My kids love aquariums...and they love boats....so this seemed like a win-win, and it sooooo was! We met the boat at the end of a small pier. The boat had an enclosed bench-seating area with all seats facing the center of the boat, which was made of glass and several feet below where we all sat. I was amazed by how clear the water was-even right next to shore. As we moved, our guide shared some local history and information about the marine life below us. We paused at several fish sanctuary locations, and the guide threw fish food into the water to attract more fish than we could count. The tour, which lasted an hour, was a delight for the whole family. All of the kids and kids at heart were thrilled by the many types of fish we saw. We were even fortunate enough to see a diving cormorant! The waves were not too bad on the day I went...even though my stomach usually gets queasy on smaller boats, this one didn't bother me. Maybe I was too entranced by the fish to notice. If I ever visit Catalina again and have time to do it, I'll be more than happy to go on this tour again. It was just long enough, and you never know what you'll see down there! Note--there is a public restroom at the beginning of the pier, but much of it was out of order, leading to some pretty long lines. Make sure you go before you get on the boat-no restrooms on board. read more

I'm reviewing the Nautilus semisubmersible tour. First the good: You will see lots of fish particularly opaleye, sea bass, and garibaldi, which is great if you like shooting videos with your cell phone. The not so good: It is a confined space and tends to be noisy inside. Also, why they charge for feeding the fish escapes me. They didn't used to do that! read more

I think the tour is fine as long as you have REALISTIC expectations. This is the midnight blue waters of the Pacific. This is NOT Florida nor the Carribean where you are exposed to clear Aqua or turquoise waters with exceptional clarity. "It is what it is"... As a result, the visuals of the tons of fish you will see will vary and the photo worthiness is debateable. Huge tree sized kelp beds, a variety of fish are seen plenty. Our boat captain was friendly and educational. They do multiple feedings where you will see a mad feeding frenzy via TONS of fish. Seats are padded and you can hunch over and observe or kneel and watch the feedings on the exterior boat side as well. read more

I felt sick from too much wave but still enjoy it. So fun watching fishes came by to eat. My imagination ran wild when I'm undersea, what happen if glasses break? Oooo wow awww sea forest...awesome! Mermaid? Lol read more

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Your guy was great. Told us many facts about the fish and island. Kept it lively. Just like I remembered a few decades before. read more

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Captain Patrick was excellent! We had a really nice time. He told us all about the sea life on Catalina island and made sure all our questions were answered. He was very professional, but so fun and nice. Perfect little trip on the sea for the family! Thanks Captain Patrick! read more

I agree with Matt L.'s review (from July 2019) that the Moonstone boat is the boat you want. The Moonstone is a wooden boat that travels above the water. There is also a submarine version called The Nautilus. Don't take the Nautilus (specify which is which when you make your reservation in person on the Green Pleasure Pier. I recommend in person reservations so you don't accidentally get on the wrong one). Not only is the Moonstone a much better tour than the submarine, the moonstone is also better if you get seasick easily (like me) because you get that steady stream of fresh outdoor air. You can stick your head out of the window which alleviates feelings of air sickness. The Moonstone Glassbottom Boat Tour was very enjoyable. The captain fed the fish so they would come to our boat. We didn't need to pay for our own fish food like you have to do on the submarine version. The captain was nice and very informative. You will learn a lot. It was worth the money just for the Catalina facts and tidbits. So why not 5 stars? There just wasn't a big enough variety of fish and marine life. We saw a huge school of black fish which honestly looked a little creepy because it was a swarm like in a horror movie lol. We were hoping to see many more fish, sea creatures, plants, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, etc. that were more spread out in their natural habitat. All in all, I would recommend trying the Glassbottom Boat Tour at least once because if you're visiting Catalina, it's a must. It's one of the cheaper things to do and it is enjoyable. For me, I wouldn't necessarily want to make it a yearly tradition because there's not that much to see. It's more of a "one-and-done." If I would have seen more neat things under sea, I would have gone again. Maybe you'll have better luck! read more

