Best Cabin Camping near Two Harbors, CA

[ PROS ]

• Crystal Cove State Park and Laguna Coast Wilderness Park are adjacent to each other, and a small pedestrian gate separates them.
• The best trail here stretches across the two parks -- No Name Ridge!! Amazing for EPIC SUNSETS!
• Some sites have MILLION DOLLAR BEACH VIEWS of the ocean.
• There are about 60 camp spots and a lot of them are RVs, but it’s nice because each row of 10 spots is elevated from the previous row (tiered campsites) so everyone gets a semi view
• Part of CA State Parks so showers are token operated. Clean and well maintained
• Walking distance to Crystal Cove Historic District, which has a couple places to eat right on the beach
• Crystal Cove Historic District also has some "preserved" beach cottages from the 20s, 30s, and 40s on the beach that are largely in ruins. It’s fun to explore and check out.
• Lots of fun things along the beach to look at like tide pools and rock formations beach
• Great Visitor's Center that is worth checking out. The Rangers are amazing and provided us with a super helpful information about the park, its trails, and the cottages.
• Each site comes with a picnic table, a water faucet/drain.
• The beach has less crowds/tourists/homeless compared to other beaches. It’s really quite and peaceful.

[ CONS ]

• No coal or wood fires :( Kind of a bummer since your evening ends early. You can bring propane pits yourself for fires though. Also, it can get extremely cold at night in the canyons, even if it’s in the high 80s during the day. Be prepared.
• They do not allow any alcohol at the park. No exceptions. Rangers patrol constantly and will approach you for random things if they see you breaking any campground rules.
• The hiking trails essentially have zero shade so it gets really hot. Bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen so you don’t roast. Also stay hydrated!
• The campgrounds is a little further from the beach than I expected from looking at photos online. There is no direct beach access so you’ll have to go to the day use area and pay for parking ($15 parking)
• You can get to the beach if you’re down to wade through 2-3 feet of still water that puddles under the highway underpass. It’s a little inconvenient if you’re with children or carrying a lot of beach equipment.
• Campsites are VERY close together so be prepared to meet your neighbors. It’s also very quiet as soon as the sun sets (since there is no campfires keeping people up) so everyone ends up going to bed around 8pm as to not disturb your VERY close neighbors.
• Be careful of rattlesnakes

This is a gem of a campground. Almost every site has an ocean view of some kind. 

The roads that lead to the sites is a bit narrow, so if your towable is on the long side, you might have to work a bit to back it in. The maximum length is 38. We had 30/50 amp electrical and water. Dump station is on your way out, with 3 stations in that row. Wi-Fi works fair. Cell towers are in sight just to the north, so no reception issues. Lots of hiking and bike trails. We did a 12 mile loop to the north, and a ride along the coast on some bike paths. Shake shack and Beachcomber's restaurants are just down the street for an easy ride or walk. Bathroom and showers are very clean. The picnic tables are what you would expect, very seasoned. :-) Most are anchored to the sites. The length of the site is very good with lots of room to setup your outdoor goodies. Check in is at 3pm. They are hard on this. If you arrive early, you can register, but will be directed to Reef Point back down PCH or to the visitors center in front of the camp entrance.

It’s pretty crazy to be camping among the million dollar homes but thankful we can. It’s a beautifully maintained spot on the cliff overlooking the ocean. So much nicer than many of the Southern California beach spots in that there is a bit more space and it's much nicer than a parking lot. Plus the fantastic benefit of miles of hiking trails right from the back of the campground and the ocean and beach right in front. Something for all. And if you want to go have a posh meal or shopping that’s just a minute away too.

Be sure to go take a look at the Crystal Cove cottages while here, it’s a pretty special spot. Try and hit up the Shake Shack too!

Only downside is not being able to have a fire but we just used our propane portable fire pit. Spots in the back have hookups and spots in the front are tent. The tent spots are a bit nicer and would fit small trailers.

We went right after it had been raining, so all of the flowers were in bloom mode and gorgeous. There’s two campgrounds an upper and lower—we opted for Lower Moro campground. These campgrounds aren’t too pricey and it includes parking for one car each night you stay. The trails are well-maintained and wide, allowing a lot of room for mountain bikers and hikers of all types. It’s about a 3 mile trek to Lower Moro from the coastal parking lot and not too bad of a hike, but it does get steep at times especially if you trek the coastal ridge way. We picked Lower Moro and loved it because it has a view of the beautiful pacific ocean as opposed to Upper Moro. The sites include a picnic table and no fire pit, but it was warm over Memorial Day weekend (though it rained one day). The bathroom is nicer as well, but if you did decide to have a larger group to camp with, Upper Moro has bigger camp sites. No water available, so you gotta bring enough for everyone. I gave this 3 stars because the campground is right off the heavily trafficked trail and you can hear everything your neighbor is doing.

We've stayed at Newport Dunes many times, and it's great for a last-minute beach vacation especially when most state beach campgrounds are booked out way in advance. 

There's a nice bike trail that circles around the bay, which is great for kids. Also, lots of amenities for families, including playgrounds, water toys, movie nights and fire pits. The convenience store sells RV supplies, snacks and beer/wine. You can ride your bike to Balboa Island across PCH, spend a day at Fashion Island shopping center, or drive to the beach. 

A few cons: The beach is not exactly close. You will definitely have to drive. And the bay can sometimes get stingrays. Finally, the campsites do feel a bit like a concrete jungle with few trees and very close proximity to your neighbors.

We ended up here after a futile search for an affordable hotel in the area. Even though it was not inexpensive, we secured a beachfront site. The sites are in three sections: standard, deluxe, and premium. There are also cabins and a group tent area (on the public beach). 

The reservation process was not easy – you cannot make same-day online reservations and have to navigate a detailed menu on the phone to finally get to the reservation desk.

We arrived after dark, just as the office was closing but were able to get our information packet. Payment is in full when you make the reservation. As we expected, the sites are stacked up next to each other like dominoes with minimal foliage/fencing to separate the sites. The beachfront and preferred sites have a concrete and sand pad while some less expensive sites have just sand. 

There are codes to enter the restrooms, the bike path, and the pool. The restrooms were clean as were the showers, with good hot water and decent water pressure. 

In season, there are many activities and amenities offered including a water park, water sports rentals, a bistro, a snack bar, movies on the beach, and a swimming beach. About the only amenities available in November were the pool, two hot tubs (although one was not working when we were there), and the .75-mile concrete path around the lake. A gentle water aerobics class is offered three times a week. There is also a marina, but we don’t have a boat so we did not explore this. In season, you can rent pavilions, and pool or beach cabanas, all for an additional cost. 

Although this is a fully contained resort, it is not quiet. You will hear road noise and at certain times of the day, near constant noise from planes at nearby John Wayne airport. 

This was an affordable respite for us on a long road trip, but it is VERY expensive in season (about three times the price of “winter” rates). Also, it would be an entirely different experience when fully booked!