California Coast Expeditions

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November 3, 2021

Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands National Park

33.98° S -120.09° E

Doug Gould, Expedition Leader

Starting in 2023, we are pleased to offer complimentary beer & wine aboard National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Sea Bird, and National Geographic Sea Lion. See our new Free Bar Policy under special offers for details.

We're a winner of Conde Nast Traveler's 2022 Readers Choice Awards

The new gold rush: Discover the California Coast

Mere miles from the shores of Los Angeles lies wildness that surpasses imagination and a gem of the National Park system: the Channel Islands. Exploring it is akin to entering a time machine. To enter a era when the coast of California was lined with the tallest, oldest trees—those that remain are among the rarest on Earth. Its isolation from the mainland has led to the evolution of wildlife found nowhere else. Few dive into the region’s surprising wildness and biodiversity as Lindblad Expeditions is able to by hiking inland over rivers of pinecones and kayaking along rugged coastlines.

Baja California

California Coast

A Southern Migration: From the Channel Islands to Baja California

Special Offers

Duration

12 days

Dec

From

$8,330

Prices are per person

Special Offers (3)

Highlights

Baja California

California Coast

A Southern Migration: From the Channel Islands to Baja California

Duration

12 days

Dec

From

$8,330

Top Highlights

Discover the incredible biodiversity of Channel Islands National Park, home to over 2,000 species including 145 endemics.
Go behind the scenes and enjoy a private lunch at a boutique vineyard in the world-renowned Valle de Guadalupe.
Explore the waters and experience the wildlife of peninsular Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve; meet the fishermen of Isla Natividad’s model fishing co-op.
Observe breaching humpbacks and acrobatic dolphins from the bow of a small ship.
Snorkel in Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, the only hard coral reef in North America; featuring over 220 species of fish.

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Special Offers

FREE BAR POLICY
SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS
$600 AIR CREDIT

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California Coast

Wild California Escape: Channel Islands National Park

Special Offers

Duration

5 days

Apr
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

From

$3,360

Prices are per person

Special Offers (2)

Highlights

California Coast

Wild California Escape: Channel Islands National Park

Duration

5 days

Apr
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

From

$3,360

Top Highlights

Explore the islands by walking miles of trails, paddling crystal-clear waters by kayak or stand-up paddleboard, exploring by Zodiac, or photographing breathtaking landscapes and bird colonies
Hike in a Torrey Pine grove, one of only two on Earth, and enjoy a picnic lunch with sweeping views of the natural harbor
See iconic animals such as the American bison, bald eagles, and the Channel Island fox
Visit the famous community of Avalon, a haven for movie stars in Hollywood’s golden era

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Special Offers

FREE BAR POLICY
SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS

View Itinerary Book Now

Expedition Highlights

The coast of California is proof that a far-reaching adventure is much closer than you think. Go aboard an expedition ship, equipped with tools for in-depth exploration, to sail to protected islands, hike over rivers of pinecones to stands of gnarly, windswept trees, and discover wildlife found nowhere else. Watch as the coast grows wilder and see where Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and the Jesuit missionaries who followed in his wake explored, mapped, and catalogued new flora and fauna. Go deep—whether kayaking the rugged shores or hiking to one of the last remaining stands of Torrey pines in the world.

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Life Aboard

Dining aboard is delectable. Get nutritionally savvy snacks, juices, menu options, and more, as well as Lindblad Expeditions’ longstanding commitment to locally and sustainably caught seafood, locally sourced produce—and food that rewards.

The Amazing Natural Allure of the Channel Islands

One of the most biodiverse places on Earth, California’s seldom-visited Channel Islands National Park is home to vast wildlife breeding colonies, underwater realms bursting with life, and astonishing sea caves.

Capturing the Channel Islands: A Remote & Remarkable National Park

Staff Photographer/Art Director David Vargas joined our Wild California Escape aboard the National Geographic Venture and spent five days capturing the essence of this spirit-lifting place.

5 Reasons to Visit Channel Islands National Park

If you’re lucky enough to find your way to these remote islands, you’ll quickly be drawn in by the rugged, mountainous landscapes, bustling undersea realms, and astonishing amounts of wildlife.

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

1.800.397.3348

1.800.397.3348

Discover

Discover

We love to travel with Lindblad. The naturalists and photographers really make the experience exceptional.

Maureen B.

Expedition Leader

Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.

Naturalist

Our naturalists, passionate about the geographies they explore (and return to regularly), illuminate each facet through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.

CPI

Every expedition aboard a ship in our National Geographic-flagged fleet offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to offer assistance with camera settings and the basics of composition and to help you become a better, more confident photographer.

Undersea Specialist

Undersea specialists are your eyes on the world that lies beneath the waves. Using an array of tools, including a high-definition camera, our Cousteau-like undersea specialist dives frequently during the voyage to show you strikingly clear images of the seldom-seen world beneath the ship.

1.800.397.3348

Daily Expedition Reports

Daily Expedition Reports

2/17/2023

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National Geographic Sea Bird

Hull Canal

Today we traveled through Hull Canal, a shallow passage with mangrove forests and dune ecosystems on both sides. This passage is located between the southern part of Bahia Magdalena and the northern area known as Boca de Soledad. Lagoons are created by barrier islands. A local pilot navigated the thin, challenging channel, making it a truly special area to travel. Our naturalists hung out on the ship’s bow, pointing out various bird species and encouraging guests to look over the side to see bow-riding bottlenose dolphins. After lunch, we explored a very narrow part of Bahia Magdalena via pangas operated by local fishermen. This part of the bay is an incredible nursery ground for gray whale mother and calf pairs. The babies fatten up on their mother’s milk as they exercise in the currents and prepare for the long migration back to the feeding grounds of the Bering and Chukchi Seas. We were treated to an awe-inspiring experience as these curious calves swam under our pangas and attempted to nurse, which included rolling around and bringing their cute, barnacle-free heads out of the water. We were lucky enough to observe multiple pairs and lots of activity. Thanks to low tides in the afternoon, we cruised close to shore on the way back to the ship, photographing herons, ibises, willets, and even a few howling coyotes. After warming up on the ship, we all met in the lounge for a Mexican fiesta and danced to a performance by local musicians, Los Coyotes.