Glass Bottom Boat Tour - This is mostly what we saw. Not bad, but could have been a better variety. - Boat Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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For the glass bottom boat tour, you're supposed to see a variety of colorful fish and other sea life, however during the tour I had, unfortunately, barely saw any beautiful fish and the water was very unclear. Maybe it was just not a good day for that. The reservations are required for groups and recommended for individuals, normally day tours though night trips are also available with advanced reservations. read more

This was a complete rip-off. It had rained before our trip to Long Beach, and the water was muddy, and they had to know this. Water quality is outside their control, but running a glass-bottom boat in those conditions is just bad business. Complete waste of $50 and make sure you ask about water conditions before buying a ticket. read more

This is a pretty sweet and chill tour especially if you have kids. We saw a lot of fish but the variety wasn't much today. They have two feeding grounds where they stop and throw some food out and all of the fish just swim all around and under the boat. If you're lucky you may see something cool like a seal like we did on ours. The tour guides were very entertaining. They were very interactive and explained all the fish we saw, the fishing laws around the island and even the reason why a boat was sunken at the bottom of the ocean. Overall, I recommend this tour if you had a long day and you're looking to relax but still be a tourist. read more

Glass Bottom Boat Tour - Boat Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

I wouldn't recommend it for cluster phobic people or for people who get sea sick. It gets a little rocky when moving,but time goes by so quickly! It is an interesting experience if you are tired of walking around and want to do something relaxing. Unfortunately, there wasn't a variety of fishes but the water is clear and you can see them in big groups. read more

Glass Bottom Boat Tour - Boat Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

We had a lovely time! Saw lots of fish and our narrator was great. Fun time and very relaxing! read more

Glass Bottom Boat Tour - Boat Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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Fun, affordable and good narrative. You will see lots of fish, even before pulling away from the pier. There are even a couple of stops for feedings that attracts literally thousands of fish. During the second feeding, our guide invited anyone interested to participate on deck. My wife jumped at the chance and really enjoyed herself. I remained down below watching the fish scramble every which way. We were also delighted to see a small pod of maybe 12-15 bottle-nosed dolphins go into feeding mode just a few dozen yards from our boat for maybe 10 minutes. That was the real highlight of the trip. We were in a protected marine life cove just a short distance from shore and the water was amazingly clear. I was very surprised that only 7 of us chose to take this fun filled excursion. The whole origins of the glass bottom boat started right here on Catalina Island back in the 19th century. I've been wanting to experience it since viewing the 1966 Doris Day/Rod Taylor movie The Glass Bottom Boat as a kid. I'm checking items off of my bucket list left and right lately! read more

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Good way to spend an hour on a drizzly day. It was raining, so there wasn't much to do. This activity will keep you dry. It came out to a little over $30 for two people. They inform you on the fish local to the island. They don't go that far from the coast. They do two feedings, so you can see masses of fish. There are about 4 types of fish. We were unable to see any unusual or unique fish or bottom dwellers on our trip. Oh well. read more

Glass Bottom Boat Tour - Fish visible from the glass bottom boat - Boat Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

This tour was so entertaining! I was told it would be like scuba diving without going under the water. That's exactly right. We saw so many fish including lobsters and sand sting rays. It was such a cool experience. The operator was wonderfully informative as well. We learned a lot about the island which made it super fun. I gladly recommend this tour. The price was reasonable as well. If you order through Catalina Company, purchase more than one activity and you can get a discount! read more

Glass Bottom Boat Tour - Boat Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

I posted a review from when I took the Long Beach Glass Bottom Boat about 3 months ago but I don't see it so I'll rewrite because I feel strongly enough. When waiting for the boat to board, a glass bottom boat approached the dock blasting ear splitting music! I thought, "I HOPE this isn't my boat"...it was. Okay, that's fine, Surely, she, the captain, won't play it on the tour. She did. There was no narration except one comment that there were female sea lions on a buoy. When we reached the breakwater, her assistant told us nothing to the point one of the people on the boat asked what were seeing. His answer? "I don't know. I think..." The fish all looked the same and were brown. I have no idea how people who have taken the tour before posted pictures of a variety of colorful fish.We stayed at the breakwater for about 10 minutes then headed back with the music blasting at a decibel level that my dog would hear beyond our human ears.Obviously, it was hard to enjoy the beauty of the ocean with this distraction. I'm sure it's very monotonous going back and forth and back and forth and she was probably blasting that music for her own entertainment or to keep herself from losing her mind. But I say if your job has gotten to that point, get another job. The other reviews make me think it all depends on the captain you get. So be warned, if your boat is blasting music, "steer" clear.! read more

