Wondering how to do a day trip to Channel Islands National Park? I’ve compiled a complete guide on how to visit Channel Islands for a day — everything you need to know and what I wish I knew when I did a day trip to Channel Islands National Park.
Twelve family members joined me on that excursion, and though it was a long day, it was a good one.
Why Day Trip to Channel Islands?
See unique plants and wildlife. The Channel Islands have unique plants, animals, and landscapes that you won’t find anywhere else on earth.
Visit historic islands. It can be an incredible family outing, venturing into nature that’s been preserved and enjoyed for thousands of years, first by the Native Chumash people and then by the national park.
Enjoy recreational activities. Whether you’re interested in hiking, kayaking, playing on the beach, or wildlife spotting, there’s something for you at Channel Islands National Park.
About Channel Islands National Park
Channel Islands National Park is a set of five islands just off the coast of California. The five islands that make up Channel Islands National Park are:
- Anacapa Island
- Santa Cruz Island
- Santa Rosa Island
- San Miguel Island
- Santa Barbara Island
They’re a time capsule, in a way, of what California once looked like thousands of years ago when it was wilder and rugged. The islands and the ocean environment are preserved by the national park.
The services available on the islands are minimal. It’s really just you and nature.
I did a lot of planning when I embarked on a day trip to Channel Islands National Park in September, and I’m sharing all my research here with you. I’m sure you have questions, so let’s get into it.
How Do You Get to Channel Islands National Park?
Island Packers is the official boat transportation to the Channel Islands. You’ll need to purchase ferry tickets through that company. They depart primarily from Ventura Harbor, but some boats also depart from Oxnard.
There are no national park entry fees to Channel Islands National Park, so you’ll only need to pay for your ferry tickets.
Which Island Should You Visit?
Anacapa Island and Santa Cruz Island are the best islands to visit.
1. Anacapa Island
Anacapa Island is the island closest to shore and one of the most visited islands of Channel Islands National Park. It has 2 miles of hiking trails, picnic tables, campgrounds, and a lighthouse.
Boat trips to this island occur almost every day throughout the year.
It’s also the smallest island, and it doesn’t have any beaches, only cliffs.
To reach the island from the East End Landing boat dock, you’ll need to climb over 150 stairs. Additionally, there are no island foxes on this island.
| Features of Anacapa Island: | Potential Cons: |
| Smallest island | Only 2 miles of hiking trails (though beautiful) |
| One dock: East End Landing | 150 stairs to reach island from landing |
| Cliffs only | No beaches |
| Wildflowers in winter and spring | No island foxes |
| Picnic tables | No potable water |
| 7 camping sites | No shops or restaurants |
| A lighthouse | |
| 1.5 hour travel time, each way ~4.5 hours on island (day trips) | |
| Boat transfers almost every day |
2. Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island is the other most visited island of Channel Islands National Park and also the largest island in California.
There are two docks on this island: Scorpion Anchorage and Prisoners Harbor.
Boat trips to this island occur almost every day throughout the year to both docks.
Santa Cruz Island has hiking trails, beaches, picnic tables, island foxes, and campgrounds as well as the Painted Cave, a sea cave which can be accessed via boat or kayak.
| Features of Santa Cruz Island: | Potential Cons: |
| Largest island | Too big to see in one day trip |
| Two docks: Scorpion Anchorage and Prisoners Harbor | No potable water (except on camping sites) |
| Island foxes live here | No shops or restaurants |
| Beaches and cliffs | Cobblestone beaches (rocky) |
| 1-2 hour travel time from Ventura, each way ~4-7 hours on island depending on departure time and dock | |
| The Painted Cave | |
| Boat transfers almost every day | |
| 31 camping sites | |
| Picnic tables |
3. Santa Rosa Island
Santa Rosa Island is farther off shore, and it can take 2-3 hours to reach it, one way. Day trips still occur. There are picnic tables, small campgrounds (15 camping sites), island foxes, and hiking trails on the island. Island Packers offers trips March-November a few days a week.
4. San Miguel Island
For San Miguel Island, Island Packers only offers day trips a few days in October. Otherwise it’s strictly for camper pick-ups summer through early fall.
All visitors to San Miguel Island will need to fill out a release and hold harmless form. Why? This island is owned by the Navy but operated by the NPS, and it once served as a missile testing area. Thus, there could be unexploded munitions still on the island, posing a risk to safety. Seriously.
5. Santa Barbara Island
Santa Barbara Island doesn’t have a suitable boat dock or landing area, so Island Packers doesn’t offer any boat trips to this island right now.
Why I Chose to Visit Santa Cruz Island
We chose to visit Santa Cruz Island at the Prisoners Harbor dock, so we could also see the Painted Cave, which was included in some ferry tickets. It’s the “multi port day trip” option under Santa Cruz Island Trips on the Island Packers website.
Because the ferry also stopped at the Painted Cave, it cut about an hour out of our time on the island. Even so, we were still able to eat lunch on the island, do a little hiking, see the island foxes, and splash around on the beach for a bit.
