Catalina Island Nighttime Flying Fish Glass Bottom Cruise

Watch flying fish leap under powerful lights while sea lions and kelp forests appear in the glass bottom.

A 55-minute nighttime cruise around Catalina Island aboard the Sea View Glass Bottom Boat, departing from Avalon to search for flying fish and nocturnal marine life. Powerful all-around lights illuminate the ocean as you pass through Lover's Cove and along the coastline, with underwater viewing windows bringing you eye-to-eye with sea lions, lobsters, bat rays and towering kelp forests. Open-air seating keeps the whole family together while the guide narrates in English.

Step-by-step itinerary

Nighttime cruise and marine life viewing

• Board Sea View Glass Bottom Boat
• Cruise through Lover’s Cove
• Cruise along Avalon’s coastline
• Search for Catalina’s flying fish
• Observe sea lions and marine life
• View underwater through glass windows

The experience

What happens to Catalina's ocean after the sun sets? The flying fish emerge, and so do the creatures that hunt them. This 55-minute cruise departs Avalon and runs the coastline through Lover's Cove with underwater viewing ports built into the hull so you can watch the nighttime activity unfold below the surface. Powerful lights sweep the water, turning the darkness into a stage where sea lions, lobsters and bat rays move through kelp forests that tower in the beam.

The boat holds families and small groups in open-air seating, so there is no separation between decks or rows. Everyone sees the same water and the same guide commentary in English. The viewing windows are the centerpiece: you stand at them or sit nearby and watch the marine life pass close enough to study. Flying fish are the draw, but the nocturnal shift brings out animals you would not see on a daytime trip, and the lights make them visible in a way that daylight never could.

What’s included

• Immersive underwater viewing through glass bottom ports.
• live guide commentary in English.
• open-air seating with coastal and undersea views all in one ride.

Before you book

Days and timesFriday and SaturdayDepartures at 18:00 and 19:00Last departure this season: 14 Nov

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 44

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcome

Operated by Catalina Adventure Tours

Is this one for you?The boat departs from Avalon, so if you are staying in town or arriving by ferry, you walk to the dock without needing a car or separate transport to reach the cruise.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the flying fish like when you see them at night on this cruise?

Flying fish are small, fast-moving fish that leap out of the water to escape predators, and the powerful lights on the boat illuminate them as they jump and glide across the surface. They are most active after dark, which is why this nighttime cruise is built around spotting them.

Can you see underwater clearly through the glass bottom viewing windows?

The Sea View Glass Bottom Boat has dedicated below-the-surface viewing ports that bring you eye-to-eye with sea lions and kelp forests. The boat's all-around lights illuminate the ocean floor and the animals moving through it, so visibility is strong even at night.

How long does the entire cruise take?

The nighttime flying fish cruise lasts 55 minutes from departure in Avalon through Lover's Cove and along the scenic coastline.