Sterling Highway
At Tern Lake Junction, the paved Sterling Hwy turns off from the Seward Hwy, heading westward through the forests and mountains of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge to Soldotna and then bending south along Cook Inlet toward Homer.
Cooper Landing
%907 / Pop 293
After skirting the north end of Kenai Lake, you enter scenic Cooper Landing (Mile 48.4). This picturesque outpost – named for Joseph Cooper, a miner who worked the area in the 1880s – is best known for its rich and brutal combat salmon fishing along the Russian and Kenai Rivers. While rustic log-cabin lodges featuring giant fish freezers are still the lifeblood of this town, the trails, rafting and kayaking opportunities attract a very different sort of tourist.
1Sights
K’Beq Interpretive SiteARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
(%907-395-7290; www.kenaitze.org; Mile 52.6, Sterling Hwy; 
h10am-4pm Thu-Sun) 
F
This riverfront site, run by the local Kenaitzie tribe, is a refreshing reminder of what this area was like before the flood of sport fishers. A quarter-mile boardwalk winds past an ancient house pit and other archaeological relics, while interpretive panels address berry picking, steam-bath building and more traditional methods of catching fish on the Kenai. Several guided tours depart throughout the day, and of course there’s a gift shop.
2Activities
Fishing
Most of the fishing on the Upper Kenai is for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, and silver and sockeye salmon. Expect to pay at least $150 for a half-day on the water and more than $200 for a full day.
Hiking
Cooper Landing is the starting point for two of the Kenai Peninsula’s loveliest multiday trails: the 39-mile Resurrection Pass Trail to Hope; and the 21-mile Russian Lakes Trail (Mile 52.6, Sterling Hwy; 
c), a favorite for fishers and families. This is serious bear country. It is recommended that you bring good bear protection and make a lot of noise while hiking in the area.
TTours
Kenai Kayak CompanyKAYAKING
(%907-521-0244; www.kenaikayakco.com)
Offers two-hour guided tours on Kenai Lake in double kayaks (per person $75).
Alaska Rivers CompanyRAFTING
(%888-595-1226; www.alaskariverscompany.com; Mile 50, Sterling Hwy; h7:30am-10:30pm)
Runs guided raft trips down the Kenai River (per half-/full day $56/155). These are mostly float trips, but the longer paddle bumps over some Class III rapids. It also offers stand-up paddleboard tours on Kenai Lake; a two-hour beginner tour is $65 per person and regular tours per half-/full day are $125/225.
Alaska River AdventuresRAFTING
(%907-595-2000; www.alaskariveradventures.com; Mile 48, Sterling Hwy; h7am-7pm)
Runs scenic three-hour floats on the Kenai (per person $59). Extend the trip with an intro to gold prospecting for $289 per person. It also offers guided hiking, fishing and flightseeing packages.
4Sleeping
Russian River CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(www.recreation.gov; Mile 52.6, Sterling Hwy; s/d tent & RV sites $18/28)
Located where the Russian and Kenai Rivers merge, this place is beautiful and incredibly popular when red salmon are spawning; you’ll want to reserve one of the 80 sites. It costs $12 just to park here, and there’s a three-day limit for stays.
Cooper Creek CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(%907-522-8368; www.reserveamerica.com; Mile 50.7, Sterling Hwy; tent & RV sites $18-28)
This campground, nestled in a cottonwood and spruce grove, has 28 sites on both sides of the highway, including some right on the Kenai River. Good luck hooking one of those.
Hutch B&BB&B$$
(%907-595-1270; www.arctic.net/~hutch; Mile 48.5, Sterling Hwy; r $105-129, cabins $225; 
n
W)
In a three-story, balcony-ringed lodge, the big, simple, clean rooms are the best deal in town, and its small mess hall the cutest. Nightly campfires and common sitting areas add a social angle.
Drifters LodgeCABIN$$$
(%907-595-5555; www.drifterslodge.com; Mile 48.3, Sterling Hwy; cabins $325-375, r $200-250; W)
Six tidy and fresh cabins come with memory-foam mattresses, river views and kitchenettes, while five smaller rooms share bathrooms and leafy views. A brook babbles next to the sauna, and there’s a nightly campfire. Drifters also takes folks out on the river – a float costs $50 to $75 and fishing trips are $200 to $300. It focuses on all-inclusive trips.
5Eating
Cooper Landing GroceryMARKET$
(Mile 48.2, Sterling Hwy; h10am-8pm)
Snacks, sweatshirts and s’mores supplies.
oKingfisher RoadhouseSEAFOOD$$
(%907-595-2861; www.kingfisheralaska.com; Mile 47.4, Sterling Hwy; mains $16-36; h5-10:30pm)
Overlooking Kenai Lake with a pleasant sunroom, this steak and seafood place has the best atmosphere in town. If you’ve had enough fish, try the organic Kingfisher Bleu burger; it’s the perfect replenishment after a long hike.
Gwin’s LodgeAMERICAN$$
(%907-595-1266; www.gwinslodge.com; Mile 52, Sterling Hwy; mains $10-30; h11am-9pm)
Established way back in 1952 (that’s ancient for Alaska), this chunky-log roadhouse serves up generous portions with the friendliest waiters in Cooper Landing. It has upped the local scene with live music on weekends, which attracts summer employees and tourists alike. It can make you a box lunch to take on the river ($13).
Sackett’s Kenai GrillCAFE$$
(%907-595-1827; www.sackettskenaigrill.com; 16201 Sterling Hwy; sandwiches $8-18, pizza $14-26; h11am-11pm)
Everything in this casual joint is made from scratch: from the buns to the barbecued pork and the pizza dough. It’s a local favorite and a great place to stop before and after a day on the river.
8Information
Chamber of Commerce (%907-595-8888; www.cooperlandingchamber.com; Mile 48.7 Sterling Hwy; h11am-5pm) You’ll find a few brochures here, but the website is actually more informative.
8Getting There & Away
If you’re without wheels, your best option for reaching Cooper Landing is Homer Stage Line (%907-868-3914; www.stagelineinhomer.com), which runs daily buses through here from both Anchorage and Homer. From either end, it’s $65 per person one-way and stops at Wildman’s (%907-595-1456; www.wildmans.org; Mile 47.5, Sterling Hwy; h6am-11pm).
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
Once west of the Resurrection Pass southern trailhead, you enter the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Originally called the Kenai National Moose Range, 1.73 million acres was set aside by President Roosevelt in 1941, and the 1980 Alaska Lands Act increased that acreage to the almost 2 million acres that it now encompasses. It supports impressive populations of Dall sheep, moose, caribou and bear, and has attracted hunters from around the world since the early 1900s.
Highlights of the area include camping along Skilak Lake or canoeing through the Kenai National Wildlife Canoe Trail System. A massive forest fire burned more than 300 sq miles in the refuge in 2014, including much of the northern shore of Tustumena Lake, but signs of life are showing.
COMBAT FISHING
In a place that’s mostly natural and wild, there are few sights more unnatural than what happens each summer wherever Alaska’s best salmon rivers meet a busy road. When the fish are running, the banks become a human frenzy – a ceaseless string of men, women and children hip-to-hip, hundreds of fishing rods whipping to and fro, the air filled with curses and cries of joy. This is combat fishing.
As with any form of combat, there are subtle rules that guide the chaos. Among them: don’t wade out in front of other anglers, or snap up their spot on the bank if they briefly step away. (On the other hand, don’t let the glares of the earlier arrivals dissuade you from taking your proper place in the fray.) Try to give your neighbor space – and whatever you do, don’t foul your line with theirs. Most importantly, if you get a bite, shout, ‘Fish on!’ so others can reel in their lines and give you room to wrestle your catch. In combat fishing, you don’t ‘play’ a fish; you land it fast, so others can rejoin the fight.
2Activities
Russian River FerryBOATING
(Mile 55, Sterling Hwy; per adult/child $11/5.50)
This ferry, west of the confluence of the Kenai and Russian Rivers, transports tens of thousands of anglers across the water every summer to some of the finest fishing anywhere. The separate parking fee is $12.
Hiking
As the highway heads southwest toward Soldotna, the mountains will fade back. You can still hit up a few good hiking trails before that happens, though.
Skyline TrailHIKING
(Mile 61, Sterling Hwy)
This route ascends above the treeline for 1 mile, which is a decent turnaround point. After that it follows a ridge on an unmarked and unmaintained route for 6.5 miles before connecting with the Fuller Lakes Trail. Those who want to hike both trails should plan to stay overnight at Upper Fuller Lake, where there are several good campsites.
Fuller Lakes TrailHIKING
(Mile 57, Sterling Hwy)
This 3-mile hike leads to Fuller Lake just above the treeline. The well-marked trail begins with a rapid ascent to Lower Fuller Lake, where you cross a stream and continue over a low pass to Upper Fuller Lake.
At the lake, the trail follows the east shore and then branches; the fork to the left leads up a ridge and becomes a route to the Skyline Trail.
Skilak Lake Road
Skilak Lake Rd, a scenic 19-mile loop off the Sterling Hwy, is a bit too rough for low-clearance vehicles outside summer. It provides access to an assortment of popular recreational opportunities.
Seven Lakes TrailHIKING
(Engineer Lake, Mile 9.5, Skilak Lake Rd)
A 4.4-mile hike to the Sterling Hwy from Engineer Lake. The trail is easy walking over level terrain and passes Hidden and Hikers Lakes before ending at Kelly Lake Campground. The trail was shortened when Skilak Lake Rd cut off access to the three northern lakes, so you only pass four.
Kenai River TrailHIKING
(Mile 0.6, Skilak Lake Rd)
A half mile down this trail are wonderful views of the Kenai River Canyon. There are really two trailheads; the main ‘upper’ trail starts at mile 0.6 of Skilak Lake Rd, and the other at mile 2.3.
Skilak Lookout TrailHIKING
(Mile 5.5, Skilak Lake Rd)
Ascends 2 miles to a knob (elevation 1400ft) that has a panoramic view of the mountains and lakes. Plan on four to five hours for the round-trip.
