California Yacht Charter

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California Superyacht Charter

California’s Pacific coast combines glamorous harbours with dramatic natural beauty, from the yachting havens of the south to the wild shores of Big Sur and the wildlife-rich Channel Islands. It is a coastline of sunshine, style and remarkable variety, offering a rewarding and beautiful cruising ground on the western edge of America.

The southern coast is famous for its glamorous marinas and beach towns, from San Diego to the elegant harbours of Los Angeles and the beautiful island of Catalina, offering stylish comfort and easy sailing. Further north, the coast grows wilder and more dramatic, with the rugged cliffs of Big Sur and the historic charm of the Monterey Peninsula.

California’s waters teem with marine life, with whales, dolphins and sea lions frequenting the coast, while the protected Channel Islands offer a pristine wilderness of kelp forests and abundant wildlife. Clear water and beautiful anchorages reward exploration.

Ashore, the coast offers world-class dining, sunshine and a relaxed West Coast elegance, along with beautiful scenery. Its variety and style are appealing.

With its glamorous harbours, dramatic scenery and abundant marine life, California is a beautiful Pacific cruising ground. Guests can berth in stylish marinas, explore the wild Channel Islands and encounter whales and dolphins along this sun-drenched and varied coast.
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The Yachts for charter in California

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A 50 metre Feadship reborn in a 2022 refit, REVERIE pairs a light contemporary interior with a floating beach club and spa tub for twelve, chartering the Bahamas from EUR
REVERIE

50M

Feadship

2000

255000€

Guests

A 90-foot Westport operated by born-and-bred Alaskans, purpose-built for Southeast Alaska’s wildlife, fishing and glacier cruising with a warm teak interior.
Alaskan Story

27M

Westport

1981

46000€

Guests

A 36.58-metre Christensen refitted in 2020, with a full-beam master, a sundeck jacuzzi and a 32-foot sportfisher on the hip, chartering Florida and the Bahamas from $75,000 per week.
CHANSON

36M

Christensen

1995

75000€

Guests

A 49-metre Delta Marine explorer and floating expedition base camp, purpose-built for world-class fishing, diving and off-grid adventure from Alaska to the South Pacific.
Triton

49M

Delta Marine

2004

175000€

Guests

A 26.82-metre Sirena 88 with a German Frers hull, an on-deck master opening to a private foredeck and dip pool, and a flybridge jacuzzi, chartering out of Miami from $85,000
SAINT

26M

Sirena Yachts

2021

85000€

Guests

A 22.6-metre Hatteras refitted in 2018, a long-standing San Juan Islands charter yacht with a private office in the owner’s suite, a deck spa and two tenders, for six guests
NORTHERN LIGHT

23M

Hatteras

1987

30000€

Guests

A 30.5 metre Broward freshly reconfigured in 2023, with twin sun deck jacuzzis, chartering Florida and the Bahamas for up to ten guests from 50,000 dollars per week.
A Place in the Sun

30M

Broward Marine

1992

50000€

Guests

A 74-metre Admiral delivered in 2018 with a certified helideck that doubles as a pickleball and basketball court, a full gym, a cinema and a spa, chartering Central America and
Planet Nine

74M

Admiral

2018

650000€

Guests

A 25.91-metre Hatteras refitted in 2023, with a full-beam master, a bar-led sky lounge and Starlink aboard, chartering Connecticut in summer and Florida in winter from $45,000 per week.
INDY

25M

Hatteras

2005

45000€

Guests

A 19.8-metre Pacific Mariner to a William Garden design, chartering Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands with an enclosed flybridge, three ensuite cabins and a floating in-water lounge, from
CHECKED OUT

20M

Pacific Mariner

2004

20000€

Guests

A 61-metre Royal Hakvoort delivered in 2021 with an ice-class reinforced hull, 2.4-metre ceilings, a sun deck pool and a separate spa, chartering the Caribbean and Florida from $600,000 per
TOP FIVE II

61M

Royal Hakvoort

2021

600,000€

Guests

A 39-metre Westport running one of Alaska’s most established charter programmes, purpose-tuned for wildlife, glaciers and world-class fishing with an expert local crew.
Serengeti

39M

Westport

2002

150000€

Guests

A 37.8 metre Broward with a flybridge as large as her salon, chartering Florida and the Bahamas for ten guests in five staterooms from 85,000 dollars per week.
Camille

37M

Broward Marine

2007

85000€

Guests

A 1966 Burger restored in 2020 to a Jack Hargrave profile, chartering the Caribbean and the US East Coast for eight guests from $48,000 per week.
SOVEREIGN

