The Golden State has plenty of superlatives under its belt (most geographically and culturally diverse! Amazing weather! The best bagels!), and you can add California islands to the list. From resort-style beachy getaways to intrepid adventures, the appeal of these fascinating spots gets forgotten in all the hype around the best beach towns in Southern California and surf culture—but any real California lover has a favorite or two.
For example, I love the Channel Islands off Santa Barbara, knowns as the "Galapagos of North America," for the wide variety of extant wildlife species that live there under protection (including an island fox). I've enjoyed kayaking out to them, as much as I enjoyed taking young family members to Alcatraz Island to listen to the spooky audio tour about past imprisoned people. Next on my Cali bucket list is a trip to Fannette Island, a tree-trimmed marble floating in the middle of Lake Tahoe accessible from a charming small town. (And what a story—it's where a wealthy Flapper Age widow held court in a now-ruined stone tea house.) So whether you're after a weekend trip from Los Angeles or elsewhere, read on for these and more California gems to visit pronto.
