‘American Galapagos’ a Staycation Favorite

Kayaking in the Channel Islands gave us a good workout.

We’re all for staycations: We love saving money on airfare and not having to decant our shampoo and conditioner into those teeny-weeny bottles. Then again, nothing beats the jolt of something new and unexpected.

Happily, we were able to experience both ease and the exotic on a recent outing to Ventura, CA, a seaside town about 65 miles north of Los Angeles. We spent the night in the spiffy Holiday Inn Express Ventura Harbor (seriously, the chain has reinvented itself in a very eco-chic way) and the next morning took a 90-minute catamaran ride to Santa Cruz Island, one of five islands that comprise Channel Islands National Park.

Known as the “American Galapagos,” the Channel Islands are home to more than 2,000 species of animals and plants, 145 of which are found nowhere else on earth. Santa Cruz Island, especially, is known for its spectacular sea caves, so we outfitted ourselves in life jackets and helmets and hit the water under the guidance of Tony, our seasoned guide from Aquasports. Skipping caves with names like Thrashed Dingy and Flatliner, we paddled under archways of ancient volcanic rock into Neptune’s Trident, Cavern Point Cave and Ooh & Ah. We followed Tony’s advice to avoid looking up when we heard falling rocks (a helmet won’t protect an upturned face), and to use our paddles and not our hands to push off barnacle-encrusted cave walls. Riding the swells out of the caves, we felt like we were on Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride, but instead of the piped-in “Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me,” there was the cannonlike thunder of blowholes.

We spotted sea lions, dolphins and whales that day, all the while burning 340 calories an hour and giving our biceps, triceps and shoulders a terrific workout. If you live anywhere near a body of water — lake, river, ocean — you can find a staycation paddling trip. Click here for a list of kayaking classes and expeditions in all 50 states and Canada. Already have a favorite staycation activity? Tell us below!

Tags: Blowhole, California, Canada, Caribbean, Cave, Channel Islands, Coastal geography, Geography, Holiday Inn Express Ventura Harbor, Hospitality/Recreation, Los Angeles, Physical geography, Santa Cruz Island, Sea cave, Ventura