How to get to Channel Islands National Park

Author: Sara Rhodes
Date Of Creation: 16 February 2021
Update Date: 1 July 2024
Anonim
How To Get To Channel Islands National Park
Video: How To Get To Channel Islands National Park

Content

Channel Islands National Park, off the southern California coast, is home to one of the largest animal and plant communities in the United States. The park includes five islands - Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel and Santa Barbara. At each of them, visitors to the park can admire the picturesque landscapes and find many interesting things to do. It is important to mention that this national park is located close enough to several major cities in the state of California, so that visitors can quickly and easily get to the park.

Steps

Method 1 of 7: Gather the information you need

  1. 1 Find information on how much to spend when visiting Channel Island National Park. On the official website of the Channel Island National Park, you will find information about all the costs that you need to be prepared for:
    • You don't have to pay to visit the park. Access to the park free.
    • If you want to camp on one of the islands, you will need to pay $ 15 per tent place per day... This money will be used to preserve the nature of the park. You need to reserve your seat in advance through the National Recreation Reservation Service website. You can book a place in advance, but not earlier than 5 months before the expected date of the visit.
    • Park visitors who plan to get to the islands by boat will need to pay from 50 to 70 dollars for each person for a trip to the park and back. Children under the age of two - is free... If you plan to take your surfboard with you, you will have to pay extra for it. Ride reservations can be made at the park's visitor center or through the Island Packers Cruises website.
    • Visitors who decide to get to the islands by plane can do so through the Channel Islands Aviation. The cost will depend on the chosen flight option. If you choose a one-day flight, it will cost you about $ 150 -160 per adult and $ 125-135 per child... Special charter flights for those wishing to get to the camp are carried out during the summer months. Flight cost - $ 300 per person (minimum 4 people), or 1600 dollars for a seven-passenger charter flight from Camarillo, or $ 2,000 for a seven-passenger charter flight from Santa Barbara.
  2. 2 Learn the rules of conduct in the park. Like most national parks, Channel Island Park has a number of rules that restrict tourist access to certain areas and impose a ban on certain activities. For example, Channel Island Park pays special attention to limiting the influence of visitors on the park's nature. Visitors are advised to avoid animal nesting areas, not turn on artificial lighting at night, and refrain from visiting caves. On the park's website, you can find a detailed list of permitted and prohibited things. If you are planning to visit this national park, then you must carefully study this information.

Method 2 of 7: Getting to the Islands by Public Transportation Boats

  1. 1 Reserve your trip.
    • Click on the “View Schedule & Availability” button located at the top of the home page. You will be taken to a page listing all the islands in the national park. Select the island you want to visit, the date of the intended trip and the number of people who will travel with you.
    • On the next page, you will see the dates of the expected return from the island.Select the day you plan to return back to the mainland and the website will calculate the full cost of the trip for you. If you are not already registered on the site, you will need to do this before you can proceed to pay for your trip.
    • The number of passengers that can be carried in one flight is limited. In addition, access to some islands may be closed on certain days or at certain times. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the cost of a ticket in the daytime, when the passenger traffic is at its maximum, may differ upwards compared to the price of a trip in the morning and evening hours.
  2. 2 Read the rules for the carriage of passengers carefully. Here are a few things you need to know:
    • Travelers are required to arrive one hour prior to departure time and all equipment must be placed on the boat at least 30 minutes prior to departure.
    • The weight of each piece of baggage must not exceed 20 kilograms. An exception cannot be made under any circumstances.
    • All items of equipment must be marked with the owner's name, phone number and a special label, the color of which indicates the island where you are going.
  3. 3 You will need to get to the pier near the National Park Visitor Center and get on the boat when the boarding is announced. The number of parking spaces in the parking lot of the tourist center is limited, therefore, if you are traveling in a group, we advise you to unite and come in one car.

