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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Two Harbors
Two Harbors is a half-day stop or a one-night camping base, not a multi-day destination. Go for the quiet cove and hiking; skip if you want restaurants and nightlife.
Two Harbors is a tiny village (population about 150) on the isthmus of Catalina Island, a 90-minute ferry from San Pedro. It has a general store, one restaurant, a saloon, and a handful of lodgings. Most visitors come for the protected natural cove, kayaking, diving, and hiking the island's interior. It works as a day trip from Avalon or a one-night camping stop, but not as a base for longer stays.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–October
- Avoid
- November–April (many accommodations and services closed or limited)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–100 excl. bed · Mid $150–250 excl. bed · High $300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, Fire, Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at Harbor Reef Restaurant | $3–5 |
| Sandwich at West End Galley | $10–15 |
| Beer at Harbor Reef Saloon | $6–9 |
| General store: snacks and drinks | $3–10 |
| Camping permit (per person per night) | $20–50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LAX · Los Angeles International
- Then taxi or shuttle to San Pedro ferry terminal, about 30 min by car.
- LGB · Long Beach Airport
- Closer to San Pedro; about 20 min by car.
Typical fares
- Catalina Express ferry, San Pedro → Two Harbors
- about $40 one way, 90 min (check)
- Safari Bus, Two Harbors → Avalon
- about $20 one way, 1 h (check)
- Kayak rental, half-day
- about $50 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk or bike; the village is tiny. A Safari Bus (passenger van) connects to Avalon, the airport, Little Harbor, and Black Jack Junction. Kayaks and bicycles can be rented. Dirt roads in the west end are accessible by Hummer tour or on foot.
See and do
Known for
- Protected natural cove for boating
- Camping at Hermit Gulch, Little Harbor, Blackjack, Parson's Landing
- Hiking and kayaking
- Isolation and quiet
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Avalon | Safari Bus or ferry; about 1 hour by bus, 30 min by ferry | About 1–1.5 h |
| Little Harbor | Safari Bus or hike (about 5 km (3.1 mi) one way)Safari Bus or hike (about 3.1 mi (5 km) one way) | About 30 min by bus, 1.5 h hike |
| Black Jack Junction | Safari Bus or hike | About 45 min by bus, 2 h hike |
Sleep
- Two Harbors village
- Banning House Lodge (11 rooms, $125–250+ per night) and Catalina Cabins (economical, Nov–Apr only).
- Campgrounds
- Hermit Gulch, Little Harbor, Blackjack, Parson's Landing; book ahead via the Catalina Island Conservancy.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HelloHello |
| Thank you | Thank youThank you |
| How much? | How much?How much? |
| Where is the ferry? | Where is the ferry?Where is the ferry? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry tickets sell out on summer weekends: book ahead on Catalina Express.
- Camping requires a permit and advance reservation; no walk-up sites.
- The general store is the only source of supplies; check its hours.
- Cell service is patchy; download maps offline.
Two Harbors is very safe. The main risks are sun exposure, dehydration on hikes, and slippery rocks near the cove. No crime reported.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Two Harbors yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Protected natural cove for boating
- Camping at Hermit Gulch, Little Harbor, Blackjack, Parson's Landing
- Hiking and kayaking
- Isolation and quiet
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Catalina Island official travel guide: www.catalinachamber.com/
- Catalina Express: www.catalinaexpress.com/
- Wikivoyage: Two Harbors, revision 3814061 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3814061
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Two Harbors
Take me to Two Harbors, please
Take me to Two Harbors, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, Fire, Ambulance911
The nearest US embassy is in Los Angeles (check address). Most foreign consulates are in Los Angeles.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/two-harbors). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.