143 Family Travel to the Channel Islands and Santa Barbara, California

The Channel Islands is one of the most unique, but also one of the least visit, National Parks in the United States. This week we chat with Travis Timmons of the So How Was Your Trip? podcast about his family's recent trip to Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Sponsor 01:14 - Talking with Kim and Tamara 03:28 - Talking with Travis 07:30 - How long to spend 10:10 - Taking a boat to Channel Islands 12:20 - What to do on the Islands 17:50 - Animals on the island 22:10 - Other things to do in the area 32:05 - When to go 34:40 - Travis’ favorite travel gear 35:50 - Coming up for Travis ABOUT TRAVIS TIMMONS Travis and his family tell stories about places that people go. That varies from full time travel all the way down to a weekend road trip. He is the host of the So How Was Your Trip? podcast. Follow Travis on the So How Was your Trip Podcast and Instagram. TIPS FOR VISITING THE CHANNEL ISLANDS & SANTA BARBARA You should make sure that you give yourself at least three to four days to visit and explore the Channel Islands National Park, Ventura, and Santa Barbara.  If you are traveling with kids that are a bit older and like the outdoors, you should really think about camping overnight on the Channel Islands.  After the last boat leaves, which could be around 6pm depending on the season, you will have the island almost to yourselves. You just have to pay a small fee in order to stay on the island and there are limited services and facilities so you need to pack in and pack out. In order to get out onto the Channel Islands you will need to book a boat ride through Island Packers. The prices will change depending on the season, so make sure to check on that if you are trying to budget and plan in advance. The boat will make stops at the four different islands and you will get off the boat when you get to the island that you want to visit. There are great kayak tours on the islands, as well as some great opportunities for snorkeling. For information and booking you will need to go to Channel Island Adventure Company. You can also find some great hiking trails. You will also need to keep in mind that if you plan on visiting the Channel Islands, whether it is for the day or overnight, you will need to pack food and supplies. There are no cafes on the islands.  Reagan Presidential Library is only about 30 minute away from Ventura. So if you like history at all and need a break from being outside, this is a really nice place to visit. You can also have some fun with a day on the beach or even just a relaxing afternoon. Black Sheep restaurant in Santa Barbara offers a chef's tasting menu that is great for a date night. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR Travis loves to wear his Old Navy Sweatpants when he travels. Especially loves that they have zippers on the pockets to keep his wallet and phone in place. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Channel Island National Park Island Packers Channel Island Adventure Company Reagan Presidential Library Shoreline Beach Cafe Black Sheep Restaurant Handlebar Coffee Roasters The Funk Zone FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD! If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!