VENTURA , CA
Just off Ventura ’ s coast lies Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary , one of North America ’ s magnificent treasures and a step back in time revealing coastal southern California the way it once was .
The five Channel Islands are home to over 2,000 plant and animal species , of which 150 are found nowhere else in the world , earning these islands their nickname as North America ’ s Galapagos . Over 30 marine mammal species live in the marine sanctuary surrounding the islands . Marine life ranges from sea stars and anemones to blue whales , the largest animals in the world !
Summer is the most popular season to visit the islands with perfect weather and blue and humpback whale watching opportunities as the whales migrate north .
Early fall is considered the best time for snorkeling , diving , kayaking , and swimming with ocean temperatures averaging 70 degrees and underwater visibility reaching up to 100 feet . The most stunning sunsets of the year occur in winter as elephant seals , harbor seals , pups , and gray whales pass by , traveling south . And spring is especially magical on the islands when they flaunt fresh green grasses adorned with blooming wildflowers , nesting seabirds and western gulls , and brand new chicks and island fox pups discovering the islands for the first time themselves .