Santa Cruz Island

Santa Cruz is the largest and most populated of the islands. It is located between the islands of Anacapa and Santa Rosa, 19-25 miles off the nearby mainland coast between Ventura and Santa Barbara. The Charles Darwin Research Station may be found at Puerto Ayora, the island's major town. This UNESCO-designated site was erected in 1959. Its mission is to research and protect the valuable wildlife that lives on the islands. The institution is in charge of rehabilitating the endangered Giant Galapagos tortoise.

Hiking routes abound throughout the island. There are also kayak rides and a little rocky beach. On the way out, you may view dolphin pods as well as seals. If you enjoy hiking or kayaking, it is well worth the trip.

Painted Cave, one of the world's largest and deepest sea caverns, is located on Santa Cruz's northwest coast. Painted Cave is over 14 miles long and 100 feet broad, named after the colorful lichen and algae that cover its walls. A waterfall pours over the entryway in the spring. Inside the cave, kayakers may come upon seals or sea lions roaming alongside their boats. The Channel Islands have some of North America's finest archaeological treasures; all objects are safeguarded within the park. On the island, you may view the ruins of a dozen Chumash settlements. The largest of these communities, located near the eastern edge, is currently known as Scorpion Ranch. The Chumash mined enormous chert deposits on the island for tools to make shell-bead money, which they sold with mainlanders. At the interpretive visitor center near the landing pier, you may learn about Chumash history and see relics, tools, and displays on natural plants and creatures. Visitors may also visit the restored old adobe and outbuildings to see remains of the early 1900s ranching era.