Method 3 of 7: How to Get to the Islands by Private Boat

  1. 1 Determine which island you want to get to and chart a course. Before you make a final decision on when and where you plan to travel, there are several factors to take into account:
    • Weather: The weather conditions in the strait are extremely unstable. Surge on the surf, high waves and fog can be very difficult for travelers. If you plan to go sailing on your own, be sure to check the weather forecast. You can get the necessary information from the NOAA Meteorological Service (by phone), the Channel Islands Internet Weather Kiosk, or by listening to the weather forecast on special radio stations: VHF-FM on a frequency of 162.475 MHz (marine weather forecast), VHF -FM at 162.55 MHz or VHF-FM at 162.40 MHz (observations from ground weather stations).
    • Maritime routes: Sailing to the islands takes place in the waters where there are busy sea routes off the coast of California. People planning independent boating should have a good idea of ​​where these paths go and be especially careful when crossing them. In addition, the waters around the islands are periodically closed to navigation due to the exercises of the country's naval forces.
    • general information: Prior to sailing, each boat owner should read the "Local Notice to Mariners" issued by the US Coast Guard. You can obtain it by contacting the Coast Guard office directly. You can buy nautical charts from your local travel store, bookstore or online store.
  2. 2 Check out the information on the rules of mooring on the island of your choice. Before disembarking on the island, it is recommended that you contact the responsible ranger in charge of this part of the park directly. Travelers can use the VHF channel to communicate with the rangers, after which the island's ranger will ask you to switch to a specific channel, through which you will receive brief directions for orientation in the terrain, instructions for disembarking the island and other detailed information. Below is a brief overview of the landing rules for each of the five main islands of the national park:
    • Santa Barbara Island: No special permission required.Disembarkation on the island should be carried out in a special bay, since access to the dock is allowed only for cargo ships going for unloading.
    • Anacapa island: No special permit required for boats docking in the western part of the island and in Frenchy Bay. A special permit is required for disembarkation in the central part of Anacapa Island, and a park ranger is required to accompany visitors. Access to the western part of the island is closed. Owners of private boats should not use the anchorages located in the eastern part of the island for mooring, they are reserved for other boats. Visitors are required to tie their boats at a sufficient distance from anchorage areas. Permission can be obtained through The Nature Conservatory website.
    • Santa Cruz Island: The western quarter of the island is open to the public without special permission. Mooring near the mooring barrels is prohibited, but it is possible to use the pier at the anchorage in Scorpion Anchorage or Prisoners Harbor. Visitors arriving in private boats should be extremely careful and attentive as conditions on the surf line are extremely unstable. Special permission is required to visit the rest of the island, which can be obtained through The Nature Conservatory's website.
    • Santa Rosa Island: Visitors can disembark by mooring along the coastline or on the beach. The stay on the island is limited to one day. Boat owners can use the piers at Beaches Bay, mooring near signal buoys is prohibited.
    • San Miguel Island: People arriving by private boat can disembark at Cuyler Harbor or Tyler Bight. Visitors can only land on the Cuyler Bay beaches.
  3. 3 Before leaving the port, you need to fill in the way (itinerary) sheet, which is handed over to the Harbor Master. Fill in the waybill with all the details of the upcoming trip. Make sure to fill in the personal information of each person who will be on board, as well as details of the upcoming trip (date and time of departure from port and destination), characteristics of the vessel (size, year of manufacture and color) and list all the rescue equipment that are available. The more detailed information you enter in the document, the easier it will be for the rescue services to find you if something unexpected happens.
  4. 4 Have a good trip! Enjoy your trip to the Channel Islands National Park. If you find that the weather is worsening or that your rescue equipment does not meet the necessary safety requirements, we recommend that you take the risk and return to port. You can go to the park at other times. Do not forget that first of all you need to take care of your own safety.

Method 4 of 7: Getting to the Islands by Plane

  1. 1 Book your plane ticket. You need to decide which flight is right for you and book the corresponding charter flight in advance on the company's website. The Channel Island Air Service (CIA) recommends that you book your seats at least one week in advance of your expected travel date. You can cancel the trip and get your money back if you notify the company about this no later than 72 hours before the departure date.
  2. 2 Read the rules for visiting the islands carefully. You need to pay attention to the following things:
    • During a day trip, travelers can spend no more than 3 hours on the beaches of the islands. Large groups of park visitors who wish to spend more than three hours on the islands can agree with CIA to extend their stay. However, this issue must be discussed in advance, prior to the start of the flight.
    • People wishing to stay in a campground should be aware that there is a ban on the import of any hazardous materials to the islands. This list includes any fire-starting equipment.CIA provides propane cylinders for campers, but visitors must bring their own gas stoves for cooking.
    • It is forbidden to bring any animals and bicycles to the park... So it is better to leave your beloved cat and bike at home.
  3. 3 Arrival at the airport. CIA recommends that passengers arrive at the airport no later than 45 minutes prior to departure time. Then you have plenty of time left.

