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I first came to Los Angeles in 2012, I instantly realized that this is a place where I would like to own a boat and sail around the coast. One of the first marinas I encountered was Marina del Rey. Few places are like California, where you can combine high mountains, the ocean, and big cities. I instantly loved it!
Many people dream of living aboard a boat in California’s stretch of beautiful marinas. However, there are so many harbors to choose from that it’s easy to become overwhelmed.
These are 8 of the best liveaboard marinas found in California:
- Ventura West Marina
- San Diego’s Pier 32 Marina
- Shoreline Marina
- Marina del Rey
- Avalon Harbor
- Alamitos Bay Marina
- Santa Barbara Harbor
- Newport Harbor.
California has beautiful weather and draws many travelers with its balmy, dry summers and mild winters. If you seek life on the sea, few places match the iconic California Marinas. In this article, I’ll give a more in-depth overview of each of these California marinas so you can see which one is the best fit for you.
What to Look for in a Liveaboard Marina
There are several considerations to take into account when choosing the best liveaboard marinas in California. The fundamental choice has a lot to do with what boat you own and the amenities it offers. For example, if your yacht has a kitchen, laundry, and a full-kitted bathroom, you will only need an electrical hook-up to be happy.
If you want to choose the best boat for liveaboard purposes prior to choosing your ideal marina, I recommend reading about the different types of boats that are suitable for this lifestyle.
If your vessel is of the more humble kind, you will need a marina that provides:
- Access to laundromats
- Parking facilities
- Wifi facilities
- Enclosed bathroom and shower facilities.
If your budget allows and you seek a more luxurious liveaboard experience, you could look for marinas that provide:
- Fitness centers
- Swimming pools
- Restaurants
- Recreation areas
- Dog parks.
Other Factors in Choosing the Best Marina
- Price. The larger your boat, the more you will pay for square footage. Some marinas set their prices to encourage liveaboards or hike rentals to encourage high boat turnover.
- Community. It’s best to choose a marina with a well-established liveaboard community rather than a seasonal marina.
- Location. You should make sure that all your needs, such as shopping and entertainment, are within reach of the marina complex, preferably within walking distance.
- Sailing Access. If you plan to sail often, you should ensure that the marina you choose does not limit sailing access through devices such as drawbridges and narrow channels.
- Security. Security is essential if you don’t want to lose sleep over the safety of your possessions on deck. Look for marinas with private security and security access.
Now that you know what to look for, here are our top picks for liveaboard life in sunny California!
Do you want a catamaran but are not interested in paying the expensive multihull fee then maybe these smaller catamarans could be interesting for you.
1. Ventura West Marina
Located in the greater Ventura Harbor, Ventura West Marina is one of the most popular and prized marinas to be found in the entire state of California.
One strong reason for this marina’s appeal among liveaboard enthusiasts is the sense of community. The official website for Ventura West Marina notes that the marina offers 554 slips in total, a much larger number than you’ll find in many other marinas!
The vibrant and typically fully-occupied marina can provide a light and social atmosphere that a more sheltered harbor might lack. Liveaboard family members expressed that the marina’s close quarters created a bonding experience in the Los Angeles Times.
Additionally, Ventura West Marina provides a high quality of service, with substantial amenities that few marinas can match.
Some of the services available at the marina include:
- Laundry rooms and machines
- Restrooms
- Free parking
- Fitness & workout areas
- Mail services
However, the incredible popularity of Ventura West marina also means that it can be challenging to achieve liveaboard status.
Long waiting lists for the limited slips are the norm and prevent settling into the harbor.
Those who end up on one of these waiting lists should keep other marinas in mind as their first choice might not open up for quite some time.
Cost
The cost of renting a slip is not necessarily in everyone’s price range, with slip rates varying from $273/per month to $1783/per month.
2. San Diego’s Pier 32 Marina
If San Diego is a dream location for your liveaboard goal, it doesn’t get much better than Pier 32 Marina.
One of the first benefits of this marina worth noting is the excellent quality of its boat slips. Pier 32 Marina’s web page lists the structural features of these slips, including concrete docks, phone services, special sport fisher slips, and power meters.
Another selling point for this marina is its extensive list of boater services and amenities.
Whether you need something simple like laundry or storage services, or something a bit more complex, like a fitness room or a pool & jacuzzi, there’s a good chance you’ll find it at Pier 32 Marina!
Sports and outdoor activities are widely available at this marina, with free bike use and basketball hoops offered to liveaboard boaters renting out one of the slips.