If anyone is debating whether to do this tour or the other semi-submarine, just go with this one! The semi-submarine is the only unpleasant experience I had at the Catalina Island. I'm not claustrophobic but the idea of being in a confined space and it goes underwater kinda petrified me. It was unpleasant in a way that the boat kept shaking because of the waves and there wasn't much oxygen which made me feel queasy. The last thing I want to do is to throw up and luckily I didn't but some people did. Moreover, there wasn't much to see from the semi-submarine. No sea lions, dolphins or sharks. Just some uninterested looking fish. read more

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The tour is worth relaxing in, especially if you have a family with kids. It is a treat for them to look down center of the boat through the class and see the various fishes. They are colorful and big! It will really entertain your children, and yourself if you like to relax and watch the scenery. It is a rewarding education activity to do at Catalina Island. Ask for the triple A discount if you have them, and you can also purchase fish food for $5/2pack. read more

On my early morning walk, I had noticed an area called "Lover's Cove", on the southeast side of Avalon. I wasn't sure if the name was possibly reflective of actual lovers sneaking out from town to get a quickie, but I could notice, even from my vantage point by the road, that there were a heck of a lot of fish lingering about. A couple of hours later, we saw that there was the Glass Bottom Boat tour, something I haven't done for a very long time. Wife was agreeable to the experience, so we signed up for I believe the 11:45 tour. Got there in plenty of time, chatted with a retired teacher who agreed that a good way of escaping the day's heat could very well be inside of an open-air boat. Of course, open-air does not the same mean as "air conditioning", so with the vessel full, mostly with enthusiastic schoolchildren, the experience easily could have turned harsh. Fortunately none of the participants were whining about coming along, and by that I mean "crying". Host was an amendable young man who played the story of the fish perfectly, and left many of the kids (heck, myself included) wanting to learn more about aquatic life. The whole tour lasted only about 45 minutes, but even at ~$25 person, we felt it was well worth it. I even found myself walking in the same area the next morning to do a review of the area, something I'll do for experiences with fond memories. read more

My parents never took me to anything like this when I was young. Their reason: it'll be very BORING. Of course -- I thought I knew better. I got the chance over the weekend to check this out with a few friends (we're early 20's). They were doing a deal where two people went for the price of one, which basically came out to $11 a person. The trip, was sold out. The boat fits about 35 people: 45% were children under 12, 55% were accompanying parents, and 5% was us. The entire trip is 45 minutes long, and we made 2 stops in nearby Lover's Cove. The Captain sprinkles food for the fish at each location, so we got to see fat fish, at my guess 15lbs each under the glass. There were helpful placards that described the types of fish you might be able to see. I think we saw a total of 2 of the 30 types listed. So if it's variety you want, I don't recommend this. You're better off going snorkeling! I'd like to say this wasn't a boring trip. BUT, it was boring (keep in mind though, I am in my 20s...and my favorite thing about fish is when it's FRESH and on my PLATE :) Yuumm) The kids on the trip seemed to enjoy it though. read more

I got this tour as part of a combo package with the inside adventure tour for $44/person without tax for adults. The idea sounds fun and I've never done anything like it, so I wanted to try it out. The captain made two stops around Lover's Cove for the tour. We bought fish food to attract the fish and get a better look at them. The food was $5 a tube, but the captain gave us three tubes for $10 because it was the end of the day anyway. The fish food is good if you want to get an up-close look of the fish. We did get to see a lot of fish, but not much variety. Probably only saw a few types of the several listed on the boat. As the captain said, this isn't Disneyland where their fish are on a string, so you won't get to see as much variety. Understandable. We did get to see some sea lions though, so that was great. Unfortunately they scared off a lot of the fish, haha. The tour guide was friendly and accommodating, so that was a plus. This tour's better suited for children and not so much for young adults because it can be boring, though I suppose some adults may enjoy this. read more

