Casino Point

My boyfriend and I came here in November and it was great! The water so insanely clear and the abundance of fish wildlife was awesome! The steps make it easy to get in and out! Will definitely come back again!

Second year snorkling here. Very nice, convenient, and free. Better than Lover’s Cove which we went for the first time today.

Diving can be pretty hit or miss on the California coast all dependent upon the conditions you get on the day… The day we went unfortunately was not one of Catalina’s best as it was overcast, very breezy and the water was choppy, had a decent amount of swell (both deep and shallow) so there was very minimal visibility and most of the kelp forests have disappeared, having been torn out by a hurricane late last year. Combine this with three or four open water classes of 8 – 12 people also storing up the bottom, flailing around and overcrowding the steps exiting and entering the water and it didn’t make for the most relaxing or beautiful day of diving… But as said you can’t control the water conditions!
What really lost serious points for me at Casino point was the lack of facilities… Four or five porta potties that were overflowing but people still had no choice but to use (seriously disgusting, like vomit in your mouth disgusting!) and no water faucet to fill up your water bottle with (this one I understand, Catalina is in a serious drought) almost forces you to dehydrate which is never good when diving!
I’ll give Casino Point another try later in the year (and on a Friday) and hopefully get a better experience all round…

Wonderful place to dive for newbies… getting in the water is so easy (even if you’re thin and 110 lbs like me and have trouble lugging all that gear on you without tipping over) and the water is soooo full of terrific wildlife. My only wish is that it weren’t so crowded — guess that just shows how popular is it though!

Oh boy, this place gives me nightmares. Mostly my own fault though.
So this was my very first ocean dive ever, to get my OW skills tested. I will admit, I wasn’t ready mentally for this dive. The whole thing freaked the crap out of me and pretty much scarred the «diving» experience for me. I probably should’ve sat this dive out or gone when I was a little more experienced.
The Casino Point Dive Park is basically a big parking lot with no shade. Divers usually setup their gear close to the staircase or along the wall. Bring a tarp if you can because the ground gets wet and muddy. You can rent your tanks at the nearby shop. Once you have your gear on and are ready to go, you basically descend down a flight of slippery stairs into the ocean. At the bottom of the step, you wait for the right time to jump in basically, and boom, you’re in the kelp forest.
The whole thing wigged me out, but again, I wasn’t ready for this dive. The entrance is full of kelp so if you’re freaked out by kelp or are afraid of getting tangled, be careful. There’s a buoy out about 25−30ft from the stairs that beginners can grab on to. There is also a descending line from that buoy to help students get down. The deepest point there is about 15 – 20 ft. I basically hung onto that buoy for dear life. The water was also surprisingly cold. Even though we had 7 mil suits and hoods, the water was piercingly cold on my face and hands (beginning of April, water temp was about 58 degrees).
Viz was about 10−15ft that day, a little murky. The sun was out and it was a nice day. I saw quite a few fish, there was a lot of kelp. Lots and lots. One of the students brought peas with them, and once you let loose the peas, a school of fish basically attack you for the peas. Thankfully, I wasn’t too close to the peas… I think that would scare me. It was entertaining to watch from a distance though.
Exiting was a little difficult, you basically had to climb onto the stairs with your knees, which can hurt. Immediately grab onto the railing or you’ll get swept back in. And watch out for the slippery stairs! This place definitely gets crowded, there were lots of classes and individuals diving on their own.
The porta potties were disgusting as other Unilocalers have mentioned. Disgusting like they didn’t even flush and smelled horrid. Get some real toilets in their please! And maybe a freaking sink or some running water too… after all that salt water, you just want to wash your face or gear.
I wish I could write better about this place… maybe an update later down the line.

Wonderful place for divers and snorkelers! This was a great place to dive for a beginner such as myself because:
–easy stairs right into the water! Only about 20 steps
–TONS of fish and wildlife so close to the surface and just everywhere
–you’re always nearby other divers and/​or classes
–diving depth can range from 20−60ft so I always felt within my comfort range
As others have mentioned, this is a preserve, so all of the fish are totally unafraid of divers and swimmers. In fact, some of them are pretty aggressive and swim right to your face!
The only cons I would say are:
— no restrooms, only porta-​potties (or the ocean!)
— as other Unilocalers mentioned, dog poop. It was very irritating that there was quite a bit of dog poop in the area, especially on the ledges where there is a tiny strip of grass where divers commonly sit on as they get their gear on. I accidentally put my mask on some dog poop which is sad :(People! Pick up after your dog!
— pretty crowded for a dive site depending on the day you go. The day we went, it felt like waiting for a ride at Disneyland waiting in line to go down the stairs into the water.
Note:
— water is very cold!
— pay for a service to take your gear there and back to the dock. We used Avalon Blue Line Baggage. They were good dropping our gear off, but so so awful and picking it up when we called, probably use a different taxi or company if possible. For one box it was $ 10 round trip and we walked on foot.
Enjoy!

