This is a great campground about a half a mile from downtown Avalon! Well kept clean bathrooms. And…read morenot one mosquito bite somehow.

Absolutely loved this campground. We have been here twice. Once we stayed in a tent and the second…read morewe stayed in the yurt. When we stayed by the yurt, there were some baby foxes that were literally right next to our campsite. They even went in the yurt, but they were harmless and we were not there at the moment. We did see them run out though. The little shop they have there is really neat and has a little bit of everything you will need. Our kids took the bikes and it was a nice little ride for them to get back onto the main street. We took the hiking trail up to the top. It was breathtaking and just so awesome. And I say breathtaking because I'm a little out of shape and it literally took my breath away lol but it was a great achievement for my husband and my son for us to do! Can't wait to come back!

This is an amazing beach campsite. We stayed at #7, which I recommend for three reasons: 1. sandy…read moreground makes for better tent options, 2. there's more space here. #6 to the south is farther away and you only have the residents of #8 to the north passing by. 3. This site is a bit elevated from the water, which makes the dolphin and seal watching a bit easier. A lot of people recommend site #1 which is a cool site because it's in its own secluded cove, but it's very rocky there and views of the water are limited. We were there in early January and witnessed hundreds of dolphins diving and splashing in the kelp forests off shore. I have never seen anything like it. You will want to get a locker of water and wood for each day you are there. So two days, two lockers. Be sure to stop at the office in Two Harbors to get the lock codes for those lockers before you set out. Very special. I have also posted this in my review of the Trans-Catalina Trail, but be forewarned that if you want to take the trail to Parsons from Two Harbors, which goes over the mountains, it's VERY difficult and steep and not for anyone of below average fitness. That said, the views are incredible. The other option is to take the coastal road, which is farther in distance, but much flatter and easier. Enjoy!

We ended up doing a day hike instead of a single over night. After this hike we have a better…read moreunderstanding of what we need for this location. - you definitely need mats to sleep on! The beach is very rocky. - USE THE FOOD BOX at all times! We learned quickly. And good thing I had taken extra food for lunch or we would've been hungry - check the vacant camp site food boxes. We found fire wood, water, camp soap, pots, pans and utensils in our food box. We ended up leaving a brand new bundle of firewood and an unopened water container for the next campers. - definitely take an extra lighter lol you just never know We started our hike to Parsons Landing from the Banning House at 8:30am. The 2 hr hike was breathtaking. Beautiful, sunny, cool day in December. Couldn't get any better. We arrived and at Parsons Landing and explored all the sites since only one another site was occupied. Every sites has a gorgeous view, fire pit, food box and fairly easy to distinguish. We walked over to our secluded site... best site in my opinion. I look forward to camping out for a few days next time.

Amazing Experience. Campus by the Sea is such a great place…read moreto grow closer to others and God. They are able to strike a balance between cutting out distractions, while still having fun. Attending Youth Camp has been one of the best experiences of my year, thank you to all the leaders, counselors, and the rest of the crew for making such experience possible. Even the media team was cooking... go team green btw

My first visit was in 1997 and most recent in Summer of 2021, it just keeps getting better and…read morebetter! This is a private camp that both puts on programming in the summer (family camps) and also rents the camp to other groups who want to come and host their programs at this beautiful location (churches, school groups, marine groups, etc.). I have attended camps that were hosted here by IVCF and the related Alumni Camp - they are top notch! The location is amazing. Just a one-hour boat ride away from LA, yet you'll think you are a world away. In fact, my daughter used to think Catalina was a different country, it felt so different from home. It's a great mix of modern and rustic: Electricity in the Dining Hall, Classrooms, and Bathroom (yes, there is modern plumbing with hot showers), but no electricity in your cabins (a mixture of enclosed and open-air hard-walled and tent cabins). And yes - no cell phone service!!! What a joy to tell my work I was unavailable while on vacation! A bigger joy to see your teens with no phones, finally giving in and playing card games all evening with friends and family. And don't worry, there is a land line in camp if you really need to call a loved one to check in. The staff works with a spirit of wanting to serve, they love their jobs. My most recent visit during COVID, I saw them all step up to do more work to ensure all health standards were being met. We felt safe and realized that having an open-air dining room is now a great feature! I have also been impressed by their efforts to keep long-term staff employed during the pandemic, the stability of camp leadership is serving them well as we come out of the pandemic. For those with children, this place is extra special as there is no road access to camp, everyone arrives on the pier by boat. This means, no stranger danger. Even as a 4 year-old, we could let our daughter go around camp on her own and experience a unique independence that wouldn't exist at home. Now a teen, she loves bringing friends and eagerly awaits this family vacation each year. Finally - this place is fun! When weather allows, there is snorkling, swimming, fishing, tubing, hiking, basketball, ping pong, volleyball, and campfire sing-alongs ... and everything is included in your camp price (no surprise add-on's). Sometimes there are opportunities to hike into Avalon and be brought back by boat (usually during week-long camps). Different groups program different events, but I have never been bored and have always been sad to leave. Seriously, if you have an opportunity to experience Campus By the Sea yourself, GO! I wasn't sure about going that first time, but I'm sure glad I did!

