Earned an extra star as a second timer!…read more Still dusty but went on a Thursday and VIP was empty! Ride was VERY bumpy, I moved to the back & was given many vomit bags (don't recommend having beef jerky and popcorn at 9 AM) Workers were helpful and patient (another family got rly seasick & was given time to get off ferry)

I had no clue what Catalina Island was other than an island that SoCal people liked to visit, and…read moreso I found a deal for The Catalina Flyer, a 600-passenger catamaran ferry, that made the fare more reasonable than typical. These ferry prices are crazy - they're almost on par with airfare! So yes, I recommend grabbing the Groupon that nearly halves it. Keep in mind this trip will not be cheap. It will cost you money to leave your car parked all day (there's a max rate, which you'll hit if you take the 8:45am ferry and arrive back at Newport Beach at 6pm). Prices vary based on season - you can look up the prices via "Newport Beach parking rates". We paid basically $45 just to park for that day in a random city lot near the docks. Be confident in your dates, because it seems a lot of complaints stem from people who needed to cancel or modify their reservation. Otherwise, it was a very seamless process to order the tickets and scan the QR code when boarding. Wi-fi password is only $1 when purchased with the ticket. There's additional charge for luggage, since some people stay overnight on the island. When you're boarding, they're a bit aggressive about selling the VIP experience, which was very sus. You should show up pretty early to line up for the ferry, as that'll get you first dibs on seating. We arrived over half an hour early and the line was already sizeable. They said it was possible seats would run out if they overbooked, and you'd have to stand. So, I get relatively mild motion sickness, but I can typically get over it pretty fast, or not get to the point where I feel a need to hurl. The Catalina Flyer made me uh, experience this. And I've been fine on various boats and ferries before, so I definitely was not expecting the constant push and pull of the torrent during the trip. It was hard to maintain composure even closing my eyes and blanking my thoughts. The first ~15 minutes of the ride was ok, but the next hour was praying for the time to pass without incident. When the trips ended, a lot of people looked ill, and the captain mentioned it was a bit more turbulent than usual. The trips took a little over 75 minutes each way, as you need to account for boarding. I can't imagine what it was like on the topside, as it was cold, windy, and fully booked on a random weekday morning. If you're prone to seasickness, you should aim to sit near the middle of the boat or on top. Most people wanted the window seats, and the leftovers got the sundeck. There's only two bathrooms by the way, and I don't recommend needing to go during the trip since you may rock back and forth while doing your business. The Catalina Flyer's employees even made a joke about the bathroom experience, especially because the ferry that leaves from Long Beach has way more. I absolutely recommend Dramamine before boarding, and that's exactly what I got for the trip back. There was a guy who offered "discounts" on various Catalina Island experiences between $50-100/pp (such as a semi-submarine, coastal cruise, conservancy, and city tour), announcing them when we sailed off - they were cheaper than our golf cart rentals, but they remove autonomy. If you're thinking about purchasing experiences, I'd research how much they typically cost online, so you can compare prices. I also wasn't personally interested because I like to rotate through Hawaii and Florida when I go on vacation, which I think offer better versions. Our Catalina Island day consisted of lunch, golf carting for two hours, grabbing souvenirs at Leo's Catalina Drug Store, watching a religious parade, alcohol and dessert, and tons of photos before we had to line up for the trip back to Newport Beach. I thought I was going to regret booking this trip because I'd get bored, but I'm glad I got to see what Avalon was all about. It seems like a mix of tropical culture, fishermen food and vibes, with junior Hawaii experiences and an Amalfi Coast aesthetic. And definitely touristy. If I had to take a ferry out again, I'd probably opt for the Long Beach ferry or come here from a cruise. But I probably won't go here again, because it's more expensive than Disneyland!

Very efficient service always on time. Smooth travel to Catalina and back. There's a full bar on…read moreboard. Be sure to approve half an hour early time from San Pedro to Catalina is 70 minutes.

We recently took the Catalina Express to Two Harbors and had a great experience. Booking the…read moretickets and downloading the QR code was easy, and once we arrived at the terminal, everything went smoothly. The crew onboard did a great job. On the outbound trip, the weather was beautiful and the ride was smooth. The return trip was much windier, but the crew let us know in advance so we could be prepared. We appreciated their communication and professionalism throughout the trip.

Reservations: Do your booking on their website: https://catalinaexpress.com/schedule-fares/ or call…read morethem at: (800) 805-9201. Discounts: No discounts here. Costco use to sell Catalina Express gift cards. They haven't sold them since covid. Parking: There's a parking place and a shuttle bus that takes you from the parking lot to the terminal. About $22 for all day parking. Ferry's Ambiance: The ferry's are relatively clean, has a decent amount of seats inside and outside, and a couple of working unisex restrooms. The boat ride is about an hour long. So make sure you take your Scopolamine or any other sea sick pills. If you schedule a evening ride back, please do yourself a favor and seek shelter inside or wear a lot of layers of clothes when sitting out. It's get a bit chilly and slightly wet. Sightseeing: You'll be able to see the famous vincent thomas bridge and a lighthouse nearby. When you get closer to Catalina Island, you'll be able to see the Casino. Food and Drink Of Choice: Haven't had any food or drinks, but they do sell them. Note: You're able to bring food and non-alcoholic drinks onboard. Catalina Express For Thought: Only company that shuttles you to Catalina (Long Beach, San Pedro, and Dana Point) besides Catalina Flyer (Newport). I guess i'll have to travel via Catalina express.

