Have you ever been surrounded by dolphins or seen a Gray Whale tail flip out of the ocean? If you haven’t then, you’ll need to explore a Channel Islands Day Trip! I have been to over half of the national parks and this is one of the most unique. It’s completely made up of islands off the coast of Southern California.
Camping, whale watching, or snorkeling there is so much to do on the Channel Islands. Learn about which islands you can get to in a day and which you’ll need a longer trip for. Get your complete guide to Channel Islands National Park below.
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Table of Contents
Guide to the Channel Islands
What are the Channel Islands?
The Channel Islands encompass five stunning islands and the ocean area surrounding them off the coast of Ventura, California. Each of the five islands is unique in its own way with reasons to stop and see them. You can take a trip to visit one of the islands to explore, camp overnight on the islands, or take a boat around the islands to see the thriving sea life.
Booking Your Trip
The only ways to get to the Channel Islands is by boat or by air. You can book a ferry on the Island Packers website. They have varying schedules and offerings based on the time of year. For example, we went in the winter, so they had limited service and only one option to visit Anacapa Island for the day. We booked the half day wildlife cruise and were incredibly satisfied with our choice. If you want to add a camping trip, then you’ll need to also look at recreation.gov to see the campsite availability.
If you want to fly there, then you’ll have to book your flight from Channel Islands Aviation. The flights only go to San Miguel and Santa Rosa. Flights start at $1200 a person.
What to Do on the Islands
Snorkeling– Many people travel to the Channel Islands to snorkel in the clear blue waters near the islands. You can snorkel off the beaches of Santa Cruz Island and see the thriving ecosystem under the water.
Kayaking – You can rent kayaks or bring your own and kayak around the islands. A lot of the water can get really rough, so you should be an experienced kayaker.
Hiking– Trails on the Channel Islands are incredibly quiet and serene. You’ll find yourself alone with the natural surroundings. Santa Cruz has some of the best hiking trails including Smugglers Cove and Prisoners Harbor.
Wildlife Watching– The ferries will stop for wildlife on your way to the islands. However, you can also focus on the wildlife and go on a wildlife cruise. You’ll have the chance to see dolphins, seals, Grey Whales, and Humpback whales on your trip.
Channel Islands Day Trip Options
Getting to the islands is very dependent on the weather. There are some days that ferries will get canceled or will not be able to land on the islands. Also, the ferries only go on a limited schedule, so check that out before you go!
Santa Cruz Island
This is one of the most popular day trips and islands to go to in the park. Santa Cruz island is the largest island in the park and has the most options for activities on the island. There are miles of hiking trails you can take like the hike to Smugglers Cove. You can also view plenty of wildlife, go kayaking, or snorkel off of the beaches there.
It is an easy trip for a day trip, and you can do plenty on the island. If you want to extend your trip, then you can book campsites on recreation.gov. Just remember that you’ll need to pack in and pack out everything you’ll need on the island.
Travel Time: 1 hour
Ferries: Year round, schedules vary
Landing: Visitors have to climb a steel rung ladder to either Scorpion Cove or Prisoners Harbor. When you can’t land on the island, they will take small boats to the landing.
Campground: 2; One at Scorpion Cove with 31 sites and One at Prisoner’s Harbor with 4 Backcountry sites
Nights: 1-2 Days
Anacapa Island
If you don’t want to go to Santa Cruz, then Anacapa is another great option for a day trip. They run boats here year long, so it’s easy to access and explore in a day. The most popular thing to do here is view the historic lighthouse or hike the 1.5 mile trail to Inspiration Point. You can easily do this hike and then take the ferry back home later that afternoon. This island has great views of the wildlife below and the islands beyond.
Travel Time: 1 hour
Ferries: Year round, schedules vary
Landing: Visitors have to climb a steel rung ladder and then 157 steps up to the top of the island.
Campground: 1 campground with 7 sites
Nights: 1
Wildlife Half Day Cruise
This trip runs on most weekend days. The trip will take you through the ocean towards the Channel Islands and it will stop to see wildlife along the way. You can also observe all of the islands and the Arch Rock on Anacapa Island.
Travel Time: 4 Hours (Total Trip time)
Ferries: Year round, 3 days a week
Whale Watching Day Cruise
If you want to focus specifically on whale watching then you should take this cruise. There are whale watching trips in the summer and in the winter.
Travel Time: 5-6 hours, these trips are longer to see the whales better
Ferries: Late December-April for Winter Gray Whale Watching and June-September for summer whale watching
Islands You Need More Than a Day For
Santa Rosa
This island is the windiest island of the five, but also has some of the very best wildlife watching. Because of the wind, you always want to prepare with multiple layers for your trip to the island. Also, water sports are not recommended around this island because of the precarious conditions. Although you can do a day trip to this island, you’ll be traveling a far distance.
Travel Time: 3 hours
Ferries: April-November, 2-4 days a week
Landing: Visitors have to climb a steel rung ladder to the Bechers Bay Pier
Campground: Primitive Camping near Lester Ranch with 9 sites
Nights: 1-2
San Miguel
This is the most remote of all the islands and one of the most rugged. You’ll need a permit to visit this island, because of how dangerous it can be. Once you’re on the island, you’ll need to have a Park ranger with you at all times. Despite the treacherous journey, this island has some of the best wildlife viewing of all of them. You can see nesting seabirds, island foxes, and maybe even Great White Sharks!
Travel Time: 4 hours
Ferries: April-November, 4-8 Days a Month
Landing: Visitors take skiffs onto the beach and must prepare for strong wind and harsh weather conditions
Campground: 1 (Water Canyon) with 15 sites
Nights: 2-3 around Ferry Schedule
Santa Barbara
You can’t take a day trip to Santa Barbara, but here is everything you need to know. This is the smallest island of the Channel Islands and the hardest to get to. However, this island is known for having abundant wildlife including elephant seals, birds, and bright flowers.
Travel Time: 2.5-3 hours
Ferries: Spring through Fall, only run 2-4 times a month
Landing: Visitors have to climb a steel rung ladder, and climb a quarter mile up a hill with 131 steps to get to the top.
Campground: 1 with 10 sites
Nights: 2-3 around Ferry Schedule
Things to Know Before You Go
- The boat sells snacks, alcohol and drinks. You are allowed to bring non-alcoholic drinks and food on board as well.
- You must pack in and pack out everything you need on the island. There is no food for sale on the islands. You will need to bring what you need including kayak rentals or camping equipment if you’re staying overnight.
- Boats fill up quickly, you will need to reserve the ferry early in order to get a spot. Check the ferry schedule before booking any campgrounds. We wanted to camp, but there were no ferry times that allowed camping.
Visiting the Channel Islands is a magical experience. Explore some of the very best scenery and wildlife in the US on a Channel Islands Day Trip!
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I had never heard of the Channel Islands before, but they look beautiful and sound like so much fun to visit! I would especially love to visit Anacapa and go to the historic lighthouse – that sounds amazing and I bet it’s so cool to see!
It was magical! I had never been surrounded by dolphins like that before.
Wow, no food on the island–that is super interesting. Sounds like a really fun adventure! Your photography is beautiful.
Aww thank you so much! We had such a good time.