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Welcome to
Two Harbors!
What to Do and Where to Eat and Drink
The beach at peaceful
Two Harbors; Los Angeles seems so far away.
There is Avalon, home of the weekend
warriors from L.A., who come over by the thousands, particularly in
the summer.
And then there is Two Harbors, far removed from even the relative hustle
and bustle of the "other" Catalina Island. It's a small harbor
with a beautiful lagoon, palm trees, dirt roads (what suffices for a
road here, anyway), few vehicles, a restaurant and a bar with dancing
under the stars.
For those seeking the "relaxed" way of life, this is it.
Home of the buffalo milk, a potent cocktail topped with whipped cream
that was created here, it is a haven for sailboaters, who like to make
the 4-5 hour journey from LA or Orange County, and sometimes even San
Diego. It's as casual as the dress code – sandals and shorts primarily
– but do bring a jacket or sweatshirt for the cool nights, even
in the middle of summer.
Getting to Two
Harbors
Boats provide the only path to Two Harbors.
Ferries run from Marina del Rey ($60 R/T, Catalina Ferries, 310-305-7250),
Long Beach, San Pedro and Newport Beach ($59 R/T, Catalina Express,
800-481-3470). .
Boat moorings are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Busy weekends
– Fourth of July and Buccaneer Days (see below) require arriving
at least by Friday. Two smaller coves have additinal moorings and some
boats can anchor in Two Harbors. The Harbor Master is, of course,
the source for morrings and anchoring.
There's only four ways to get between Two Harbors and Avalon. If you
don't have your own boat, that is. One is to take the ferry, though
there is a very limited schedule between the two places. There is the
Catalina Safari (310-510-1550), a small bus that takes a two-hour journey
through the dirt roads of the island's interior. Another is to hitch
a ride on a boat with someone going in that direction (1 hour, plus
and good luck!). The third is to get arrested in Two Harbors. This involves
a ride aboard the sheriff's boat but it goes directly to the Avalon
jail. Since the sheriff hates making this trip, it's likely a very unpleasant
journey
Boats tie up in
Two Harbors; the owners are on the beach or at the bar.
Two Harbors Visitor's
Information
Compared to Two Harbors, Avalon is as
busy as Los Angeles.
Two Harbors – an isthmus with the main harbor facing east toward
the mainland – is a remote outpost of life, a simple but beautiful
setting where after a couple of hours on shore everyone knows your name.
A favorite of Southern California sailboaters, it consists of a General
Store, one restaurant and one bar (and it's actually one in the same).
The only accommodations are camping and a 12-room B&B high on the
hill, The Banning House (summertime rooms, $150). Most visitors
stay on their boats. Clean public restrooms provide showers, which are
a quarter per 90 seconds (guys, 50 cents is plenty; ladies, if you are
anything like The
Blonde, you might want to hit bank before leaving home
to stock up on the quarters, though there is a semi-reliable change
machine).
So what's the attraction?
For one, the beauty. The hills offer a stark contrast to the rich,
blue water and hug a series of spectacular coves with scenic walking,
running or bicycling along a dirt path on the edge of a cliff.
The water sports are as plentiful as one's imagination (or budget):
snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, jet skiing, hiking or just plain hanging
out. The scuba diving is the best on the island, particularly in nearby
Emerald Bay.
Drinking and dancing
at the open deck of the Harbor Reef bar.
Since there are limited dining and drinking options (to say the least),
everyone goes to the Harbor Reef Restaurant for lunch and/or
dinner (excellent fish and steak dishes in the $20 range), then tear
is up at the adjacent bar. Nothing fancy here; the bar is a roofless
deck where people dance under the stars to a DJ or band. It's a kicked-back
good time and regulars go back time and time again.
The first of October, the harbor fills up and becomes one of the biggest
boat parties on the West Coast. It's called Buccaneer
Days. Adults dress in pirate costumes, say "Arrrg!"
a lot and drink the bar dry of rum.
Arrggg!
Buccaneer Days is a blast in Two Harbors.
PubClub's Los
Angeles Guide:
• Avalon.
Visitor information, restaurants, bars, activities.
• Hollywood.
Visit some of L.A.'s hottest and most unusual clubs.
• Long
Beach. Home to the World's Fastest Beach Party, and more.
• Santa
Monica/Westside. Peek inside L.A.'s most diverse pub and
club scene.
• South
Bay. Where the young and beautiful get wild and crazy.
• Sunset
Strip/Beverly Hills. Hear the next hot band or see a celebrity
(maybe).
• Venice
Beach/Marina de Rey. Muscle Beach and L.A.'s newest hot spot.
• Orange
County. The young and young-at-heart love this upscale area
South of L.A.
Here are the highlights of PubClub.com's guide to Los Angeles:
• Start here for the Best
of L.A.
• To see all of the city, ride the Party
Bus; it's a lot more reliable than those "maps of the
stars homes" people sell around town.
• In PreParty,
learn the vital information necessary to navigate this real-life movie
set.
• Get a first-person perspective from The
Bartender; our man about town.
• Learn all about "California Cuisine" in
our Restaurant
and Dining Guide.
 Step
aboard the Party Bus!
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