Our stay in Homer was pretty easygoing, not so much packed with activities as other places in our itinerary. Staying at Seaside Farm made a significant contribution to this experience: picking up raspberries as many as we wanted, walking down to the beach via a private path, and enjoying the most wonderful sunsets. “Alaska Road Trip: Homer” is about top destinations in and around Homer for families with kids.
Alaska Road Trip: Homer
1. Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Start discovering Homer by immersing in local culture and history! A great indoor exhibition, interesting for both, kids and adults.
Guided walk. Why it is worth to participate
Check the schedule to participate in a guided walk from the center – a great way to learn about the area from locals. Those guys told us a lot about vegetation.
Two things I remembered very well were
Alutiiq seal intestine rain jacket with grass stitching:
2. Alaska Road Trip: Homer. Skyline Drive
Enjoy the incredible panoramic view of the entire Homer, Homer Spit, stretched out in the Kachemak Bay, and the Kenai Mountains. To get there, enter Skyline Drive from either end: West Hill Rd or East Hill Road. We made all the way up to the end of the road past Carl E Wynn Nature Center. (You can hike there or make a stop in the middle.)
Panoramic views of Homer and the Spit:
3. Karen Hornaday Park
Let children roam free at Karen Hornaday Park. A huge, wooden, amazing playground for kids of any age. Nice place to meet local families and enjoy some cool views over the bay and the mountains. Loved it!
4. Alaska Road Trip: Homer. Russian Old Believers
You may meet Russian Old Believers in a local museum or grocery store. Dressed beautifully in colorful, embroidered outfits, they are members of the closed community of “Little Russia in Alaska”. They come from several tiny Russian villages settled at the outskirts of Homer, most remote with hardly any connection, except for Nikolaevsk:
5. Creatures of the Dock Tour
Homer reaches out into the beautiful Kachemak Bay via the 5-mile long Homer Spit. The unforgettable Alaska Route 1 ends up right here, at the very tip of the spit. There are several spots worth trying out at the spit.
Homer Spit trail
Start with the Homer Spit trail. You can either walk or bike the entire trail or just park in the middle of it and take a look around from there, as we did. The trail is easy and flat and runs up all along the way AK Route 1.
Creatures of the Dock
“Creatures of the Dock” tour is up-close interactions with marine invertebrates in a wild, right at the Homer Harbor docks. Perfect for kids and adults, low cost. This was one of the best highlights of our trip to Homer.
Homer Harbor docks, Alaska:
During the “Creatures of the Dock” tour from the Center for Alaskan Coastal studies:
Artem at the Bishops Beach, one of the many Homer Spit beaches:
Fishing Hole
Haven’t gone fishing yet? You can try it at the Homer Spit Nick Dudiak Lagoon, aka Fishing Hole. It is stocked up with coho and chinook salmon and equipped with cleaning and picnic tables.
Alaska Road Trip: Homer. Things We Missed but Would LOVE To Do
Although we fully enjoyed our time in Homer, we would love to come back and try some unique things we missed, like the Katmai National Park, halibut fishing, and more!
Weather at Homer
The weather in Homer is colder than in Anchorage (60F on average during summer), and on the spit, it’s even colder and windier. Dress in layers and have rain gear nearby.
Thanks for reading, friends!
All the places in Homer on My Maps
Read next:
What Homer is famous for or sightseeing of a lifetime: bears fishing salmon.
Seward top attractions: fjords, glaciers, playground, wildlife. Why we loved this tiny coastal Alaskan community so much.
Seward Scenic Highway: panning for gold, wildlife up-close, conservation center, and more.
Alaska adventure: plan the road trip: when, how, where to stay, how to save.
