The Channel Islands National Park is just offshore from Ventura County, and Oxnard’s Channel Islands Harbor marina has a number of charters available to visit the five islands, referred to as “America’s Galapagos.” The closest island, Anacapa, is just 11 miles and an hour from Oxnard’s Channel Islands Harbor, while the farthest island, San Miguel Islands, is 60 miles away.

Whale watching tours also depart from Oxnard from January through mid-April, when nearly 30,000 migrating gray whales make their way south. In the summer, blue whales may be spotted. Diving is also popular in the area, as is kayaking, with kayaks available at the Channel Islands Kayak Center.