Wow, just wow! Our boys added two new words to their vocabulary while visiting the Channel Islands: unique and remote, great words to describe this National Park. It takes a one-hour ferry ride to get to Santa Cruz Island (one of the closest of the islands), but this is all part of the experience. The ferry takes you away from the hustle and bustle of the California Coast to a natural landscape untouched by civilization.
Planning your adventure
The first step in planning your adventure is picking the island you want to visit. The two most popular and closest islands are Anacapa and Santa Cruz. We chose Santa Cruz because it’s larger and offered more hiking options and for the unique wildlife (island foxes)! This was very different than all the other National Parks we’ve visited because you’re taking a ferry to get there and will be on the island all day. You have to pack everything in and out! Plan on spending a full day there, the time goes by pretty fast! Book an early morning ticket and the last afternoon time available. Pack a cooler for lunch, there are great picnic areas right off dock and you can leave your cooler there while you hike. Just be sure to use a fox box if you don’t have a cooler with a lid. There are bathrooms and changing rooms right after you exit the dock. It gets cold on the ferry ride over, so you’ll need layers! We shedded our coats and pants (for the boys) after the boat ride and put them all in a fox box near the dock.
The Junior Ranger program was very accessible, you can get a book on the ferry or at the island. It was fun to complete the activities while on the island and earn a badge from the Park Ranger before we boarded the ferry.
Hiking Trails
The only way to explore this island by land is on foot. So if you’re not renting a kayak lace up your hiking boots and hit the trail. We hiked the trails along the coast out to Potato Harbor and back through Cavern Point. It was a very do-able 5 miles with beautiful cliff side trails and many wild flowers. The views reminded us of the Irish countryside and the Cliffs of Moher, what California might have looked like if left undeveloped.
Wildlife
Our kids liked the boat ride and the hiking, but the things they’ll remember are the island foxes and the dolphins! Santa Cruz Island has a large population of island foxes, which can only be found in the Channel Islands. If you’re traveling with kids be sure to check their backpacks for stowaway island foxes on the way out, they’re so cute!
The highlight of the trip was by far the mega pod of dolphins we got to see on our way back from the island. The Island Packers crew estimated 1,000-2,000 dolphins in this pod! This is pretty common in the Santa Barbara Channel, but for us dolphins as far as you could see and all around the boat was beyond incredible!! Whales are also a possibility in the channel, especially during their migration between Mexico and Alaska.
Island Packers Ferry
We were SO impressed with Island Packers, the only ferry company that works with the Channel Islands. The crew was awesome, and very excited to share their knowledge with us. Even though our boat was not a wildlife cruise, they went out of their way to make the experience special. There are many affordable food options on the boat. No better way to cap off a day in the islands than a cold beer on the bow of the boat!
Best time to visit:
The best times to visit the islands is Spring, Summer, and Fall. Spring is the best time for wildflowers! The Island Packers don’t run as frequently in the winter months, so check the schedule.
Where we stayed:
We stayed in Newport Beach (here) and really enjoyed it. You could also chose any location around L.A. and drive to Ventura Harbor.
You can camp on the island as well! This would be a whole other packing adventure, but something we’d like to try someday!
Other things to do:
Kayak Tour – renting a kayak or taking a tour seems like a fun way to explore the island from water through the sea caves and kelp forests.
Camping – Similar to a day trip you have to pack everything in and out, but this would be a really fun adventure!
