Explore Southern California

Diving in Southern California offers a unique blend of diverse marine environments, making it a favored destination for divers worldwide. The region's temperate waters, though warmer than the northern coast, still maintain a refreshing chill, requiring divers to gear up appropriately, particularly in winter months. Summer diving can be comfortably enjoyed in a 5mm to 7mm wetsuit, while the colder season calls for a semi-dry or drysuit to fully appreciate the underwater wonders. Marine life is abundant and varied here, with encounters with playful sea lions at La Jolla Shores and La Jolla Cove being a highlight for many. The underwater landscapes are equally enthralling, featuring the renowned wrecks of "Wreck Alley" and the majestic Point Loma kelp beds, which offer a mystical underwater forest experience. For those seeking adventure, the Offshore Oil Rigs provide a thrilling dive environment, while Catalina Island beckons with its clear waters and vibrant aquatic life. Whether you prefer shore, boat, or liveaboard diving, Southern California caters to all styles, ensuring each dive is an unforgettable experience. The region's seasonal features, such as the summer warmth and winter's unique marine activity, add layers of interest to its diving appeal, making Southern California a must-visit for divers seeking a dynamic underwater adventure.

Upcoming Events

Professional Level Programs / Courses

Scuba Schools of America

Open Water Instructor (Instructor Training Course ITC)

23 Nov 2025

Start today - You need to be a Divemaster or equivalent to join SSI´s 3-Step Instructor Training Approach. The training process starts with joining the Assistant Instructor / Instructor Training Course combination accompanied with Digital Learning. After successful completion of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) you will enroll in an Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify as an SSI Open Water Instructor. This 10 day training program entitles you to teach various key SSI programs independently like Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue and Dive Guide. For those who want to take more time to learn and to gain valuable teaching experience between the training programs the 3 parts can also be taken as single steps - Assistant Instructor, Instructor Training Course (ITC) and Instructor Evaluation (IE) one after the other at own pace and with a flexible schedule.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Scuba Schools of America

Wreck Diving

26 Nov 2025

Many of the ocean’s best dive sites are wrecks. These impressive structures attract unusually high densities of marine life and give you the chance to immerse in living history as you dive. There is nothing quite like wreck diving and the SSI Wreck Diving specialty will give you all the skills and knowledge you need to become a safe and confident wreck diver. With a combination of academic and confined water sessions, you will be taught how to safely conduct non-penetration dives around wrecks and artificial reefs, up to a depth of 30 meters. You will also get to practice your wreck diving skills during open water training dives. All of which will ensure you can enjoy wreck diving with confidence and get the most out of every dive. Upon completion of this program, you will earn your SSI Wreck Diving specialty certification. Continue your adventures and become a wreck diver. Get started online today!

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Scuba Schools of America

Deep Diving

10 Dec 2025

The SSI Deep Diving Specialty will teach you all you need to dive to depths between 18 and 40 meters, through a mixture of academic sessions and open water dives. You will learn to plan and safely complete your deep diving adventures and use computers and gas consumption calculations to get the most from your deep dives. Upon completion, you will earn your SSI Deep Diving Specialty certification and be able to explore beautiful deep dive sites wherever you choose. This SSI Specialty is also a prerequisite for some advanced training, making it the next logical step to take in your dive education.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Scuba Schools of America

Recreational Sidemount Diving

10 Dec 2025

In this sidemount diving course, you’ll learn all you need to go single or two-cylinder recreational sidemount diving up to a maximum depth of 30 meters or to your certification depth, whichever is deeper. Sidemount diving is already common practice for wreck, mine, and cave divers, but now the benefits are being discovered by more recreational divers. With no heavy tank on your back, you’ll be more comfortable in the water and find your streamlining and trim improve effortlessly. By using less energy you may reduce your gas consumption so you can make the most of your dive time. With better buoyancy control, easier access to your valves and more redundancy as well, sidemount diving offers safety and peace of mind. This is the best sidemount diving course to discover and enjoy the enticing advantages of this dive style. You learn all the skills and knowledge you need to safely and comfortably dive with a single or two-cylinder sidemount equipment configuration.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Scuba Schools of America

Night Diving and Limited Visibility

14 Dec 2025

Night diving requires different skills from diving during the day. The SSI Night Diving and Limited Visibility specialty is the best way to learn about night diving and practice the techniques you will need to become a safe and confident night diver. In this program, you will be provided with all the knowledge and skills you need to safely and comfortably dive at night or in limited visibility conditions. With a combination of online learning and open water training dives, you will learn how to enter and exit the water, use specialized equipment, and how to communicate with your buddy easily at night or in limited visibility. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Night Diving and Limited Visibility specialty certification and be ready to go night diving with confidence.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

Scuba Schools of America

Dry Suit Diving

14 Dec 2025

Drysuit diving opens up a world of opportunities, including diving remote Arctic destinations and exploring cold-water dive sites teeming with life. Dry suit diving also keeps you warm on multi-dive days when you do not want to spend your time getting in and out of a cold wetsuit. The SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty program is the best way to become a dry suit diver and teaches you all the knowledge and techniques you need to dive safely and comfortably in a dry suit. You will learn how to use specialized equipment, like dry suits and BCs, the benefits of dry suits and how to deal with dry suit emergencies – which are unique to this type of diving. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty certification.