2024 & 2025 | San Pedro | The Catalina Express is always a fun adventure with friends or when I…read moretravel solo! Great customer service, speedy ride & well-organized! I also love the great vibes of everyone excited to get to Catalina Island, it's awesome!! On Board | Plenty of seats, upstairs and downstairs of the boat! It also depends on which boat arrives, one is bigger than the other! I like sitting on the inside of the ferry & glancing out of the large windows! Sometimes there are Catalina Express Magazines on board to look through! Restrooms are inside of the building, as well as on board! Tickets | Buy online! $42 each way! I always buy a round-trip ticket, as sometimes, especially on holidays, the ferries can be fully booked; sold out! Also, if you need to change the time on your booking, it's $5! Parking | Plentiful! $22 per day! Free for the 1st hour! $2 afterwards! Refreshments | Cafe | Upon arrival, inside of the building and on board! I usually go to the café inside of the building and get a freshly made egg and cheese burrito to go...so delicious, especially with the side of salsa! There are tables and chairs outside to sit down and eat! Arrival | Arrive early to get a great seat, as there are no assigned seats! Customer Service | Incredibly friendly! You're greeted by someone who scans the ticket on your phone, as you're boarding, as you hand your one item/luggage(23″x23″x37″, also allowed 1 carry-on) over to the baggage handler, on board and during the trip! I've gone back-and-forth to Catalina so many times that some of the crew and I recognize each other! Hahaha! Larger Ferry Arrives | There are tables & seating and some areas! Instead of having over your luggage, you wheel your luggage onto the ferry! Other Passengers | On my first ferry ride, a day trip, I sat near a solo traveler from South Asia! We ended up talking plenty, had plenty in common, including travels and she joined my friend and I throughout the day exploring Catalina Island, was so much fun! Overall | I'm always excited to board the Catalina Express, as there's always an adventure in store! Let's go!!

I loved parking here because it was close to an event that we went to. It was not free but the…read moreparking was pretty decent. I believe it was around 5$ for like 4 hours and that's really not bad for everything that's around the area. That I know of there was so many more expensive lots and we found this to be the cheapest. The employees were also super nice and helped us get to our location with easier directions than Google Maps. The GPS was sending us all around and saying it was going to be around 40 minutes walking but they told us how to get there and we got there in 15! Will def come back here if I come to another event (: Also yes fees were the same with major events happening around. We came during the race car event.

I've been parking here the last 15 years, on and off. Spent some time parking at the Courthouse…read moreParking structure too. Must say when this structure went automated, it was the best thing to happen. This is a public structure and open 24 hours. Pull your ticket to get in and pay at the machine before you go. First 30 minutes are free. A number of downtown city employees park here as well as patrons of the Library. It's open to all and well maintained as of this review. Even though it's not manned, there may be employees in the office near the elevator next to the pay station. Excellent choice for parking for the Grand Prix or just to go to nearby Pine Ave. My only pet peeve is when these large ka-donk-a-donk trucks and SUVs park in parking stalls designated for compact vehicles. Boo! You inconsiderate people... If only this was enforced.

Great parking area right on the beach. Harborside restaurant is across the street. There is a park…read moreand kids play area right next to it. It can be hard to find a spot on the weekend, but during the week its almost completely empty. You can use the ParkMobile app to pay from your phone. $1.45 for 60 minutes.

Ocean Front Lot is a huge public park lot in Newport Beach. It is located right in front of the…read morebeach with many bars and restaurants nearby. It has multiple parking ticket stations that accept credit card or cash. Price per hour cost $4/hour which isn't cheap. Furthermore, this lot gets full very fast during weekends and events. Visitors tend to circle around the lot for at least 40 mins to an hour to find a car spot. Also, parking security is strict if your tkt has expired. It may cost you an arm and a leg. Street parking is available but some post sign 2 hr parking only. Overall, it's a nice parking lot because it's a foot away from the beach.

This is a quick/easy parking area along the beach by the pier. There are numerous stalls, you can…read morepay using coins or a credit/debit card. They have a few pay stations, so you put the little ticket on your dashboard. It requires you put your license plate number into the machine, so remember it. The spaces are plenty wide, so if you have concerns for carefree beach goers giving you a 'door ding,' you should be okay. Being that this is a popular area, getting a spot is not always easy, there is usually more demand than spots, but be patient. The lot hours are 8am - 6pm, any time outside that window these spaces are FREE.

They should hire a different security team. I lived in downtown Long Beach for over two years, we…read morepay for the monthly overnight parking and our cars have been broken into 4 times already with nothing visible inside. Security does not kick out the homeless, they do speed through the parking lot just to meet their GPS quota. There's glass in the ground from cars broken into every other day. Calling the LAZ office is not helpful, the same thing going in person. For the money we pay they should do better.

Pretty good pricing! However the second time I went in the ticket machine didn't print me a ticket…read moreon entry so I went in and I ended up having to pay for the Lost ticket because the gate wouldn't open!

Amazing company to deal with, very accommodating.. they deal with charters so they take campers to…read morecamps on Catalina Island, they do amazing harbor cruises with disc jockeys, and sometimes even live bands.. They are also the boats responsible for offloading cruise ship passengers and taking them to Avalon in Catalina Island.. Overall an amazing company with an amazing staff and crew..

Unworthy of even 1 star! Purchased 2 tickets to a Depeche Mode Cruise boat for July 2026. Address…read morelisted on the ticket was INCORRECT. could not find the boat. No one to answer the phones. Support email was also incorrect. What a great way to make money! To have an event that no one can find! Genius!!