The Complete Guide to Visiting Homer, Alaska this Summer

The Complete Guide to Visiting Homer, Alaska this Summer

While Alaska is probably not the first that comes to mind when envisioning a beach vacation, it’s just as incredible as those traditional spots that you’re always hearing about if not more so. How many places can you stand along the shore and see a whale breach from the water’s surface while sea otters float, porpoises play, and bald eagles soar overhead? 

In Homer, there are many gorgeous beaches, although they’re wilder than what you’d find in a tropical locale, with an enchanting atmosphere that’s hard to beat. Here you can search through tide pools, enjoy tranquil strolls, horseback rides, and surf fishing. Or just relax and enjoy the jaw-dropping surrounding scenery. 

Here is the complete guide to visiting Homer, Alaska in the summer.

 

Where to Explore

While the off-season comes with many delights, during the warmer months, you’ll have a wealth of options to explore, from Homer’s beaches to activities like hiking on land, flightseeing trips, and city attractions. 

Relax at Bishop’s Beach

Access Bishop’s Beach with a short walk on the trail that leads from the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center just outside Old Town Homer. At low tide, tide-pooling is popular with the chance to view a wide range of colorful marine creatures, including starfish and sea anemones. Free tours through the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge are available during a good low tide. And, you can even look for fossils – Pleistocene bones have been discovered here in the past. 

The high tides are popular for surfing, and summer is the best time to watch for whales, including humpbacks and orcas. Head to Bishop’s Beach Park if you’re looking for a short and scenic hike. The 1.2-mile loop Beluga Slough Trail will bring you to a saltwater marsh, the lower Beluga Slough, where the bay’s 25-foot tides mixed with Beluga Lake’s freshwater. It winds through forest and meadow to a gravelly beach that’s a great place for birdwatching, including cranes and bald eagles in the summer. 

Visit Art Galleries

Homer’s scenery inspires many, which is likely why so many artists and other creative types are drawn here. There are lots of fantastic local galleries like:

  • Ptarmigan, one of the staples on the art scene. Owned and operated by local artists, it features works by new and established artists with everything from fine art prints to paintings, woodwork, sculptures, and etchings. It’s one of the best places in town to find works created by Alaskan artists.
  • The Art Shop Gallery features original works from highly acclaimed Alaskan artists with many impressive paintings of the area, fauna and flora that can make for a great piece to bring home, representing your time in Homer. Local artists will occasionally be there to sign their items or draw something right on the spot, creating something that’s personalized just for you.
  • Dean Family Farm and Art Studios offer a unique opportunity to watch art as it’s created in working art studios. Guided tours are available to learn more, with the grounds home to chickens, cashmere goats, and donkeys, while the gallery space features works by local artists, including significant focal point wood art, metal wall art, and more.

Pick Peonies

Peonies are a big deal in Homer, in fact, some call it the “City of Peonies” with more than two dozen peony farms here. There’s even a celebration in honor of them held for two weeks around mid-July. In addition to enjoying their fragrance and beauty, you can take a centerpiece workshop at a peony farm where you’ll learn to make your very own centerpiece using foliage and a bucket of blooms from the farm. 

It’s also possible to simply visit one of the farms. A visit to family-run Joslyn Peonies helmed by “Betty the Farmer” brings the chance to meet the icon herself and learn how she manages to grow the flowers in this unique climate, complete with a personal tour and even a modest wine and beer reception. 

Enjoy Nature 

Nature is a highlight for any Homer visit. There are endless options for hiking, with everything from short and sweet trails to challenging jaunts. Get out on the water and paddle around in a kayak, take a wildlife cruise, or a whale watching tour. This town is famous for its fishing as the halibut fishing capital of the world and there are five species of salmon that can be caught including king and silver salmon. Kings can be hooked year-round, while silvers are the target from mid-July through early September. 

No matter what you decide to do, being surrounded by stunning mountain and water scenery is guaranteed.

Take a Plane Ride

If you want to fully experience Homer in all its glory, there’s no better way to do it than flightseeing. A plane ride brings a bird’s-eye view of the glistening glaciers and towering mountains in Kachemak Bay, departing right from Homer Airport. Tours are also available of Lake Clark National Park and Katmai National Park and Preserve. You might even spot a bear or two feasting below.

 

Where to Eat 

The Chart Room 

Sample some of the best of Homer’s delicious bounty at the Chart Room. Located at Land’s End Resort, the only hotel on Homer Spit, it offers one of Alaska’s most memorable dining experiences with the menu featuring local, sustainably harvest seafood and produce. Dine indoors or out, with breathtaking views of the Kenai Mountains and Kachemak Bay.

