Catalina Marina Del Rey Flyer - (310) 574-2721

• Fun for the whole family
• Avalon/ Two Harbors
• Cocktail & Snack bar

I thought going to Catalina meant an entire day of travelling by the time you go to the ferry, parked, boarded, etc etc. I was wrong. The Catalina Marina Del Rey Flyer is super easy and convenient. It's located right in Marina Del Rey so it takes no time at all to get there. You park your car in a parking lot with ample parking and about a 10 second walk to the flyer. You board on time and there is plenty of seating. My favorite part of their entire service...they point out all the dolphins on the way over. I think we must have seen at least 20..i swear they must attract dolphins..never seen so many in my whole life! The ride was smoothe and quick. We went to Avalon and they drop you off right at the Harbor so you walk off the boat..and there you are..no taxi or anything needed. The ride back was easy, quick and on time. It's an easy day trip or even a weekend trip. The staff is friendly and helpful and always up for recommending fun places or things to do in Catalina. I highly recommend the Catalina Marina Del Rey Flyer..I give it a 5+ thumbs up!!!!!!!!

Recently took the Flyer out to Catalina and back. A gorgeous weekend in August, you better believe we weren't the only ones heading out for a nice time. I noticed right away that the staff was professional, friendly and helpful, which really set the tone for the trip. I was impressed by how smoothly everything went; there wasn't your typical waiting about that I've come to expect with the transport of lots of people. We were bringing our bikes out to the island, and the staff showed us where to secure them on the boat. The captain greeted us as we boarded and as we got underway told us about the safety features, which set me at ease. In fact, on the way home after an active couple days on Catalina I fell asleep for nearly an hour, which tells you something about how comfortable the ride is. I suppose on a day with bigger waves the boat might rock more, but it was fine for us. Can't think of what more you could want from a ferry service.

When taking a trip to Catalina, leaving from LA or LB can be a bit overwhelming with an almost LAX airport feel to the departure. The Catalina Marina Del Rey Flyer (CMDRF) comes closer to LAX only in its geographic proximity. CMDRF is located conveniently in the quaint Fisherman's Village of MDR. Parking was about 50 yards from the gangway to the vessel (if you park adjacent to the El Torito @ $8/day); very convenient for luggage, bikes, etc.. Admittedly not the fastest from dock to dock (MDR is farther from Avalon than LA or LB), I would rather cover that distance on the water while admiring the South Bay and the Palos Verdes Peninsula as compared to battling traffic on 405.

Took this ferry over to Catalina for the weekend - and had the best bloody mary of my life on board. You need to have one. Or five. Seriously, they were that good. We left about 5 minutes late but arrived a minute or two early. Not sure who that happened. Looked like a new boat, and was much smoother than the one I took over as a kid. Stayed at the Avalon and had a great time. A weekend is probably the perfect amount of time to spend on the island. All we had was a small suitcase and carry-on, which they let us take on with us so we didn't need to check luggage or anything. Had acoupon for $5 off that they let us use for both tickets.

What a treat it was to return from Catalina on the Marina del Rey Flyer. The staff, boat and experience was A+. We spent a few $ extra and sat upstairs in the "Admirals" Lounge. It was so nice to see the workings of the boat from a seat by the Captain. The Captain, Zac was very personable as were the rest of the crew. I would highly recommend this ferry. The location is much more convenient if you are traveling from Los Angeles or north (we were coming from Santa Barbara). The other option of Long Beach is much farther. All negative reviews appear to be from 2007. They obviously have improved and deserve another chance!