Where to go snorkelling in California

by Mihai Pinzariu on September 25, 2019

When most people think of USA snorkelling destinations, they tend to imagine Florida and not California. They’re missing out! California is home to a huge number of diverse marine life, and snorkeling the waters to get up close and personal with the nature here is easy. Best of all, you won’t have to share the waters with as many other snorkellers as you would in Florida, making for some primo underwater photography.

We’ve gotta mention one thing that stands out amongst the majority of other tropical snorkelling destinations in this list – Californian waters are cold. The warmest waters you’ll find will be around 20℃, so make sure to bring along a wetsuit before you hit up these destinations!

Fish in California:

  • Angel Sharks, Black Sea Bass, Dolphins, Guitarfish, Horn Sharks, Humpback Whales, Leopard Sharks, Sea Lions, Stingrays, Torpedo Rays, Tuna, Turtles, Wolf Eels, and more.

Corals in California:

  • Anemones, Blue Brittle Stars, Cup Corals, Gorgonian Coral, Janolus, Navanaxes, Sponges, and more.

Best places to snorkel in California

Catalina Island

Where: 35km off the coast of Newport Beach
Details: This remote island is a snorkel destination that’s all scenery and no crowds. You’ll have to charter a boat to reach the island, but once there, you can enjoy warmer waters with better visibility (up to 25 metres), more active sea life (including tuna, eels, horn sharks and giant sea bass), and even a bit of coral life.

Information:

  • Those with a high budget can fly over to Catalina Island for unbeatable views,
  • Check out Lover’s Cove near the Avalon harbour for lots of wildlife – this is where the glass bottom boats tour go, so you know that’s where the good stuff is!
  • You’ll find plenty of snorkeling tours and companies to take you to the hotspots.

Channel Islands

Where: Santa Barbara
Details: This Marine Park has five different islands to explore, offering up some of the world’s best snorkelling (according to Gone Snorkelling). There are kelp forests, coves, sea caves, and so much to see and explore in this stunning part of California. With the perfect balance of tropical and cold water snorkelling, the abundance of sea life here is exceptional. Definitely a unique spot worth visiting!

Information:

  • The best spots for snorkelling are around Anacapa Island, eastern Santa Cruz Island, and Santa Barbara Island.
  • The other two islands can be quite windy with high currents,
  • It can be as cold as 11℃ here, so definitely head out with a wetsuit unless you’re used to freezing conditions (or crazy).

Laguna Beach

Where: Orange County
Details: Laguna Beach is famous for many things, and snorkelling is just another one. There are a few different spots to check out here, all with crystal clear waters and something for everyone. Check out the tide pools at Heisler Park Eco Reserve for pristine snorkeling conditions, Fisherman’s Cove for shallow snorkeling that’s great for beginners and kids, and Divers Cove for advanced snorkelers who want to swim amongst rock features in deep waters.

Information:

  • Catch a boat from Heisler Park Eco Reserve to Seal Rock where you can snorkel with sea lions.

Lake Tahoe

Where: Sierra Nevada Mountains
Details: Who said you had to hit the ocean to go snorkelling? Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places in America and well worth a visit whether you’re snorkelling or not. When we say this water is clear, we mean it – you can see the ground even up to 25 metres deep. There are beaches, rocky boulders, private swimming holes, alpine lakes, and even nudist spots! Just be warned, it’s a bit cold for a nudie.

Information:

There are all different blues in the water, sunken tree trunks, huge boulders, and more.

  • Sand Harbour is a great beach for snorkelling, with loads of amenities, carpark, and a visitor’s centre. Enter from the granite boulders, the sand, or the dedicated diving bay.
  • Lester Beach is a great spot for something a little quieter, with an adjacent camping spot. There are high cliffs do jump from and deep turquoise waters ot explore.
  • Thunderbird Lodge is an old-school mansion with beautiful snorkelling scenery.

How many people dream of snorkelling but don't feel comfortable wearing a snorkel mask?

The Influencer @lud.around is a NINJASHARK lover!

NINJASHARK is the sound of a revolution in snorkeling. Whereas other water equipments companies are constantly adding poor quality products, we listen to your feedback and constantly improve our products to fit for all of your needs.

 
"I'm not leaving my room without the mask. The full face snorkeling mask from Australia is comfortable and fit me perfectly! Love how easy it is to breath out your nose and mouth when you snorkeling and even has earplugs!"

