Driving Highlights Anchorage to Homer

Table of Content

• Wosnesenski River Trail
• To Alaska
• Where is the prettiest place in Alaska?
• Caribou Lake Trail
• Days in Homer & Seward (Kenai Fjords National Park)
• Anchorage (ANC) to Homer (HOM) flights
• Find Transport to Anchorage

Within these still-rugged miles is hidden a treasure trove of stories. From Native peoples to Russian fur traders, European explorers, and American gold prospectors, the quest for trade and treasures tested the limits of human endurance and inspired remarkable ingenuity. Discover the story as you explore the KMTA National Heritage Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,003 people, 2,235 households, and 1,296 families residing in the city. The population density was 361.7 inhabitants per square mile (139.7/km2).

It is one of the few places in the world, if not the only one, where several glaciers and active volcanoes can be viewed at the same time. Homer is at the southwest tip of the Kenai Peninsula on Kachemak Bay. The town lies 225 paved highway miles from Anchorage and is easily accessible by highway, sea, or air. Homer is 76 miles south of the city of Kenai and 78 miles from Soldotna. The bay offers access to endless trails, beaches, and enchanting coves; it was this natural beauty that enticed founders Michael and Diane McBride to build the lodge almost 50 years ago.

Wosnesenski River Trail

Rome2rio makes travelling from Anchorage to Homer, AK easy. The best way to get from Anchorage to Anchorage Airport is to line 40 bus which takes 27 min and costs €2. The quickest flight from Anchorage Airport to Homer Airport is the direct flight which takes 50 min. The Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area is a vibrant corridor of natural, cultural, and historic riches, and many sites are accessible as you travel from Anchorage to Homer.

Outdoor exhibits feature a historic cabin, botanical gardens and a nature trail. Wit­ness giant trac­tors tow­ing the Kenai Penin­su­la’s fleet out to water’s edge and launch­ing them into the tide on their quest for fish. You can camp here, scout for wildlife, fish for steel­head, and enjoy some of the best puf­fin view­ing on the Kenai. King salmon enter Deep Creek dur­ing late May and ear­ly June and con­tin­ue to spawn into ear­ly July. Watch for their dark red bod­ies in the rif­fles and deep­er holes. A very lim­it­ed fish­ing sea­son is pro­vid­ed dur­ing the ear­ly sum­mer for kings and steelheads.

To Alaska

On this unique tour from Homer, you’ll take a heli­copter ride out into one of Alaska’s gor­geous nation­al parks to wit­ness these spec­tac­u­lar crea­tures in the wild. Although travelers can now drive to all of these communities within a few hours, early roads were often seasonal. Pack and dog team trails were a bargain to build at $100 per mile to construct and winter sled roads ran $250 per mile. Year-round wagon roads cost $2,200 a mile, but the ride through boggy areas wasn’t paved in gold. Large logs, infilled with gravel, were the roadbed in these low spots.

Some of the most amaz­ing have been scout­ed by Alas­ka Ulti­mate Safaris. Explore a glac­i­er sur­round­ed by snow-capped moun­tains, or climb to the steam­ing sum­mit of an island vol­cano. In either case, the views are unpar­al­leled and the expe­ri­ence is surreal. With inspiration drawn from land and sea, Homer’s artistic community offers one-of-a-kind options for both serious and impromptu collectors. Take a 45-minute water taxi or the Kachemak Bay Ferry to this remote artist’s community, well-removed from the noise and hubbub of town. Look for migrating whales while you cast your lure in search of monster halibut that can top the scales at several hundred pounds!

Where is the prettiest place in Alaska?

Homer is home to several locally and nationally owned hotels along with inns, lodges, B&Bs, cabins, guest houses, and vacation rentals. There are also wilderness lodges and a fine dining restaurant located across the bay in the small community ofHalibut Cove, accessible by water taxi from Homer. Two campgrounds and an RV park are situated right on the Homer Spit and a few more RV parks located in town.

