Hello everyone!

 

In mid-April 2025, I’m planning a little road trip along the West Coast of the USA for her. As a balance, I’m looking to include 2 diving days either in San Francisco or LA (or both...).

Do you have any experiences, tips, or recommendations for me?

I'm really intrested in seeing the kelp forests, sea lions e.g.

 

So far, I’ve mostly found online offers for PADI courses or week-long trips, but not for day trips like they offer in egypt e.g.

 

Thanks in advance!

The dive shops run trips out to Catalina Island and nearby areas, but it's nothing like what you get in areas like the Red Sea, they are only on weekends and the one I went on was basically just a ferry to get you to the dive site and they provided food and air fills.  It was up to you to sort out buddies etc.  Water will be dry suit cold in April most likely.

 

This dive shop is located near the pier where the dive boats leave from:

 

https://pacificwilderness.com/?page_id=521

 

I would suggest messaging them as a starting point for LA diving.  I believe you should find similar dive shops around Monterey.

2 hours ago, Apneagraph said:

Hello everyone!

 

In mid-April 2025, I’m planning a little road trip along the West Coast of the USA for her. As a balance, I’m looking to include 2 diving days either in San Francisco or LA (or both...).

Do you have any experiences, tips, or recommendations for me?

I'm really intrested in seeing the kelp forests, sea lions e.g.

 

So far, I’ve mostly found online offers for PADI courses or week-long trips, but not for day trips like they offer in egypt e.g.

 

Thanks in advance!

Southen California, Monterrey, Puget Sound, and Vancouver Island are where you want to spend time. There are actual dive resorts on Vancouver Island with world class diving. April is excellent in the PNW.

Monterey is one of my favorite dive locations in the world.

Monterey is mostly shore dives...Breakwater, Metridium Fields, Monastery Beach (check conditions first, it can be sketchy and dangerous) or Point Lobos State Reserve (you'll need reservations).  Google those sites there is tons of info.  Local dive shops are Bamboo Reef, Breakwater or Aquarius.  They're all legit.

There is one boat that regularly runs charters in Monterey, its the Beachhopper II.  Again, google it, they have a website for reservations, etc...

If you head to Ventura (north of LA), there are several boats that head to the outer/northern Channel Islands.  Most notably are the Peace and Vision.

Lived in LA for many years.  My fave shore dive sites in LA are Point Dume (north of Malibu) or Laguna Beach (down south in Orange County...you'll need to arrive no later than 7am or there won't be any parking).  LA is spread out, so those two locations are far, far apart.

Dive boats are unfortunately in decline in LA.  There is still the Bottom Scratcher, Pacific Star, Magician and Giant Stride that regularly run trips.  You typically cannot book directly with the boats/charters.  They sell their days to local dive shops and then you need to book via the dive shops.  Google the following dive shops (Los Angeles area):

Pacific Wilderness
In 2 Deep Scuba

Eco Dive Center
Channel Islands Dive Adventures
Ocean Safari Scuba

Scuba Schools of America

Divers West

Dive N Surf

 

They'll have their trips and dates listed on their websites.

A few more pointers...most boats/dive shops won't confirm their 2025 dates/trips until this December or even January 2025.  Also conditions usually aren't great in California in the spring and summer (again, usually).  The water is beginning to warm and that usually leads to increased phytoplankton which decreases visibility.

If you are looking for some dives in SOCAL, let me know. We dive a lot on the Giant Stride (mostly Palos Verdes and occasionally Catalina and Farnsworth) and getting on for a weekday should be pretty simple (weekends might be tough). 

Let me know if we can take you diving.

Bill