I used to come here quite often, between today and 17 years back, what’s change seems to be only the addition of stairs. Yes there are stairs and a rail that you just walk down and lay down in the water, how cool is that?!
Yes nothing much has changed I give this, 5 stars because it seriously it’s like diving at Sea World. Casino Point is a protected from any fishing etc thus the wild life seems to know that and you will encounter good size fish that curiously come right up to your mask to have a look. I was doing a bit of underwater filming and I had a large 16 inch Bass stubbornly swimming back and forth just 12 inches away from my camera lens as if saying «look at me!!» if I could speak underwater: «dude get out of the frigging way man!»
So here is the spill; you arrive at the Catalina Express or Flyer whatever ferry you go with. It’s about one mile walk to Casino Point, on the other side of the bay, however there are minivan taxis, $ 14 hauled 3 of us and dive equipment to Casino Point and $ 14 back of course, well worth the money. If you take the taxis, get a business card because you will call them on your cell phone when you need them to pick you up and back to the ferry.
Once there basically you find yourself a spot, and yes it can get crowded, mostly crowds of scuba classes. …and yes crowded underwater like a Mall on xmas eve! Having said that; around noon the crowds begin to thin out.
Only one complaint here, there is small round area that has some trees and shrubs divers usually sit on the retaining wall, lucky me I get the spot with the big dog crap just on the other side. Why would you haul a dog 32 miles across the water so it can take a crap right where people sit? I doubt this was done by the locals there, but hey that’s people for ya! Soon enough «no dogs allowed» its always one idiot that ruins it for everyone, stupid dog!
Oh last thing, the Pees! take a bag of frozen pees from the market and put them in a ziplock bag. I hope I don’t start seeing zip lock bags floating around everywhere.

It’s the spot to get open water certified in the LA area. It’s a bit chilly in the winter (57 degree water in January), but it’s alright in a wetsuit, and I expect it is a lot less crowded, which makes everything easier. Definitely a nice spot for beginners. Calm water and a nice setup, walking distance from town, but maybe a ten minute walk, so a golf cart is nice for dragging equipment. Its at the far end of the harbor from e ferry dock, on the other side of the Harbor entrance. There’s a little trailer with air and rental equipment right by the water. You suit up next to the water and just walk down the stairs into the water. Everything is set up already, with lots of buoys with lines down the bottom. There are two or three wrecked sailboats a little ways out at about 60 feet down (floor is probably about 70 and the tops of the wrecks are at about 60 feet), which are fun to check out. There’s also a dive platform that is home to an eel. The fish are amazingly unperturbed by the masses of people. There are tons of Garibaldis (California’s state fish) which are probably the easiest to see in the area, because they are bright orange. I’m not a fish expert, but I saw several different kinds in a few dives. The kelp is cool but there is a lot of it, especially in the winter I’m told, so look out for it.

My family rented a house (shabby) 2 blocks from the dock for a week and visiting the famous dance hall Casino was the highlight of the trip for me. I got the flu the day I arrived; Sea gull shit everywhere and those darn noisy gasoline golf carts all over (electrics would be so much better) at all hours. I had scuba dived there before and recommend the sanctuary. My Mom, born in 1918 in LA, Palms, was allowed as a high school student to take the long boat ride (bonine pills the night before) to Big Band dance at the Casino !! So famous, too bad it is on this drab dreary tiny island. Natalie Woods ghost !!