4Sleeping
There are five well-marked campgrounds along Skilak Lake Rd, and many more spread throughout the refuge. Some, such as Hidden Lake and Upper Skilak, cost $10 to $14 while others are free. The campgrounds are well marked, running from east to west:
| CAMPGROUND | SITES | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden Lake | 44 | Mile 3.6 |
| Upper Skilak Lake | 25 | Mile 8.4 |
| Lower Ohmer Lake | 3 | Mile 8.6 |
| Engineer Lake | 4 | Mile 9.7 |
| Lower Skilak Lake | 14 | Mile 14 |
If you choose to stay on the Sterling Hwy past the Skilak Lake Rd junction, a side road at Mile 69 leads south to the Peterson Lake Campground (Mile 69, Sterling Hwy; tent sites free) F and Kelly Lake Campground (Mile 69, Sterling Hwy; tent sites free) F, near one end of the Seven Lakes Trail. Watson Lake Campground (Mile 71.3 Sterling Hwy; tent sites free) F has three sites. Four miles down the highway is the west junction with Skilak Lake Rd.
At Mile 81, the Sterling Hwy divides into a four-lane road, and you soon arrive in the small town of Sterling (pop 5600), where the Moose River empties into the Kenai.
Izaak Walton Recreation Site (www.dnr.alaska.gov; Mile 82, Sterling Hwy; tent & RV sites $15), at the confluence of the Kenai and Moose Rivers, is popular among anglers during the salmon runs and with paddlers ending their Swan Lake route canoe trip at the Moose River Bridge.
Swanson River Road, at Mile 85 of the Sterling Hwy, heads north for 18 miles, with Swan Lake Rd heading east for 12 miles at the end of Swanson River Rd. The roads offer access to the Swanson River and Swan Lake canoe routes, and three campgrounds: Dolly Varden Lake Campground (Mile 14, Swanson River Rd; tent sites free) F, Rainbow Lake Campground (Mile 16, Swanson River Rd; tent sites free) F and Swanson River Campground (www.alaska.org/detail/swanson-river-campground; tent sites free) F at the very end of the road. Even without a canoe, you’ll enjoy exploring the trails that connect prized fishing holes.
Across the Sterling Hwy from Swanson River Rd is the entrance to Scout Lake Rd, where you’ll find the Morgans Landing State Recreation Area (www.dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kenai/morgldcamp.htm; Lou Morgan Rd; tent & RV sites $15). This is a particularly scenic area on the bluffs overlooking the Kenai River, a 3.5-mile drive from the Sterling Hwy.
There are 16 public use cabins (%877-444-6777; www.recreation.gov; cabin $35-45) in the refuge. Get more information at the Refuge Headquarters.
8Information
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters & Visitor Center (%907-262-7021; https://kenai.fws.gov; 1 Ski Hill Rd; h9am-5pm) In Soldotna, this is the Refuge Headquarters.
8Getting There & Away
Entrance to the refuge is easy by car, though you’ll need your own. You can rent a car in Anchorage or Soldotna.
Soldotna
%907 / Pop 4617
The Kenai River runs right through town, making this one of the peninsula’s premier fishing outposts. That said, with its strip malls and fast-food chains, Soldotna is ugly as ugly gets, and its flat nearby topography offers very little for hikers, bikers or adventurers.
Most years, you’ll be competing with hundreds of anglers for prime shoreline. But the opportunity to hook some of the biggest salmon in the state makes it worthwhile – note that past king salmon closures have serious anglers looking elsewhere, so check in advance to make sure numbers are high enough.
Situated where the Sterling Hwy crosses the Kenai River, Soldotna sprawls in every direction, including practically to the city of Kenai, some 12 miles northwest along the Kenai Spur Hwy. The intersection of the Spur Hwy and the Sterling Hwy is referred to as the ‘Y.’
1Sights
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters & Visitor CenterPARK
(%907-262-7021; https://kenai.fws.gov; 1 Ski Hill Rd, Soldotna; h9am-5pm)
Opposite Kalifornsky Beach Rd near the Kenai River is the junction with Funny River Rd. Follow signs to Ski Hill Rd, following it for a mile to reach this excellent, kid-friendly information center that has an exhibit hall, bookstore and 2.2 miles of trails that wrap around the nearby lake.
There are displays on the life cycles of salmon, daily wildlife films and naturalist-led outdoor programs.
Soldotna Homestead MuseumMUSEUM
(%907-262-3832; 461 Centennial Park Rd; by donation; h10am-4pm Tue-Sat, from noon Sun) F
This museum includes a wonderful collection of homesteaders’ cabins spread through six wooded acres in Centennial Park. Ask for a free guided tour to discover the stories of early homesteaders who were awarded plots here after WWII.
It also has a one-room schoolhouse, a torture-chamber collection of early dental tools, an excellent natural-history display with archaeological finds, and a replica of the $7.2-million check the US paid Russia for Alaska.
DON’T MISS
EXPLORING THE REFUGE CANOE TRAIL SYSTEM
One of only two wilderness canoe systems established in the US (the other is the Boundary Waters, Minnesota), the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Canoe Trail System (www.fws.gov) offers yet another unique experience for the Alaskan visitor. Divided into two areas, the Swan Lake and the Swanson River routes, the system connects 120 miles of lakes and water trails in an undulating landscape. Expect as much portaging as paddling.
Swan Lake is the more popular area, covering 60 miles and 30 lakes, and connecting to the Moose River. The Swanson River route requires longer portages and isn’t as well marked as Swan Lake, but you’ll be rewarded for effort with solitude and excellent trout fishing. This route covers 80 miles, 40 lakes and 46 miles of the Swanson River.
Several outfitters can rent you canoes and paddles: try Alaska Canoe & Campground (%907-262-2331; www.alaskacanoetrips.com; 35292 Sterling Hwy, Sterling; canoe per 12/24hr $45/55, kayak $35/45), which also rents out rafts and kayaks.
2Activities
From mid-May through September, runs of red, silver and king salmon make the lower Kenai River among the hottest sport-fishing spots in Alaska. King salmon levels on the Kenai River have been lower than normal since 2009, and the Alaska Department of Fish & Game heavily restricted king salmon fishing on the river in 2013 and 2014. Check ahead for openings, bank closures and the latest news.
If you’re green to the scene but want to wet a line, first drop by the visitors center where staff members will assist you in determining where to fish and what to fish for. They can also hook you up with a guide, who’ll charge you up to $300 a day but will vastly improve your chances of catching dinner – and of not violating the river’s multilayered regulations.
Rather go it alone? From the shore, you’ve still got a shot at catching reds (from mid-July to early August) and silvers (late July through August). Try casting from the ‘fishwalk’ below the visitors center or from city campgrounds. If you don’t have your own rod, you can pick up inexpensive gear from Trustworthy Hardware (%907-262-4655; 44370 Sterling Hwy; h8am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat, 10am-6pm Sun).
4Sleeping
Spending the night in Soldotna is a catch-22: outside fishing season there’s no reason to stay here; in season, there’s nowhere to stay – just about every campsite and room is taken. What’s left will cost you dearly. Make reservations. The chamber of commerce can locate last-minute rooms. The Kenai Peninsula B&B Association (www.kenaipeninsulabba.com) has listings for the entire peninsula.
Swiftwater Park CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(%907-262-5299; www.ci.soldotna.ak.us; 675 Swiftwater Park Rd; tent & RV sites $21)
Run by the city, this campground doesn’t have a boardwalk but is still a good place for pulling in prized salmon. If you just want to fish, it’s $8 to park for the day.
Centennial Park CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(%907-262-5299; www.ci.soldotna.ak.us; cnr Sterling Hwy & Kalifornsky Beach Rd; tent & RV sites $21)
Maintained by the city, this 176-site campground has boardwalked fishing access to the Kenai River. The day-use fee is $8.
Kenai River LodgeHOTEL$$
(%907-262-4292; www.kenairiverlodge.com; 393 Riverside Dr; r $199-220; nW)
All rooms face the river, and there’s a private fishing hole right outside – though the road noise can be a bit much. All rooms come with coffee, microwave and fridge, and there’s an excellent bar on site.
Diamond M RanchRESORT$$
(%866-283-9424; www.diamondmranch.com; Mile 16.5, Kalifornsky Beach Rd; tent sites $38-65, RV sites $53-95, r $52-186, cabins $132-219; nW)
Nearly 20 years ago, this was just the Martin family farm – but with anglers constantly asking to camp in their field, the Martins converted it to a tourist megaplex, complete with kids’ programs, walking tours, movie nights and horse rides. An extensive campground, cabins and full B&B share the 80-acre farm. Look for caribou on the Kenai River Flats.
Soldotna B&B LodgeB&B$$$
(%877-262-4779; www.alaskafishinglodges.us; 399 Lovers Lane; r $157-267; nW)
This is the town’s top luxury spot, drawing blue-chip anglers and honeymooners. It has plush rooms, custom adventure and fishing packages, and some rooms without bathrooms. It offers breakfast in a riverfront sunroom and a private fishing hole for reds.
5Eating & Drinking
Odie’s DeliDELI$
(44315 Sterling Hwy; breakfast & lunch $9-15; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat)
A surprisingly hip little deli serving breakfast until 10:30am. You can build your own sandwiches on homemade bread.
Moose is LooseCAFE$
(44278 Sterling Hwy; snacks $2-7; h6:30am-4:30pm Tue-Sat)
This Moose comes with coffee and goodies galore, including a huge array of fresh doughnuts.
St Elias Brewing CompanyPIZZA$
(www.steliasbrewingco.com; 434 Sharkathmi Ave; dinner $8-14; h11am-10pm Sun-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat)
Stone-fired pizzas and sandwiches served in an echoing brewery with a big patio. Delicious. Beer-lovers should order the sampler. Expect the service to be mediocre.
Mykel’sSEAFOOD$$
(%907-262-4305; www.mykels.com; 35041 Kenai Spur Hwy; mains $14-37; h11am-11pm)
This is Soldotna’s fanciest place, with high-backed leather booths and dishes such as char-grilled salmon with mushroom risotto.
The BridgeBAR
(%907-260-2000; 393 Riverside Dr; hnoon-midnight Sun-Thu, to 1am Fri & Sat)
This excellent and welcoming bar looks over the Kenai River from the second story of the Kenai River Lodge. Enjoy a drink on the deck and watch anglers pull in salmon below you.
Kenai River Brewing CoBREWERY
(www.kenairiverbrewing.com; 308 Homestead Lane; hnoon-8pm)
Enjoy handcrafted ales in a large, airy building.
8Information
MEDICAL SERVICES
Central Peninsula Hospital (%907-714-4404; 250 Hospital Pl) Just west of the Kenai Spur Hwy.
MONEY
Wells Fargo (44552 Sterling Hwy; h10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat) Has cash.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Soldotna Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center (%907-262-9814; www.visitsoldotna.com; 44790 Sterling Hwy; h9am-7pm; W) Has internet plus up-to-date fishing reports and a nice boardwalk along the river
8Getting There & Away
Homer Stage Line (%907-868-3914; www.stagelineinhomer.com) buses pass through daily en route to Anchorage and Homer. It stops at the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center.
