Had a great time with our grandsons on a half day charter. Doug knows the Channel Islands well.read more

An incredible experience! Doug is a knowledgeable Captain who expertly navigated around the Channel…read moreIslands. He brought us to a quiet cove to enjoy lunch (and swimming if desired), showed us sea lions basking in the sun, sea caves where kayaks were exploding, dolphins, and other sites. Being out on Doug's boat for the day was a wonderful experience that our family won't soon forget. Definitely recommend having Captain Doug show you around the Channel Islands.

My daughter Saja had a wonderful time It was an experience…read moreof a lifetime It is safe, fun and a unique experience She learned so much and got to see beautiful places and to be close to nature I highly recommend it

My daughter sofia had a wonderful trip to hawaii with wild traveler when she was 14. two years…read morelater she still talks about it and thinks of hawaii as the greatest place. we recently moved to hong kong from new york and to convince her to come here i told her it was similar to hawaii. ryan was great and very responsive and helpful to resolve any doubts or questions. he's a pro.

Had the most amazing time out in the sun at the Oxnard harbor. Rented kayak for one hour and…read moreexplored the marina with my partner in crime! Very dog friendly and check-in process is VERY fast and easy! Highly recommend for a fun summer activity

Don't count on them for kayak rentals. I had organized a 3 day trip to go kayaking out of Scorpion…read more Was bringing my personal kayak and then renting one until I received a call the night before we took off telling me the conditions weren't any good with 7 ft swell and 25mph gusts forecasted. I was told the only window would be for arrival day which I had already booked a tour so I was advised to not bring my personal kayak. Huge mistake! Second day and there was a little wind but not too bad, bit of a swell but plenty of kayaking to be had without caves. All the boats and tours went out all day. I had called the Kayak Center to see if they could send two singles out for next morning for us as there was still room on boat. I was told there was no way they would send out any kayaks due to the conditions and swell and out of safety. The guy kept going on and on about what happens when you go around a bend. It was ridiculous as I kept telling him I know exactly what happens. No matter how many times I told him that I am a very experienced paddler, certified rescue diver, live in Laguna, and am on ocean about 3 days/week and understand ocean conditions and forecasts, the guy wouldn't hear it. I have my own RIB with a 50hp motor I take out all the time. I'm not a newbie. What really got me was they ended up sending out several kayaks for other people in the morning boat yet nothing for us. I asked him why was he not letting us have any and he then started back peddling saying those people signed waivers about not taking kayak for that day. The kayaks they delivered weren't going to be used until next day. What a lie that was. You couldn't have asked for a calmer more gorgeous day to be on water which again, every boat was including the kayaks they had taken over on ferry. I've kayaked scorpion several times when I used to frequent islands on private boat. This time was much different and a lot of coordination going into it. After much work, I had 3 days planned out with my daughter, 17, and also an experienced paddler, surfer, and certified advanced diver. Our trip was ruined because of these guys. I can guarantee if I had been a male, there wouldn't have been any problems. Instead we got to sit on the beach and watch all the kayakers enjoy a gorgeous glassy day on the water with no way to get out ourselves. Profilers.

If not for the dolphins seen during the boat ride and baby gulls because it was nesting season,…read morethis fortuitous mashup of "Flipper" and "The Birds" wouldn't have been much of a trip. East Anacapa Island is part of the Channel Islands National Park. Five of the eight Channel Islands are protected and half of the park is underwater. Island Packer Cruises is the only transportation to the park that is licensed by the National Park Service. The limited access meant limited activities where we easily covered the entire island in under two hours. For summer 2021, Island Packers had only two tours that allowed for a two-hour stay - all others were significantly longer. Island Packers boats depart from Ventura and Oxnard but the Oxnard dock offers more departure times. The Oxnard parking lot posts a 3-hour limit which everyone on our boat tour violated. Island Packers even told us to park there. Plenty of spaces on a Saturday that was also a day before Independence Day. Prepare for a rocky boat ride even though the water was considered mild. The boat ride was more physically tiring than the hike. Because the boat is not lashed to the dock on Anacapa Island, the captain attempts to hold the boat steady with the engines while passengers cross to the dock - perhaps the least stable sea-to-shore transition I've made. The posted boat ride time was 60 minutes. Our times were 85 minutes plus 5 minutes of instruction and then 80 minutes to return which included a side jaunt around Cabrillo's Arch. Our wandering around the entire island was 2.4 miles with a 200' elevation change which mainly came from the stairs at the landing cove. I safely did the walk in bald sneakers. I can tell you the best place to visit on Anacapa (Inspiration Point), but you'll have time to visit all destinations (lighthouse that you can't go inside, Pinniped Point, Cathedral Cove, and an overly simplistic visitor center) because there isn't much to do. The island has outhouses but entering the water is only for the experienced and no showers. People camp on the island overnight but the noisy fog horn prevents a peaceful stay. Sections of vegetation were human-planted and irritated by drip lines. The Park Service website warned of seabird rookery where "guano, strong odor, constant noise, bird carcasses, and birds protecting their territory" was occurring. Despite the foul (or is that fowl) description, the gulls were a highlight. And if "I ran, I ran so far away. I just ran, I ran all night and day" there is no avoiding this flock of seagulls because the birds were everywhere. From full grown birds to tiny hatchlings, walking through the largest colony of western gulls was surreal. None got feisty with me but my girlfriend had a semi-Tippi Hendren experience with a verbose mama gull. A rock plain also had a squadron of migrating pelicans. Another best part of the trip were the dolphins. Per our ship captain, dolphins are frequently seen because they like to play with the boat. The dolphins' splashy cameo did not disappoint.