Professional Level Programs / Courses

WAVES Project

Assistant Instructor

07 Mar 2026

The Assistant Instructor rating is the next step after becoming a Divemaster along the scuba instructor pathway. It allows you to collect valuable teaching experience, practice briefings, teach academics, and conduct in-water training. If you want to further your career as a dive professional, you can finish the Instructor Training Course, pass the Instructor Evaluation, and become an Open Water Diving Instructor.

Professional Level Programs / Courses

WAVES Project

Open Water Instructor (Instructor Training Course ITC)

12 Mar 2026 + 1 more

Start today - You need to be a Divemaster or equivalent to join SSI´s 3-Step Instructor Training Approach. The training process starts with joining the Assistant Instructor / Instructor Training Course combination accompanied with Digital Learning. After successful completion of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) you will enroll in an Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify as an SSI Open Water Instructor. This 10 day training program entitles you to teach various key SSI programs independently like Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue and Dive Guide. For those who want to take more time to learn and to gain valuable teaching experience between the training programs the 3 parts can also be taken as single steps - Assistant Instructor, Instructor Training Course (ITC) and Instructor Evaluation (IE) one after the other at own pace and with a flexible schedule.

Instructor Evaluation

Beyond Land Adventures, Inc.

Instructor Evaluation - IE

14 Mar 2026

Start today - You need to be a Divemaster or equivalent to join SSI´s 3-Step Instructor Training Approach. The training process starts with joining the Assistant Instructor / Instructor Training Course combination accompanied with Digital Learning. After successful completion of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) you will enroll in an Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify as an SSI Open Water Instructor. This 10 day training program entitles you to teach various key SSI programs independently like Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue and Dive Guide.

For those who want to take more time to learn and to gain valuable teaching experience between the training programs the 3 parts can also be taken as single steps - Assistant Instructor, Instructor Training Course (ITC) and Instructor Evaluation (IE) one after the other at own pace and with a flexible schedule.

Instructor Evaluation

Beyond Land Adventures, Inc.

Instructor Evaluation - IE

23 May 2026

Start today - You need to be a Divemaster or equivalent to join SSI´s 3-Step Instructor Training Approach. The training process starts with joining the Assistant Instructor / Instructor Training Course combination accompanied with Digital Learning. After successful completion of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) you will enroll in an Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify as an SSI Open Water Instructor. This 10 day training program entitles you to teach various key SSI programs independently like Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue and Dive Guide.

For those who want to take more time to learn and to gain valuable teaching experience between the training programs the 3 parts can also be taken as single steps - Assistant Instructor, Instructor Training Course (ITC) and Instructor Evaluation (IE) one after the other at own pace and with a flexible schedule.

Top Dive Sites Map

★★★★☆ Ruby E (Wreck)

The wreck of the Ruby E is part of San Diego’s famous ’Wreck Alley.’ Sitting just offshore from Mission Bay, the Ruby E is accessible only by boat and sits in deeper water, therefore is recommended for advanced divers only.

404
Logs
291
Divers
25.0 m
⌀ Depth
8.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ HMCS Yukon (Wreck)

The Yukon lives in an area known as ’Wreck Alley’ and is San Diego’s most popular wreck dive and one of the largest wrecks in all of California at 366 feet long! Sitting just off Mission Bay, the Yukon is an advanced dive as it sits in 100 plus feet of water.

879
Logs
376
Divers
28.0 m
⌀ Depth
7.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ WaterWorld Universal Studios

Water World Dive Tank @ Universal Studios Hollywood, is the deepest of the dive sites at Universal Studios. If you are an SSI Dive Leader with Universal Technical Services or with Scuba Schools of America & Swim, you may schedule dives at Water World.

190
Logs
39
Divers
7.0 m
⌀ Depth
24.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Half Moon Bay

Half moon bay is located across the lake from site 6 on the California side. Dropping down on our mooring line you will find a sunk sailboat that leads to multiple sunk boat and fish habitats. This dive site leads to the butt hole dive site which is the deepest part of the lake

3
Logs
2
Divers
18.0 m
⌀ Depth
12.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★☆☆ Millers Folly

This site is in Skier’s Cove and is also known as Miller’s Folly. This wreck is the remains of one of the early Lake Havasu Party Boats. Millers Folly is located in 25 feet of water next to one of the larger fish habitats. A few sunk boats sit right around Miller’s Folly.

11
Logs
9
Divers
8.0 m
⌀ Depth
3.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★☆☆ Deer Creek

Easy beach entry. Park on the side of Pacific Coast Highway at Deer Creek Rd. A set of stairs leads down to the beach. Two separate kelp forest / reef systems to explore. Be careful after big storms - sand gets washed out and beach becomes rocky entry.

33
Logs
18
Divers
9.0 m
⌀ Depth
6.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Channel Islands Break Wall

An easily accessible dive site from Channel Island Beach. A great spot for beginners with an easy swim out to the site. Lots of critters hiding within the rocks of the break wall.