How can you possibly even come over to Catalina Island and NOT take a Glass Bottom Boat ride? This is what the place is famous for and a proper tourist should hang their heads in shame, if they pass up the opportunity to get squished on some hard seats and gape at colorful fish that swarm for the bread that is thrown out to them when the boat hits Lover's Cove. Yes it is schlocky and hammy but kids love it. At least mine always did. If you are not planning on going snorkeling, this will be the closest you get to seeing the bright orange garibaldi and perhaps an octopus or some darting fish. The colorful fish and marine plants that thrive among the kelp forests are dazzling. At night, group charters are available to those who wish to see a whole new cast of amazing marine creatures like spiny lobsters, moray eels and horn sharks. During the busy summer months, these tours depart almost hourly from the Green Pier. If I were to recommend one tour to take while over for a visit, this is an automatic no-brainer choice. Sometimes you can buy a couple of different tours in a package and get discounts or check with your hotel for tickets-they can sometimes hook you up with a good deal too. read more

Glass Bottom Boat Tour - Boat Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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This tour was a last-minute decision which unfortunately was not the most exciting experience. It was not terribly expensive and offered a more flexible schedule then many of the other tours. It seemed like a fun adventure to hop on a boat where you are able to see all the ocean has to offer right beneath you. I was hoping to see plenty of fish because there were many diagrams scattered throughout the boat showing I'm guessing at least 10 fish that live in the surrounding area. The ride it's self was short-lived but with high hopes as the boat came to a stop I purchased some fish food so that I could entice the fish to show off their stuff. The food provided definitely brought plenty of fish for us to view we only saw a few varieties swimming beneath us. The Motion of the ocean definitely made me and my group very sleepy it was a soothing ride but lead us to miss out on some of the ride to and from the dock. I really wanted to love this tour but again there weren't very many fish and the ride was pretty short our guide was super friendly but had a very mellow tone which only added to a sleepy ride. He did however allow us to view the fish from another angle at the top deck where he was near steering. Overall the experience was just OK. It may be a great activity for little ones but for us it was all too much of the same. read more

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If you are visiting Catalina Island and want to do an activity that is educational, interactive, and interesting to watch; then book a ticket on board the Glass Bottom Boat and you will see a fish feeding frenzy! Ask for the Triple A discount if you are a member. The fish food is $5 for a pack of 2 tubes that you sparingly drop down the funnel which feeds the fish from the bottom of the boat and the fish come towards your glass in a school of hunger! Make sure to use each tube of fish food for each of the 2 main stops that this boat makes upon your journey throughout the main harbor. There is no need to take a sea sick pill because it was a 45 minute tour which had very little waves, calm water even near the rocks. Be sure to take lots of photos and videos. Also, look through the glass and try to find the Girabaldi fish, its just like finding Nemo or Dory:) read more

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!Go to catalinatours.com and take the original glass bottom boat tour. I stayed over the weekend and took both glass bottom boat tours. I paid for this one and got free tickets from my hotel for Catalinatours.com. Adventure tours has a really nice newer boat. But it was dirty, the captain was not as informative as the other company. This company's boat did not get as close to the shore line as the original glass bottom boat which allowed us to see more. Fish food was not provided and needed to be purchased to increase the experience!! On catalinatours.com boat the captain took care of feeding the fish to increase the experience.. please don't waste your hard earned money on this company The boat you want is called MOONSTONE!!! read more

We originally wanted to do the sea wolf undersea expedition, but it was sold out so we decided on taking this glass bottom boat tour. It definitely exceeded my expectations! We saw many fish through the glass bottom, but honestly after a while it gets boring of seeing the same fish and you can get a little dizzy of just looking down. After a couple of minutes of admiring and taking pictures of the fish, I decided to look outside of the boat and wow, it was so beautiful and calming! I loved it and I wish it would have been longer! It is definitely a nice activity to do at least once while you're on the island. It's only 45 mins and $18 per adult. read more