City of Kenai
%907 / Pop 7745
At first blush, Kenai is a sorry sight. It’s not convenient or especially picturesque, existing primarily as a support community for the drilling operations at Cook Inlet.
It’s long been a rare bird: a major Alaskan town with minimal tourism. Lately, though, this faded boomtown has taken some hesitant steps toward wooing visitors with the excellent salmon fishing at the mouth of the Kenai River.
The first Russian Orthodox Church on mainland Alaska today presides over a replica of the 1867 fort, which hasn’t fully realized its potential as adorable tourist magnet. And then there’s the view: Mt Redoubt (the volcano that erupted steam and ash in December 1989) to the southwest, Mt Iliamna at the head of the Aleutian Range and the Alaska Range to the northwest. Nice.
North of town, around Mile 19 of the Kenai Spur Hwy, is Alaska’s largest concentration of oil infrastructure outside Prudhoe Bay.
1Sights
Kenai BeachBEACH
Down below the bluffs is an oddity in Alaska: a sweeping, sandy beach, ideal for picnicking, Frisbee-chucking and other waterfront fun. There are stellar views of the volcanoes across the inlet, and from July 10 to 31 you can watch hundreds of frantic fishers dip-net for sockeye salmon at the mouth of the Kenai River.
Sadly, unless you’ve lived in Alaska for the past year, you can’t participate.
Kenai Visitors & Cultural CenterCULTURAL CENTER
(%907-283-1991; www.visitkenai.com; 11471 Kenai Spur Hwy; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat, from noon Sun) F
This excellent visitors center is among Kenai’s main attractions. The museum features historical exhibits on the city’s Russian heritage, offshore drilling and a room full of stuffed wildlife staring down from the rafters. It also has quality Alaska Native art from around the state. Free movies about the city’s strange history are screened.
Captain Cook State Recreation AreaPARK
By following the Kenai Spur Hwy north for 36 miles, you’ll first pass the trailer parks and chemical plants of the North Kenai industrial district before reaching this uncrowded state recreation area that encompasses 4000 acres of forests, lakes, rivers and beaches along Cook Inlet.
The area offers swimming, camping and the beauty of the inlet in a setting that is unaffected by the stampede for salmon to the south.
The Kenai Spur Hwy ends in the park after first passing Stormy Lake, where you’ll find a bathhouse and a swimming area along the water’s edge. Discovery Campground has 53 sites on the bluff overlooking Cook Inlet, where some of the world’s greatest tides ebb and flow. The fishing in Swanson River is great, and this is a fine place to end the Swan Lake canoe route.
OLD TOWN KENAI
‘Old Town’ is an odd amalgam of historic structures and low-rent apartments, all stupendously situated high above the mouth of the Kenai River. You can pick up a free Walking Tour pamphlet at the visitors center.
Near Cook Inlet, the US military established Fort Kenay in 1867 and stationed more than 100 personnel here. What stands today is a replica constructed as part of the Alaska Centennial in 1967. It’s not open to the public.
Across Mission Ave from the fort is the ornate Russian Orthodox Church, a white-clapboard structure topped with baby-blue onion domes. Built in 1895, it’s the oldest Orthodox church on mainland Alaska. It was renovated in 2009. Staff at the visitors center can call to check the hours for you. West of the church overlooking the water is St Nicholas Chapel, built in 1906 on the burial site of Father Igumen Nicolai, Kenai’s first resident priest.
Head southeast on Mission Ave, and you’ll be traveling along the Bluff, a good vantage point to view the mouth of the Kenai River or the mountainous terrain on the west side of Cook Inlet. Look for belugas in the late spring and early summer.
2Activities
Kenai River EstuaryBIRDWATCHING
(Boat Launch Rd)
This beautiful estuary with its own viewing platform is an excellent spot for bird-watching. Get here by heading 1 mile south of town along the bike path on Bridge Access Rd, then turning west onto Boat Launch Rd.
4Sleeping
Finding last-minute rooms during summer’s salmon runs can be more challenging than hauling in a 70-pounder, but for help log onto the website of Kenai Peninsula B&B Association (www.kenaipeninsulabba.com). If you’re on a tight budget, head north along the Kenai Spur Hwy, where several motels cater to oil workers and offer lower rates. Kenai adds 10% in bed-and-sales tax.
Discovery CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(%907-522-8368; www.dnr.alaska.gov; tent & RV sites $15)
Has 53 campsites near the beach in Captain Cook State Recreation Area.
Beluga Lookout Lodge & RV ParkCAMPGROUND$
(%907-283-5999; www.belugalookout.com; 929 Mission Ave; tent sites $35, RV sites $45-95, r $129-159; W)
This campground is also a ‘lodge’ and has superclean (if a bit small) rooms that have either ocean or river views. The campground is little more than a parking lot with a nice view. It also has a gift shop, as well as laundry, showers and a nice covered sitting area for gazing at the ocean. Four new cabins are $140 to $250.
Uptown MotelMOTEL$$
(%907-283-3660; www.uptownmotel.com; 47 Spur View Dr; r $149-199; W
#)
The rooms here are clean and the very cool lobby is full of antiques, including an old barber’s chair and cash register.
5Eating
Veronica’s CafeCAFE$
(604 Petersen Way; sandwiches $13; h11am-3:30pm Mon-Thu, to 8pm Fri & Sat)
In an Old Town log building dating from 1918, Veronica’s serves espressos and healthy sandwiches and hosts open mics, folk jams and live bands. There’s a warm wooden sun porch filled with flowers – the best place in town to relax with a sandwich.
Charlotte’s RestaurantCAFE$
(115 Willow St; sandwiches $12-14; h7am-3pm Mon-Fri, from 8am Sat)
Grab sandwiches or just some fresh-baked goodies for your beach picnic.
oFlats BistroBISTRO$$
(%907-335-1010; www.theflatsbistro.com; 39847 Kalifornsky Beach Rd; lunch $14-22, dinner $18-38; h11:30am-10pm)
Enjoy grand views of the Kenai River Flats as you sup on fresh Alaska seafood, house-made pasta or local greens. The dining is both comfortable and elegant, and it’s Kenai’s best place to dine.
Louie’s RestaurantSTEAK$$
(%907-283-3660; 47 Spur View Dr; breakfast & lunch $12-15, dinner $19-29; h5am-10pm)
Under stuffed moose and elk heads in the Uptown Motel, Louie’s serves the best surf-and-turf in the city.
8Information
INTERNET ACCESS
Kenai Community Library (%907-283-4378; 163 Main St Loop; h9am-7pm Mon-Thu, to 6pm Fri, to 5pm Sun; W) Has free internet access; bring an ID.
MONEY
Alaska USA Bank (230 Bidarka St; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat) Has a 24-hour ATM.
8Getting There & Away
Kenai has the main airport on the peninsula and is served by Ravn Alaska (%907-266-8394, 800-866-8394; www.flyravn.com), which offers multiple daily flights between Anchorage and Kenai. The round-trip fare is about $300 with ongoing service to other rural destinations.
8Getting Around
For taxis, Alaska Cabs (%907-283-6000) serves Kenai and Soldotna.
Ninilchik
%907 / Pop 867
This appealing little village is well worth spending a night at. The community is among the oldest on the Kenai Peninsula, having been settled in the 1820s by employees of the Russian-American Company. Many stayed even after imperial Russia sold Alaska to the US, and their descendants form the heart of the present community.
1Sights
Old Russian ChurchCHURCH
Reached via a posted footpath behind the Village Cache Gift Shop, or from the highway on Orthodox Ave, the historic bluff-top structure was built in 1901. It sports five golden onion domes, and commands an unbelievable view of Cook Inlet and the volcanoes on the other side. Adjoining it is a prim Russian Orthodox cemetery of white-picket cribs.
Old Ninilchik VillageHISTORIC SITE
The site of the original community, this is a postcard scene of faded log cabins in tall grass and beached fishing boats against the spectacular backdrop of Mt Redoubt.
zFestivals & Events
Kenai Peninsula State FairCULTURAL
The main event in Ninilchik is the Kenai Peninsula State Fair, the ‘biggest little fair in Alaska,’ which takes place annually in mid-August. Has live bands, food stalls and more.
4Sleeping & Eating
Ninilchik View State CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(www.dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kenai/ninilvwcamp.htm; Mile 135.5, Sterling Hwy; tent & RV sites $15)
By far the best of Ninilchik’s public campgrounds, it’s set atop a wooded bluff with a view of the old village and Cook Inlet. A stairway leads down to the beach.
Ninilchik River CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(www.dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/kenai/ninilrvcamp.htm; Mile 134.9, Sterling Hwy; tent & RV sites $15)
This campground has great river access and some pleasant trails.
Rosco’s PizzaPIZZA$$
(15915 Sterling Hwy; pizza $12-25; h11am-9pm)
Hand-tossed dough made from scratch makes this a perfect place to fill up after a day of clam slamming.
8Information
Ninilchik General Store (%907-567-3378; Mile 135.7, Sterling Hwy; h7am-10pm Mon-Sat, to 8pm Sun) Has an ATM, lots of fishing and camping gear, and you will find a few tourist-oriented brochures posted out the front of the store.
8Getting There & Away
Ninilchik is right along the Sterling Hwy, so buses traveling to or from Homer should drop you off there. It’s more difficult to arrange a pickup, so it’s best if you have your own wheels.
Homer
%907 / Pop 5631
As the Sterling Hwy descends into Homer, a panorama of mountains sweeps across the horizon. The Homer Spit juts into a glittering Kachemak Bay, and just when you think the view might unwind forever, it ends with dramatic Grewingk Glacier.
Hearing travelers’ tales, you half expect to find lotus-eaters and mermaids lounging about. At first, though, Homer’s appeal isn’t evident. It sprawls and is choked with tourists, it lacks legendary hikes and it has a windswept waterfront that makes kayaking a slog. And then there’s the Homer Spit – a tourist trap you may love to hate.
Stick around, however, and Homer will make you a believer. For one thing, there’s that panorama, and the promise that it holds. And the vibe: the town is a magnet for radicals, artists and folks disillusioned with mainstream society, who’ve formed a critical mass here, dreaming up a sort of utopian vision for their city, and striving – with grins on their faces – to enact it.
