We took the day trip to Santa Cruz with Island Packers (reservations needed in advance usually). I would recommend going to the National Park Visitors center in Ventura Harbor the day before for a good overview and recommendations. The 8a boat trip arrived around 920a…. More. Date of experience: July 2019.

Source:: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g143019-d141863-Reviews-Santa_Cruz_Island-Channel_Islands_National_Park_California.html