Daily Expedition Reports

12/14/2022

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National Geographic Venture

Isla San Jose

Our final morning aboard the National Geographic Venture begins along the east coast of the Baja Peninsula. We are awe stuck at the jagged cliff sides that are illuminated by the morning pink hues and some of us are fortunate enough to see the green flash at sunrise. Our afternoon comes to a close after sailing through the Gulf of California in search of whales. We are grateful as the sunsets once more along the striking beaches of Isla San Jose.

Daily Expedition Reports

12/13/2022

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National Geographic Venture

Cabo Pulmo National Park

The sun rose in pink-colored hues over the tiny fishing village of Los Frailes, just as a squadron of local pangueros rounded the corner from Parque Nacional Cabo Pulmo to welcome us to another day of adventure aboard the National Geographic Venture . A breakfast of salsa roja chilaquiles kickstarted us into our first snorkel of the voyage—and what a place to do it! Cabo Pulmo National Park is a jewel of the global “Marine Protected Area” project, a stunning example of how an aquatic community can rebound and thrive if it is freed from extractive pressures and given the time it needs to heal. Once nearly-barren from decades of overexploitation, this 27-square-mile piece of piscine paradise had been set aside as a no-take marine reserve since 1995, thanks to the dedicated efforts and oversight of Cabo Pulmo’s ocean-minded community of residents and expats. The park—which also oversees the northern-most coral reefs of the Pacific Coast of North America and only reef-building coral community in Baja California—has seen its ecosystem rebound almost beyond comprehension, with a biomass surging over 400% in the past 30 years. We spent the morning snorkeling along these as-near-to-pristine reefs, encountering full “emergen-sea rooms” of yellowtail surgeonfishes, resplendent dent wrasses, parrotfishes, moorish idols, pufferfishes, damselfishes, bennies, hawkfishes, groupers and countless tropically influenced swimmers, all communing around corals, sea fans and sponges. Open-ocean passers-by of green, trevally and blue jacks swam by as pompano and cornetfishes chased closely behind. Though the water was chopped by the wind and relatively cool with the approaching winter, we explored throughout the morning until hands were thoroughly pruned and hot showers were extra-appreciated. Chicken tortas powered us into an afternoon of cruising, whale-watching, and learning from National Geographic Exporter John Francis about sustainable tourism. An evening of presentations about the park featuring dive footage from the day left our memory-bellies full for the tomorrow’s final full day of expedition fun. One could say we had experienced Cabo Pulmo-nary Resuscitation… Onward!

Daily Expedition Reports

12/11/2022

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National Geographic Venture

Cabo San Lucas, Los Frailes

Early light painted the granite steeples of Land’s End in beautiful colors as Captain Andrew Cook nosed the National Geographic Venture e ver closer to these iconic rocks. What a beautiful and abrupt end to the Baja Peninsula, where the land plunges into the sea here at the meeting place of the mighty Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. Cameras clicked and whirred as we all enjoyed the sight and even the sounds of Finnis Tierra . Traveling further to the east and eventually the north we were in the breeding and calving grounds of the Great New Englander, as the scientific name of the humpback whale translates. Humpback whales have been traveling south with us as we migrated from the cooler California waters into the tropics here at the southern end of the peninsula. In the distance we see tail-lobbing, pectoral fin slapping, and even breaching as we make our way along this coastline. In the afternoon we find ourselves in a protected anchorage called Los Frailes (the Friars). Some of us hike to an estuary to look for birdlife, while others walk the beach in search of treasures. The beach walkers encountered several turtle nests that had been recently abandoned, leaving behind the dried-up eggs that the turtle hatchlings erupted from the nest in. A cold and tasty beverage was there upon our return, along with a lovely campfire, all provided by our amazing hotel department!

Daily Expedition Reports

12/10/2022

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National Geographic Venture

San Carlos & Isla Magdalena

A warm breeze and sun rise greeted the National Geographic Venture as we cruised into San Carlos port. After breakfast guests were able to stretch their legs on the dock, view numerous brown pelicans plunge diving, and attend snorkeling 101 to get some tips and tricks for later in our voyage. Lunch was served with bright sunny skies and warm temperatures. After lunch guests took a short Zodiac ride to shore to spend the afternoon exploring Isla Magdalena. A walk through the dune systems took guests from the Bahia Magdalena side of the island over to the Pacific side and Sand Dollar Beach. Passing by rattle weed, evening primrose, and Sand Verbina throughout the extensive, ever-changing dune system. Here guests were able to stroll at their own leisurely pace while exploring the beach and all its treasures including sand dollars and a variety of seashells. Once back on board everyone gathered up on the sun deck to enjoy cocktails and view the sun set. The evening wrapped up with recap, delicious dinner, and new friends.

This is a great capital of wildness, extravagant beyond description and—incredibly—existing so close to population-dense L.A.

Sven-Olof Lindblad

1.800.397.3348

1.800.397.3348

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