Anacapa Island Trip with Island Packers- Heartland Charter School

Registration window August 14, 10:00 a.m. -August 20, 7:00 p.m.

This is an island landing excursion to the East Islet of Anacapa Island in the Channel Islands. The trip will begin with a 1- to 1 ½-hour boat ride out to the island, where we will look for marine wildlife and learn about the Santa Barbara Channel.

Upon arrival at the Landing Cove, be prepared to step from the boat to a ladder, where you will climb 2-5 rungs to the pier. Once ashore, you will walk up 157 steps on an open, cliff-side staircase to the top of the island. Please be sure you and your student(s) can participate in these physical activities.

You will need to pack your own lunch and drinks for the island. After lunch, we will be led on a tour by trained naturalists. During our tour, we will hike up to 2 miles of trails with minimal elevation change. This trail is rated "Easy" by the Park Service. Our trained naturalists will help us learn about the unique natural and cultural resources found in Channel Islands National Park. There are plants and animals on these islands that are found nowhere else in the world. Hopefully, we will have the opportunity to observe an Island Kit Fox and the endemic Island Scrub Jay. Students will receive a pair of binoculars & a Bingo Card to mark off what they see or hear.

Everyone will reconvene at the Landing Cove pier for the return boat ride at 3:30 P.M., and we will arrive back at the Ventura Harbor around 4:30 PM.

Be prepared for variable weather and potential motion sickness.  Come prepared by dressing in layers and researching the best sea sickness strategies for your family. 

-There is no potable water on the Island.

-There are no trash facilities – this is a “pack it in, pack it out” National Park.

-There are vault toilets near the Visitor Center.

https://www.islandpackers.com/anacapa-island/

Ticket cost:

• Students ages 3+ $59.00 (Students will receive a pair of binoculars)
• Chaperones $54.00

*The price for tickets paid with a credit card will be slightly higher due to the Ticketbud processing fee.

May I pay using my student's planning amount? Yes! You can pay for your student's ticket and one chaperone ticket with your student's planning amount. Reminder: Only one chaperone ticket per family may be purchased using planning amounts. 

What are the check-in procedures? Check-in time is 9:15 AM with a strict 10:00 AM departure time. Melissa Porter will be checking in families in front of the building & then families will line up along the fence. Melissa will be wearing Heartland Charter School apparel.

Who may attend? Students must be at least 3 years old to attend. Up to two chaperones per family are allowed. Every attendee needs a ticket.

Is there on-site parking available? There is free public parking outside the Island Packers building. The space is not limited as the lot is large.

Can we pack snacks or lunch for this event or field trip? Yes. Families must bring their own lunch and water. They can bring snacks, as well. It is also a good idea to bring bubbly water and dry crackers to help fight off motion sickness on the boat.

There is no potable water on the Island. 

Lunch will be eaten on the island, most likely before the educational program. I would recommend bringing a picnic blanket to sit on.

There are no trash facilities – this is a “pack it in, pack it out” National Park. Please help the students remember this, repack their lunches, and then trash them accordingly.

How do I contact the event organizer?

Name: Melissa Porter

Phone number: 661-330-6945

Email address: [email protected]

You must have a student enrolled at Heartland Charter School to attend this event. We verify enrollment for all attendees.

How to Reserve Your Spot

To officially join us on this field trip, you must complete both steps of our registration process. Please follow these directions carefully:

Step 1: Check out on Ticketbud

Complete the checkout process here on Ticketbud. This initiates your reservation. *If you want to pay with your student funds, please reserve tickets labeled "Paid with student funds through Procurify".

• Confirmation: You will receive an email confirmation from Ticketbud once your order is complete.
• Tip: If you do not see the email within a few minutes, please check your Spam/Junk folder. If you cannot find a confirmation email from Ticketbud, you did not successfully reserve tickets.
• Action: Once you have your confirmation, move immediately to Step 2.

Step 2: Place your Order in Procurify

Your spot is not confirmed until an order is placed in the Procurify system for students who are enrolled in Heartland and their chaperones. You do NOT need to place an order in Procurify for siblings who are not enrolled.

• Search: Log in to Procurify, search the name of this field trip in the catalog, and complete your order as you would for any other educational resource.
• Note: Do NOT place a Procurify order for siblings who are not enrolled in Heartland.
• Deadline: You must place your Procurify order within 3 days of your Ticketbud registration.
• IMPORTANT! Registration Requirement: To avoid losing your spot, both steps must be completed. Failure to place an order in Procurify within the three-day window will result in removal from the attendee list, and funds will be manually deducted from your account.

Heartland events are designed for families to attend together. Students need to be accompanied by an adult chaperone. If your student will be attending with another family, please email the field trip host to let them know once you complete your registration. Chaperones must be the legal parent or 25 years and older. All chaperones must be healthy, ethical people with the skills to be responsible adult chaperones.

Please review our Field Trip Refund & Attendance Policy!

To ensure we can provide these experiences to as many students as possible, please review our commitment and refund guidelines before registering.

All Sales are Final

• No Refunds: Once a ticket is reserved or purchased, we cannot offer a refund for any reason, including illness, scheduling conflicts, or a change of plans.
• Non-Transferable: Tickets are tied specifically to the student account used at registration. They cannot be sold, gifted, or transferred to another family.

The "No-Show" Policy

Because Heartland pre-pays many venues based on Ticketbud headcounts, an unused ticket is a direct loss of school resources.

• Fund Deduction: If a family reserves a spot and does not place an order in Procurify, the student's planning amount will still be manually deducted from their Procurify account, and the student will be removed from the attendee list.
• Loss of Access: Families who are frequent "no-shows" may lose access to future field trip registrations. We track attendance to ensure that limited spots go to families who are committed to attending.

Professional Courtesy: If an emergency arises, and you truly cannot make it:

• Notify the Lead Teacher: Please email the organizing teacher as soon as possible.
• Why it matters: This prevents the entire group from waiting at the venue entrance for your arrival, keeping the educational program on schedule for everyone else.

Our Goal: By only registering for events you are fully committed to, you help us keep our field trip program sustainable and open to all students.