My fiancé and I really enjoyed this cruise . It was so beautiful especially coming back to see the…read moresunset . I highly suggest coming back during sunset . I love the island so much I probably would stay there next time .

I came here with my adventure guides group, the coyotes, and we loved it…read more We had the entire camp ground for our group and everybody had a fabulous time. I enjoyed the rustic setting and the freedom that the enclosed environment provided for the kids. The staff was nice and the food was great.

If you use the showers make sure you use the newer ones. The old ones didn't even have hot water…read moreand hardly any water comes out. Also you have to download an app and login all your card info. Other than that it's nice and the general store has everything. They have great banana nut ice cream.

We LOVE Two Harbors! What a cool little hide-away! Great…read morefood at the Harbor Reef. The General Store has everything you might need. All the locals we're soooo very nice! Special shout-out to Pam who saved our trip when we lost our Dingy!!! Mahalo & Aloha to everyone at the Isthmas!!!

Aaron and Jess were life savers! When we realized we had the wrong size tent at BlackJack, Aaron…read morenot only lent us a larger tent, but set it up with 2 cots, and a cooler of ice cold water that was waiting for us at Little Harbor. When we arrived, my wife had 9 blisters so there was no way we were going to make it to 2 harbors the next day. Aaron saved the day by giving us a ride the next morning! He made the whole experience a joy despite all of the other mishaps! They provide a great service!!

Jess and Aaron are incredible humans. If you are planning a trip to Catalina to stay anywhere…read moreoutside the civilization of Avalon you need to know about them and I'd recommend utilizing their services. They take packs and humans to each campground along TCT. We learned about them as we were dangerously hot near mile 9 of TCT and found they generously provided ice water. Our crew of 7 were so grateful. The next day after a long hike into little harbor we decided we would like to get our packs taken for us so that we could continue to hike the TCT but without the toll of a 25lb pack on our backs. Jess was so kind and helpful. Immediately booking the transaction taking our bags from LH to Parsons. Sadly shortly after my daughter started throwing up and we decided we needed to cut our trip short. I asked Jess for help on recommendations how to get a ride out. She quickly made adjustments to her schedule and said "we can take you". Aaron was there early to ensure we had plenty of time to get on the boat while providing tour level information about the island during the drive. We can't say thank you enough! These people are gold and backpacking Catalina, while beautiful, is no joke. I wish I knew about their service before starting TCT. I highly recommend connecting with them to help you with your trip.

Booked a four day stay at Whites Landing, on Catalina Island, Ca., to celebrate my wife's birthday…read morealong with beloved dog. From booking, check-in, our length of stay, and checkout, our experience with staff, lodging, facilities, and amenities was fantastic. This location is ideal for a quick get-away to shed stress, anxiety, and the vexation of urban society. It offered peace & quiet, along with beautiful views of ocean front sunrises, and full moon lit skies with stellar views of the canopy of stars. Enjoyed our stay, and Lord willing, we'll be back!

