Some links on our site may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
A Catalina Island day trip for two adults runs about $347. That covers the round-trip ferry and a shared golf cart, per current Catalina Express and rental-counter listings. Most visitors leave from Long Beach, San Pedro or Dana Point. The crossing itself takes about an hour, per Catalina Island’s tourism authority. One fact shapes the whole day: personal cars are not allowed in Avalon. A golf cart or your own feet do the work once you land instead.
I live in Southern California now. A day trip built around a ferry, I have learned, runs better with a smaller bag than you think you need. A wallet, a phone charger, sunscreen and a light layer cover almost everything. Pack light and confirm your return sailing before you leave the dock. Then you will spend more of the day outside instead of managing gear.
Quick facts
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Ferry ports | Long Beach, San Pedro, Dana Point (Catalina Express) |
| Crossing time | About 1 hour each way |
| Cars on the island | Not allowed for visitors; golf carts and bikes instead |
| Golf cart rental | Around $70-$135 for up to 2 hours, depending on the operator |
| Golf cart driver age | 25 and older at most rental counters |
| Main town | Avalon |
Catalina Island Day Trip Cost
Two adults pay roughly $212 round-trip on the ferry. That is the standard adult rate. It runs up to $106 per person, per Catalina Express fares as listed on the Orange County Employees Association’s discount page. A shared 4-passenger golf cart adds about $135 for a 2-hour block, per Catalina Island Golf Cart’s rental page. That puts a bare-bones day near $347 before food. The table below breaks out where that total comes from.
| Item | Rate | Quantity | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round-trip ferry (adult) | up to $106 | 2 adults | $212 |
| Golf cart rental (2 hours, shared) | $135 flat | 1 cart | $135 |
| Day trip total | – | – | $347 |
That $347 covers transportation only. Add lunch, snorkel gear or a tour, and the number climbs from there. Children ages 2 to 11 ride the ferry for up to $85 instead of the adult rate. So a family of four can budget from those same two line items. Then add a second cart or bikes for the kids.
Best Catalina Island Ferry
Catalina Express sails from three mainland ports: Long Beach, San Pedro and Dana Point. San Pedro is the only port that also runs to Two Harbors, the island’s quieter second town. Pick it if your plan includes that side of the island. Long Beach and Dana Point both go to Avalon only. That is where most day-trip activities are based anyway. Parking at each terminal is paid and fills up on weekends, so arrive with extra time instead of counting on a spot right at the dock. Rideshare drop-off also works at all three ports and avoids the parking question altogether. Whichever port you choose, book your return sailing at the same time as your outbound trip. Same-day boats can sell out on summer weekends otherwise.
Catalina Island Day Trip Itinerary
Plan roughly eight hours on the island between an early-morning outbound ferry and a late-afternoon return. Spend the first hour walking Avalon’s harbor and Crescent Avenue before the golf cart lot gets busy. Reserve the golf cart for the middle two hours, since most operators cap rentals at two hours per booking. Use that block to loop the shoreline roads and photograph the Catalina Casino from a distance. Then return the cart on time to avoid the per-hour overage charge. Save the final stretch for lunch and the beach. That way you are not rushing back to the dock at the last minute. Also build in a 30-minute buffer before your return sailing, because lines at the ticket window can back up in peak season. A printed or mobile ticket speeds up that check-in line considerably.
What to Bring to Catalina Island Day Trip
Keep the bag small, because you will carry it off the ferry and around Avalon all day. A refillable water bottle matters more than most people expect, since the island’s dry heat adds up fast on a walking-and-cart day. Sunscreen and a hat cover the exposed harbor walk, and a light layer helps for the breezier ferry ride itself. Cash and a card both help, since some smaller vendors in Avalon still prefer cash.
Leave the rest at home: a day trip does not need a full change of clothes, a laptop or anything you are not willing to carry for eight hours. If you are bringing kids, pack snacks for the crossing, because food options on the boat are limited and lines at Avalon’s counters can be long at peak lunch hours. A change of shoes also helps if the plan includes any beach time, since wet sandals are not much fun on the ferry ride home.
Catalina Island Golf Cart Rental
A golf cart rental suits most visitors. Catalina Island restricts personal cars, and there is no traditional rental-car counter on the island, per Catalina Island’s tourism authority. Golf carts are also only permitted within the city of Avalon itself, so they will not get you out to the island’s interior. Most rental counters cap a booking at two hours. They also require drivers to be 25 or older, with a cash deposit collected at check-in. Walking or a bike rental works just as well for a shorter loop of the harbor. A bike, in fact, gets you closer to the water than a cart does. Reserve the golf cart at least a day ahead in summer, because counters near the ferry landing book out fast on weekends.
Catalina Island Tips
Skip renting a golf cart if your whole plan is the harbor and Crescent Avenue. That stretch is easily walkable, and a cart adds $70 or more for nothing. Skip a same-day standby ferry ticket on a holiday weekend, because sailings sell out; a missed return then means an unplanned night in Avalon. Also skip trying to reach the island’s interior on a golf cart. Carts stay within Avalon, and the backcountry requires a separate hiking or biking permit through the island’s conservancy. Finally, skip overpacking: a day trip does not need a full suitcase, just a small bag you can carry off the boat.
Best Time to Visit Catalina Island
Summer weekends bring the fullest ferries and the busiest golf cart lots. A weekday sailing is calmer instead, if your schedule allows it. Spring and fall keep the same roughly one-hour crossing, but with noticeably shorter lines at the rental counters. Winter crossings can be choppier, so travelers prone to seasickness may prefer the calmer months. Whatever the season, book the ferry first, because it is the piece most likely to sell out. Then add the golf cart reservation once that departure time is locked in.
Catalina Island Day Trip or Overnight
A day trip works well if your goal is Avalon’s harbor, a golf cart loop and a beach afternoon. All of that fits inside the roughly eight-hour window. An overnight makes more sense instead if diving, the Trans-Catalina Trail or a sunset dinner is the priority, because those all run past the last evening ferry. Snorkeling and glass-bottom boat tours also run on their own schedules. So check departure times first, before you commit to a same-day return. For most first-time visitors, though, the $347 day-trip budget above covers a full day without the added cost of a hotel room in Avalon. First-timers tend to prefer the day trip anyway, since it answers the basic question of whether Avalon suits them before they commit to a longer stay.
Catalina fits into a longer Southern California trip. See Laguna Beach and the San Diego weekend. Traveling with a dog? The dog-friendly beaches list is the place to start.
Frequently asked questions about catalina island day trip
How long is the ferry ride to Catalina Island?
The crossing takes about an hour each way. That is true from Long Beach, San Pedro or Dana Point, per Catalina Island’s tourism authority.
Do you need ferry reservations for Catalina Island?
Booking ahead is strongly recommended, since Catalina Express sailings can sell out on summer weekends and holidays.
Can you bring a car to Catalina Island?
No, personal cars are not allowed for visitors; golf carts, bikes and walking cover getting around Avalon instead.
Is one day enough for Catalina Island?
A single day covers the harbor, a golf cart loop and a beach afternoon well. Diving or the island’s hiking trails, though, call for an overnight stay instead.
For another Southern California beach day close by, see our guide to Corona del Mar State Beach. Browse more Pacific Coast destination guides for additional day-trip ideas.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the park, operator or provider before you go.
Updated September 20, 2026.