, for a maximum of seven days within 30 days. In San Pedro, the California Yacht Marina Cabrillo accepts reservations online.

Where do I park at the start of a sailing trip in Los Angeles?

In Marina del Rey, use the public car parks on Fiji Way or Mindanao Way, around 300 to 350 metres from the guest docks. In San Pedro, both marinas have large car parks of their own, and parking at the California Yacht Marina Cabrillo is free.

Are there showers in the marinas?

Yes, in San Pedro: the Cabrillo Way Marina has washrooms with showers, and the California Yacht Marina Cabrillo has private bathrooms with showers and a laundry.

How far is it from Los Angeles to Catalina Island?

The ferries take around an hour from San Pedro. On your own yacht, you will mainly head for Avalon on the east side of the island and Two Harbors on the west.

Do I have to clear in at Los Angeles?

Yes, if you arrive from abroad. Report your arrival immediately to the nearest office of the US Customs and Border Protection agency, CBP.