Planning a trip to California's Channel Islands? Here's what you need to know

29.05.2024 - 12:43 / lonelyplanet.com

Hovering just off the coast of Southern California are a string of under-explored islands that offer a peaceful escape from the noise and hubbub of the mainland. If you fancy camping in serene scenery in front of epic sunsets, look no further than California's Channel Islands. 

The eight Channel Islands earn every bit of their 'North America’s Galapagos' nickname – more than 150 endemic species of plants and animals are tucked onto these specks of land scattered across the bay between Santa Barbara and San Diego.

For nearly 13,000 years, these islands have stayed largely aloof from domestication, and even from tourism, with one notable exception. This is all rather surprising given that the isles lie within sight of one of the most densely populated parts of the US.

While the island of Santa Catalina is fairly well-known and developed, the other Channel Islands are still wonderfully unspoiled. And while a visit is not as easy as say, a trip to Disneyland, you can have a meaningful experience even on a short day trip from a Southern California harbor.

Here's how to experience each of the eight islands, starting with the five islands protected as the Channel Islands National Park.

While the Channel Islands archipelago stretches from Santa Barbara County all the way south to the fringes of San Diego, the five national park islands are more tightly grouped off the shore near Ventura. The National Park Service (NPS) keeps the human impact on these hilly islands to a bare minimum to preserve their raw and natural character.

The islands are mostly treeless with little cover from the near-constant winds, but the wildflowers in spring are superb, as is the hiking year-round. Rangers and volunteers run guided hikes timed to meet some, but not all, boat trips – the NPS operates visitor centers in Santa Barbara and Ventura where you can make inquiries.

Each of the islands has a small, primitive campground with pit toilets and not much else. Everything has to be packed in and out, including water (unless you are staying at the sites on Santa Cruz or Santa Rosa). Make camping reservations with the NPS in advance to secure a spot.

Island Packers runs boat services to the park from Ventura Harbor and nearby Oxnard, and you can take day trips most days to Anacapa and Santa Cruz islands. Boats run less often to Santa Rosa and San Miguel and there are currently no boats to Santa Barbara (though services may resume once the jetty is repaired). Other ways to reach the islands include private boat charters and multi-day cruises, some focusing on diving in the rich and pristine waters of the national park.

If you're camping, consider bringing along TC Boyle’s 2011 book When the Killing's Done – part murder-mystery, part