Boost Your Bird List
The Channel Islands are the most important seabird nesting areas in the western, and tiny, rarely visited Santa Barbara Island pulls more than its share of the weight. It has the world's largest colony of Xantu's murrelets. Inland, the island has three endemic subspecies to add to your life list: a horned lark, an orange-crowned warbler, and a house finch.

Hike to the Wildest Spot on Earth
Some people maintain that San Miguel is the wildest spot on the earth, in animal terms, that is. Whether or not it is, at least it's in the running. Bennet Beach is party central for six different kinds of seals and sea lions, which is the only place in the world where that many different kinds of pinnipeds hang together. You get there by hiking the 15-mile round-trip from the landing at Cuyler Harbor. Along the way you'll pass by the unearthly Caliche Forest Area. Caliche is an exposed sand casting of an ancient tree.

Kayak into a Sea Cave
Painted Cave on Santa Cruz Island is the largest and deepest sea cave in the world. It earns its name from the colorful rocks and lichens that cover its surface. The cave reaches a quarter of a mile into the side of the island. The entrance ceiling is an immense 160 feet high. In the spring a waterfall curtains the mouth of the cave. Sound magical? It is.

Play in Pristine Tidal Pools
Tidal pools are a delicate ecosystem now quite rare on the mainland. The largely undisturbed tidal pools present an opportunity to see a slice of California as it used to be, as well as a chance to visit a miniature but fully intact world. Some of the species to look for include sea urchins, sea anemones, limpets, and abalone. Lobo Canyon trail on Santa Rosa Island is our favorite journey to tide pools. On the way, this 5-mile round-trip trail travels through an old Chumash village site. The Chumash were the island's original inhabitants, deported in the 1820s to make way for cattle and sheep ranches.

Watch for Whales
Every year, gray whales migrate 10,000 miles from their feeding grounds in the Arctic to breeding grounds in warm Baja, California. They pass by the Channel Islands between January and March. Blue and humpback whales pass by in June and October. Whale-watching trips leave daily in season.