“The mask include GOPRO mounts, so you can easily film and photograph underwater scenery! I highly recommend especially to people who have a fear of snorkeling! This mask is really easy to use and is safe!” said @lud.around. “I can’t wait for my next trip with my new mask!”

The Ninja Shark full face snorkel masks makes your experiences the best they can be. They are exclusively sold on the Ninja Shark website.

The Ninja Shark full face snorkel masks comes equipped with advanced Anti-Fog technology, automatic drainage, no CO2 Buildup with improved uni-directional valves, and a revolutionary breathe flow system so you can breathe through both your nose and mouth.





“If you thought we’re just here to sell you products, think again. You’re part of the Ninja Shark family, and your feedback matters! We’re constantly working to improve our products and deliver the full face snorkel mask that exists only in our dreams!”

What customers are saying about us…

“Awesome set.

Loved the complete set. I even used the waterproof phone pouch to take photos and videos underwater. It made my Fiji experience so much better than using the free snorkel set that hurt your face after 2hours and leaving a sun/mask mark. The ninja leaves no marks and gives great vision under water in comparison. It did take some getting used to but it definitely paid off! Only frustration is that the tightening straps are quite basic; they should be much simpler to loosen and tighten both in and out of water.” – Jock

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Based on 1482 reviews
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Electra - Full Face Snorkel Mask
Bolang C. (Perth, AU)
Great design

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Whole family loves the NinjaShark Snorkel mask.

R
Lifetime Warranty
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M
Package: Dry Snorkel (Set + Fins + Bag)
Mermaid M. (Townsville, AU)
Mermaid

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I was a little bit anxious on receiving my order as the mask was quite different to my old one and the fins were short and adjustable ( l wanted them to be my size ! ) well to my luck the weather was beautiful ( yes mid winter in Mackay ) and perfect for boating so off we scooted to Cockermouth ( don't laugh it's a real place ) jumping in and WOW I'm now a mermaid 🧜‍♀️ the mask and fins felt like part of me. I actually cried as not only was the equipment allowing me to explore as l wanted but the reef was STUNNING. So lm indepted to Ninja Shark for making me the mermaid l always aspired to be 🧜‍♀️

Took it to Tahiti

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Judge.me YouTube video placeholder
Life changing

I do love my full face snorkel.. the freedom of nose breathing under the water.. the meditative and relaxative effect of this snorkeling is unexpected and great. Fits so well.. comfy to wear for long time.. highly recommend

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Diving Dry Snorkel Set with GoPro mount
jomm11 (Brisbane, AU)
Super quality & fit

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I wasn't sure how the 3 year old would go with it, but he was comfortable in it almost immediately, and spent hours swimming around and seeing a whole new world of underwater scenery.

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Highly recommend this product :)

N
Electra - Full Face Snorkel Mask
Nick J. (Brisbane, AU)
mask swimming

The mask did exactly what was stated. I was very happy and will get another mask for my daughter.

S
Electra - Full Face Snorkel Mask
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Great way to swim

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Fabulous

I got one for the 3 year old and one for the 5 year old, I thought maybe the 3 year old would get the hang of it eventually but they both loved it and mastered it pretty quickly. We’ve only used in the swimming pool, excited to go snorkeling in the ocean soon. Great product.

S
Lifetime Warranty
Sarah B. (Surfers Paradise, AU)
Love it!

Amazing product ! Have the electra package, kids love it. So easy to use. Highly recommend

J
Diving Dry Snorkel Set with GoPro mount
Jennifer M. (Brisbane, AU)
Love it

Bought these for myself and my husband after getting the full face masks for the kids, and they were so good we’re getting them for the rest of the extended family for Xmas. The fact u can dive down and not get water down ur snorkel is a brilliant bonus! Makes our family holidays much easier and better without snorkel dramas!

This made our holiday

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The photo is us snorkelling off Amadee Island looking for turtles!

My kids love them

I’ve got three of these masks for my younger kids, however the oldest wants one too as the young ones rave about how good the are.

Summer Family Fun

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G
Lifetime Warranty
Geri D. (Sydney, AU)
Lifetime warranty

Glad I have but haven’t needed to use .. yet

Great Mask

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awsome

we used our new masks over the weekend. they were amazing, my daughter barely had her head out of the water all day.

L
Lifetime Warranty
Lina J. (Gold Coast, AU)
life warranty

This is great! More stores should do it!

O
Lifetime Warranty
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Fantastic snorkel!

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Kids snorkel

It is a lot easier for the younger children to have fun and snorkel without worrying about their nose breathing. My 6 year old swims confidently and happily.