My family of 4 (2 boys, ages 6 and 8) loved it and can't wait to go back! We went over Memorial Day…read moreweekend 2026. Morning overcast burnt off by around 12 each day. Nights were cool but the comforters provided were sufficiently warm at night. Comfortable beds and pillows. Pay for the bedding/towel package in advance so they can make the beds for you. We'd like to go back in the summer months when it's warmer. We packed our own snacks, food to grill on the community grills, and more than enough stuff to make all meals on site. Everything u need to cook comfortably is provided, except maybe 1 or two things that I'll list below. We got the 4 person full size hut. We were towards the back of the camp but conveniently located next to bathrooms/sinks. Our hut faced the ocean so we were fortunate to have great views. The grounds are private and large enough for kids to explore but small enough that parents can let older kids roam free. The beach is perfect for little ones, and the communal spaces included a lot of outdoor activities and games. No wifi in the huts/yurts/etc. You have to go to the large communal building (where food is served for those who purchase the add-on meal package (95.00 per person per day; you can't select individual meals, it's all or nothing)). Meal planning is critical if you plan on cooking for yourself. We took too much but were happy that we chose to make our own food. There's a dishwashing station with hot water, sponges, dish soap. The huts have large bins to take your dishes over to the washing station. It was easy enough to do that after every meal. Advice- purchase ferry tickets AND water taxi when you book. You likely will not go back and forth to Avalon during your stay. Water taxi time slots are limited and not cheap. We each had our own backpacks, one large suitcase, a tote (for toiletries), a cooler and a dry goods bag. It was all manageable because we had it rigged up on wheels. u can also take a collapsible wagon on the ferry. The camp offers wagons on site to take belongings from the water taxi to your hut. That wagon came in handy, we used it often. We got in early on Saturday morning and left early Monday from the camp to hang in Avalon for a couple of hours. Avalon was cute but very touristy. Food there is just okay and expensive. Things to consider packing--If you take your own food to the camp site- I suggest you pack paper towels (none provided) and a cutting board. They provide a french press, so taking ground coffee is the way to go. They provide each site a burner and propane tank to boil water, cook, etc. We took a 60 qt cooler and a bag with dry goods. They provide a very large cooler to transfer your stuff into as well as ice packs that you can swap out as needed. We should have packed a table cloth for the picnic table outside our hut. We used a camping blanket and it worked out fine. The camp provides small rechargeable lanterns that were useful. Water refill stations in the communal building. Bring water bottles to refill. We took a beach blanket and a camping chair to use at the beach, both came in handy. We should have packed a smaller packable cooler for the beach. We also should have packed a wet clothes bag for wet/sandy stuff, and a dirty clothes bag. Bathrooms are individual stalls in an out house type setting that feels open and cold at night. Showers are the same. The shower stalls are open from the top so although the water gets warm, the stalls are cold because they are open. I showered midday while the sun was out and in my swimsuit. There's no changing area in the showers, so unless u want to get dressed in a wet stall, you should either take a robe and dress minimally or walk back/forth in a swimsuit and get dressed in your hut. Shower shoes are a must. The setting is ideal for large groups/familes. We want to go back with friends! There's a kayak/paddle board rental company on-site. We kayaked midday but the wind made it impossible to enjoy ourselves. If it's windy, don't bother. Mornings and evenings are the best time to kayak. Margot was our on-site host and was incredibly sweet and helpful. Our boys loved her. She hooked up s'mores and evening fire pits (u can't make your own fires there). They didn't have any organized crafting activities because it's slow season, but Margot mentioned that she could bring out the materials if kids were interested. The vibe is very chill and go with the flow. Staff was super friendly and always down to help.

It was my first time ever visiting Catalina, and to add to the adventure, it was also my first time…read moreziplining! I had to try something new for my birthday because, as they say, a little adventure keeps you young! Of course, with any new experience, you worry just the tiniest bit. But fear not! I had two super wonderful and lovely guides, Nat and Ellie, who helped and definitely reassured me (and our entire group) that everything was perfectly safe and that there was nothing to worry about. There may have been some screaming, but they were happy screams, so all was great! I learned so much throughout the experience and got to see so many incredible views along the way! They shared with us that the Catalina Zip Lines are considered some of the safest zip lines in the world. They also told us that ziplining originated in Costa Rica, so if you enjoy this kind of adventure, you should 100% add Costa Rica to your list for even more ziplining fun! We were also told that each line could hold up to a couple thousand pounds, and apparently, everyone in our group just barely made the cut under that few-thousand-pound limit! The lines are only a few hundred feet above the ground, but at that point, I thought, "Wow... I guess I can trust my life in their hands. I'll probably survive... maybe." After all, I made the cut for the weight limit! But in all seriousness, Nat and Ellie were incredibly thorough. They did all the necessary safety checks each and every time, readjusted our gear when needed, and made sure everyone was snug, secure, and tightly buckled in before each ride. That kind of attention to detail is definitely reassuring, especially if you're feeling a little nervous about ziplining for the first time. And honestly, if you're going with a group, you can always let a few brave souls go first! You don't have to be the first one to take off. One of the guides always goes first, too, so you know it'll be just fine. You can watch everyone else go, see how they do, and let that ease your mind a little before it's your turn. Another nice touch was that Ellie was even kind enough to offer to take pictures with the zipline views in the background, as I didn't bring my phone up. So kudos to him for that! He definitely helped us capture some memories from the experience. Nat also did her very best to chat with us throughout the experience, especially if anyone was feeling nervous or having second thoughts. Having someone there to talk to you, keep you calm, and reassure you really made a difference! Overall, it was such a fun experience, and I'm so glad I decided to try something completely new for my birthday. The views, the adventure, the laughs, and the amazing guides made it an experience I won't forget! And I also want to give a special shout-out to Sully for helping us out at the end after we finished the zipline. It was such a great way to wrap up an already amazing experience! Thank you, Nat, Ellie, and Sully, for making my first Catalina ziplining adventure such a memorable one!

The highlight of our Catalina trip!…read more We booked this zip-lining tour for my birthday, and it completely exceeded our expectations! The course itself is amazing, with stunning ocean views the whole way down. But what really made the experience a 10/10 were our guides, Elias and Zack. They were professional, hilarious, and made sure everyone was having a blast while staying completely safe. Their positive energy was contagious. Thank you, Elias and Zack, for such an incredible adventure!

