We had a fantastic day. Christian was super as our driver/narrator/entertainer and all around good guy! We thoroughly enjoyed our ride with him. Pass along our thanks. Great tour. read more

Cute little excursion if you are visiting Catalina , where you view 3 areas where local fish school. 5 minute easy walk from the tender port. Found the vendor via Viator 12:45pm departure , be there by 12:30 , was a relaxed, comfortable 45 minutes cruise with a view below water level. Bought 3 fish food shots for $5. Weather in the 70's it was a cool experience checking out the fish. read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Booth where you get a physical ticket outside - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

Thank you, Sergio, our tour guide, for taking us through the island and sharing such informative and interesting Catalina history while showing us the beautiful views. A big thank-you as well to our driver for getting us there and back safely, I'm sorry I forgot her name! The wait time wasn't bad at all since we went during winter, and we were lucky to have a sunny day. We sat near the front of the vehicle, which was fine, but next time I'd sit more toward the middle since we were right in front of Sergio. The tour lasts about 50 minutes, and it's absolutely worth it, especially if it's your first time visiting Catalina Island. Highly recommend! read more

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We had two great experiences with this company. I did the yellow submarine by myself while the rest of our friends snorkeled. I took the 10:15 and there were only 5 people on it. So much fun moving around and checking out the fish. The team was knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend! Then our group took the bison/island tour. The team was also very knowledgeable. Our driver really knew the road! Very bumpy ride but it was fantastic. We saw some bison in the distance and I saw a little fox. The airport stop at the top was fun. Nice break and cute shop! Customer service was also very helpful. I really enjoyed all experiences and appreciate what customer service helped me with. I would use them again on our next visit! read more

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Yellow Submarine: Great crew, fish, and submarine. Launching fish food torpedoes was a lot of fun. Plenty of stops and time to check out the sea life, comfortable seating, nice clean windows and lots of different fish to put on a show. read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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Fun tour. Brad did a great job narrating. The kids enjoyed feeding the fish. Easy to book and fun for the family. read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Fun tour. We appreciated Brad's narration. The kids enjoyed feeding the fish. - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

The staff was very friendly and kind. Our tour had to be re-booked because of a change in their schedule and they took care of rebooking us just to make sure we didn't miss the available spots. While we didn't see any bison or foxes lol it was nice to hear about the history of Avalon :) read more

We loved this adventure tour. It went around the island. A lot of turns on narrow roads. Our driver did a great job navigating. I felt very safe. The tour guide was knowledgeable & fun. He serenaded us along the way. Highly recommend them for an island tour. read more

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Just a heads-up. Unlike a similar submarine adventure we experienced in Maui back in 2008, which actually took us to a maximum depth of 143', this Catalina Island Yellow semi-sub, The Nautilus, never really dives below the surface. But is like the ride at Disneyland. Though unlike Disneyland, you will be viewing real sea life below the surface. And also unlike Disneyland, without a track. In 2016 we were here for my birthday weekend and rode the world famous glass bottom boat. A type of vessel that was first revealed here at Catalina Island over a century ago. But the submarine excursions are even a more thrilling experience. Be sure to purchase feed to be added to your viewing station, so you can experience firing the feeding torpedos to attract even more finned visitors past your porthole. The riders seen coming back in the video prior to our boarding, apparently had even a more remarkable experience than we. We only were fortunate enough to see a few garibaldi, numerous schools of perch, a few other species, and the group across the sub from us a cormorant and one sea lion. Whereas our returning predecessors sighted green sea turtles, schools of barracuda and a pod of dolphins. But the ride was an experience to be cherished, I had always wanted to see the vast kelp forests along our coast; the world's second fastest growing plant at over a foot per day. Only beaten by bamboo as the fastest. Don't pass this one up! read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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The yellow submarine tour was amazing Marcus and Captain Andy are terrific ! I definitely recommend going on this tour very family friendly as well! read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Awesome tour thanks to Marcus and captain Andy ! - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