Method 5 of 7: Arriving at the nearest airport

  1. 1 Determine where the nearest airport to the park is. More often than not, visitors to the Channel Island Park choose from two popular options:
    • Los Angeles International Airport ... This is the most convenient and simple option chosen by most of the park's visitors. This airport receives and dispatches thousands of planes every day and is one of the busiest airports in the world. It provides regular connections to all major cities in North America, although it is not always possible to find a direct flight to your destination.
    • Santa Barbara airport much smaller, however, it is closer to the park. If you are not flying to Santa Barbara from California, most of the time you have to take connecting flights.
  2. 2 Track flight prices so you don't miss out on great deals. Check all the sites that offer discounted tickets, you may find offers for the destination you are interested in. If you do not mind flying with one or two stops, the flight may cost you less than choosing a direct flight.
  3. 3 Buy a ticket or tickets. You should remember that buying non-refundable tickets will cost you less than purchasing tickets that can be returned or exchanged. However, you run the risk of losing all the money spent if, for some reason, you cannot go on a flight. Most often, tickets can be exchanged for another date for a predetermined fee.

Method 6 of 7: Driving from Los Angeles International Airport

  1. 1 Departure from the airport to the US-101 N highway.
    • Merge onto West Way and continue onto W Century Blvd. 1.8 miles (2.9 km).
    • Take exit I-405 N (0.8 km).
    • Merge onto I-405 N and continue for 16.2 miles (25.9 km).
    • Take exit US-101 N (0.8 km).
    • Merge onto US-101 N and continue on for 45.8 miles (73.3 km)
  2. 2 Departure from US-101 N to Robert J. Visitor Center. Lagomarsino
    • Take junction 64 towards Victoria Ave. and continue for 0.2 miles (0.3 km).
    • Turn left onto S. Victoria Ave. continue for 0.6 miles (1 km).
    • Turn right onto Olivia's Park Dr. and continue along it for 2.5 miles (4 km).
    • Continue along Spinnaker Dr. 1.5 miles (2.4 km).

Method 7 of 7: Driving from Santa Barbara Airport

  1. 1 Departure from the airport to US-101 S.
    • Follow Moffett Pl. 0.5 miles (0.8 km).
    • Continue along Sandspit Rd. 0.5 miles (0.8 km).
    • Merge onto CA-217 E / State Route 217 E and continue for 1.8 miles (2.9 km).
    • Change onto US-101 S and continue for 35.8 miles (57.3 km).
  2. 2 Departure from US-101 S to Robert J. Lagomarsino
    • Take exit 68 towards Seaward Ave. and continue for 0.2 miles (0.3 km).
    • Turn left onto E. Harbor Blvd. and follow it for 1.9 miles (3 km).
    • Turn right onto Spinnaker Dr. and continue for 1.5 miles (2.4 km).

Tips

  • You can find activities to your liking, depending on the time of year. The summer months are believed to be ideal for snorkelling, surfing and swimming. In winter, the season comes when visitors can watch gray whales. Plan your trip based on what you prefer to do on vacation.
  • Visitors can move from one island to another, either by their own boats or by the park's boat transport. Find information on the sailing service's website about boat timetables and how to use them.
  • If you want to do something extraordinary, get ready for significant expenses.If you want to go surf fishing on Santa Rosa Island, the 8-person trip will cost you $ 950 if you sail from Camarillo and $ 1200 from Santa Barbara. In addition, you must have a valid fishing license issued in California for this tour. It should be borne in mind that visitors to the park have the opportunity to choose from many exciting activities that are offered completely free of charge. Many tourists choose the Anacapa Island Walking Day Tour, which you can go either with a ranger or on your own.

Warnings

  • When you book your tent through the National Recreation Reservation Service website, you will be sent a confirmation email. You need to print this confirmation and take it with you. Upon arrival at the park, you will need to present this letter to the park ranger in order to obtain permission to set up your tent.
  • If you want to fish in the surf zone of the island, you should know in advance about the established restrictions on the weight of equipment. When flying with CIA, there are restrictions on the weight of equipment (6.8 kilograms) per passenger, which includes the weight of the lunch food and the weight of all equipment. Park visitors are also advised to take a windbreaker or other warm jacket with them, as there are strong winds in the park.