30M

Burger Boat

1966

48,000€

Guests

Curated Selection Tailored for You

Highlights

California Yacht Charter
California yacht charters offer the freedom to experience the destination on your own terms. Each itinerary can be shaped around the way you want to travel, with the flexibility to move between time on the water, moments ashore and the simple pleasure of life on board.
California charter destination
Glamorous Harbours
Southern California’s coast runs from San Diego’s Shelter Island marinas north through Newport Beach, home to the Balboa Yacht Club since 1922, and on to Marina del Rey, one of the largest man-made small-craft harbours in the world. Twenty-two miles offshore, Catalina Island’s harbour town of Avalon and the quieter anchorage at Two Harbors give the coast its signature island escape, easily reached within a day’s sail from any of the mainland marinas.
California yacht charter cruising
Channel Islands
Channel Islands National Park protects five islands, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel and Santa Barbara, along with the waters six nautical miles around them, established in 1980 and now home to over 2,000 species, 145 of them found nowhere else on earth. The islands’ kelp forests, among the largest and most productive on the Pacific coast, shelter the endemic island fox and a rich diversity of fish, seals and seabirds.
California yacht charter cruising
Coastal Wildlife
Gray whales pass close to the California coast on their migration between Alaska and Baja California, with the best sightings typically from December through April, while blue and humpback whales feed offshore through the summer and autumn months. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, protecting 6,094 square miles of water from the Golden Gate to Cambria since 1992, is especially rich in marine mammals, with 36 species recorded within its boundaries.
California yacht charter cruising
Big Sur Coast
Big Sur’s coastline runs roughly 90 miles between Carmel and San Simeon, where the Santa Lucia Mountains drop almost directly into the Pacific with barely a beach between them. Point Sur Lighthouse, built in 1889 on a volcanic rock just offshore, still marks one of the most exposed stretches of the route, and the absence of any real anchorage along most of Big Sur keeps this section a scenic passage rather than a stopping point.
California yacht charter cruising
Fine Dining
Monterey’s Cannery Row, once the sardine-canning heart of the Pacific coast and made famous by John Steinbeck’s novel of the same name, is now lined with restaurants and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, drawing on the region’s deep fishing heritage. Further south, Santa Barbara’s Spanish colonial architecture and waterfront restaurants along Stearns Wharf add a slower, more relaxed counterpoint to the polish of the marinas further down the coast.

California Yacht Charter Enquire

Enquire about a California yacht charter to receive current yacht availability, seasonal guidance and expert insight into the cruising areas, anchorages and experiences that best fit your preferred style of charter, creating a clearer route to the right itinerary.

Charter Guide

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California Yacht Charter Itineraries

The Week Unfolds
Across California, each itinerary reveals a different rhythm, from lively ports and waterfront towns to secluded anchorages, island escapes and stretches of coastline best discovered from the sea. Together, they create a more layered way to explore, with every route shaped by the places, experiences and moments found along the way.

California Must See & Do

The anchorages, experiences and places that define a yacht charter in California, and the ones worth building your itinerary around.
Top Anchorages

Avalon Harbor, Catalina Island
Two Harbors, Catalina Island
Newport Harbor
San Diego, Shelter Island
Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard

Top Things to Do

Snorkel the kelp forests of Channel Islands National Park
Kayak Two Harbors’ Isthmus Cove
Spot island foxes on Santa Cruz Island
Pass Point Sur Lighthouse along the Big Sur coast
Tour historic Cannery Row in Monterey

Top Places to Visit

Avalon, Catalina Island
Santa Cruz Island
Monterey’s Cannery Row
Big Sur
Santa Barbara

California Charter Guide

Everything you need to know before chartering a yacht in California, from the best time to visit to where to drop anchor.
When's the best time to charter the Southern California coast?

The sailing season runs roughly May through October, though June and July often bring a marine layer of morning fog and cool temperatures known locally as June gloom, which usually burns off by midday. August through October typically offers the warmest water and the most reliable sunshine, making it the preferred window for cruising to Catalina and the Channel Islands.

How do we get to California to start a charter?

Charters typically begin from marinas in Newport Beach, Marina del Rey or San Diego, all served by nearby international airports, Los Angeles (LAX), John Wayne (SNA) and San Diego (SAN) respectively. Catalina Island itself has a small airstrip and a seaplane connection from Long Beach, though most guests join the yacht from one of the mainland marinas instead.

What are the best anchorages along this stretch of coast?

Avalon and Two Harbors on Catalina Island are the classic stops, offering mooring fields rather than free anchoring, with Two Harbors bookable in advance and Avalon assigned on arrival by the Harbor Patrol. Further north, Channel Islands Harbor near Oxnard is the usual jumping-off point for Channel Islands National Park’s more remote anchorages.

How many days should we plan for a California charter?

A relaxed long weekend of three to four days suits a Catalina-focused itinerary from Newport Beach or Marina del Rey. Extending north to the Channel Islands and on toward Santa Barbara and Monterey, with the wilder scenery of Big Sur in between, is better suited to a week or longer given the distances involved along this coast.

Can we just drop anchor at Catalina Island?

Not really. Catalina operates almost entirely on moorings rather than free anchoring, with over 360 at Avalon assigned first-come, first-served by standing by for the Harbor Patrol, and more than 700 at Two Harbors bookable online from the Thursday before a weekend. Planning the mooring in advance, especially for Two Harbors, avoids a frustrating wait at the height of summer.

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