Which Channel Island Should You Visit?
A Complete Guide to Choosing the Right One
Channel Islands National Park is made up of five very different islands. Choosing the right one will define your experience and detemrine how much you enjoy it. While Santa Cruz and Anacapa are the most popular for day trips and ideal for families or first-time visitors, Santa Rosa and San Miguel offer a more remote, rugged escape. So which Channel Island is best for you?
In this guide, I’ll break down the differences between all five islands including hiking, wildlife, camping, ferry access, and overall experience so you can confidently choose the one that fits you best.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Insider Tip: Get my Complete Guide to Visiting Channel Islands National Park.
Insider Tip: Most visitors access Channel Islands National Park through Ventura Harbor. If you're planning to stay in the area, get my full one week Santa Barbara Itinerary which includes where to stay, where to eat, and what else there is to do while you're there.
Which Channel Island Should You Visit
Channel Islands National Park is only accessible by boat or small plane and its not possible to visit more than one island in a single day. Because of that, choosing the right one is important. The best one for you depends on what you’re hoping to get out of your trip. Below is a quick breakdown to help you decide with more deatiled comparisons below.
If you’re short on time: Choose Anacapa.
If you want the most well-rounded experience: Choose Santa Cruz.
If you want to kayak or visit sea caves: Choose Santa Cruz
If you’re looking for solitude and wide-open landscapes: Choose Santa Rosa.
If you want to see Torrey Pines and wildflowers: Choose Santa Rosa
If wildlife and remote adventure matter most: Choose San Miguel.
If you want the least crowded option and seclusion: Choose San Miguel.
Insider Tips:
Ferries to Santa Barbara Island have been temporarily suspended due to storm damage making it inacessbile at this time.
If you’re hoping to hike on your own, choose Anacapa, Santa Cruz, or Santa Rosa.
San Miguel cannot usually be explored alone as hiking typically requires ranger-lead permits.
Side-by-Side Comparison of All 5 Channel Islands
Here’s some quick visual comparisons of the five Channel Islands based on difficulty, ferry access, ad day-trip potential, camping, crowds, and wildlife viewing.
If you're planning your first visit to Channel Islands National Park, Santa Cruz and Anacapa are the easiest islands to reach and best for day trips from Ventura. Santa Rosa and San Miguel require longer ferry rides and offer a more remote, rugged experience, with San Miguel being the most challenging overall and Anacapa the most accessible.
Camping is available on all five Channel Islands, but the experience varies widely. Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa offer the most accessible campgrounds, while San Miguel feels far more remote and secluded. For wildlife, Santa Cruz is known for its island foxes, Anacapa for seabird colonies and sea lions, Santa Rosa for tule elk, and San Miguel for massive marine mammal colonies. Crowds are highest on Santa Cruz and Anacapa, while the more remote islands see far fewer visitors.
Best Channel Islands for Hiking, Wildlife, Camping & Fewer Crowds
Best for Hiking
The best hiking in Channel Islands National Park, especially for first time visitors, is Santa Cruz Island. Here, you will find the widest range of trails, from coastal bluff walks near Scorpion Canyon to more challenging backcountry routes with sweeping ocean views. The terrain is varied and expansive, making it ideal for all fitness levels. It has short strolls, moderate day hikes and longer strenuous treks. Santa Rosa also offers beautiful, wide-open trails with fewer crowds, but if you’re looking for dramatic scenery with multiple options, Santa Cruz takes the prize.
Best for Wildlife
The best wildlife viewing in Channel Islands National Park is on Santa Cruz Island and San Miguel Island. Santa Cruz is home to the endemic island fox, and visitors frequently see sea lions, dolphins, and even bald eagles. It’s the best choice for more diverse wildlife and is a lot easier to access than San Miguel. In contrast, San Miguel offers a truly unforgettable experience. It is one of the most ignificant marine mammal rookeries on the West Coast, known for its massive sea lion and elephant seal colonies.
Best for Camping
All five islands offer primitive camping but each provides a very different experience. Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa offer the most well-rounded experiences with Santa Cruz being the most popular. There is a well established campground near Scorpion Canyon that is relatively easy to access, has potable water, and is very close to hiking trails and coastal views. Santa Rosa provides a more remote setting, with expansive landscapes and far fewer visitors. It’s ideal for those seeking solitude.
Although camping is available on Anacapa Island and San Miguel Island, it’s much more primitive. Campers need to be comfortable with a much more rugged and exposed landscape that’s subject to high winds and extremely limited amenities. Camping there requires a lot more planning and preparation.
Best for Avoiding Crowds
If you’re looking for solitude and an escape from the crowds, San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands are the best choices. Both are remote and require longer ferry rides which limits how many visitors go there. San Miguel feels especially rugged and wild, offering a quiet, untouched atmosphere that’s hard to beat. However, due to its history as a former military testing site, hiking often requies a guide and is by permit. Santa Rosa offers a little more freedom with its wide-open landscapes, making it an excellent option if you’re looking for true solitude.
Anacapa Island vs. Santa Cruz Island
Anacapa and Santa Cruz are the two most popular islands in Channel Islands National Park, but they offer different experiences. Anacapa Island is a smaller island and offers less variety when it comes to things to do but that’s part of its charm. It’s perfect for a haf-day trip since it takes less than hour to get there and visitors only need 2 to 3 hours to see everything - hike the cliffside trails, see the lighthouse, and visit Inspiration Point. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for an easy and relaxed day trip.
