Getting Here and Around

The visitor center for Channel Islands National Park is on California's mainland, in the town of Ventura, off U.S. 101. From the harbors at Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard you can board a boat to one of the islands. You also can catch a flight to some of the islands from the Camarillo Airport, near Oxnard, and the Santa Barbara Airport.

If you have your own boat, you can land at any of the islands, but each island has certain closed and restricted areas, so boaters should contact the park ranger on each island for instructions. Private vehicles are not permitted on the islands. Pets are also not allowed in the park.

Several private companies provide transportation by boat or plane to and from the mainland to one of more of the Channel Islands.

To reach the Ventura harbor, exit U.S. 101 in Ventura at Seaward Boulevard or Victoria Avenue and follow the signs to Ventura Harbor/Spinnaker Drive. In Santa Barbara, exit U.S. 101 at Castillo Street and head south to Cabrillo Boulevard, then turn right for the harbor entrance. To access Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, exit U.S. 101 at Victoria Avenue and head south approximately 7 mi to Channel Islands Boulevard. Amtrak makes stops in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Oxnard; from the Amtrak station, just take a taxi or waterfront shuttle bus to the harbor.