Homer
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
1Sights
oAlaska Islands & Ocean Visitor CenterMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-6961; www.islandsandocean.org; 95 Sterling Hwy; h9am-5pm) F
More a research facility and museum than a visitor center, this impressive place has numerous cool interactive exhibits. The best is a room that’s a replica seabird colony, complete with cacophonous bird calls and surround-view flocking.
There’s also a decent film about ship-based marine research, a hands-on discovery lab, a pole that shows Homer’s tides in real time, and a slate of daily educational programs and guided walks (they even have loaner binoculars for free).
oPratt MuseumMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-8635; www.prattmuseum.org; 3779 Bartlett St; adult/child $10/5; h10am-6pm)
There’s lots of local art and Alaska Native artifacts, but a more impressive feature is the interactive displays on the area’s wildlife, designed to mesmerize both kids and ex-kids. More sobering is the Storm Warning Theater, with harrowing tales about fishing on Kachemak Bay, where making a living can end your life.
More light-hearted and whimsical, and perhaps the coolest aspect of the museum, is the Forest Ecology Trail, where artists can contribute to the ‘Facing the Elements’ exhibit. Paths wind through the trees, and you’ll stumble upon small exhibits, be they mirrors, rocks or pottery. A must-do. Take a walk around the grounds, where art installations glitter in the forest.
The Pratt also offers 1½-hour harbor tours (MAP; Homer Spit Rd; per person $10) throughout summer at 3pm Monday and Thursday, leaving from the Salty Dawg Saloon.
Fireweed GalleryGALLERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-3411; www.fireweedgallery.com; 475 E Pioneer Ave; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat, to 4:30pm Sun)
This gallery can get good local wares, and has more than just art to hang on your walls: sculptures, carvings, baskets and more are all on offer.
Bunnell Street GalleryGALLERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-2662; www.bunnellstreetgallery.org; 106 W Bunnell Ave; h11am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-4pm Sun)
The town’s best gallery, with monthly shows of fine art. You can also buy stunning jewelry and pottery.
ACarl E Wynn Nature CenterNATURE RESERVE
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-5266; www.akcoastalstudies.org; Skyline Dr; adult/child $8/5; h10am-6pm)
Situated on the bluffs above Homer, this moose-ridden 140-acre reserve is highly recommended for families and anyone interested in the area’s ethnobotany – though the price tag is a little steep.
With a few short interpretive nature trails, one of them boardwalked and wheelchair accessible, this is a grand place to learn which plants can be used to heal a cut, condition your hair or munch for lunch. Naturalist-led hikes leave at 10am and 2pm daily in summer. It also has a slate of lectures and other programs; call the center for a schedule.
Homer SpitAREA
(MAP)
Generally known as ‘the Spit,’ this long needle of land – a 4.5-mile sandbar stretching into Kachemak Bay – is viewed by some folks as the most fun place in Alaska. Others wish another earthquake would come along and sink the thing. Regardless, the Spit throbs all summer with tourists.
They mass here in unimaginable density, gobbling fish and chips, purchasing alpaca sweaters, arranging bear-watching trips, watching theatrical performances and – oh yeah – going fishing in search of 300lb halibut. The hub of all this activity is the small-boat harbor, one of the best facilities in Southcentral Alaska and home to more than 700 boats. Close by is the Seafarer’s Memorial (MAP), which, amid all the Spit’s hubbub, is a solemn monument to residents lost at sea.
Beachcombing, bonfiring, bald-eagle watching (they seem as common here as pigeons in New York City) and observing recently docked fishers angling for cute tourists at the Salty Dawg Saloon are all favorite activities. You can also go clamming at Mud Bay, on the east side of the Spit. Blue mussels, an excellent shellfish overlooked by many people, are the most abundant.
If you’d rather catch your dinner than buy it, try your luck at the Fishing Hole, just before the Pier One Theater. The small lagoon is the site of a ‘terminal fishery,’ in which salmon are planted by the state and return three or four years later to a place where they can’t spawn. Sportsman’s Supply & Rental, close by, rents out rods ($10 to $20) as well as rakes and shovels (each $5) for clamming.
Art Shop GalleryGALLERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.artshopgallery.com; 202 W Pioneer Ave; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-4pm Sun)
Alaska art, on every wall. You’ll find plenty of watercolors and other mediums here.
Ptarmigan ArtsGALLERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-5345; www.ptarmiganarts.com; 471 E Pioneer Ave; h10am-6pm)
Local cooperative gallery with stained class, wood carvings and pottery.
Center for Alaskan Coastal StudiesCULTURAL CENTER
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-6667; www.akcoastalstudies.org; 708 Smokey Bay Way; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) F
This nonprofit organization devoted to promoting appreciation of Kachemak Bay’s ecosystem, runs the Carl E Wynn Nature Center and the Peterson Bay Field Station ($140 day tour), both of which offer guided hikes and educational programs throughout the summer.
It also operates the Yurt on the Spit (MAP; Homer Spit Rd; per person $7; hnoon-5pm), right behind Mako’s Water-Taxi, which does a daily ‘Creatures of the Dock’ tour at 1pm and 4pm ($5).
Around Homer
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
3Entertainment
7Shopping
2Activities
Cycling
Though Homer lacks formal mountain-biking trails, the dirt roads in the hills above town lend themselves to some great rides, especially along Diamond Ridge Rd and Skyline Dr. For an easy tour, head out E End Rd, which extends 20 miles east to the head of Kachemak Bay. There’s also good biking to be had in Seldovia, an easy day or overnight trip from Homer by water-taxi.
Fishing
There are more than two dozen charter captains working out of the Spit, and they charge anywhere from $225 to $350 for a full-day halibut and salmon trip – half-day trips run around $160 and your fishing license is usually extra. A good option to go with is Rainbow Tours, but peruse the board beside the Halibut Derby Office; it lists the biggest fish caught that summer, along with who captained the boat. Other than that, the biggest distinction between the charter operations is vessel size: bigger boats bounce around less when the waves kick, meaning greater comfort and less mal de mer. Make sure you buy a ticket in the Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby.
Hiking
For all its natural beauty, Homer has few good public trails (though hiking across Kachemak Bay is awesome). For a map of short hiking routes around town, pick up the Walking Guide to the Homer Area at the visitor center.
Homestead TrailHIKING
(MAP)
This 6.7-mile trek from Rogers Loop Rd (accessed 1 mile north of town on the Sterling Hwy) is probably the best in town, taking you via boardwalk and singletrack to large meadows with panoramic views of Kachemak Bay, and Mt Iliamna and Mt Redoubt on the other side of Cook Inlet.
They maintain cross-country trails here in winter.
Bishop’s Beach TrailHIKING
This hike is a leisurely waterfront trek from Homer. The views of Kachemak Bay and the Kenai Mountains are superb, while the marine life that scurries along the sand at low tide is fascinating. It’s great for beachcombing.
Start right behind the Islands & Ocean Visitor Center down the road from Two Sisters Bakery.
Diamond Creek TrailHIKING
This trailhead is opposite Diamond Ridge Rd, 5 miles north along the Sterling Hwy. The trail begins by descending along Diamond Creek, then hits the beach. Check a tide book, and leave before low tide and return before high tide. High tides will cover most of the sand and force you to scramble onto the base of the nearby cliffs.
You can walk the 7 miles into town and eventually meet up with Bishop’s Beach Trail.
Paddling
Though, theoretically, you could spend a wavy day paddling in the vicinity of the Spit, you’ll find infinitely better scenery, more varied wildlife and far more sheltered waters across the bay in the Kachemak Bay State Park. Due to fast currents and massive waves, attempting the wide-open crossing is a poor idea; you’re better off taking your kayak across on a water-taxi or renting one from the various companies that maintain fleets of kayaks on the far side, such as True North Kayak Adventures.
True North Kayak AdventuresKAYAKING
(MAP; %907-235-0708; www.truenorthkayak.com)
Based on Yukon Island and with an office on Homer Spit, it runs half-day paddles amid the otters, with eagles overhead, for $115 (water-taxi included). Once you’ve spent all that time crossing the bay, however, it makes more sense to spring for the full-day paddle ($160), or at least the three-quarter-day ($140).
There are also several multiday options that cross Eldred Passage into Tutka Bay or Sadie Cove. For experienced kayakers, it rents rigid single/double kayaks for $40/60 per day. And jumping on trend, stand-up paddleboard adventures are also on offer in a stunning glacier lake ($225).
Bear Viewing
Due largely to the density of tourists visiting Homer, the town has become a major departure point for bear-watching trips to the famed bruin haven of Katmai National Park, located on the Alaska Peninsula 100-plus miles southwest by floatplane. Due to the distances involved, these trips cost a pretty penny: expect to pay at least $500 for a day trip. However, that may be a small price to pay for the iconic Alaskan photo: a slavering brown bear, perched atop a waterfall, snapping its fangs on an airborne salmon.
Alaska Ultimate SafarisSCENIC FLIGHTS
(MAP; %888-696-2327; www.alaskaultimatesafaris.com; Beluga Lake; flights from $375)
Locals Kirsten and Eric whisk you away in a helicopter for either a ‘Fire’ or ‘Ice’ tour that sweeps across volcanoes (per person $670) or glaciers (per person $375). They also specialize in bear viewing in Katmai and Lake Clark, as well as remote hiking.
Bald Mountain AirBEAR VIEWING
(MAP; %907-235-7969; www.baldmountainair.com; Homer Spit Rd; per person $675-695)
Runs floatplane trips to the park headquarters at Brooks Camp in Katmai National Park, where countless bears converge to snag salmon ascending Brooks River – and where countless tourists converge to watch them. Also flies ‘where no-one else goes’ in June and August to spot bears when they aren’t at Brooks Camp.
Emerald Air ServiceBEAR VIEWING
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-4160; www.emeraldairservice.com; 2144 Lakeshore Dr; per person $745)
Run by respected naturalists this floatplane operator offers a wilderness-oriented experience, bypassing Brooks Camp and seeking out bears along isolated Katmai beaches and salmon streams. Expect about 4 miles of walking.
zFestivals & Events
Kachemak Bay Shorebird FestivalCULTURAL
Brings hundreds of birders and 100,000 shorebirds to Mud Bay in early May, making it the largest bird-migration site along the Alaskan road system. The tidal flats of Homer become the staging area for thousands of birds, including one-third of the world’s surfbirds.
Kachemak Bay Wooden Boat FestivalCULTURAL
Held in September, this boaters’ fest celebrates the craft, design and history of wooden boatbuilding, and is rounded out by tall tales of drama on the high seas.