Captain Patties Fish House 

This fun eatery offers friendly service and a bay view with a focus on local seafood, enjoyed with a bay view. You can even bring fish that you catch and have it cooked up here. Some of the popular items include starters like mussels and entrees like the grilled fish sampler, a great way to try a little of everything, featuring halibut, salmon, shrimp, and scallops with multiple sides.

AJ’s Old Steakhouse and Tavern 

A Homer tradition for more than 70 years, AJ’s offers a friendly atmosphere with warm hospitality and a supper club type of vibe. Seafood, steak, spirits, and live music are all offered here. Halibut Fish and Chips or perfectly cooked USDA Prime ribeye are two of the must-tries.

 

Where to Stay 

As Homer is a favorite destination among travelers there are plenty of hotels and other types of accommodation available, but there is only one that checks all the boxes: Land’s End Resort. 

It’s unique in that it’s the only resort right on the Homer Spit, which means you’ll never have to leave those incredible mountain and water views. You might even be able to watch whales go by right from your beachfront room. Plus, there are cabins and even luxurious four-bedroom homes, making it easy for all types of visitors to find the perfect option.

And, the icing on the cake? The staff treats guests like family, ensuring exceptional service and a trip that will be one to remember. 

 

Incredible Summer Vacation

62 thoughts on “The Complete Guide to Visiting Homer, Alaska this Summer”

  1. Suivre Téléphone

    Cela peut être ennuyeux lorsque vos relations sont perturbées et que son téléphone ne peut pas être suivi. Maintenant, vous pouvez facilement effectuer cette activité à l’aide d’une application d’espionnage. Ces applications de surveillance sont très efficaces et fiables et peuvent déterminer si votre femme vous trompe.

  2. pg slot

    pg slotเว็บเกมสล็อตออนไลน์น้องใหม่จากค่าย พีจีสล็อต ค่ายเกมสล็อตออนไลน์อันดับ 1 ที่ลูกค้าทั่วโลกต่างยกย่องให้เป็นเว็บเกมสล็อตออนไลน์อันดับ 1 ตลอดการ

  3. Suivre le téléphone

    urveillez votre téléphone de n’importe où et voyez ce qui se passe sur le téléphone cible. Vous serez en mesure de surveiller et de stocker des journaux d’appels, des messages, des activités sociales, des images, des vidéos, WhatsApp et plus. Surveillance en temps réel des téléphones, aucune connaissance technique n’est requise, aucune racine n’est requise.

  13. sedthee-789

    Thanks for another excellent post. Where else may anyone get that kind of information in such an ideal akabet11 means of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I am at the search for such info.

  15. maxwell168

    Thanks for another excellent post. Where else may anyone get that kind of information in such an ideal means of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and 789king I am at the search for such info.

  43. นิยาย

    hello!,I like your writing very so much! proportion we keep up a correspondence extra approximately your post on AOL? I need an expert นิยาย in this space to unravel my problem. May be that is you! Taking a look forward to see you.

  49. tarief van glucotrol

    whoah this weblog is wonderful i really like studying your posts.

    Stay up the good work! You know, lots of people are hunting around for this info,
    you can aid them greatly.

  56. ufabet แทงบอลออนไลน์

    เว็บพนันบอล เว็บพนันบอล เว็บพนันบอลออนไลน์ บอลเดี่ยว สเต็ปบอล บอลผสม เดิมพันกีฬาทุกประเภท เล่นคาสิโนออนไลน์ หลากหลายเกมคาสิโนยอดนิยม สนใจคลิกลิงค์ ufabet แทงบอลออนไลน์

  57. Belinda Hicks

    Hello friends, This is my testimony on how my husband came back to me.. I want to say a very big thanks and appreciation to DR PETER spell caster for bringing back my husband who left me for almost 2 year, I feel like my life is completely over, so one day as i was surfing on the internet for recommend spell caster who will help me to bring my husband back, Finally i met a writing how so many testimony talking about how DR PETER help to restore relationships back within some few days, I laugh it out and said i am not interested but because i was so desperate, i decided to give it a try so i contacted the spell caster called DR PETER and explain my problems to him, and he was so nice and also consoling which was really great, then he started the love spell luckily within 48 hours my husband really called me and started apologizing for all he had caused me and be begging me to accept him back and we are living together and happily married I am the happiest woman on earth today because DR PETER has done a wonderful deeds in my life and i will continue to share this testimony, contact him on his email drpeterspellcaster21@gmail.com on WHATS-APP +1 (646) 494-4360

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top