We originally booked our tour on the Nautilus for our 6 and 2 year old, thinking they would have a good time. We didn't realize we would have an incredible time as well! Super cool! Tons of fish and the tour guides are awesome! read more

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Just finished a submarine tour and I have to say--Brad and Dave made it one hell of a trip! Incredible experience from start to finish. The fish were so close, it made the whole thing even more unreal. Pro tip: bring cash so you can buy fish food and feed them during the tour--it's absolutely worth it. Great memories, an awesome crew, and a ride I won't forget anytime soon. Thank you both so much! read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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First off I would rate all their staff, especially the customer service at the front desk, 10 stars!! They are so nice, responsive and helpful!! I used the chat feature on their website and got a quick, helpful response. When I came to the tour desk the day of my tour they followed through with the commitment they made in the chat, which was very nice. We went on two tours through them - Catalina Island City and Scenic Mt Ida Tour (50 minutes) and Inside Adventure Tour (2 hours). I was concerned the second tour would be a repetition of some of the sites on the first tour but only one site was the same otherwise it was totally different. The city tour showed us around the city, gave the history and allowed photos at various scenic views. A great way to get an overview of the city and get some awesome pics in a nutshell. The inside adventure went much deeper. The tour guide (naturalist) was very informative and entertaining and it took us to parts of Catalina you don't normally see - the wildlife, trees, campsites, airport and more. The tour guide regaled us with history and trivia throughout the trip. He even sang an old song they used to sing to entertain people before all the modern inventions -- and he sang well. The drivers were good and made you feel very safe, especially Shelly on the inside adventure tour. The road was super narrow and winding but she handled it like a champ. I felt very safe in her hands. She was also good at sighting wildlife along the road. I highly recommend this tour company!! read more

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Such an amazing trip! It was our first time going with my mom to the island and we didnt really know about the island, so getting the 2 hour tour was perfect. Sergio is such a great tour guide, he made the experience more entertaining and enjoyable. If you are getting a tour make sure you ask for Sergio! read more

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Such a fun under water adventure! Captain David took us to 3 spots rich with fish and kelp. Our tour guide Brad gave us the rundown of the local fish and got our fish food torpedoes ready to launch. It was an absolute blast! The ride was smooth, but the sub rocks a bit while it stops for fish feeding and viewing. Luckily, they have lots of paper bags just in case you're feeling queasy. Highly recommend! read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

enjoyable. booked in advance came a bit early to check in & got the $12 fish feeding. pretty unique experience and fun. i'd recommend coming early so you can pick any spot you'd like. people in the boat can be inconsiderate so best to come before they do lmao read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - more fish - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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Here we are again.. Review based on customer service! When I called I had quite a few questions regarding the tours. Every single question was answered with Annette. I was answered with thorough explanations, extra things answered that I wasn't asking, I was asked if I understood or needed further explanation and assistance. The transaction was completed and the company was recommended to other travelers based solely on customer service and not on actually experiencing a tour with the company!! I needed to call back today, two days later, and add more people to the booking. Our booking was found immediately, and we were charged quickly, and email sent immediately showing the transaction!! A second booking is currently being considered with the company just because customer service is greatly appreciated!! CUSTOMER SERVICE WINS MY HEART EVERYTIME!! read more

Hands down the best experience at Catalina, it open your eyes to a new world. Marcus was wonderful, looking forward to coming back with our family. read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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Tour guide Tim was very informative and Humorous. Also extremely patient with the young children who in no way wanted to be there. Come on people!!! Your screaming toddler ruins the whole experience for the rest of us. Can you say "BABYSITTER!!" I can only imagine that children under 5 are free and that's why your entire family participates. Perhaps tour companies should offer a "kid free" tour/zone. I've raised my share of children, and feel it's now my time to enjoy vacations/tours/adventures minus kids. Or, here's a thought, charge double for kiddos, and I'm positive those families will find an alternative place to "store" their children. read more

