travel
living
by
Justin Nobel
The Dry Tortugas, off the Florida Coast, feature unspoiled beaches, crystal clear water, and a 19th-century fort.
Get out from behind the wheel and experience a true sense of calm
Need a break from traffic, pollution, gas prices, and all the other stresses
related to the internal combustion engine? Visit one of the handful of US
islands where motor vehicles are banned. These protected havens (most
are national parks or seashores) are often only reached by boat and have
no paved roads. But unlike exotic destinations such as Bali and Tahiti,
they’re both affordable and accessible—if you’re up for a little adventure.
Channel Islands
National Park
Ten thousand years ago, the
“Galapagos of North America”
was home to some of the oldest
human settlements in the Northern Hemisphere. Nowadays this
mountainous archipelago is vir-
tually free of people, despite
being only 60 miles from Los
Angeles. Instead, its five islands are home to thousands of
species of plants and animals,
145 of which are found nowhere
else on earth. In the surrounding waters, 750- pound black
44 | february-march 2008
sea bass and bright orange and
blue Garibaldi swim through
giant kelp forests. Humpbacks,
orcas, and blue whales, cruise
nearby, as do four species of
dolphin. In spring, wildflowers
explode across the hillsides in
pinks, purples, and yellows.
Truth Aquatics in Santa Barbara
offers multiday, live-aboard trips
to the park, complete with gourmet food ( truthaquatics.com).
Camping is also available by reservation ( nps.gov/chis).
Dry Tortugas
National Park
Visit this string of tiny coral keys
70 miles from Key West, Florida, and you can explore the
ruins of a nineteenth-century
fort, snorkel with 300 species of
tropical fish, dive to more than
250 nearby shipwrecks, or spot
pelicans, terns, and masked
boobies from the beach.
Get There, Stay There
Two operators run ferries from
photo by National Park Service
Car-Free Islands
Get There, Stay There