This was a one and done visit. The island is small and there was a guided walk fro the visitors…read morecenter to a couple points of interest and a look out where you could see other islands. There is not much to do and very little history and the main event was dodging the thousands of seagulls that nest on the island because there are no predators. Did see some seals and dolphins on the way back in the afternoon.

Great visitor center with lots of knowledgeable staff onsite to answer questions…read more A really comprehensive gift shop and I picked up a book on the history of Channel Islands, a towel, a sunshirt, some postcards, and some earrings. Theres also a small outdoor garden to explore and also an overlook area at top of the building. Also, a ranger program was happening when I came here discussing the sea kelp that exist here. Bathrooms also available. Worth a stop in to learn more about the islands!

As far as visitor centers go, this one is one of the best we've been to. Located in the Ventura…read moreHarbor about a short 0.25 mile walk from Island Packers, you'll not only find a small little bookshop but a cute little display on water life with the history of the area. Great for everyone, but I'd imagine small kids would love it. A volunteer greeted us when we got there and provided us with some information about Channel Islands National Park. Very friendly and very helpful. They have a beautiful garden outside to explore. You can also go to the 3rd floor and there's a tiny overlook that, on a clear day, you can see Santa Cruz in the distance. They said there's a theatre, but we didn't have time to visit it. All in all, a wonderful visitor center that is worth a stop during your Channel Islands adventures.

This was such a breathtaking experience! We saw so many whales, dolphins, seals, birds. The…read morevolunteers and staff were so friendly and made our trip such a memorable one!

Cancelled on us claiming rough weather ( mid week whale watching). Called over to other charters…read morethat are still running the channel (Island Packers). Beyond the sketchy cancellation my main issue is they charged a 3.5% fee for a charter cancelled by them, not me. Buyer beware.

Took my kids rv camping for New Years 2022. Friendly…read moreenvironment access to the sandy beach. Can't ask for anything else.

This is a cool spot to camp right on the beach. The check is was simple, you can built your own…read morefire, pits are already made from past campers. There are no hookups. There is a beach to play on but it is at the entrance of the park and if you don't have a bike it is a long walk. The down side to place is the parking spots are right on top of each other. The up side there is no bugs and no traffic

Last week I flew to Camarillo airport to meet some friends for lunch…read more While getting ready to leave I found a maintenance issue with my plane that needed attention. The folks at Channel Islands Aviation were extremely kind and helpful. The customer service manager Alice arranged a hotel room for me and made sure that I received the 17% room discount provided to their clients. She also loaned me a phone charger for the night and had one of the linemen drive me to the hotel at no charge whatsoever. I cannot speak highly enough of their service and the atmosphere of the business. Top-notch all around. Thanks so much, Alice, and to the entire staff for your assistance during a stressful moment in my trip. Michael Rodgers - Founder - West Coast Mooney Club.

I fly here very frequently and have been renting here for about the last year and one of the…read moremanagers Abe is a NIGHTMARE to deal with not only has he made provocative comments about his female co workers which is insane to me how he hasn't got fired SERIOUSLY needs to be talked to. He is never in a happy mood to anyone, he gives off the impression of hating his job and life and it kills the mood when you're about to fly. Their selection of 172s are not bad they have some nice ones and the prices are normal lobby is fine and comfortable enough to wait in.