Channel Islands National Park
(Click on Photos for Enlarged Versions)
Channel Islands National Park only receives about 250,000 visitors per year simply because it is not easy to get to- you can’t drive to the islands. However, it is well worth the visit via a short boat trip, or private plane. Getting to the Channel Islands from the Channel Islands Harbor is easy. You can rent a boat from many of the boat rental companies within the harbor, like Hopper Boat Rentals. Another option is catching a ride with Island Packers who offers trips to all five of the Channel Islands, with room for 149 passengers. Their boats are equipped with plenty of comfortable seating both indoors and outdoors to ensure a great view while you cruise.
Off the coast of Ventura, the Channel Islands National Park is made up of five of the eight California Channel Islands (Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara). Also included in the park is the surrounding ocean, and is home to over 2,000 plants and animals. 145 of these plants and animals are not found anywhere but the Channel Islands! A trip to the islands themselves requires planning ahead, but an easy alternative is to visit one of the two visitors centers in Santa Barbara and Ventura, where you can get a taste of what Channel Islands offers. After a quick trip to the visitors center, you’ll want to plan a day trip to the islands themselves!
While each island offers it’s own beauty, and choices of activities, the National Park offers these suggestions:
- One Hour - Stop by one of the visitor centers in Ventura or Santa Barbara.
- Half Day - Take a half-day non-landing boat tour around Anacapa or a half-day, express boat trip to Anacapa or Santa Cruz Islands via Island Packers. During gray whale season (December through April), take a half-day whale watch trip out of Channel Islands Harbor.
- Full Day - Take a day trip to any of the park islands via the park concessionaires. During blue whale season (Spring through Summer), take an all day whale watch trip out of Channel Islands Harbor.
- Multiple Days - Camp on any of the park islands or take a multi-day, multi-island, live-aboard boat trip with Truth Aquati
Some of the exciting outdoor activities that the park offers are: picnicking, hiking, camping, backcountry camping, boating, kayaking, diving and snorkeling, fishing, surfing, whale watching, seal and sea lion viewing, bird watching, and viewing exotic wildflowers that are native to the area. You’ll be sure to work up an appetite with all of these exciting adventures, so stop by Christopher’s Latitude 34 Deli for a hand packed box lunch and snacks before you hop on board the boat to the Channel Islands.
Local surfers consider Channel Islands one of the best surfing spots in the area, if you can get there. The Channel Islands Harbor Marinas are great launching points to reach these hidden surf spots. Whether you have your own boat that you want to launch from the marina, or you want to catch a ride with one of the charter companies, or you’re your own boat, the Marinas have you covered. Depending on the swell direction, there are several locations where you can catch some great waves on the islands of Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Islands. Because the surf spots are remote, and entail a rugged, long hike from the designated areas where visitors are dropped off, it is most common for surfers to take a private boat to the islands. In general, the north shore has the best surf during the northwest swells of winter and spring, and the south shore is best during the south swells of summer and fall. After a long day of surfing some great waves, head back to the Harbor Marinas and enjoy a frosty beverage and lobsters at The Whale's Tail.
Another great activity in addition to catching great waves is the camping that is available on the islands. Before you begin your camping adventure, you’ll want to explore everything that the Channel Islands Harbor and Marinas have to offer, and maybe pick up some supplies at Wharf Dock & Shop. Camping is available year round at all five of the islands at campsites that are managed by the National Park Service. Currently, there is one established campground on each island:
- Above the landing cove on Santa Barbara Island
- On the east islet of Anacapa Island
- At Scorpion Ranch on Santa Cruz Island
- At Water Canyon on Santa Rosa Island
- Above Cuyler Harbor on San Miguel
For Addtional information on the Channel Islands, visit www.nps.gov/chis/ - The National Park's Website.