The Homer Spit, a 4.5-mile long needle of land stretching halfway across Kachemak Bay, is a hub of bustling activity during the summer. This is where visitors book a fishing charter or simply rent a rod and reel to try their luck at the Homer Spit lagoon, fondly known as the Fishing Hole. In between are manicured lawns and gardens surrounded by native Alaskan forest and vegetation. It will take about 3.5 hours to drive from Seward to Homer; look for volcanoes along the way, and when you reach the west coast of the Kenai Peninsula, take time to soak in the beauty.

Caribou Lake Trail

The marsh is a rest area for migra­to­ry birds includ­ing trum­peter swans, red­necked grebes, gold­en eyes, and pin­tails. This bus trip is five hours of gorgeous scenery, without the hassle of driving. Be aware, though, that departures to Homer are less frequent than to other Alaskan destinations, so it’s important to reserve your seat in advance.

Trips available from Whittier, Homer, Seward, Juneau, and Sitka. The 110-foot Island-class patrol boat, homeported in Homer, Alaska, just completed a major, 135-day long, maintenance overhaul at the Coast Guard dry dock in Ketchikan. This overhaul updated the ships systems to ensure it can continue to meet its mission requirements until its scheduled replacement by one of the Coast Guard’s new fast response cutters.

Days in Homer & Seward (Kenai Fjords National Park)

Along Ocean Drive itself is the Homer Farmer’s Market which is open from around Memorial Day through September along with a number of small businesses. Sure, Homer is billed as the "Halibut Fishing Capital of Alaska," but non-anglers revel in this charming, end-of-the-road Alaska town. An eclectic mix of artists, fisherman and outdoor lovers make up the lifeblood of Homer, drawn by its slow pace and postcard setting by the clear-water bay. You'll have to go out of your way to get here, but we recommend you do, and try to spend a couple days to a week at least—this is one of Alaska's best small towns.

Tidepools abound at nearby Bishop’s Beach, where you can spot colorful anemones, sea stars, jelly fish, and mussels clustered on larger rocks. Stroll Homer’s easily accessible beaches in search of marine life, eagles, seabirds, and the dramatic changes revealed by extreme tides. Set out with O'Fish'ial Charters of Alaska to catch a halibut of your own. Rome2rio makes travelling from Homer, AK to Anchorage easy. The best way to get from Homer, AK to Homer Airport is to taxi which takes 10 min and costs €20 - €25. The Alaska Native Heritage Center is an educational and cultural institution for all Alaskans, located in Anchorage, Alaska.

Anchorage (ANC) to Homer (HOM) flights

The annual snowfall averages 50 inches per season, falling primarily from November through March, with some accumulation in October and April but rarely in May. Homer receives only about 25 inches of rainfall annually due to the influence of the Chugach Mountains to the southeast, which shelter it from the Gulf of Alaska. Seven days have a minimum 0 °F (−18 °C) or below annually, and Homer falls in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6a.

The five-hour drive is very scenic, and frequent stops can easily turn this into a full-day event. You can watch a bore tide roll into Turnagain Arm as you look for beluga whales and Dall sheep, then drive through the quaint towns of Cooper Landing, Soldotna, and Anchor Point. Outside of Soldotna you’ll find beautiful mountain and volcano views across Cook Inlet. And you’ll know Homer is close when you see the iconic Homer Spit, Kachemak Bay, and surrounding mountains. Homer does have car rental agencies if you need to drop off the car.

A water taxi can transport you and your kayak, or guided kayaking trips are available for most of these locations. The beach town of Homer is a favorite getaway spot for many Alaskans. With a 4.5-hour drive or quick, 1-hour flight from Anchorage, you can be standing on the shore of Kachemak Bay, looking for critters in tidepools and listening to water washing over the rocky beach. Homer is one of the premier places on the planet where humans interact positively and with great pleasure with their environment on many levels. And Homer lovers take great pride in keeping their beautiful land and waters pristine and healthy, with some organizations routinely scheduling trail and water cleanings.