These apartments are great value for money The Hot tub was a real boon after the long journey from the UK. There was everything you could wish for to selfcater for a family or a group of freinds. There are lots of things to doin the area and the beach is just on your doorstep, plenty of good places to eat and takeaways nearby. Breakfast, coffee are available from reception complimentry. Keys and instructions leftin a late box and a code is given if you arrive after 6pm.
Definantly want to return for a longer visit. Itsjust about30minutes to Santa Barbara at a third of the price.

This location is an easy half day's drive from Sequoia National Park, and it was great to arrive to friendly reception, answers to all our questions, and then a lovely unit. Plenty of space, spotlessly clean, well-equipped with everything we need plus the bonus of a large deck with a hot tub for just us. The sandy beach that goes on forever is less than 100 metres from our door, and we loved the long walks every morning. Oxnard is a lovely seashore town that feels like a small town along the coast, but has all the amenities of a large town. Although we'd never heard of it before, we'd definitely come back here again, both to the town and to Channel Island Shores!

Channel Island Shores' friendly staff offer a library of free videos, books, board games & afternoon popcorn. There's free covered parking next to the 2-story condos; ours was upstairs, with a gas bbq and spa on our balcony. Free shared laundry rm was downstairs. Excellent bed, kitchen. Some living-rm furniture and bath fixtures were worn, but very clean. Stairs, no elevator. Neighborhood's quiet; the impossibly-wide white beach, a few steps away, is silky-soft, great for kids. There are swings and a small play area. No tidepools, but we walked for miles on firm sand beside waves that never got overwhelming, even in a storm. Large, lovely Oxnard Beach Park a short walk away includes lawns, benches, grassy sand dunes, volleyball courts. A mile or so away there are public beaches less sheltered by the islands, where waves rise higher for surfers and kitesurfing (those wild people hitched to a board and a colorful crescent kite). February weather varied from still, sunny 60's to wild, stormy 40's. Near the resort, we were often the only people on the sand as far as we could see.

There's a beautiful harbor full of sparkling-clean sailboats and yachts, with excellent restaurants nearby. Delicious, generous servings of breakfast fare at casual, cheerful Mrs. Olson's Coffee Hut; quietly classy Whale's Tail has delectable chowder, etc plus huge view windows looking across harbor lined with hundreds of spotless yachts and sailboats; we watched them float in & out. Yolanda's Mexican Cafe is pretty, serves good Sonoran food. Besides lunchtime pizza buffet, the friendly, attractive Me-N-Ed's Pizza serves huge, fresh-bread calzones bursting with savory fillings, has sports-channel TV's but wasn't noisy -especially outside on the patio!

Our all-day boat trip to lushly-green Anacapa (one of the Channel Islands) on Island Packers' boat was delightful. [They also offer shorter whale-watching trips in season, and rides to farther, larger islands.] Staff are cheerful, informative, unobtrusive; the boat pauses for photos of dolphin, whale, huge sunfish. A classful of school kids went with us and made a lively passage, with squeals of joy at our dolphin travel buddies, but the kids were kept busy on the island clearing non-native plants. Teachers and volunteer guides kept them in good order. Bring your own food, water; they drop you off for 5 hrs or overnight. Stairs are STEEP up from Anacapa's dock. In summer you can snorkel in sparkling-clear water; we walked trails, & sat peacefully to absorb incredible views. The island gets little rain, so is less green in summer, but still lovely. We were warned that nesting gulls in April are noisy, defensive, messy and fascinating. In Feb, they were quietly picking nesting spots.

Could park on street right outside reception (parking also available at rear of property). Check in was quick and very friendly. Unit was really well equipped and appointed (eg nightlights, washing up liquid, table set for dinner). Friendly check out. Great breakfast at Mrs Olsen's Coffee Hut, a short drive away. Wished we could have stayed longer.