Los Angeles Visit

[merxlin]

Also check out the Spectre in Ventura for trips to Anacapa. You can stay on the boat the night before (also in between days if you do back to back day dives). Great boat, great food. Scuba dive trips, snorkeling and gear rental off California's Channel Islands

 

[covediver]

You may also want to avail yourselves of the Rocks, Reefs, and Rips training to help orient you to local conditions.

Rocks, Rips, & Reefs – 3R’s | Underwater Unit

 

[geoff w]

Most of the organized charter dives are listed in Home - California Diving News Channel Islands Dive Adventures Channel Islands Dive Adventures (usually in conjunction with Start Your Adventure) has a lot of group charters with a host that will usually will give a lot of attention and support to divers not familiar with local sites. Power Scuba (aka Scuba Diving in San Diego County ), which is about 2 hours south, is also very active in terms of group dive activities

To get initially acclimated to local diving and get everything sorted out, especially for the first time diving in kelp, the dive park at Catalina is about as easy as it gets

 

[drbill]

So many options, so little time. I concur with Hollywoodivers. I also add my second to diving Catalina's dive park in Avalon. We even have stairs that lead right down into the water (except at very low tide!). Check out California Diving News for a list of boat operators and trips during your stay as well as for good information about diving this region. Oops, just saw my friend Geoff already made that recommendation with a link.