National Parks of China
Overview
| Designation | US National Park |
| Location | Off the coast of southern California |
| Latitude, longitude | 34.0, -120.0 Google Maps |
| Nearby sites | Yosemite National Park, Pinnacles National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Death Valley National Park |
| Highlights | Islands, marine life |
| Top sights | Anacapa Island |
| Wildlife | Whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals, flying fish, seabirds, foxes |
| Area | 249,000 acres |
| Nearby cities | Los Angeles |
| Themes | Island, Ocean, Wildlife, Bird |
About
Channel Islands National Park lies off the Pacific coast of California. It became a US national park in 1980.
Travel tips
Getting there: the islands can only be reached by boat or plane. The visitor centre and harbour are in Ventura, about 1.5 hours' drive north of Los Angeles; the nearest airports are Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.
By boat: the concession boats leave from Ventura or Oxnard; Anacapa takes about an hour, Santa Cruz about an hour and a quarter, and the farther islands two to four hours.
By air: small planes also fly to Santa Rosa Island, by reservation.
Anacapa: the nearest island, with a lighthouse and a short trail; it suits a day trip.
Santa Cruz: the largest island in the park, with the most trails and sea caves; kayaking is popular.
Whales: grey whales migrate past from late winter to spring, and in summer blue whales and dolphins may be seen; the boats often meet them on the crossing.
Season: summer and autumn have the most settled weather; in winter seas are rough and sailings may be cancelled.
Where to stay: there are only campgrounds on the islands, which need reservations; bring all your water and food. Most visitors otherwise stay in Ventura or Oxnard.
Caution: there are no shops or food on the islands and all rubbish must be carried out; seasickness is possible on the crossing.
More photos
Photo credits: Channel Islands National Park: NPS (public domain)