I’ll expand more on my experience on Santa Cruz Island below so you can see if this itinerary is right for your adventurous day trip to Channel Islands National Park.
Before You Go: Some Things to Know about Visiting Channel Islands National Park
Entry Fees: There is no entrance fee to Channel Islands National Park like there is for most other national parks. You will need to pay for ferry transportation, though.
Food: There are no restaurants, shops, or potable water on Santa Cruz Island or Anacapa Island. (One exception: There is potable water available for camping sites on Santa Cruz Island.) For day trippers, pack your lunch and water with you, and remember to pack out all trash upon leaving. There are no trash cans either. There is food service on the boat, but mostly snacks and drinks. Be prepared!
Book Your Boat Transfer: Island Packers is the official boat transportation to the Channel Islands. You’ll need to purchase ferry transportation to the islands.
Bring Water Shoes: The beaches on Santa Cruz Island are rocky, cobblestone beaches, so water shoes are a must. Sandals and flip-flops are not recommended.
Clothing: It gets pretty cold and windy on the islands, so dress in layers and bring a jacket.
Want to Kayak? If you want to kayak on the Santa Cruz Island, you’ll need to land at Scorpion’s Anchorage, which means you won’t be able to see the Painted Cave. You will, however, get to kayak into other sea caves on the island. Book your kayaking tour on the Channel Islands Adventure Company’s website. They are the official concessioner for Channel Islands water activities, which all depart from the Scorpion Anchorage dock on Santa Cruz Island. You’ll find more information on their website for how to prepare for your kayaking or snorkeling adventure. I didn’t partake in those activities, so I don’t have first-hand knowledge of them.
Want to See the Painted Cave? To visit the Painted Cave by boat, you can purchase a multi-port day trip ticket to Santa Cruz Island’s Prisoners Harbor dock and the Painted Cave.
What to Do: An Itinerary for a Day Trip to Channel Islands National Park
Have Breakfast at Harbor Cove Cafe
We had breakfast at the Harbor Cove Cafe, which is walking distance from the departure point, the Island Packers office in Ventura Harbor. We loved the food here — they had delicious breakfast burritos, tea and coffee; and they were open early.
We snagged a good parking spot and headed here to fuel up before our boat trip. There are also plenty of tables outside with views of the harbor. A few even had a fire pit.
Briefly Tour the Channel Islands Visitor Center
We only had about 15 minutes to visit the Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center at Channel Islands National Park before we had to check in with our boat. It was a quick trip but definitely worth it as the visitor center closes before our boat would have returned, so this was our only time to go.
Inside you’ll find exhibits about the islands, its animals and marine life as well as a small shop. Upstairs is a viewing deck with telescopes to look out at the ocean.
Watch for Dolphins and Whales on the Boat Ride
Channel Islands National Park is one of the most unique national parks in several ways. For one thing, you must take a boat to get there — but don’t think of this as just transportation. The boat ride is part of the experience.
Along the way you are likely to see wildlife such as dolphins and whales. We saw a pod of dolphins swimming alongside our boat for a few miles before they went their own way. It was incredible.
The boat ride was also pretty bouncy as it rode over the ocean waves, creating a lot of laughs among our group as people swayed left and right. Some people in the back got soaked from ocean spray; they were wearing ponchos luckily but their hair was still drenched.
Others had to move downstairs where the boat felt less shaky, due to seasickness. Depending on how much bounciness you can handle, the boat ride on the top deck can be pretty fun, if you get a seat up there.
How long is the boat ride to Channel Islands? It’s an hour and half boat ride from Ventura to Santa Cruz Island, plus an additional hour to view the sea cave, if your ticket includes that, so four hours total on the ocean.
Go Inside a Sea Cave
The Painted Cave is the largest sea cave in California. It is the world’s 4th largest sea cave by length, the length of more than four football fields. It’s big enough for a large boat to be taken into its entrance with room to spare — and that’s what Island Packers does: They take you right into the cave.
It’s an additional cost to visit the Painted Cave and it requires a special ticket, the multi-port day trip ticket: Prisoners Harbor with Painted Cave excursion.
The boat goes into the cave farther than I expected, but you don’t stay too long. Just a few minutes to get pictures and then the boat starts backing out. It’s worth it as this is the only way to see the cave unless you kayak to it independently.
Going on the boat with Island Packers is a much easier and more accessible way to see the cave.
Why is it called the Painted Cave? It’s called the “painted” cave because of naturally occurring colors created by various rock types, lichens and algae.
Explore the Island
One of the biggest draws of Santa Cruz Island is the beach. It’s where most of our fellow boat riders spent their time on the island. There’s a beach right off of the Prisoners Harbor dock. The water is beautiful but cold.
Prepare for the Cobblestone Beaches
The beach near Prisoners Harbor is not a sandy beach but a cobblestone one. Bring water shoes if you want to get in the water as the rocks are a bit hurtful to step on.