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ok, so... I really wasn't expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised. Our Captain, Sadie, (driver/pilot) was a local and she just gave a lot of good information about the island and fish that we saw. Short and sweet. Thanks Sadie! read more

Glass Bottom Boat Tour - Captain Sadie, Glass Bottom Boat Cruise - Boat Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

I Didn't get around to snorkeling, so this was a nice compromise. If you're expecting to see Dolphins, whales, exotic jelly fish, giant squid (like some of these yelpers seem to be), you're going to be disappointed. If not, just enjoy it for what it is. A fun opportunity to get a little glimpse into the common aqua life found near the island. Highly advise against this tour if you're motion sickness prone. read more

For $17 a pop you can sit on a boat and look through the bottom which is a thick glass window. Kids seem to love this boat, but I being not a kid just liked the glass bottom. My favorite fish was the orange guy who kind of looks like he wants to cuss at the boat. read more

This was a very relaxing & enjoyable experience. Well worth the $$. We went on the semi submersible submarine the next day as well. Got lucky & had the same great captain on both. Jim. This guy made the trip on the water a exceptional experience. He is very knowledgeable and kept the group of visitors entertained and under control. When you have kids & a few partygoers all together in a small area it can get ugly fast. But our captain "Jim" kept it all under control & very entertaining tour. Again, if your going to Avalon. Take one of these short but well layed out tours off the coastal waters at Avolon. read more

Glass Bottom Boat Tour - View from our tour. Amazon photo opportunities on these tours. - Boat Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

You see a lot of fish and a lot of kelp. They try to sell you fish food, but it's not too necessary since the captain uses fish food to drag the fish along anyways. The view is alright but most the fish arent too colorful anyways read more

Compared to what else you get on the island for around $15 it's pretty cool. Captain is knowledgable about the fish you get to see and marine environment. Look for BOGO offers on the web read more

Nice tour, wish they would had taken us around more instead of just outside the harbor. The family enjoyed themselves, very nice experience but could have been better. read more

Glass Bottom Boat Tour - Family fun - Boat Tours Near Me - Avalon, California

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Took the family, I actually been on this boat now three or four times over the last 30-35 years! It's the same ole boat! Could use a new one, the glass bottom frames are old and dirty but you can still see through and get a glimpse of the fish, like the other yelper stated not much of a variety of fish! Seen one you've seen them all! I will say if you have kids than go for it, we have six grandchildren and they really enjoyed it! See the pics of the fish frenzy, the captain throws out fish food and they go wild!! read more

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I took this boat ride not kowing what to expect. The boat wasn't that big and everyone was crammed in nicely. The tour consists of everyone sitting around glass windows that let you peer into the water. The captain drives out over some sea weed bundles which look creepy. You spot plenty of fish and the pamphlet tells you a little about the fish you are seeing. They feed the fish and you see tons of fish following the boat waiting to be fed. It's all really pretty. I took some pictures and video of it. Sadly the experience wasn't that great due to a very annoying 4 yr old who yelled/cried the entire time. I'd do this tour again. They also have a night tour in which you get to see different fish/creatures. I didn't do that tour but I'll totally try it the next time I'm out there. read more

Pretty bad. They feed the fish so they come to the boat. The guide was nice. But not worth the money.

Grandkids really enjoyed this tour on the glass bottom boat. Lots of fish and kelp... For $5.00 per person it was well worth this fun boat ride, if you don't expect to much. We booked 3 tours for 4 people for $60.00 before boarding the boat ride to the island. Captain Mike did a great job... read more

My 12 year old son and I took this tour while in Catalina last week. Loved seeing the different fish and since the boat could get so close to the reef in Lovers Cove we were able to see lots of reef life. The driver was fantastic! read more

It is not the most exciting tour and there isn't a huge variety of fish, but the Glass Bottom Boat is a good way to kill an hour while on Catalina. It is great for kids and fairly inexpensive. read more

NO NO NO NO! If you have kids 10 and under this is fine. Otherwise its welfare fish! They know when the boat is coming and wait for their free handouts. SOOO boring. Get a fake shark or something. read more