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The sea view glass bottom boat tour with Marcus and Andy was super fun for the whole family. Bring cash for the fish food and tip. We saw a huge bass and tons of fish as well as a gorgeous kelp forest. read more

The tickets are quite pricy but it honestly feels worth it for the memorable experiences with my family and friends. These businesses I suppose need to be pricy in order to survive being on an island. We got a package deal of both a land and underwater tour. The land tour had us on a bus(?)/van(?) that took us around the island on trails we would have no other way of accessing as tourists. We got to see some bison and some may have also seen a fox. The experience was led by a super charismatic guide who himself is a treasure of this island. For the underwater tour, we entered a submarine that gave you the option to buy fish food to shoot as a torpedo to the fish. I loved this experience as it was like being inside an aquarium. My motion sickness wanted to take me out but I had a fantastic time regardless. This was a lesson for me, that I will be willing to spend the money for a good experience. read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Look at these beauties, the opal eyes - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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Brad was such a great host. My family of 4 was treated exceptionally well. We did the 12:45 tour, and he did a great job of telling us what we were seeing while we fired our fish food torpedoes! My family enjoyed it so much, there's already talk of another adventure, and we just got off their sub. Great value. Great tour. Great staff. 10/10 recommend! read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - The Nautilus: our ride to adventure! - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

absolutely loved this tour! took the kids over to Catalina for a day trip and this was an activity I had planned. Make sure to get there before the boarding time so you have time to get a window seat. Take cash so you can buy fish food- you won't regret it!! basically get to launch fish food from the sub and it attracts all the fish, such an amazing experience. It is a small enclosed sub, submerged 6ft under, and warm inside. Purchase tickets in advance so you don't run the risk of them selling out and you can pick your preferred time :) read more

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I highly recommend this great two hour inside adventure tour. Our tour guide Sal was amazing. He was humorous and knowledgeable and had a great personality. There was so much to see and the time went by so fast, but it was a great view of the interior of Catalina between Avalon and the airport with lots of great views, and we even saw a bison in the distance read more

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my daughter and I had a wonderful trip. captain fletch and Brandon were very personable and knowledgeable. would definitely go again!

There are plenty of times to book online for this tour and booking was easily online. We enjoyed being able to see some fish underwater. Our tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable. The boat was a bit rocky in the beginning and end of our tour but otherwise a smooth experience. I'd recommend taking Dramamine beforehand if you get nauseous easily. read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

We thought it was well worth the money to see fish underwater. We were bummed out cause we didn't have cash to buy fish food. Although, we still saw a ton of fish. It was a fun experience and the attendant was very nice. read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

Dave was an awesome tour guide! We had the best time. Our kids are 6 and 2 and they loved feeding the fish. Highly recommend!

My friends and I did the semi-sub Nautilus tour! Really great experience to see the fish and kelp forest up close. My porthole in the middle of the sub was a bit more opaque than my friend's so I mostly watched from hers... but we had great visibility! Just a heads up to future guests-- there's no AC inside the sub so expect it to be warm inside. Also there are 3 places the sub goes to feed the fish, so don't use up all your food at the first station! read more

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They offer a wide variety of tours and have something for everyone. But what is most impressive is that if something goes wrong, you can count on amazing customer service to fix it. We experienced of blip in our booking process, but upon calling the Long Beach office, they made it right swiftly, with friendliness and courtesy. After that experience, I will make sure I always book any Catalina fun with this company. read more

Not too shabby! I mean, the kids will have a blast! The fish food torpedoes are fun to launch. It's much much better than a glass bottom boat ride. This adventure really has a lot of fish and the viewing glass is large. The school of fish and Garibaldi sightings is amazing. I'd recommend an afternoon ride because you want the sun to be out! Passing through the kelp forest is really neat. I thought I'd be claustrophobic inside but it's not like that, very roomy and not stuffy. The last part of the ride is fun as you are outside and on top of the submarine. Do not buy the ticket at the green pier booth, they charge a bit more compared to just booking it online through the Nautilus site. The whole thing is less than 45 min. If you have kids under 10 years old, try it out! read more