Homer Jackpot Halibut DerbyCULTURAL
May 15 marks the beginning of the four-month, $200,000-plus contest to catch the biggest fish (300-pounders are the norm). Tickets cost $10, are good for one day of fishing, and can be bought at numerous places in Homer, including the derby office on the Spit.
4Sleeping
There are B&Bs galore. Homer adds a 7.5% sales tax to lodging.
Seaside FarmHOSTEL$
(MAP; %907-235-7850; www.seasidealaska.com; E End Rd; sites/dm/r/cabins $15/35/65/95)
Located 5 miles from the city center, this is more like Burning Man than a regulation youth hostel. Run by Mossy Kilcher, pop star Jewel Kilcher’s aunt, Seaside Farm has a meadow campground with views of Grewingk Glacier, somewhat dingy dorms and basic cabins.
The outdoor cooking pavilion is patrolled by roosters, and impromptu jam sessions often spark up around the campfire.
Karen Hornaday Memorial CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 360 Fairview Ave; tent/RV sites $13/20)
Below the bluffs just north of downtown, this is the best family camping option in Homer. It has private, wooded sites with impressive views of the Bay and baseball field.
Homer Spit Public CampingCAMPGROUND$
(MAP; Homer Spit Rd; tent/RV sites $13/20)
On the west beach of Homer Spit a catch-as-catch-can tent city springs up every night of the summer. It’s a beautiful spot, though often windy (make sure you add weight to your tent if you leave). It can get crowded and sometimes rowdy. The self-registration stand is right across the road from Sportsman’s Supply.
Homer Stay & PlayB&B$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-399-1475; www.homerstayandplay.com; Paradise Pl; r $115-165; W)
The best part about staying here isn’t the panoramic views of Kachemak Bay or the fresh baked breakfasts: it’s the owners’ enthusiasm for all things Homer. Stay here and be treated to a good dose of local flavor; as much as possible, from the soap to the salad, comes from the area.
Juneberry LodgeB&B$$
(MAP; %907-235-4779; www.juneberrylodge.com; 40963 China Poot St; r $130-165; W)
This large log-and-stone home has four rooms, including one with adorable sleeping cubbies tucked into the eaves, perfect for families. The house belonged to a gold-miner’s daughter, and her original sourdough start for breakfast is from 1897.
Land’s End ResortHOTEL$$
(MAP; %800-478-0400; www.lands-end-resort.com; r $189-289 lodges $399-600; nW
s)
This multiplex is as close as you can get to the mountains across Kachemak Bay. At the end of the spit, it offers tidy little economy rooms and three-story ‘lodges’ (read: condos), and more in-between. If you’re going to splurge for this place, make sure you splurge for a view. It also has a sauna, a hot tub and an endless pool.
Old Town B&BB&B$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-7558; www.oldtownbedandbreakfast.com; 106 W Bunnell Ave; d $90-130; nW)
Built in 1937, this historic B&B has just three rooms. The Mabel Suite has ocean views and a private bathroom. All come with hardwood floors, great paintings and a fresh feel that makes this a top pick in downtown.
Otter Cove ResortCABIN$$
(%800-426-6212; www.ottercoveresort.com; cabins $125)
Located on Eldred Passage, Otter Cove Resort has affordable camping-style cabins (with electricity) near the Sadie Knob Trail. It rents out kayaks ($70 to $85) and guides paddling trips of one or more days. Round-trip transportation is $70 to $85. There’s a cook shack on site, and no restaurant, so bring your own food.
Glacier View CabinsCABIN$$
(MAP; %907-299-1519; www.glacierviewcabins.com; 59565 E End Rd; cabins $140-175; nW#)
These log cabins sit in a sort of suburban utopia: a wide expanse of lawn has views of Kachemak Bay over neighborhood rooftops. While they feel a bit modular, the spruce cabins have nice kitchens, and there are grills on every porch and plenty of fire pits.
Homer Floatplane LodgeLODGE$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-4160; www.floatplanelodge.com; 2144 Lakeshore Dr; r $125-200; nW)
Aviation buffs will love the waterfront rooms at this cozy grouping of log cabins right on Beluga Lake. Spruce walls, ample porches and kitchenettes make this a great spot for families.
Pioneer InnMOTEL$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-5670; www.pioneerinnhomerak.com; 244 W Pioneer Ave; r $139-159; nW)
Super-friendly, this central motel is tidy and warm. A few rooms have larger kitchenettes and living rooms – and you can get at least partial ocean views from much of the motel.
Driftwood InnINN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-8019; www.thedriftwoodinn.com; 135 W Bunnell Ave; RV sites $49-57, r $99-265, cottage $300; nW)
Everything is on offer here: cheery European-style rooms with or without bathrooms, snug, cedar-finished ‘ships’ quarters,’ two sprawling vacation houses with remarkable waterfront views, and a great patio area. It’s an excellent deal for the price, and larger groups can have an entire cottage (complete with kitchen and living area) all to themselves.
Ocean Shores MotelMOTEL$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %800-770-7775; www.oceanshoresalaska.com; 3500 Crittenden Dr; d $159-219; nW)
This motel-style lodge has spacious rooms – many with flat-screens and modern bed treatments, and several with kitchenettes. The decks and awesome views make this a strong contender in the midrange motel category. Those down by the ocean cost the most; the cheaper ones are up on the hill. The motel has opened a bar/restaurant, The Kannery Grill.
Bear Creek LodgingB&B$$
(MAP; %907-235-8484; www.bearcreekwinery.com; Bear Creek Dr; ste $200-275; n) 
S
On a hillside at the Bear Creek Winery, this place has two suites (each with a kitchenette), a hot tub overlooking the fruit vineyard and koi pond, and a complimentary bottle of vino beside each bed. No kids allowed.
oTutka Bay Wilderness LodgeLODGE$$$
(%907-274-2710; www.withinthewild.com; r per person for 2 nights $3800)
Tutka Bay Wilderness Lodge is an all-inclusive resort with chalets, cottages and rooms surrounding the lodge house, where guests enjoy meals with a sweeping view of the inlet and Jakolof Mountain. The accommodations are very comfortable, the food is excellent and the amenities include a sauna, deepwater dock, boathouse and hiking trails.
Activities range from sea kayaking to a renowned maritime cuisine cooking school. There’s a two-night minimum and the cost includes water taxi, massages and the choice between a deep sea-fishing charter or bear viewing.
Sadie Cove Wilderness LodgeLODGE$$$
(%907-235-2350; www.sadiecove.com; r per person $550)
Located just to the north of Tutka Bay in Sadie Cove. This wilderness lodge offers cabins, sauna, icy-cold plunge pool for use after or during your sauna, and Alaskan seafood dinners, but it’s not quite as elegant – or pricey – as some other options in the area.
HOMER ART GALLERIES
The cold, dark season of unemployment has inspired a saying in these parts: ‘If you’re starving, you might as well be an artist.’ Just browsing these great galleries is a treat, and on the first Friday of the month, many break out the wine and cheese, and stay open late for a series of openings all over town. This is just the tip of the iceberg – grab a free Downtown Homer Art Galleries flyer at the visitor center, which has many more gallery listings, or stop by the Homer Council of the Arts (MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-4288; www.homerart.org; 355 W Pioneer Ave; h1-5pm Mon-Fri), with its own awesome gallery and information on various tours, artist-in-residence programs and guerrilla installations throughout town.
5Eating
oLa BaleineSEAFOOD$
(MAP; %907-299-6672; www.labaleinecafe.com; 4460 Homer Spit Rd; breakfast $8-15 lunch $13-15; h5am-4pm Tue-Sun)
Hands down some of the best food in Homer, if not the entire Kenai Peninsula. As much of it as possible is organic or made in-house, the seafood is freshly caught and the greens and mushrooms locally foraged. Come here for breakfast (we like the homemade corned-beef hash) and then come back for lunch. Coffee is free with breakfast, and boxed meals are also available.
It was just opening a few nights per week for dinner when we visited; call ahead if you fancy a later meal.
Homer Farmers MarketMARKET$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.homerfarmersmarket.org; Ocean Dr; snacks $2-10; h2-5pm Wed, 10am-3pm Sat)
Pick up fresh produce, peruse homemade crafts kiosks or just chow down on kettle corn.
Cosmic KitchenMEXICAN$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 510 E Pioneer Ave; burritos & sandwiches $6-11; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 3pm Sat; W)
With excellent burritos, burgers and a salsa bar, this joint is the place to go for a filling meal on the cheap; it’s probably the best bargain in town. It also serves breakfast until 3pm and has a deck for sunny evenings.
Finn’s PizzaPIZZA$
(MAP; Homer Spit Rd; slice $6, pizza $20-28; hnoon-9pm)
Finn’s wood-fired pizzas are best enjoyed with a pint of ale in the sunny upstairs solarium. Is there anything better than an excellent pizza and unobstructed views of the bay? We don’t think so. You can also get soup, salad and polenta.
Two Sisters BakeryBAKERY$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-2280; www.twosistersbakery.net; 233 E Bunnell Ave; light meals $4-7, dinner mains $17-25; h7am-6pm Mon-Tue, to 9pm Wed-Sat)
This quintessential Homer institution has great fresh-baked bread and light snacks. There is a lilting air to the open-kitchen that seems pulled straight from Johnny Depp’s classic Chocolat.
Homer Spit Oyster BarSEAFOOD$
(MAP; 3851 Homer Spit Rd; oysters $3; h11am-10pm)
The oysters are fresh as can be; unfortunately the service is also pretty fresh and more than a little salty. Still, the deck is lovely on a sunny afternoon, and the sake goes down smoothly. It also serves soup, grilled cheese and salad.
Fritz Creek General StoreDELI$
(Mile 8.2, E End Rd; sandwiches $8-12; h7am-9pm Mon-Sat, 10am-8pm Sun)
What is an excellent deli doing all the way out on East End Rd? Serving some of the best beef brisket sandwiches in Homer.
Duncan DinerCAFE$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 125 E Pioneer Ave; breakfast & lunch $6-11; h7am-2pm)
This busy downtown place fries up home-style breakfast among home-style decor.
Fresh Sourdough ExpressAMERICAN$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-7571; 1316 Ocean Dr; breakfast $9-14, lunch & dinner $9-19; h7am-5pm) S
Come here for your organic, gluten-free goodies. This is the first official ‘green’ restaurant in Alaska, and you can taste it. Almost everything is organic and as much as possible locally raised or grown. Come here for ample breakfasts (there are plenty of gluten-full options as well).