624
Logs
179
Divers
12.0 m
⌀ Depth
6.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Copper Canyon

Copper Canyon is known for its famous cliff jump and boat tie-ups. Which makes it great for treasure hunting underwater. I-phones, watches, sunglasses, and box anchors are jump some of the items that we have found while diving.

17
Logs
7
Divers
10.0 m
⌀ Depth
3.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

★★★☆☆ Mission Bay

Mission Bay is not the most desirable dive spot but is a great back-up location, especially for open water classes, for when the ocean swell is too high for diving. The bay is protected so the water is always calm but visibility is not great and there is not too much to see.

508
Logs
211
Divers
8.0 m
⌀ Depth
3.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Scubapro

★★★★☆ La Jolla Cove

Just around the corner from one of Southern California’s most popular dive sites, La Jolla Shores, sits La Jolla Cove, the playground for a resident group of sea lions. This site is rockier and has kelp so it’s much different than its La Jolla Shores neighbor.

2,753
Logs
1,240
Divers
10.0 m
⌀ Depth
5.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★☆ The Marine Room

Entry: use the alleyway next to The Marine Room Restaurant. Careful during higher tide as the water will wash on to steps. Sandy bottom, stays 3-5 meters for at least 100m out from shore.

666
Logs
233
Divers
19.0 m
⌀ Depth
5.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★☆ La Jolla Shores

La Jolla Shores is the most popular dive site in San Diego county. Accessible from Kellogg Park, “The Shores“ is an easy beach entry unless the surf is high, then only those experienced in high surf entries should dive.

12,604
Logs
2,286
Divers
15.0 m
⌀ Depth
5.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Mares

★★★★☆ La Jolla Canyon

Kelp beds on the outer edges of the slope are popular fishing spots and great for observing seals, dolphins, birds and fish. Beyond the slope the bottom takes a sudden and 500-foot (150 m)-deep plunge into the La Jolla Canyon. The canyon reaches depths of 600 feet (180 m) within the park.

1,087
Logs
350
Divers
20.0 m
⌀ Depth
7.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

☆☆☆☆☆ Beacons

Located right on the California coast in Encinitas, this dive site is a block west of the historic 101 costal highway. There is a parking lot located above the dive site with a trail that leads you directly down to the beach. The trail is only a couple hundred yards long but does have multiple switch backs.

4
Logs
1
Divers
7.0 m
⌀ Depth
3.0 m
⌀ Visibility
Aqualung

★★★★☆ Cress Street

One of the very best dives in Laguna Beach. Easy entry, however you must enter and exit north or south of the houses you see to your left as you go down the stairs. Failure to do so can cause you to end up on a shallow reef.

110
Logs
60
Divers
9.0 m
⌀ Depth
7.0 m
⌀ Visibility

Diving in Southern California

Southern California offers divers a diverse range of underwater adventures. Notably, the "Yukon" wreck in San Diego attracts wreck diving enthusiasts with its impressive sunken ship structures teeming with marine life. Equally captivating, the oil rigs off the coast of Long Beach provide a unique dive site experience, where divers can explore vibrant ecosystems thriving on the submerged structures.

For those preferring shore dives, the La Jolla Cove is a popular choice, featuring kelp forests and a rich array of marine species. Night diving enthusiasts can enjoy the mesmerizing bioluminescence of Laguna Beach. Southern California also offers a balance of shore and liveaboard diving options, ensuring that divers can tailor their experiences to their preferences, whether it's a quick dive from the beach or an extended journey exploring multiple offshore sites.

The best Months to dive in Southern California

Diving in Southern California is a year-round activity, thanks to its mild climate and diverse marine environments. Water temperatures range from 15°C–20°C/59°F–68°F. Visibility typically varies between 3 to 9 meters/10 to 30 feet, influenced by weather conditions and water currents.

Winter and spring can bring rougher seas and lower visibility due to increased wind and swell. However, summer and fall often offer calmer waters and improved visibility, making these seasons more favorable for diving. Despite the seasonal variations, diving is generally feasible throughout the year, with periods of reduced comfort rather than complete inaccessibility.

Statistics

Historical data and trends

Dive Activity & Environmental Conditions

Centers Map

North County Scuba Center

122 Encinitas Blvd, 92024 Encinitas, CA - USA

ASD Scuba School

785 Pinefalls Ave, 91789 Diamond Bar, CA - USA

Veteran Six

38750 Sky Canyon Drive, Suite B, 92563 Murrieta, CA - USA

RIVERSIDE SCUBA

1043 W LA CADENA DRIVE, 92501 Riverside, CA - USA

Ocean to Skies

514 W. Adams Blvd, Suite 6, 90007 Los Angeles, CA - USA

Sea Stallion Scuba Outfitters

21098 Bake Parkway suite #108, 92630 Lake Forest, CA - USA

Scuba Schools of America

4420 Holt Blvd, 91763 Montclair, CA - USA

Beyond Land Adventures, Inc.

3445 Midway Drive, Suite G, 92110 San Diego, CA - USA

WAVES Project

42225 Remington Ave A18, 92590 Temecula, CA - USA