Linking to channel page
Create a single section that displays the channel entries so that I can link to it?


Are you trying to select the actual Channel itself? (like the News / Blog).


Trevor Davis' handy Listing Section fieldtype could work here. 
If you want more control as to what is shown on that channle's "index" page (intro blurb, featured entries, etc), as you mentioned, just create a single that maps to the index page of the channel. Craft's routing is smart enough so when you go to /blog/ (for example) it'll route to the entry first.