Less than 20 miles offshore from the bustling metropolis of Los Angeles, Calif., Santa Cruz Island-the largest of eight that make up Channel Islands National Park-offers paddlers a chance to escape the grind and explore the world's largest sea caves, as well as hang out with pygmy foxes; small, fully-grown foxes that can be found nowhere else in the world. Now that's awesome. http://www.canoekayak.com/tour ing-kayak/home-water-life-on-t he-channel-islands