Santa Cruz Island, by contrast, is much larger and offers more to do. With expansive hiking trails, sea caves, and opportunities to spot island foxes, it feels more adventurous. It takes a little over an hour to get there and you’ll want to spend about 5 hours exploring making it an ideal full day trip. If you’re deciding between the two, choose Anacapa for a shorter visit and Santa Cruz for a fuller day of hiking and exploration.
Hiking & Scenery
When it comes to hiking, Santa Cruz offers far more variety than Anacapa. With three mountain ranges spanning over 96 square miles, Santa Cruz is the largest of the Channel Islands and features miles of trails ranging from easy coastal walks to strenuous backcountry routes with substantial elevation gain. Many trails interconnect, making it ideal for longer hikes and a full-day exploring.
Anacapa is a smaller island with shorter trails that mostly follow the cliffs, offering scenic but easy walks with limited elevation gain. While Anacapa is perfect for a relaxed hike with dramatic ocean views, Santa Cruz is usually a better choice for those wanting to hike.
Ferry Access & Travel Time
Both Anacapa Island and Santa Cruz Island are easily accessible by ferry from Ventura Harbor, but Anacapa has the slight advantage in travel time. The ferry ride typically takes under an hour, making it the quickest and most convenient option for a shorter visit. While Anacapa can be explored in a half day, visitors will need a full day to visit Santa Cruz.
Crowds & Overall Experience
Anacapa and Santa Cruz are the most popular of the Channel Islands and can get crowded especially during peak season. Since Anacapa is so much smaller, it often feel busier on trails and at viewpoints. Even though
Santa Cruz Island gets more visitors overall, the island is more spread out so once you get beyond the arrival dock away from Scorpion Canyon, the trails quickly open up with fewer crowds. If you prefer a short visit with a few incredible highlights, Anacapa is the best choice. If you want to realy explore, hike and spend some quality time on an island, Santa Cruz is the best option.
Santa Rosa vs. San Miguel Islands: The Most Remote Options
Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands are the most remote of islands of Channel Islands National Park. Santa Rosa is dominated by rolling hills, grasslands, and coastal bluffs with long but gradual hikes making it easy to explore. San Miguel feels much more remote, rugged, and exposed. Here you’ll find sand dunes, dramatic cliffs, and a massive colony of sea lions and elephant seals. However, it’s not easy to freely roam and explore.
Hiking & Scenery
Both Santa Rosa and San Miguel offer remote, dramatic landscapes, but hiking on each island is very different. Santa Rosa has wide-open hills with long coastal trails that are very accessible.
San Miguel Island has rugged terrain and feels untamed. Because of its history as a former military testing site, you can usually only hike on a ranger-led tour by permit making it very regulated and not as easy to navigate.
Ferry Access & Travel Time
Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands require a much longer ferry ride than Santa Cruz and Anacapa. The crossing to Santa Rosa Island takes about 2 to 2-1/2hours from Ventura Harbor, making it manageable as a long day trip or overnight stay. However, San Miguel Island requires a longer crossing of approximately 3 to 4 hours depending on conditions so it’s visiting usually requires an overnight stay. It also has less frequent departures making it harder to plan.
Crowds & Overall Experience
Neither Santa Rosa Island or San Miguel Island ever get very crowded. They are both extremely remote. Rosa feels expansive and peaceful, with wide-open landscapes. San Miguel is rarely visited, is much more solated and feels wild and untouched.
FAQs for Choosing Which Channel Island to Visit
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you visit Santa Barbara Island?
No. Ferry service to Santa Barbara has been suspended due to storm damage on the dock so it’s inaccessible at this time.
Which Channel Island is the closest?
Anacapa Island is the closest Channel Island to the mainland (Ventura area), and it typically has the shortest ferry ride.
Which Channel Island is the best to visit if you have limited time?
If you’re short on time, Anacapa Island is the best choice. It’s the closest island to the mainland, with a ferry ride of just under an hour and ideal for a half-day visit.
Which Channel Island is the closest?
Anacapa Island is the closest Channel Island to the mainland (Ventura area), and it typically has the shortest ferry ride.
Which Channel Island is the closest?
Anacapa Island is the closest Channel Island to the mainland (Ventura area), and it typically has the shortest ferry ride.
Which Channel Island is the best to visit if you have limited time?
If you’re short on time, Anacapa Island is the best choice. It’s the closest island to the mainland, with a ferry ride of just under an hour and ideal for a half-day visit.
Which Channel Island is best for a day trip?
Both Anacapa Island and Santa Cruz Island are excellent options for a day trip. Anacapa is ideal for a half-day visit, with a ferry ride of just under an hour. The ferry to Santa Cruz takes a little over an hour, and you should plan to spend at least five hours on the island, making it better suited for a full-day trip.
Which island has the best sea caves?
Santa Cruz Island has the best sea caves in Channel Islands National Park with over 100 of tem along its coastline. One of the best way to experience them is to book a kayaking tour.
Canyou visit multiple islands in one day?
No, you cannot visit multiple Channel Islands in a single day. Island Packers’ ferries operate on fixed routes to one island at a time, and schedules typically do not allow enough time to visit more than one island in a single day.
Which island is the least crowded?
San Miguel is the least crowded of the Channel Islands due to its remote location and longer ferry ride . It’s a great island for visitors seeking solitude and a more rugged, untouched experience.
More California Travel Guides
Santa Barbara - The Perfect Itinerary including Channel Islands
Historic Santa Barbara Inn - California Dreaming
Santa Cruz Bucket List - What Not to Miss
The Most Charming Cities in Southern California - Coastal Communities, Mountain Towns & Orchards