Events and hospitality activities are also essential characteristics of life in this marina. This category can include popular hangout locations in the area, such as the Waterfront Grill, and help with planning parties and gatherings of over 100 people.
Rates for renting one of Pier 32’s boat slips can range from $572.12/per month to $1819.35/per month.
Would you rather prefer a Marina in Florida? then check this list out!
3. Shoreline Marina
Long Beach is a beautiful part of California for many liveaboard boaters and enthusiasts, and Shoreline Marina is one of the most exemplary examples of why that is.
Proudly home to 1,624 boat slips (with approximately ~170 of those slips rented by liveaboard vessels), this marina is a bustling and active location for liveaboard tenants who prefer to live closer to a robust urban center. According to a Long Beach government website, these slips can vary in size from 25′ to 90′.
Several outstanding amenities are available to boaters are Shoreline Marina. Here’s an incomplete list of several of these services:
- Showers
- Phone services
- Security patrols
- Restrooms
- Storage boxes
- Wi-Fi
Pumpout stations are provided to liveaboard residents by the marina. These can be found at multiple docks and display instructions to help boaters use the machines.
Offered free of charge and available 24/7, these stations are a significant convenience for those who choose to rent their vessels at Shoreline Marina.
In addition to the many amenities the marina provides, downtown Long Beach is only a short distance away. Boaters looking for a vibrant urban environment with numerous shopping, dining, and live entertainment options will be pleased with the city’s proximity to the harbor.
Public transportation is another attractive quality of Shoreline Marina. Several convenient and easy-to-use transit options exist at this location, including buses, shuttles, taxis, and freely available bicycles.
4. Marina Del Rey
One of the most popular California marina destinations for liveaboards, Marina del Rey has many advantageous qualities for a prospective tenant.
Firstly, the boat slips (of which there are 4600!) exist under the management of several smaller, individual marinas. These slips are further divided into 22 different anchorages, as described by Marina del Rey’s public website.
Some marinas may have more available slips than others, so it’s best to reach out to your desired marina’s dockmaster directly.
This variety makes it difficult to describe all of the area’s advantages, as another may not provide services offered by one marina. Nonetheless, there are some broad selling points to keep in mind.
With such a large number of boat slips, it likely comes as no surprise to you that several boating clubs have formed in Marina del Rey. If you’re interested in meeting and sharing a good time with other boaters exploring the liveaboard lifestyle, it’s hard to find a better option than this location.
Different organizations based in Marina del Rey also provide sailing classes. If you’re beginning your boating journey, these classes could be an invaluable service in getting your feet wet.
If you want to get started with sailing lessons today, I would recommend NauticEd, I find the app great when I want to do some learning while waiting in line or relaxing on my sofa. Link here.
You can find activities and events for visitors and residents in abundance here. These include fishing areas, whale-watching tours, dances, public beaches, cruises, and much more.
Those boaters interested in sampling new and exciting cuisines will appreciate the wide choice of restaurants and bars to visit. Likewise, adventurous visitors will be happy to see the vibrant nightlife scene found at Marina del Rey.
While you’ll still need to narrow down which individual marina you decide to take your boat to, Marina del Rey offers the considerable advantage of providing a little bit of something for every boater.
For this reason, I would highly recommend it as the ideal location for beginners and less experienced liveaboard adventurers.
Can You Liveaboard in Marina Del Rey?
Marina Del Ray promotes recreational boat users over liveaboards, and their rates are quite high for liveaboards. Liveaboards need to comply with Count Code 19.12.1110.
The code regulates that a person cannot live on the marina longer than three days per week unless the LA County Sheriff’s Department’s Harbormaster issues a liveaboard permit. However, it is ultimately up to the local dockmasters’ discretion to accept or reject a liveaboard application.
Becoming a good friend with the harbormaster and being a good Marina liveaboard will keep you out of a lot of trouble!
5. Avalon Harbor
In stark contrast to the “beginner-friendly” atmosphere of Marina del Rey, since its located on the Santa Catalina Island, Avalon Harbor represents an exciting and daring challenge to more experienced liveaboard boaters.
For those looking to bring their boating lifestyle to California, the critical advantage of Avalon Harbor is its plentiful options for fun and relaxation. Whether it’s fishing, swimming, or enjoying the beautiful scenery virtually unmatched by other marinas, this harbor is an exciting opportunity for liveaboard enthusiasts.
Several facilities and services are available for Avalon’s liveaboard residents. Some of the amenities provided by this location include restrooms and showers, grocery stores, and laundry machines.
While not available in one area, these services are generally not spread out very far from each other and shouldn’t be difficult to reach.