Our son went to CSC last year as a young 8-year-old who didn't know anyone there. He has ADHD and…read moredyslexia, which I'm mentioning because I've noticed it matters to some of the moms writing reviews. He had an amazing time. He made friends, learned to cook, and got through some homesickness, and he came home so proud of himself. Honestly, some of the other reviews confused me. Overnight camp isn't supposed to be perfect or easy. The whole point is for kids to have fun while learning to do things on their own. Before he went, we practiced with him on how to make friends and how to speak up for himself, and we did what we could to set him up well. The staff were great with him. They stepped in when he needed help, but they also let him work things out himself, which is exactly what we wanted. It's probably not the right fit for every family. But if you want your kid to gain some independence in a beautiful place, with lots of fun and a good amount of support, I'd highly recommend it. Don't let a few reviews scare you away. We'll definitely be back next year!

To improve, 1.when you say the class schedule is going to be emailed on Friday then send it…read more Instead, told on Friday will get it when we arrive. We asked when we arrive to drop off still no list of what they are doing and when. 2. Just pretend that Jacque might care when kids are bullying your child. He went to her the first day and said he needed a new cabin because the kids were mean and the counselor in the cabin and she refused. Pretty much said handle it. After that he did not want to go to any of the classes he signed up for because there was always one of the kids from the bullies in that class. Then it was hard because there was no direction on the classes for a kid with dyslexia. I could go on and on but I'll just say unless your child or teen is going with a friend find a different camp.

Hummer Tour Review If you only see Avalon, you've only…read moreexperienced one chapter of Catalina. I think Catalina is one of those places where many visitors never venture beyond Avalon and the beaches. This tour completely broadened my perspective. Our guide, Christian, made the experience exceptional. I love when someone's personal experience complements their professional expertise. He lived off the grid in Hawaii for nearly a decade, and it showed. His knowledge of the terrain, wildlife, plants, and even how to read the landscape came from years of living it, not just memorizing facts. Experience is the best tour guide, and Christian has a lifetime of it. As a hiking enthusiast, the mountains were calling my name. Exploring Catalina's rugged backcountry was the highlight of my visit. My teenager was fascinated to discover the island is so much more than beaches, and my mom found the peacefulness that only nature can provide. Three generations experienced the same tour in completely different ways, and each of us walked away impressed. The 2 1/2-hour tour takes place in an open-air Hummer-style vehicle that seats about nine people. We never got out during the tour, but honestly, I never felt like I was missing anything. The off-roading was exciting, and the time flew by because Christian kept us engaged from beginning to end. We learned so much, not only about the island's wildlife and landscape, but also about the people who have shaped Catalina's history. And that no so good takeover. I won't spoil the stories because discovering them yourself is part of what makes this tour so memorable. Booking was incredibly easy. Reservations were completed online, payment was seamless with a credit card, and when you arrive you'll simply check in and sign a waiver before heading out. The tour starts with a digital reservation but ends with memories that can't be captured on a screen. TIPS: I wouldn't wear white because of the dust. I recommend closed-toe shoes, sunglasses, and comfortable clothing. In July 2026, it was about 75 degrees. The moving vehicle creates plenty of airflow, so a light layer is optional but not necessary. For families, I think children who are naturally curious, enjoy wildlife, and like learning will have a wonderful time. Because it's a small group, it's best suited for kids who enjoy listening, asking questions, and exploring. We saw plentiful bison, horses, and even a dwarf mule. The only thing I didn't get to see was the Airport in the Sky, which had been on my wish list, because our group chose to spend more time exploring the backcountry and searching for wildlife. I have no regrets. The views are so spectacular that words become inefficient. Some places simply have to be experienced. This is one of those tours that might sound ordinary when you read the description, but it's anything but. If you only see Avalon, you've only experienced one chapter of the island. The wild heart of Catalina is waiting just beyond the pavement, and this tour is the best way to discover. BTW, the conservancy offers guided hiking tours and backpacking tours. In October you can have the chance to hike the Trans Catalina Trail 35 miles. Are you in?

My wife and I visited this place when we were on a cruise in May. We stopped in on our way back to…read morethe tender. There are many informative books and maps. They also have a lot of merchandise for sale. Some of the proceeds help support the conservancy and other parks. My wife liked a book on bison that she saw. Unfortunately we didn't purchase it and later she regretted doing so. I contacted the conservancy and spoke to Yesi. She was very nice and helped me to purchase and mail the book to our address. My wife was very surprised and happy to receive it. Yesi took ownership of the purchase and followed through to make it happen. If you are on a cruise or just taking the ferry over to the island, stop by the Catalina Conservancy. It's only a couple of blocks from the docks where the tenders are. Not only is it a worthy cause to support, but they have some great information and merchandise. You won't be disappointed.