The marine preserve at Casino Point is one of my favorite dive spots on Catalina. Because it is a protected area, the sea life is abundant. Having dove all over Catalina, I would say that you get more «bang for your buck» here than almost anywhere else on the island. Additionally, it is easy to get in and out with the cement staircase that descends into the ocean.
This is typically a mild sea in this marina, so it is very conducive to beginners and thus can get crowded with classes and novice divers. Generally, there is enough room to spread out, but occasionally it can feel like the freeway during rush hour.
There is even a small wreck within the park at about 60 feet to dive, so if you are working towards your advanced certification you can check that dive off your list.
Catalina has a myriad of sea creatures and what I have found consistently is that I see the broadest variety of stuff in a given dive here vs. elsewhere.
So, jump on in, the water is crystal clear, well, somedays that is…

Spectacle and history. Temporary exhibit on Marilyn Monroe’s one year spent on the island with her first husband. I did not have time or cash to take the tour, nor stay late enough to catch a movie, but it gives me a reason to go back to Catalina.

Awesome Dive Park! Easy access, stairs lead into the water. Catalina Diver Supply rents gear here by the water and refills tanks too. How much easier can it get? Lots of people boat over here in the morning, dive all day, then catch a boat back to the mainland. If only there were a food truck here to serve food too… and better bathrooms/​changing facilities. Lockers are here too for 75 cents per use.

Short and simply. One of the coolest areas in Catalina. The tip of it is full of touring snorkeling fanatics. This casino has awesome views of Avalon and the ocean. The building is home of Catalina’s movie theater, dance hall, historic museum, and other unknowns… One Great place to visit in Catalina. Recommended in Catalina.
Pros: View, Movies, snorkeling
Cons: A slight trek to get to
Stars: 4.5

It’s pretty. That’s all there really is to say about it. There’s a dive park around the corner, which is cool. Wish I had been able to go diving…

This is what Avalon is all about! The historic casino, on its point where you can watch folks go diving. Very nice place to be the «last» point of our trip to Catalina Island :)

What a great place to dive! It was amazing and beautiful. There was 100x more fish than in Hawaii.
I saw schools of top smelt, jack mackerel and barracuda. I also saw a lobster, halibut, swell shark and horn shark eggs, black-​eyed gobies and garbaldis. My fellow scuba divers also saw an octopus and an electric ray.
The water was freezing (I had on a 7 mm wetsuit), but the visibility was great!
On the weekends, this place is super crowded as all the scuba classes are held here. However, it’s still worth going.

I’ve scuba dived and snorkeled at Casino Point and both are great fun. This is one of the true gems of Catalina Island and I feel lucky that it’s so close to Los Angeles. You can bring your own equipment, or find plenty of rental places around the island that will hook you up. Good for all ages. Fun tip: bring frozen peas in the water with you and you’ll make lots of new fish friends.

World class snorkeling only an hour from LA! Yes! This is a very fun spot and best of all, it’s free. Bring your own gear or rent for ten bucks right before you jump in the water. Casino point has a giant kelp bed throughout. It’s literally an underground forest. So so fun to snorkel in.
Last time I was there a seven year old girl gave me a giant handful of peas which made my snorkeling experience even more fun. There was literally hundreds of fish around me feasting on peas! I was laughing hysterically under the water. Garibaldi galore. Amazing.
Men, here’s a tip: I don’t recommend storing the bag of frozen peas inside of your speedo thong! Not only are they ice cold, but the fish get a little too close for comfort if you know what I’m saying! You’ll thank me later!

Looking for a great Island diving experience with out having to drop the bills it takes to fly off to Hawaii or the tropics? Take the boat out to Catalina Island and enjoy the dives at Casino Point. It’s designated a dive park by the city of Avalon, no fishing, hunting or taking of souvenirs allowed, and some great diving. They’ve made the point diver/​snorkeler friendly, with lockers, a fill station/​rental trailer, AND a staircase that leads right into the water, which means no clambering over rocks with 40lbs of gear on your back while teetering on one foot and praying to whatever God you pray to that you can avoid face planting on the barnacle covered rocks below! Nope, just walk down the stairs, using the handy rails to balance, pull on your fins, and plop right into the underwater world! Though it’s no Great Barrier Reef, Casino Point does have a lot to offer, from sandy bottoms where Bat Rays can be found cruising, to kelp forests that form protection for all sorts of marine life, to rocky reef where at least 2 eels are known t live (seen them on night dives) and lobsters come out to party at night (Rock Lobster?!? Shades of The B-52’s!) The park offers something for everyone, from wreck divers, to deep divers, to folk who want to hang out in 20 feet of water.
Afterwards you can stroll into town and enjoy one of the many restaurants, that dot Avalon.
So next time you need to get away from it all and go for a dive, but are short on funds, jump on the Catalina Express and jet on over to Casino Point. You’ll have a great time, and the rest of your week will be cake!