California - Channel Islands National Park

11mi/18km from the mainland is Anacapa, a group of three islands, connected only by boat. From Ventura you can get to East Anacapa. All three islands cover an area of one square mile (about 290 hectares). Near the landing-stage is the start of a 1.5mi/2.4km nature path, which opens up the beauties of the island. From January to March you can watch from here the migration of the gray whales from Alaska to Mexico. There is a camp-site on East Anacapa for which you must get a permit in advance from the park headquarters in Ventura.

San Miguel (8mi/13km long and 4mi/6km wide) is a plateau about 400-500ft/120-150m high. There is no public transport and no camp-site. If you wish to get there in your own boat you will need a special permit.

Santa Barbara, the other Channel island besides the Anacapa Islands which can be reached by ship, is the southernmost one and, covering an area of 640 acres/260 hectares, is the smallest island on the archipelago. It was not inhabited until the 1920s; prior to that it served as grazing land, but the vegetation was seriously damaged by fires and the mass invasion of wild hare. The island possesses tracks totaling 6mi/9km in length. A favorite setting-off point is Canyon View, south of the landing-stage. There is a camp-site here for which you need a permit. You must bring food and water with you. There is no shade on Anacapa or on Santa Barbara, so you must take precautions to protect yourself from the sun.

There is no public transport and no camp-site on Santa Cruz - the biggest of the Channel Islands, which is 24mi/39km in length and covers an area of 37sq.mi/96sq.km. If you wish to get there in your own boat you will need a special permit.

There is no public transport and no camp-site on the 15mi/24km long and 10mi/16km wide island of Santa Rosa. If you wish to get there in your own boat you will need a special permit.