Plan a Trip to the Beautiful Channel Islands

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Summer is a great time to take advantage of our national parks and monuments. Many offer free or low-cost admissions and programs perfect for families. So this summer we will be featuring one of our country’s public lands every week and highlighting things you and your family can do there.

Image description: One of the many coves on the Channel Islands. Photo from the National Park Service.

The Channel Islands sometimes referred to, as the “North American Galapagos” is an incredible national park off the coast of southern California.  Comprised of five distinct islands, this park offers a one-of-a-kind experience because of wildlife not found anywhere else in the world.

Each island in the park offers something unique that you can discover:

Anacapa Island: A great place to view the Winfield Scott shipwreck from land, also one of the best islands to snorkel through the beautiful kelp forests.

Santa Cruz Island: A fantastic place to visit if you like to swim, kayak or dive. Lucky bird watchers may be able to spot the scrub jay, only found on Santa Cruz Island!

Santa Rosa Island: Whether you decide to hike through Black Mountain or stay along Water Canyon Beach, Santa Rosa provides breathtaking views no matter where you decide to go.

San Miguel Island: This island contains an abundance of wildlife. Harbors are bountiful with gulls, pelicans and auklets. You can also watch the western meadowlark, rock wren and sound sparrow in their natural habitat.

Santa Barbara Island: An island in recovery, Santa Barbara is home to a number of different rare plant and animal life. If you dive off the coast of this island you may just find sea stars, sea urchins and gorgeous Garibaldi fish.

The Channel Islands are a great place to visit during the summer because of the many whale watching opportunities. Throughout the summer you can view the largest animal in the world, the endangered blue whale, off the coast of the islands! Other whales, such as the humpback and the orca, can also be seen in the summer months.

You can see the marine animals from on high points throughout the islands as well as through telescopes located outside the visitor’s centers.

Whale watching boating trips are also available if you want a close-up view. For more information, please check out island transportation. You can find a full list of guided tours on the schedule of events.

Whether you are visiting the islands for the wildlife or for the number of outdoor activities, the Channel Islands provide a rare insight into the southern California landscape.

We welcome your comments if you are 13 or older, and hope that our conversations here will be polite. You are responsible for the content of your comments.

We do not discriminate against any views, but may delete any of the following:

violent, obscene, profane, hateful, or racist commentscomments that threaten or harm the reputation of any person or organizationadvertisements or solicitations of any kindcomments that suggest or encourage illegal activitymultiple off-topic posts or repetitive posts that are copied and pastedpersonal information including, but not limited to, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, mailing addresses, or identification numbers

In short: be nice and add to the discussion. If you continually violate this policy, we may limit your ability to comment in the future. If you have any questions or comments about this policy, please e-mail us.

Tour the Historic, Beautiful Gettysburg National Military Park this Summer

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Summer is a great time to take advantage of our national parks and monuments. Many offer free or low-cost admissions and programs perfect for families. So this summer we will be featuring one of our country’s public lands every week and highlighting things you and your family can do there. 

Image description: A stone wall on Cemetery Ridge in Gettysburg National Park. Photo from the National Park Service.

This July marks the 150th anniversary of the historic Battle of Gettysburg, fought in 1863. The battle, known for being the bloodiest fight in the Civil War, is recognized by historians as being the turning point in the battle between the North and South, and at the Gettysburg National Military Park, you have a chance to explore this piece of national history!

When you walk on the hills of the national park - Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, Culp’s Hill and Cemetery Ridge - your feet are travelling the same paths as soldiers did more than one hundred years ago. Stand in Soldiers’ National Cemetery and you could be standing in the same place as President Abraham Lincoln when he delivered his famous Gettysburg Address.

On your trip to the park, you can visit the museum and visitor center for a look at the history of the area, and be sure to check out the film, “A New Birth of Freedom,” narrated by Morgan Freeman.

There are lots of ways to tour the park, so be sure to choose the method best for you:

Guided bus tours through private companiesSelf-guided car tour, with or without audio tour CDs available for purchaseBy foot, self-guided, heavily dependent on weather conditions

In the summer months, there are extended ranger programs and activities available, including the junior ranger program - great for kids! You can find a complete guide and schedule of ranger programs on the National Park Service website.

For some safety suggestions and for help in planning your visit, check out the “Things to Know Before You Come” page. Before visiting with kids, be sure to talk to them about the history of the Civil War, since they will be walking among history when they travel to Gettysburg this summer!

We welcome your comments if you are 13 or older, and hope that our conversations here will be polite. You are responsible for the content of your comments.

We do not discriminate against any views, but may delete any of the following:

violent, obscene, profane, hateful, or racist commentscomments that threaten or harm the reputation of any person or organizationadvertisements or solicitations of any kindcomments that suggest or encourage illegal activitymultiple off-topic posts or repetitive posts that are copied and pastedpersonal information including, but not limited to, e-mail addresses, telephone numbers, mailing addresses, or identification numbers

In short: be nice and add to the discussion. If you continually violate this policy, we may limit your ability to comment in the future. If you have any questions or comments about this policy, please e-mail us.