Holy moly what can I say....? Captain Sean far surpassed my expectations, he is literally a…read moremachine. He saved me from my office prison for the last 3 days and it was by far the best experience of my life. We had so many premium spots to anchor in, it was like a private resort. We went diving, snorkeling, kayaking, spear fishing, you name it. You better believe I am coming back to Sean for round 2. Captain Sean thank you!!!

We chartered a memorial at sea with Captain Sean and he was so kind and compassionate. He was very…read moresensitive to our families event and made the time enjoyable and personable. He was very easy to work with to book the sailing journey. We highly recommend Captain Sean and Channel Islands Charter!

Such friendly staff! To the point and helpful. I appreciate the hands off of our experience. Boat…read morewas uneventful and smooth. We went to dive and that was it. I'd highly recommend swimming around past the arch, very neat around the corner. And to those interested there is a hidden cave under the dock at the island. You can exit it while in the cove next to the ladders, I wouldn't recommend entering from that side. Swim around to the left and go through (30 sec swim through), there's a breathing room right under the first lip going in. Can't see it from outside but you can hear the air escaping! Great experience, wish I had more energy and time to explore more.

Cruisin' for a Bruisin'…read more The only way to get to Channel Islands National Park is by boat. And, unless you're Captain Stubing, Jr. and own your own vessel, then Island Packer Cruises is the official partner of the NPS to transport visitors between the mainland and the island. The Good: * Currently offering services to Anacapa Island, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, and San Miguel Island. * Staff was friendly and helpful based on the minimal interactions we had with them. * Covered and uncovered seating on the boats, but you'll want to bring a hat regardless. * If you're lucky, you'll spot some dolphins and/or whales along the way. * Manage bookings online through their website. * They do send out emails updating you on the weather status and such in case there might be a chance of cancellations. * Prices vary depending on what you want to do, but they range from $15 per person to several hundred per person for 12-hour cruises. The average is probably around $70-100 each, though, which isn't bad for a round trip. * They do have a snack bar complete with beers on tap on the boat, so if you need some extra goodies to take along with you, now is your chance. I'm sure the prices are obscene, but you're in the middle of the ocean; you pay or you don't. The Meh: * They noodge you for tips on the way out. Listen, I get it. Times are tough, but maybe raise prices a touch instead of noodging customers for remuneration. The Ugly: * No service currently to Santa Barbara Island due to dock damage. * If you are visiting during the storm season, then there's a very good chance your trip might get canceled, at which point you can choose to get a refund or take a credit for a future trip. This happened to us this past December, but luckily we're only a few hours away, so it wasn't a big deal to rebook for this summer. Conclusion: The only way to the Channel Islands and it's a fun ride. Book it!

We absolutely enjoyed yesterday sunset with my friends and kids!!! Dan is amazing captain and a…read morehost!!! Grateful from the bottom of our hearts

Classic is the name of the game for Capt. Dan. Classic as in old school and classy. Dan is an…read moreexpert boatsman, former surfer, ordained minister, and all around great guy. He will regale you with stories while you cruise out. We had the perfect experience. Despite announced high swells and small boat warning, we had unusually calm seas and sunny skies. Which was magical for our memorial.

Absolutely wonderful experience, safe, informative, wonderful staff, punctual, clean and…read morebreathtaking views! A must see/do!!!

Captain Kirk and the crew made us feel welcome, safe and thoroughly entertained on our cruise. We…read morewished it was longer! We can't wait to come back and experience a sunset cruise. We saw dolphins and sea lions too! The drinks and services were fantastic.

My wife and I had an amazing two-hour sail in Oxnard with Captain Dan and Nico. Honestly, the…read moreentire experience hinged on whether they'd be great company--and they absolutely were. Captain Dan's quiet 20 years in the Navy made us feel in expert hands, and the conversation was just as enjoyable as the sailing. We laughed, learned a bit about the sea, and left wanting more time out on the water! (J&N)

We took the ASA 101 Sailing Course with Capt. Dan and it was absolutely superb! Wiley is a lovely…read moreboat and the perfect vessel to train on. Capt. Dan was incredibly thorough, communicated directly, and is an excellent teacher. He also did a terrific job of tailoring the lessons to the skills of his students. Any day out on the water is a good one, but the four days we spent with Capt. Dan were truly some of our best on the water to date! Can't wait for the 103!