SaltrySEAFOOD$$
(%906-226-2424; www.thesaltry.com; lunch $17-20, dinner $23-28; hlunch 1:30pm & 3pm; dinner 6pm & 7:30pm; 
v)
In the village of Halibut Cove on Ismailof Island, Saltry makes for the ultimate date, with an outdoor deck over the aquamarine inlet and excellent seafood and vegetarian cuisine. After eating, check out the galleries in Halibut Cove.
Catch the Danny J (MAP; %907-226-2424; www.thesaltry.com; Homer Spit; per person noon/evening tour $63/38) boat service to Halibut Cove.
Little MermaidBISTRO$$
(MAP; %907-399-9900; www.littlemermaidhomer.com; 4246 Homer Spit Rd; lunch $10-20, dinner $16-38; h11am-9pm Thu-Tue)
Local ingredients, fresh seafood and a simple but creative menu make this little joint a locals’ favorite. If it’s carbs you’re after, its hand-tossed pizzas are the best. Don’t skip dessert.
Fat OlivesITALIAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-8488; www.fatoliveshomer.com; 276 Ohlson Lane; dinner $17-25; h11am-10pm)
Housed in the old ‘bus barn,’ this chic and hyperpopular pizza joint and wine bar serves affordable appetizers such as prosciutto-wrapped Alaskan scallops and delicious mains such as wood-oven-roasted rack of lamb. Almost everything is fresh and homemade.
Cafe CupsFUSION$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-235-8330; www.cafecups.com; 162 W Pioneer Ave; lunch $11-18 dinner $15-30; h11am-9pmTue-Sat)
In a charming little building (you’ll know it by the cups outside) with brightly painted, art-covered walls. The focus is on seafood, whether it’s on a salad, in a sandwich or with pasta.
Wasabi’sJAPANESE$$$
(MAP; %907-226-3663; www.wasabisrestaurant.com; 57217 E End Rd; mains $8-32; h5-10pm)
With some of the best views in town, this playful and modern sushi house offers innovative cocktails, finely constructed rolls and some of the freshest fish you could imagine.
HomesteadFUSION$$$
(%907-235-8723; www.homesteadrestaurant.net; Mile 8.2, E End Rd; dinner $28-38; h5-9pm)
One of Homer’s oldest and priciest restaurants, with mains such as Szechuan Duck and the Duet de Mar (wild shrimp and Alaskan scallops). Though the waiters wear black ties, patrons can come as they are (hey, this is Homer, after all). Prime rib on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
WORTH A TRIP
NIKOLAEVSK & NORMAN LOWELL STUDIO
Tucked inconspicuously down a winding road from Anchor Point sits one of several Russian Old Believer Villages on the Kenai Peninsula. The Old Believers are members of a sect that split from mainstream Russian Orthodoxy in the 1650s, defending their ‘old beliefs’ in the face of what they considered heretical reforms. Long considered outcasts in Russia, they fled communism in 1917, ending up in Brazil, then Oregon, and then – in 1968 – Alaska, where they finally felt they could enjoy religious freedom while avoiding the corruptive influences of modernity.
Alaska’s Old Believers are hardcore traditionalists, speaking mainly Russian, marrying in their teens, raising substantial broods of children, and living simply. The men – usually farmers or fishers – are forbidden from trimming their beards; the women typically cover their hair and are garbed in long dresses. The Old Believers tend to keep to themselves, inhabiting a handful of isolated villages on the Kenai Peninsula, of which Nikolaevsk is the most prominent.
To get there, head 10 miles east on North Fork Rd, which departs from the Sterling Hwy in the heart of Anchor Point and winds through hillbilly homesteads and open, rolling forest. Right before the pavement ends, hang a left at Nikolaevsk Rd. Two miles later, you’ll enter the village.
One recommended stop is the Samovar Café & B&B (%907-235-6867; www.russiangiftsnina.com; 64935 Nikolaevsk Rd; mains $5-12; h10am-8pm Mon-Fri). You’ll either love or hate this glimpse into Russian Orthodox life. The proprietor, Nina, is far from subtle, telling you exactly what to order and how much to pay. Just go with the flow, as it’s really the only way to experience any slice of a Russian Orthodox village. The borscht is worth it. There is also a campground, but you’re better off camping in Ninilchik or elsewhere along the coast and driving into Nikolaevsk for lunch.
On your way back, stop at the Norman Lowell Studio (www.normanlowellgallery.net; Normal Lowell Rd, Anchor Point; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat) in Anchor Point. This spacious gallery features the work of the self-taught homesteading painter. While it can get a little cheesy, many of the Alaskan wildland paintings are quite powerful – and certainly masterfully crafted.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Salty Dawg SaloonBAR
(MAP; Homer Spit Rd; h10am-5am)
Maybe the most storied bar on the Kenai Peninsula, the Salty Dawg isn’t just a tourist trap. Locals love the cavernous lighthouse tavern, back patio and pool table. Come evening, the sea shanties start in earnest.
Homer Brewing CompanyBREWERY
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.homerbrew.com; 1411 Lakeshore Dr; hnoon-7pm Mon-Sat, to 6pm Sun)
This tasting room has picnic tables and fresh Jakalof Bay oysters Friday and Saturday. Try the Broken-Birch Bitter ale and then grab a growler to go.
Grace Ridge Brewing CompanyBREWERY
(MAP; 3388 B St; hnoon-8pm)
A new brewery in Homer with a modern little taproom and local art on the walls. A rotating special is the Lemon Tart Ale – don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
Down East SaloonBAR
(MAP; 3125 E End Rd; h10am-2am)
This spacious bar is where locals head to listen to live music. The view is killer, but you’ll likely be paying more attention to whichever Homer talent is on stage.
AlibiBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; www.alibi-homer.com; 453 E Pioneer Ave; h4pm-late)
Catering to a younger crowd, the Alibi has DJs, karaoke and occasional dance parties. The large picture windows reveal the bay, and locals say the food isn’t bad; it’s one of the few places in town where you can find late-night grub.
Bear Creek WineryWINE BAR
(MAP; www.bearcreekwinery.com; Bear Creek Dr; h10am-6pm)
Wineries are scarcer than vineyards in Alaska, but this impressive family-run operation bottles some fine berry-based wines. Tastings are $5 (credited to your purchase), and it offers tours at 11am Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. If you want to make some cash, Bear Creek will buy your berries.
3Entertainment
Pier One TheatreTHEATER
(MAP; %907-226-2287; www.pieronetheatre.org; Homer Spit Rd)
Live drama and comedy are performed in a ‘come-as-you-are’ warehouse next to the Fishing Hole on the spit. Shows start at 7:30pm.
7Shopping
Sportsman’s Supply & RentalSPORTS & OUTDOORS
(MAP; %907-235-2617; 1114 Freight Dock Rd; h6am-midnight)
Rents out fishing rods ($10 to $20) and sells other camping and fishing gear. You can also shower ($7) here and do laundry.
8Information
INTERNET ACCESS
Homer Public Library (500 Hazel Ave; h10am-6pm Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat, to 8pm Tue & Thu; Wc) Homer’s excellent library is arty and airy, with a decidedly Homer-esque selection of magazines. Internet access is free, and it has a great kids’ section for rainy days.
MEDICAL SERVICES
Homer Medical Clinic (%907-235-8586; 4136 Bartlett St; h8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat) Next door to South Peninsula Hospital; for walk-in service.
South Peninsula Hospital (%907-235-8101; 4300 Bartlett St; h24h) North of the Pratt Museum.
MONEY
Wells Fargo (88 Sterling Hwy; h10am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat) Has an ATM.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Halibut Derby Office (MAP; %907-235-7740; www.homerhalibutderby.com; Homer Spit Rd; h11am-7pm) Has a few pamphlets and is the official weigh-in station for the Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby.
Homer Visitor Center & Chamber of Commerce (MAP; %907-235-7740; www.homeralaska.org; 201 Sterling Hwy; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun) Has countless brochures and a funky mosaic on the floor. It’s operated by the chamber of commerce, however, and only provides info on members. Also has courtesy phones to book rooms or tours.
8Getting There & Away
AIR
Ravn Alaska provides daily flights between Homer and Anchorage from Homer’s airport, 1.7 miles east of town on Kachemak Dr. The advance-purchase fare runs at about $125 one-way, or $205 for the round-trip. Smokey Bay Air (%907-235-1511; www.smokeybayair.com; 2100 Kachemak Dr) offers flights to Seldovia for $62 each way.
Homer Airport (MAP; 3720 Faa Rd) Commercial flights operate here.
BUS
Homer Stage Line (MAP; %907-868-3914; www.stagelineinhomer.com; 1242 Ocean Dr) Runs from Homer to Anchorage, and between Homer and Seward.
Homer Trolley (%907-299-6210; www.homertrolley.com; $15 day pass; h11am-6pm) Hop-on-hop-off bus trolley between downtown and the spit.
FERRY
The Alaska Marine Highway provides a thrice-weekly service from Homer to Seldovia (each way $34, 1½ hours) and Kodiak ($85, 9½ hours), with a connecting service to the Aleutians. The ferry terminal (MAP; %907-235-8449; www.ferryalaska.com) is found at the end of Homer Spit. Rainbow Tours (MAP; %907-235-7272; Homer Spit Rd; 1-way/round-trip $49/69) offers the inexpensive Rainbow Connection shuttle from Homer to Seldovia. It departs at 9am, gets to Seldovia an hour later and then returns to take you back to Homer at 5pm. It’ll transport your bike for $5 and your kayak for $10. The Seldovia Bay Ferry (MAP; %907-435-3299; www.seldoviabayferry.com; Lot 21, Freight Dock Rd; 1-way $40) takes passengers to Seldovia twice a day, with departures from Homer at 9am and 11am.
Many water-taxi operations shuttle campers and kayakers between Homer and points across Kachemak Bay. Though the companies are good and work closely together, the most respected is Mako’s Water-Taxi (MAP; %907-235-9055; www.makoswatertaxi.com; Homer Spit Rd). It usually charges $80 to $90 per person round-trip with a two-person minimum.
8Getting Around
BICYCLE
Cycle Logical (%907-226-2925; www.cyclelogicalhomer.com; 3585 E End Rd; h10am-6pm Tue-Sat, by appointment Mon) Rents mountain, fat and city bikes for $35 to $69 per day.
Homer Saw & Cycle (%907-235-8406; 1532 Ocean Dr; h9am-5:30pm Mon-Fri, 11am-5pm Sat) Rents out mountain bikes and hybrids ($25 per 24 hours).
