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Santa Cruz Island

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: #2 of 7 attractions in Channel Islands National Park
Traveler Description: Located off the coast of Santa Barbara, this island is a popular place for kayaking and exploring sea caves.
Familiar with Santa Cruz Island? Write your own description and share what you know with other travelers.
Attraction type: Island
Activities: Kayaking, Camping

TripAdvisor Traveler Reviews

Reviews of Santa Cruz Island

( 1-6 of 6 )
5 of 5 stars
San Francisco
Aug 26, 2008

Took a trip to East Santa Cruz with Island Packers. The crew was fun and light hearted. Saw more than 100 dolphins on the way there. Unbelievable! The trails are moderately difficult with great coastal cliff views. Next time I will take my snorkling gear as I could see a great kelp forest right there at the boat landing that... more

Aug 24, 2008

We spent two days at Santa Cruz. The trip started well. We found a group of dolphins, and these guys really know how to put up a show. The boat captain spent some time circling around them so that everybody could have a good look. The first day we went kayaking with Paddle Sports of Santa Barbara. It was very... more

5 of 5 stars
beverly hills
Jul 28, 2008

We (four adults 35-50 years old) just got back from a fantastic overnight stay on Santa Cruz Island / Channel Islands. Before we left, I had some trouble finding information so I wanted to get on here and give some info out for the next folks. First we arranged our camping spot thru parks and recreation. We chose spot 25... more

5 of 5 stars
Santa Monica
Jul 30, 2007
6/8 found this review helpful

I just went Kayaking at Santa Cruz Island with Aquasports and it was the most amazing experience. If you haven't been there, you have to go check it out. Aquasports guides were the best guides I've ever hired. They really go out of their way to give you the most positive experience. You first catch a boat out to Santa... more

Management response from
Kayakersb, Licensed Kayak Outfitter

The review written by Julie does not provide the situation or circumstances of her negative interaction with Paddle Sports. I do not want to get into here but feel free to call us and we can discuss it further. We have been an outfitter at Santa Cruz Island for over 17 years and provide and excellent experience for our clients...

4 of 5 stars
Temecula, California
Jul 11, 2006
29/30 found this review helpful

Years ago, I read an article in National Geographic about the wonder of the Channel Islands National Park. The park is a nature preserve that is compared to the Galapagos Islands. It is sometimes called "The Galapagos of North America." It's been my dream to go. Which island to choose? It takes a day to see just one. After learning... more

Jul 20, 2003
36/38 found this review helpful

The caves on Santa Cruz Island are a world class outdoor adventure. I went a few years ago during an El Nino season when the water was 71 degrees so I spent a lot of time kayaking and snorkling through the caves. One, the Emerald Cavern I think it was called, had sunlight streaming in from below the waterline which... more

Reviews of Santa Cruz Island

( 1-6 of 6 )
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Santa Cruz Island: Management Resources

Santa Cruz Island Address

Channel Islands National Park, CA