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Carley was so great. I have 4 teen kids and she had them interested. As a mother that's what matters to me. They had absolutely no negative remarks and enjoyed their time. We sat it that back trying to be hidden with that many kids or teens it's hard to get them all on the same page. In total there was 8 of us. We loved the driver she was great . She had us feel safe on the cliffs. There was confidence with the driving. We were the 2 pm 3/19 tour. I didn't catch the drivers name but she was so amazing. I want her to have credit where it's deserved forsure. The driver Letting us know it was Carly's first tour. She doesn't need anymore training her personality and fun comments and lively was enough. She feels like she was ment to be in the spotlight. There wasn't any hick ups(except when the hikers looked like they were running from a bison and happen to have "heat exhaustion ") I say it with parent these because they looked fine to me. They just looked like they didn't wanna walk anymore.. but that's ok these people were so amazing they took them in the extra seats( which I would have done the same) the whole thing was an amazing experience thank you driver and Carly! read more

The moment we disembarked from Long Beach to Avalon, immediately once off the boat I promptly purchased tickets for my family to ride and enjoy an excursion. The Nautilus Semi-Submarine Excursion Tickets were $175.00 For 2 adult's 1 senior. It was an amazing ride. Brad, explained about the fish food feeding system launched by torpedo buttons so you can feed the fish from your seat (for an additional charge). For the life of me I cannot recall the proce to feed fish we paid $20.00 twice while on board. We enjoyed feeding the fish but my mother in law who has Dementia truly enjoyed feedimg the fish. The up-close views of Catalina Island is spectacular, colorful fish and local marine life. No aquarium can compare to these exclusive views. The ride itself lasted 40 to 45 minutes, we allcenjoyed and wanted more time. Brad, came down to notify us we could stand on the deck if wanted to. Since we were heading back in to dock. We got to see the California golden trout learned many facts regarding each fish we saw. Certain parts of Catalina is protected at least 88% percentage. History is good here folks. read more

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Marcus was a wonderful tour guide! He was very pleasant, professional and quite educational! He was knowledgeable regarding the different fish species, gave clear instructions and made the trip very pleasant! Captain Andy was wonderful seaman! He had the sub ssailing smooth Plan to return to the Island and take the tour again! Worth the price and the education! read more

We did this as a last minute plan for the family. Booking online was easy. We went in March, so the weather was perfect and there were no crowds on the island in general. There was only another couple on the boat with us so we were able to look at all of the glass stations. We also bought the fish food which made it more exciting for the kids to see the fish go crazy for it. The people that worked the boat, Marcus and Capt David were very friendly and answered all of our questions. It is a must do especially if you have children. Saw a ton of beautiful fish and the crew did an amazing job explaining all the areas we stopped at and what kind of fish we were seeing. read more

What a blast, whole family loved it, so many fish we couldn't see out the windows! Tour guide Brad was so kind and fun, took the time to make sure the kids had the best experience. Thank you!! read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Opaleye, calico bass, and girabaldi. - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

On 12/31/2025 we toured the island on the 12:30 bus. Our driver was extremely professional and very competent. I really appreciate her careful driving today as the weather was difficult. read more

I was not expecting such a comprehensive historical presentation from our driver, tour operator, David! He was so knowledgeable and genuinely cared about the ecology of the island from its creation to present day. We saw bison but unfortunately no foxes! read more

Amazing views of the fish and kelp forests without having to get wet! I was blown away by how cool this experience was, clean air conditioned boat, comfortable seating, and torpedo fish feeders at your fingertips. Capt Rich and the guide Brad were great and Brad made the trip fun for everyone by describing everything we were seeing and cracking a few jokes. This is a 10/10 experience. Highly recommended! read more

We had such a good time! First time doing the tour. Sergio was hilarious and made the trip entertaining and so many cool facts of the history here in Catalina . Great music on the bus! Bomb cookies and chili . Thank you! read more

Catalina Adventure Tours - Views - Tours Near Me - Avalon, California