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Polar Car Rental (%907-235-5998; 1563 Homer Spit Rd) To obtain an affordable rental car, this small dealer has cars of all sizes at $65 a day.
TAXI
Kostas Taxi (%907-399-8008) and Kachecab (%907-235-1950) can get you anywhere around town for a reasonable fare.
Seldovia
%907 / Pop 276
Normally visited as a quick overnight from Homer, this waterfront village is just 15 miles from Homer by boat. While touring the boardwalk and compact center will take a few hours, the nearby adventures in Kachemak Bay could easily extend your trip.
The town is sleepy and secluded, esoteric and at times frustrating – plan for an extra day to get in or out. A new generation of end-of-the-worlders are moving in, and although Seldovia relies in part on fishing, it’s making its best stab at becoming a tourist destination. It’s a process that’s happening in fits and starts: the hiking, skiing, paddling and biking possibilities here are excellent. And while the accommodations are plush, the culinary offerings are limited and the galleries feel a bit desperate.
All in all, you’ll find a village with quaintness to spare, but little tourist infrastructure, which may be the best thing about the place.
History
One of the oldest settlements on Cook Inlet, Russians founded the town in the late 18th century and named it after their word seldevoy, meaning ‘herring bay.’ By the 1890s Seldovia had become an important shipping and supply center for the region, and the town boomed right into the 1920s with salmon canning, fur farming, a theater and, of course, a (short-lived) herring industry.
But then the highway came, stretching as far as the tip of the Homer Spit. After it was completed in the 1950s, Seldovia’s importance as a supply center began to dwindle.
1Sights
Historic BoardwalkWATERFRONT
(Main St)
Two hundred feet south of the boat harbor is Seldovia’s historic boardwalk. Overlooking the slough, this atmospheric collection of shops, inns and flowers is worth a quick stroll.
Seldovia Village Tribe Visitor CenterMUSEUM
(%907-234-7898; www.svt.org; cnr Airport Ave & Main St; hnoon-5pm)
This visitors center and museum showcases Seldovia’s Alaska Native heritage – a unique blend of Alutiiq (Eskimo) and Tanaina (Indian) cultures. The small, tidy museum covers the history of Alaska Natives in the area, and its subsistence display is informative and interesting. This is also the place to buy souvenirs.
Outside BeachBEACH
(Jakolof Bay Rd)
This beach is an excellent place for wildlife sightings and a little beachcombing. To reach it, follow Anderson Way out of town for a mile, then head left at the first fork to reach the picnic area at Outside Beach Park.
You stand a good chance of spotting eagles, seabirds and possibly even otters here. At low tide, you can explore the sea life among the rocks, and on a clear day the views of Mt Redoubt and Mt Iliamna are stunning.
St Nicholas Orthodox ChurchCHURCH
(tinetteh@ptialaska.net; Church St)
Seldovia’s most popular attraction is this onion-domed church, which overlooks the town from a hill just off Main St. Built in 1891 and restored in the 1970s, the church is open only during services and by appointment. Though there is no resident clergyman, occasionally a visiting priest conducts services.
2Activities
Berry Picking
Seldovia is known best for its blueberries, which grow so thick just outside town that from late August to mid-September you often can rake your fingers through the bushes and fill a two-quart bucket in minutes. You’ll also come across plenty of low-bush cranberries and salmonberries, a species not found around Homer. Be aware, however, that many of the best berry areas are on tribal land; before setting out, stop at the Seldovia Native Association (%907-234-7625; https://.snai.org; Main St; day-use/camping permits $5/10; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri), which will sell you a day-use permit for $5.
Hiking
The Otterbahn Trail was famously created by local high-school students, who dubbed it the ‘we-worked-hard-so-you-better-like-it trail.’ The trailhead lies behind Susan B English School, off Winifred Ave. Lined with salmonberries and affording great views of Graduation Peak, it skirts the coastline most of the way and reaches Outside Beach in 1.5 miles. Make sure you hike it at tides below 17ft, as the last stretch runs across a slough that is only legally passable when the water is out (property above 17ft is private).
Two trails start from Jakolof Bay Rd. You can either hike down the beach toward the head of Seldovia Bay at low tide, or you can follow a 4.5-mile logging road to reach several secluded coves. There is also the Tutka/Jakolof Trail, a 2.5-mile trail to a campsite on the Tutka Lagoon, the site of a state salmon-rearing facility. The posted trail departs from Jakolof Bay Rd about 10.5 miles east of town.
The town’s steepest hike is the rigorous Rocky Ridge Trail, where 800ft of climbing will be rewarded with remarkable views of the bay, the town and Mt Iliamna. The trail starts (or ends) on Rocky St and loops back to the road to the airport, covering about 3 miles.
Cycling
Seldovia’s nearly carless streets and outlying gravel roads make for ideal biking; mountain bikes can be brought over from Homer. Those looking for a fairly leisurely ride can pedal the 10-mile Jakolof Bay Rd, which winds along the coast nearly to the head of Jakolof Bay. For a more rigorous experience, continue on another 6 miles beyond the end of the maintained road, climbing 1200ft into the alpine country at the base of Red Mountain.
In the past, fit cyclists could also depart from Jakolof Bay Rd for an epic 30-mile round-trip ride along the rough Rocky River Rd, which cuts across the tip of the Kenai Peninsula to Windy Bay. In recent years washouts have made the road largely impassable; inquire about current conditions.
Paddling
There are some excellent kayaking opportunities in the Seldovia area. Just north, Eldred Passage and the three islands (Cohen, Yukon and Hesketh) that mark its entrance are prime spots for viewing otters, sea lions and seals, while the northern shore of Yukon Island features caves and tunnels that can be explored at high tide. Even closer are Sadie Cove, and Tutka and Jakolof Bays, where you can paddle in protected water amid interesting geological features, row up to oyster farmers to buy straight from the source, and camp in secluded coves.
KBay KayakingKAYAKING
(%907-201-0599; www.kbaykayaking.com; 243 Main St; h7am-9pm)
Rents sit-on-top kayaks for $15 per hour, regular kayaks $20/60 per one/four hours, and mountain bikes for $10/45 per hour/full day. KBay operates from the Boardwalk Hotel. It also offers kayak tours of Seldovia Bay for $69 to $89.
Kayak’AtakKAYAKING
(%907-234-7425; www.alaska.net/~kayaks; single/double kayaks 1st day $35/50, subsequent days $15/35)
Rents out kayaks and can help arrange transportation throughout the bay. It also offers various guided tours starting from $80, some including a ‘gourmet lunch.’ Make reservations in advance.
Thyme on the BoardwalkOUTDOORS
(%907-440-2213; www.thymeontheboardwalk.com; Main St)
This flower shop on the old Boardwalk rents stand-up paddleboards and kayaks (each $30 per hour). It has a nice vacation rental upstairs.
TTours
Mako’s Water-TaxiBOAT, AIR
(%907-235-9055; www.makoswatertaxi.com; drop-off at Homer Spit Rd, Homer; round-trip $150)
Has an excellent tour that takes you by boat, car and plane. Mako’s drops you at Jakolof Bay, from where you’ll be driven to Seldovia. You return to Homer via a short flightseeing trip. It’s a good deal.
Central ChartersBOATING
(%907-235-7847; www.centralcharter.com; drop-off at Homer Spit Rd, Homer; one-way/round-trip $39/69)
Does a daily seven-hour tour from Homer, leaving at 10:30am, circling Gull Island, and dropping you in Seldovia to enjoy the village for a few hours.
4Sleeping
For free camping, head to Sandy Beach accessed north of town on the Otterbahn Trail. Be sure to camp in the grass above the high-tide line.
oAcross the Bay Tent & BreakfastCABIN$
(%summer 907-350-4636, winter 907-345-2571; www.tentandbreakfastalaska.com; tent/cabin per person $80/85; nW)
Located 8 miles from town on Jakolof Bay, this is something a little different. Its cabin-like tents include a full breakfast, and for $120 per day you can get a package that includes all your meals – dinner could consist of fresh oysters, beach-grilled salmon or halibut stew with a side of garden-grown greens. Bring your sleeping bag.
The offbeat resort also organizes guided kayak trips ($95 to $115).
Seldovia Wilderness RV ParkCAMPGROUND$
(%907-234-7643; tent/RV sites $10/15)
About a mile out of town, this is a city-maintained campground on spectacular Outside Beach. You can pay for your site at the ferry terminal or harbormaster’s office.
Seldovia Harbor InnGUESTHOUSE$$
(%907-202-3095; www.seldoviaharborinn.com; 273 Main St; ste $155-165; W)
Two updated suites overlook either the harbor or the mountains. They are basically furnished apartments, with full kitchens, private bedrooms and great decks. There’s a warm coffee shop downstairs.
Seldovia Boardwalk HotelHOTEL$$
(%907-234-7816; www.seldoviaboardwalkhotel.com; 234 Main St; r $149-159; nW)
These are the best hotel digs in town. The 12 bright and cheery rooms have brand new everything, expansive windows and flat-screen TVs. A lot of care has been taken in the decor, and it shows.
Seldovia Rowing Club B&BB&B$$
(%907-234-7614; www.seldoviarowingclubinn.wordpress.com; Boardwalk; r $135)
Located on the Historic Boardwalk, this place (the first B&B in Southcentral Alaska) has homey suites decorated with quilts, antiques and owner Susan Mumma’s outstanding watercolors. She serves big breakfasts and often hosts in-house concerts.
Even if you aren’t staying here, stop by in the afternoon to see the artist at work or inquire about drawing classes.
Dancing EaglesCABIN$$
(%907-360-6363; www.dancingeagles.com; Main St; cabin $195; W)
Large windows look onto the harbor from this weather-beaten waterfront cabin just south of the harbor. It sleeps up to six in its cramped loft and private bedroom. There’s a full kitchen, great decks and a wood-burning stove.
Sea Parrot InnINN$$
(%844-377-7829; www.seaparrotinn.com; 226 Main St; r $99-125; nW#)
They aren’t the best rooms in town, but they are affordable, and you get fine harbor views, a nice deck, wood floors and a social atmosphere (thanks to a shared common area). Laundry (wash and dry $10.50) and showers (10 minutes $8.50, with soap and towel) are also available for campers. There’s a cafe downstairs.
Bridgekeeper’s Inn B&BB&B$$
(%907-234-7535; www.thebridgekeepersinn.com; 223 Kachemak Dr; r $140-150; n)
A cozy place with private bathrooms and full breakfasts; one room has a balcony overlooking the salmon-filled slough.