This a great place to rent paddle boards, kayaks and more. They were super helpful and friendly…read more You can cruise the harbor, spotting seals and other marine life along the way. The prices are reasonably, too

This place randomly decides to close when they don't want to serve customers anymore. Website…read morehours are NOT accurate to what they actually offer. My kids were so disappointed when we arrived at like 6:15 and were told they were closed! Talk about lazy business! Will never return again. Do NOT recommend.

I love the Ventura Harbor and it's my most frequented harbor in Ventura county. This one feels like…read morehome and has that nostalgic feeling since I've moved here as this was always the place I'd escape to for some good eats and seaside vibes. There is so much to love about the Ventura harbor. They host great events here and there is always something going on. I love when they hire live music on the weekends so that when you're walking around you can enjoy the tunes. A great selection of restaurants here and some nice variety. I love that the harbor has Mexican cuisine, seafood, brunch spots and Greek food. Also some newer spots with arcades and beer have popped up which is great for pulling in a larger crowd/audience. This harbor has always seemed relatively safe to me. I don't see much of security or law enforcement presence but I appreciate that as it just is on the safer side. Like anywhere be aware of your surroundings but I'm happy it's always a safe and family oriented spot. Plenty of parking, easy to get to from the freeway. It's a perfect tourist destination but also locals love it here as well. Cute shops, especially their clothing and pottery store. There is a lot to see at the Ventura harbor but it's also quaint and cutesy. Not too big and you can see everything in about an hour or two depending on your pace (and spending) lol. Happy that the Ventura harbor continues to thrive, really a great spot.

The Ventura Harbor is a nice place to hangout for the day. We visited with a couple of our local…read morefriends. Parking is free, and there are plenty of parking spots. Want to go shopping? There are a good selection of shops to browse or shop at. Are you hungry? They've got that covered at Ventura Harbor as well. We purchased some delicious ice cream at Coastal Cone. Need some exercise? All of us enjoyed walking around the harbor. Wifey and her friend got some extra exercise by pedaling the duck boat that we rented. I thoroughly enjoyed relaxing at the back of the pedal boat enjoying the sights! Hahaha!! Seriously, though, the Ventura Harbor is a terrific place to spend a couple hours or an entire day at. Enjoy!

We had an amazing deep sea fishing trip out of Duke Sportfishing today! Our family are all…read morebeginners, and the captain and crew were absolutely awesome -- patient, helpful, fun, and made the entire experience easy and enjoyable. We caught a huge variety of fish and way more than we expected! The crew worked hard to make sure everyone had a great time and felt comfortable on the water. Highly recommend Duke Sportfishing for anyone looking for a fun and memorable fishing trip out of Oxnard!

I had an absolutely incredible experience fishing! The weather could not be any better. The…read moreocean was calm. The fish were plenty. The captain knew all the good spots and which fish we were catching. I am not experienced at fishing at all but was shown how. I cannot wait to do it again!

Had a great time with our grandsons on a half day charter. Doug knows the Channel Islands well.read more

An incredible experience! Doug is a knowledgeable Captain who expertly navigated around the Channel…read moreIslands. He brought us to a quiet cove to enjoy lunch (and swimming if desired), showed us sea lions basking in the sun, sea caves where kayaks were exploding, dolphins, and other sites. Being out on Doug's boat for the day was a wonderful experience that our family won't soon forget. Definitely recommend having Captain Doug show you around the Channel Islands.

We rented a small boat to cruise around Oxnard harbor recently. Twelve people in our party, adults…read moreand kids. All of us fit comfortably. They do allowed alcohol, foods and drinks on the boat. All of us complemented how clean and new the boat was. Also how fast we were able to go around the harbor. A lot of nice homes to look at and not to mentioned the seals that were so loud! Yes, so much fun!! Reservation online was easy and the staff was really nice. They also rent out other equipment as well, SUP, jet ski, kayaks and other stuff. Just check them out on their website. Our rental was for two hours and it went by pretty fast. But two hours is all you need and really that's plenty of time. Next time I would order from Toppers Pizzas. The restaurant was so closed by and easy for everyone. Would I recommend this to others....absolutely!!!

Very enjoyable! Luckily, the dolphins put on a remarkable show for us! It was interesting to hear…read morefacts and see islands. A larger boat would be fantastic in the future!