Look for Island Foxes
The island foxes found on Channel Islands National Park live nowhere else in the world. They are smaller than other foxes — only 4-5 pounds, about the size of a house cat — due to dwarfism in their genes. They were once an endangered species but their population is recovering due to efforts by the national park.
Where can you find the foxes?
You can find these foxes on three of the Channel Islands: Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, and San Miguel Island. They can also be found on three other California islands such as Catalina Island and two owned by the Navy.
While on Santa Cruz Island, we kept our eyes peeled, but didn’t see the foxes until it was time to board the boat. They came up to the picnic tables and were sniffing around, probably used to people leaving food scraps before departing the island. Definitely do not feed the foxes or leave any trash.
There are fox boxes where you can lock up your food or belongings if you go on a hike or in the water. That being said, if you want to catch a glimpse of the foxes, linger a bit before lining up to board the boats — they appeared around this time by the picnic tables.
How did the foxes get to the islands?
One theory is that the islands were never connected to the main land and that the foxes probably arrived via rafting during the last ice age, 10,000-20,000 years ago. Another theory is that Native people, such as the Chumash, who have inhabited the islands since 11,000 years ago, likely brought them. The oldest fox fossil found on the islands is about 6,000 years old.
The Chumash considered the fox to be a sacred animal — a pet of the sun, and possibly a dream helper. The island Chumash performed a fox dance and probably used the pelts of foxes to make arrow quivers, capes, and headdresses, according to information on the NPS website.
Hike to Pelican Bay
Distance: 4.6 miles
Elevation gain: 921 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
This trail travels along cliffs and through trees, offering incredible views of the ocean, eventually ending at Pelican Bay, a small cove. There, you can walk down to the cobblestone beach and swim a bit before hiking your way back.
My mom and I hiked some of this trail but didn’t reach the bay, wary of the time. Our Painted Cave excursion and family lunch cut into a lot of our time on the island. It was more important for us to make it back before the boat left us. Definitely be mindful of the time and your hiking abilities.
Don’t forget to sign the release form before hiking. Since the trail is part of the island preserve, you’ll need to sign a form in order to hike it. Forms will be passed out by an employee on board the boat.
Have Dinner at Ventura Harbor Village
It’s another 1.5-hour boat ride back, so once docked, I’m sure you’ll be hungry. Walk over to the nearby Ventura Harbor Village which has an array of restaurants and cafes. It’s a pretty shopping area you can explore for a bit before driving back home or to your hotel.
Where to Stay Near Channel Islands National Park
There are no hotels on the islands, only primitive campgrounds that offer a picnic table, storage box, and toilet pit. Fires are also not allowed, so you’ll need to use one of the provided gas stoves to cook meals. There is also no potable water on three of the islands, so you’ll need to bring all your necessary water with you (the two exceptions are Santa Cruz Island and Santa Rosa Island).
For those who don’t want to camp, you can simply take a day trip to Channel Islands and return to mainland California. It’d be best to stay at a hotel close to Ventura Harbor or Oxnard (whichever one you are departing from).
Frequently Asked Questions about a Channel Islands Day Trip
Can you go to Channel Islands for the day?
Yes, you definitely can go to one of the Channel Islands for the day. Simply book a return ferry through Island Packers, which is the official boat transportation to the Channel Islands.
Is Channel Islands worth it?
Yes, the Channel Islands are definitely worth visiting, especially if you’re interested in visiting a largely untouched and undeveloped island with unique wildlife (such as the island foxes) not found anywhere else in the world. And did I mention there’s a sea cave and dolphins?
How long is the ferry ride to Channel Islands?
It depends on which island you are going to visit.
Our ferry from Ventura to Santa Cruz Island was a 1.5 hour boat ride (so three hours round trip) plus an additional hour to view the Painted Cave, so four hours total on the ocean.
How much does it cost to go to the Channel Islands?
There is no fee to visit Channel Islands, however you do have to pay for ferry transportation.
The cost of the ferry transportation depends on which island you are going to visit.
Round trip adult ferry tickets start at $66 and go up from there.
Round trip child tickets (3-12) start at $47 and go up from there.
See the Island Packers website for more information on their pricing.
Which Channel Islands can you visit?
There are 5 islands within the Channel Islands. Two can be easily visited, two are a bit harder to visit as ferry transport dates are limited, and one can’t be visited.
Easily Visit: Santa Cruz Island, Anacapa Island
Limited Dates for Ferry Transport: Santa Rosa Island, San Miguel Island
Can’t Visit: Santa Barbara Island
How to go to Channel Islands National Park?
To go to Channel Islands National Park, simply book a return ferry through Island Packers, which is the official boat transportation to the Channel Islands.
Are the Channel Islands part of California?
Yes, the Channel Islands are part of California.
Map of Channel Islands Day Trip Activities
Note: On this trip, I forgot my camera at home, not realizing it until we arrived at Ventura Harbor, so all of the photos on this post are unfortunately from low-quality camera phones.
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