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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.
Of the five islands within the park, three are considered to be "outer islands." Not only do they take about three hours to travel to by boat, they bear the brunt of onshore weather from the Pacific Ocean.
While trips to the inner islands, Anacapa Island and Santa Cruz Island, are available year round, today was the last scheduled boat for Santa Rosa Island (but Channel Islands Aviation has trips year round). There are two more trips for Santa Barbara Island and one more for San Miguel later this week. Island Packers, the boat vendor for the park, say trips will begin again in late Spring.