However, there are some real dangers that one should keep in mind before choosing this harbor as their boat’s home. According to The Log, the winter months in Avalon Harbor can be stormy and pose real challenges due to the sometimes extreme wind conditions.
These adverse weather effects can create safety hazards for boaters (especially those with less experience!), so Avalon Harbor is widely considered an “unsafe” location for most liveaboard residents.
Likewise, some relatively stringent conditions are in place for boaters interested in settling in this harbor. These include an application to approve your boat for a long-term stay, as well as verifying insurance information.
Because of these hurdles, few liveaboard boaters establish themselves in Avalon.
On the other hand, the relative seclusion, beautiful summer weather, and exciting winter months are likely to make this a fantastic choice for seasoned liveaboard lifestylists who find themselves looking for a challenge.
6. Alamitos Bay Marina
Another Long Beach marina, Alamitos Bay, is a fantastic option if you’re looking for a convenient, friendly, and fun atmosphere to drop your anchor in.
Home to 1,624 boat slips available for recreational use and boasts a highly modern and recently modified infrastructure system, as this Long Beach government web page describes. These slips range in size from 25′ to 115′ (7.62m to 35.05m), so there’s a great variety in welcomed vessels.
Many services and amenities are offered to liveaboard boaters by Alamitos Bay Marina. Here are a few benefits you’ll be able to enjoy at the marina:
- Boater parking
- Mail delivery services
- Showers
- Phones and Wi-Fi
- Storage lockers
- Restrooms
- Fuel services
When it comes to land options for those looking to venture into Long Beach city life, Alamitos Bay has you covered! Restaurants, shopping areas, equipment and hardware stores, and repair services.
This marina also hosts several boat & yacht clubs. If socialization with other liveaboard boaters is a concern for you, these clubs will put those worries to rest for Alamitos tenants.
A 24-hour security patrol service at the marina is a notable benefit to safety-conscious residents.
Transit options (such as public buses and taxis) that can take you into the city are also available.
7. Santa Barbara Harbor
Boaters who like to keep active and busy are sure to be highly impressed with Santa Barbara Harbor, which offers enough activities to keep one occupied for a lifetime!
Shared hobbies and pastimes enjoyed in this harbor include fishing, scuba diving, kayaking, sailing, and whale watching. Additionally, private businesses and organizations in the area provide other activities like cruises and boating lessons.
Santa Barbara’s state website also lists many land-based activities for residents to enjoy, such as fishing markets, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, and a wide choice of restaurants.
Regular events, festivals, and gatherings are also a hallmark of this harbor. These can feature anything from parades to seasonal markets.
Cuisine enthusiasts will rejoice at the upcoming seafood festival, while the annual holiday Parade of Lights is sure to impress most residents.
A beautiful view is also a key selling point for many tenants who settle in at Santa Barbara Harbor. Renters have noted that watching the sunrise and sunset provides a particular satisfaction in the harbor, as does relaxing as they enjoy the scenic, breath-taking ocean view.
However, there are some downsides when dealing with such an idyllic location. The most significant disadvantage is the relatively small number of liveaboards allowed in the area, a modest 113 vessels.
This limited space can make residency status as a liveaboard boater in the harbor reasonably tricky to achieve.
Nonetheless, even for a short period, those who visit Santa Barbara Harbor are sure to find themselves impressed with its bustling activity, beautiful nature, and tranquil atmosphere.
8. Newport Harbor
Lovers of Orange County and Newport Beach will be pleased with the last marina choice on my list, Newport Harbor.
The first thing to note is that liveaboard status can be a bit tricky to attain in Newport Harbor, as city officials only allow for 7% of the harbor’s offshore moorings to be occupied by liveaboard vessels. Presently, that means only approximately ~20 liveaboard ships are currently settled in the port.
That said, those boaters who do find themselves residing in Newport Harbor have plenty of activities and services to explore.
According to Newport Beach’s official website, Newport Harbor is the largest west coast recreational harbor. Because of this, the port is practically overflowing with opportunities for fun and relaxation, including paddleboarding, cruises, hiking and cycling, nature tours, and more.
Local cuisine is another massive appeal for many visitors and residents of the harbor, with seafood restaurants available throughout Newport Beach.
Water sports are another popular aspect of the culture in the harbor. Many residents participate in recreational activities like canoeing and kayaking, and fishing is one of the harbor’s most beloved activities for liveaboard tenants and visitors alike.
Now go out there and live your dream!
When you are ready to leave California and explore the vast beauties of our world, I can offer you a guide to 11 amazing spots around the globe to live on your boat.