5Eating
Restaurants are packed when the ferry gets in. Time your visit well.
Linwood Bar & GrillPUB FOOD$$
(253 Main St; mains $10-17; hgrill noon-10pm)
The only real bar in town has an awesome deck overlooking the harbor. The food is simple and well prepared, though a bit overpriced. The bar stays open well after the kitchen closes.
Tide Pool CafeCAFE$$
(267 Main St; mains $12-17; h11am-4pm)
In a sunny space overlooking the harbor and with colorful artwork on the walls, this eclectic eatery has chowder, sandwiches and other rainy-day treats.
8Information
MEDICAL SERVICES
Seldovia Village Tribe Health & Wellness (%907-435-3262; 206 Main St; h8:45am-5pm Mon, Wed & Thu)
MONEY
Linwood Bar & Grill has an ATM, but there are no banks in town.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Harbormaster’s Office (%907-234-7886; Harbor; h8am-9pm) Has toilets and pamphlets.
Seldovia Chamber of Commerce (www.seldoviachamber.org) Great website for pre-trip planning.
Seldovia Village Tribe Visitor Center Sells day-use permits and has information about the surrounding Native lands.
8Getting There & Away
AIR
Smokey Bay Air (%888-482-1511; www.smokeybayair.com; 2100 Kachemak Dr; 1-way $62) Has a 12-minute scenic flight from Homer.
FERRY
Alaska Marine Highway ferries provide service two to three times per week between Homer and Seldovia ($34, 1½ hours) with connecting service throughout the peninsula and the Aleutians. The Seldovia ferry terminal (www.ferryalaska.com; $34) is at the north end of Main St.
Seldovia Bay Ferry (%907-435-3299; www.seldoviabayferry.com; $40) has two departures per day to Homer from Seldovia, at 9am and 4:30pm.
8Getting Around
The main area of town is easily walked.
KBay Kayaking rents mountain bikes outside the Boardwalk Hotel. You can also rent a bike in Homer and bring it on the ferry.
For rides out to Jakolof Bay Rd or to the airport, try Halo Cab (%907-399-4229).
Kachemak Bay State Park
Across from Homer Spit, an alluring wonderland sprawls south: a luxuriantly green coastline, sliced by fjords and topped by sparkling glaciers and rugged peaks. This is Kachemak Bay State Park, which, along with Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park to the south, includes 350,000 acres of idyllic wilderness accessible only by bush plane or boat. It was Alaska’s first state park, and according to locals, it remains the best.
The most popular attraction is Grewingk Glacier, which can be seen from Homer. Viewing the glacier at closer range means a boat trip to the park and a very popular one-way hike of 3.5 miles. Outside the glacier, you can easily escape into the wilds by hiking or kayaking. More than 40 miles of trails, plenty of sheltered waterways, numerous campsites, good backcountry skiing, and a few enclosed accommodation options make this a highly recommended outing for a day or three.
1Sights
Peterson Bay Field StationNATURE RESERVE
(%907-235-6667; www.akcoastalstudies.org)
Though technically it’s outside the park, this field station operated by the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies provides an excellent introduction to the ecology and natural history of the area.
In summer, staff members lead day-long educational tours of the coastal forest and waterfront tidepools; the best intertidal beasties are seen during extremely low, or ‘minus,’ tides. Inside the station, too, you can get up close and personal with a touch tank full of squishy sea creatures. It costs $155/90 per adult/child, which includes the boat ride over from Homer Spit. If you want to overnight here, the station has bunks and yurts.
2Activities
Hiking
The park has some of the region’s best hikes, especially around Grewingk Glacier. Plan to spend a full day, if not a few days, exploring the lakes, streams and peaks.
Glacier Lake TrailHIKING
The most popular hike in Kachemak Bay State Park is this 3.5-mile, one-way trail that begins at the Glacier Spit trailhead, near Rusty Lagoon Campground. The level, easy-to-follow trek crosses the glacial outwash and ends at a lake with superb views of Grewingk Glacier. Camping on the lake is spectacular, and often the shoreline is littered with icebergs (and day-trippers).
At Mile 1.4 you can connect to the 6.4-mile Emerald Lake Trail, with a hand-tram and access to the face of the glacier. If you don’t have time for the entire hike, there are excellent views less than a mile from the tram.
Lagoon TrailHIKING
Departing from the Saddle Trail is this 5.5-mile route that leads to the ranger station at the head of Halibut Cove Lagoon. Along the way it passes the Goat Rope Spur Trail, a steep 1-mile climb to the alpine tundra. You also pass the posted junction of Halibut Creek Trail.
The Lagoon Trail is considered a difficult hike and involves fording Halibut Creek, which should be done at low tide. At the ranger station, more trails extend south to several lakes, as well as Poot Peak and the Wosnesenski River.
Emerald Lake TrailHIKING
This steep, difficult 6.4-mile trail begins at Grewingk Lake Trail and leads to Portlock Plateau. You’ll witness firsthand the reclamation of the wasted forest (due to spruce bark beetle damage) by brushy alder and birch, considered delicacies by local wildlife. You also get to use a hand tram to cross Grewingk Creek.
At Mile 2.1 a spur trail reaches the scenic Emerald Lake, and there are great views of the bay from the plateau. In spring, stream crossings can be challenging.
Poot PeakHIKING
Poot Peak is a difficult, slick, rocky ascent of 2600ft. The trailhead begins at the Halibut Cove Lagoon, where a moderate 2.6-mile climb along the China Poot Lake Trail takes you to a campsite on the lake.
From there, the trail to the peak diverges after the Wosnesenski River Trail junction. For a little over a mile you’ll clamber upward through thinning forest until you reach the Summit Spur, where the route climbs even more precipitously to the mountain’s lower summit, 2100ft in elevation. From here, reaching the very top involves scaling a shifting wall of scree, a feat that should be attempted only by those who have some rock-climbing experience. In wet weather, it should be avoided altogether. Getting from the lake to the summit and back will take the better part of a day.
Grace Ridge TrailHIKING
This is a 7-mile trail that stretches from a campsite at Kayak Beach trailhead to deep inside Tutka Bay in the state park. Much of the hike runs above the treeline along the crest of Grace Ridge, where, needless to say, the views are stunning. It starts on an old road in thick alder.
There’s also access from the Sea Star Cove public-use cabin. You could hike the trail in a day, but it makes a great two-day trek with an overnight camp.
Alpine Ridge TrailHIKING
At the high point of the Saddle Trail you will reach the posted junction for this 2-mile ‘stairway to heaven’ to an alpine ridge above the glacier. The climb can be steep at times but is manageable for most hikers with day packs. On a nice day, the views of the ice and Kachemak Bay are stunning.
Saddle TrailHIKING
This mile-long trail starts in Halibut Cove; it connects to the Glacier Lake Trail for a nice loop.
Paddling
You can spend three or four days paddling the many fjords of the park, departing from Homer and making overnight stops at Glacier Spit or Halibut Cove. Think twice before crossing Kachemak Bay from Homer Spit, however; the currents and tides are powerful and can cause serious problems for inexperienced paddlers.
St Augustine ChartersKAYAKING
(%907-299-1894; www.homerkayaking.com; half-/full-day incl water-taxi $110/150)
Offers many guided tours from its Peterson Bay office, including multiday paddling and trekking trips through state parks, camping at seaside sites. ‘Paddle Hike Dine’ ($215) is a popular day of kayaking and hiking, ending with dinner at Saltry in Halibut Cove.
Seaside AdventuresKAYAKING
(%907-235-6672; www.seasideadventure.com; per person $150)
A tiny family-run outfit, Seaside Adventures will show you the bay in a kayak complete with running commentary about local flora and fauna. It also has two adorable little cabins for rent (from $150).
4Sleeping
Camping is permitted throughout Kachemak Bay State Park. Moreover, numerous free, primitive camping areas have been developed, usually at waterfront trailheads or along trails. Consult Alaska State Parks (%907-269-8400; www.dnr.alaska.gov/parks) for the locations and facilities.
Alaskan Yurt RentalsYURT$
(%907-299-6879; www.alaskanyurtrentals.com; yurts $75)
There are eight yurts for rent in the park, maintained by a private operator. All are near the ocean and equipped with bunks and wood stoves and are an excellent way to cozy up for a night or two.
Center for Alaskan Coastal StudiesYURT$
(Peterson Bay Field Station; %907-235-6667; www.akcoastalstudies.org; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri)
This organization reserves bunks in yurts (per person $35 or $120 for an entire yurt) close to its Peterson Bay Field Station, just outside the park. Lodgers can use the kitchen at the field station.
Public-Use CabinsCABIN$
(%907-262-5581; www.alaskastateparks.org; cabins $45-70)
There are six cabins that can be reserved in the park (five in Halibut Cove and one in Tutka Bay).
Three are in Halibut Cove: Lagoon Overlook, with a pair of bunk-beds; Lagoon East Cabin, which has disabled access; and Lagoon West Cabin, a half-mile west of the public dock. China Poot Lake Cabin is a 2.4-mile hike from Halibut Cove on the shore of what’s also called Leisure Lake. Moose Valley Cabin is about 2.5 miles from the Halibut Cove Lagoon Ranger Station and only sleeps two ($35). Sea Star Cove Cabin, on the south shore of Tutka Bay, is convenient to the Tutka Lake Trail. China Poot Cabin is accessible by kayak or water-taxi. Make reservations for any of them months in advance.
8Information
Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (MAP; %907-235-6667; www.akcoastalstudies.org; 708 Smokey Way; h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) Has maps and information about the park, both at its downtown Homer headquarters off Lake St and at its yurt on Homer Spit behind Mako’s Water-Taxi. National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated map of the park is an excellent resource, depicting hiking routes, public-use cabins, docks and campsites, and it’s available at both.
8Getting There & Away
A number of water-taxis offer drop-off and pick-up service (round-trip $60 to $80). Because boat access to some of the trailheads is tidally dependent, you’ll need to work with them to establish a precise rendezvous time and location – and then be sure to stick to it.
8Getting Around
Ashore Water Taxi (%907-235-2341; www.homerwatertaxi.com) Charges $75 per person with a two-person minimum to any place in the park.
Mako’s Water-Taxi (%907-235-9055; www.makoswatertaxi.com) For most cross-bay destinations from Homer Spit, it charges $75 with a two-person minimum. To Seldovia, the boat costs $250 one-way, so grab all your friends and fill ‘er up. It can also give you the lowdown on possible hikes and paddles in the park – and about the logistics of getting over and back.