The mere thought of Los Angeles evokes idyllic images of palm tree lined streets, movie stars, and white-sand beaches. The sprawling metropolis has dozens of neighborhoods and worlds inside of its county lines. While one trip to Los Angeles is never enough, one of the best ways to see the city, and often most overlooked, is via boat.
We live just two blocks from the ocean in the seaside town of Hermosa Beach where the ocean is a part of our everyday lives. While Los Angeles is a city on the Sea, most – including LA locals, have never seen it from one of its most important elements – The Pacific Ocean. While we’ve lived in Los Angeles for 10 years (gasp), we decided to rent a boat and see the city from an entirely new lens.
Where to Rent a Boat in Los Angeles
There are three main harbors in Los Angeles from which you can rent a boat: Marina Del Rey, Redondo Beach, and Long Beach. Marina Del Rey is the furthest north and closest to the city of Los Angeles, while Redondo Beach and Long Beach are further south. If you are renting a sailboat and want to see the heart of Los Angeles, we would recommend renting a boat from Marina Del Rey. If you’d like to enjoy a general Southern California sail, then Redondo Beach and Long Beach are also great options.
How to Rent a Boat in Los Angeles
There are plenty of options for boat rental companies in the Los Angeles area. We rented our boat through Luxury Liners (this is not sponsored – we paid for this boat!) and they were absolutely fantastic. They provided water, but we were responsible for all alcoholic beverages and snacks. We rented the 40’ Lagoon, which can accommodate 12 guests. This is a great option for a rental because it’s a catamaran, which offers plenty of on deck space to sprawl out and enjoy. Our favorite part of the boat was the front of the boat where there were two hammocks for us to soak in the California sun.
Our Los Angeles Sailing Route
We left the Marina Del Rey harbor on a perfect 80-degree October day and we sailed all the way up to Malibu Pier. Along the way, we passed Venice Beach, the Santa Monica pier, and Pacific Palisades. We stopped for lunch and a swim right off the dock of Malibu Pier. If we had more time, we had the option to swim or paddleboard into shore for lunch at one of the fancier Malibu restaurants, but we opted to stay on the boat.
If you’d prefer a different route, you can always customize a trip specific to your needs! If you have the time (and cash), we would highly recommend sailing to Catalina Island!
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