where is catalina island

Catalina Island (Santa Catalina Island) is a small island in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California, about 22–29 miles south-southwest of the Los Angeles and Long Beach area, and it is part of Los Angeles County in the United States.

Where Is Catalina Island? (Quick Scoop)

Big-picture location

• Catalina Island sits in the Pacific Ocean off Southern California.

• It is one of California’s Channel Islands, specifically in the southern group called the Southern Channel Islands.

• Politically, it belongs to Los Angeles County, California, USA.

Think of it as a nearby “mini-getaway island” you reach by boat or helicopter from the LA/Orange County coast.

How far and from where?

• Catalina is roughly 22–23 miles (about 35 km) off the Southern California mainland.

• It lies about south-southwest of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

• Common departure ports to Catalina include:
  • San Pedro
  • Long Beach
  • Dana Point
  • Newport Beach

Travel time is usually about 1 hour by high-speed ferry or around 15 minutes by helicopter , depending on the route.

What’s on the island?

• The island is about 22 miles long and up to 8 miles wide , covering roughly 74–76 square miles.

• There are two main towns :
  • Avalon (the main city and tourist hub on the east end).

* Two Harbors (a smaller village on the west/central isthmus).

• Most of the rest of the island is rugged, protected wilderness managed by the Catalina Island Conservancy.

Recent/trending context

Catalina Island continues to be promoted as a quick “Mediterranean-style” escape for Southern Californians, with current travel guides and tourism boards highlighting easy access from Long Beach and other ports, outdoor activities, and year-round events.

In forum-style discussions, people usually describe Catalina as “that island just off LA you reach by ferry,” often comparing it to a small European seaside town but only an hour away from the mainland.

TL;DR: If you’re asking “where is Catalina Island,” it’s the rocky resort island about 22 miles off the coast of Los Angeles/Long Beach in Southern California, part of the Channel Islands and Los Angeles County.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.