Despite its name, Santa Barbara Island is located off the coast of Los Angeles. At one square mile, it's the smallest of the eight Channel Islands and is one of five included in the National Park. Today, rangers are warning island visitors to swim at their own risk. more ›

A 2.5 microquake struck the seas yesterday morning. It's doubtful that anyone felt it because it was in the middle of the ocean, 81 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles. But what's fun about its location is its proximity to the four southern Channel Islands. Since the mere presence of islands off the coast of Southern California seems to perplex a lot of people, we thought it was a good moment to at least identify them. more ›

The close of summer means more opportunities at California's desert National Parks like Joshua Tree and Mojave (though you might want to wait a few more weeks for Death Valley). But these colder weather months mean limited options at Channel Islands National Park, just off the coast of Ventura and Santa Barbara. more ›