Channel Islands National Park contains five islands in the Pacific Ocean off of Santa Barbara and Ventura, California. There are eight Channel Islands, including Catalina, which is not in the park. They are known for their biodiversity - native plants and animals developed on the island differently from the mainland. The Chumash Indians lived on most of the islands before Europeans came. After the Europeans came, the islands became ranches. Unfortunately, the livestock did destroy a lot of the native wildlife, and plenty of invasive species (like feral pigs) stayed on the islands. Some ranches were better managed than others, and you will notice a difference in vegetation between the different islands. This is partly because of their history, and partly due to climate differences.
The islands are all visitable by ferry or specialized boat tour. You can also fly to Santa Rosa, although it is more expensive than the ferry. Make reservations in advance for any island transportation, because it can fill up on holidays or on weekends, and sometimes on summer weekdays. Not all islands get frequent visits – Anacapa and Santa Cruz are closest to Ventura, so they are the most popular. The day trip to Santa Cruz will probably give you enough time to do some hiking on the island, but staying for the night is definitely worthwhile. Anacapa is a much smaller island, because you can only visit one of the three islands that make up Anacapa. There are two miles of hiking trails on Anacapa. The other islands take longer to visit, so a day trip might not give you as much time as you want on the island.
Camping out on one of the Channel Islands is an experience unlike any other in Southern California. No traffic, no smog, and as soon as the ferry leaves for the mainland in the afternoon, a shortage of people. All five of the islands have campgrounds. You will need to obtain transportation to the island first - tell them you are camping, and how long you want to stay. Then you can reserve a campsite on the island through recreation.gov. Be aware that all of the campgrounds are far from the docks, and that you will have to bring everything you need with you (and pack out all of the trash). It's like a backpacking trip supported by boat.
