Top Activities in Homer, Alaska

Clamming

Clamming on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska is a popular activity. The beaches from just north of Homer to the Kasilof River mouth are home to one of only eight major concentrations of razor clams on the Pacific Coast. Bob's Piscatorial Pursuits offers guided clamming trips. as well as fishing trips for Pacific Northwest salmon, steelhead, and halibut.

Bear Viewing Adventures

Alaska Bear Adventures with Alaska Ultimate Safaris offers the ultimate bear sighting adventures in Alaska. Check out what this family-operated business owner has to say - My wife, Kirsten, and I started this company about three years ago with the intent of sharing Alaska adventures with people that have the same passion for this place as we do. We have so much fun flying around in our own airplanes and helicopters we thought it would be even better to take some company for a day and the life of me and Kirsten. They start as strangers but quickly become our long-lost friends. A lot of the time we still keep up with many of them via Facebook and instagram. If we didn't have any clients with us on our adventures we would be doing the same things out there in the solitude of remote Alaska. Both of us have been flying in Alaska for the past 20 years and everyday there is something new to discover. And I think our clients can tell when we see or experience something that we haven't seen before because we can't help becoming visibly excited. It adds to the excitement! If we are having fun then our clients are having fun. For example, last summer we decided to go berry picking on the hillsides across the bay from Homer. We just happen to have a couple call us right before me and Kirsten were ready to depart in the helicopter. They said they had some extra time and wanted to know what they could do with us. It was the perfect timing, we offered to take them with us in the helicopter. We explained there was no plan except to see what happens. It was rainy all day but on the way to the berry patch we saw at least 40 black bears from the air. It was unbelievable. By the time we got back to Homer we had so many berries and an incredible last-minute adventure so close to home.

Photography

Homer Alaska is a Photographer's dream location with incredible views of Kachemak Bay and the Kenai Mountains. Hillsides of blooming fireweed make for perfect backdrops for wandering moose. Head down to the Homer Spit and you may catch a glimpse of a sea otter lazily floating by the boats and bustling docks munching on some mollusks. Homer also has many trails to find some of Alaska's other furry residents where you can get that perfect shot with a backdrop of the beautiful Kenai Peninsula scenery.

Kayaking

Surrounded by Kachemak Bay, Homer offers many amazing kayaking spots within minutes of your lodging at Alaskan Suites. Venture out on your own or enjoy guided tours to gentle coves, around the small Cohen, Hesketh and Yukon Islands, and even to the glaciers. Many Homer kayaking outfitters offer eco-tours that are educational and fun. We can drop a few names or set the reservations up for you. No experience necessary.

Hunting

Homer offers several hunting charters that offer the finest in vessel based hunts for Sitka Blacktail Deer and for Black Bear, along with Sea Duck hunting. Many hunts are conducted off the charter's large boats, so you can also fish during your adventure. Hunts often include the use of a rifle, hand gun, or archery.

Skiing, Sledding & Snowmobiling

Enjoy exciting winter activities in Homer, Alaska, including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and snowmobiling. You'll find a cross-country ski trail head within steps of your cabin at Alaskan Suites.

Volcanoes

There are several jaw-dropping volcanoes around Homer, Alaska, part of the Ring of Fire, that you can see in the distance from Alaskan Suites.

• Augustine - You can see this 4,025-foot-tall island volcano from your cabin. Augustine has the usual triangular look of a volcano and is hard to miss.
• Mt. Douglas - A little farther out from Augustine and to the left, Douglas is a beautiful 7,000-foot volcano covered with glaciers, which gives it a white misty look. Historically inactive, it has shown recent signs of activity.
• Illiamna- Part of the Aleutian range, this volcano has four peaks, reaches 10,016 feet high and has 10 glaciers that radiate from the summit. Walk to the salt water hot tub and look to your right. Illiamna stands out against the summer sunset.
• Redoubt - Rising 10,197 feet, this massive volcano in the Aleutian range - right next to Illiamna - is heavily covered by glaciers. The most recent eruption was 1989-90 and eruptions caused air traffic delays through South Central Alaska

Art Galleries

Discover one of America's best small art towns. Homer is one of the most active art communities in Alaska. Many local, regional and nationally-recognized artists live and work in Homer and create art in a wide variety of media, from painting to photography. Check out the map of Homer art galleries.

Wineries and Breweries

Homer is home to a vibrant brewing and wine-making community, including the Homer Brewing Company, Grace Ridge Brewing and the Bear Creek Winery. The winery makes hand-crafted wines made from grapes and berries that are grown, picked, and processed in Homer. Visit the wine tasting room, tour the facility, walk through the gardens, and take in breathtaking views of Kachemak Bay.

Shopping

Enjoy a shopping adventure on Homer Spit, in downtown Homer and in the center of town. What you'll find are a mix of stores, art galleries, fresh fish markets, and Alaskan craft shops where you can buy items made of the walrus tusk, the hide of a bear, the antler of an elk, or the teeth of a whale. You can buy items made of walrus tusk, bear hide, elk antler or whale teeth also known as baleen.

Adventures Around Kachemak Bay

Thanks to Homer's mild climate, adventurers can enjoy hiking across glaciers and snow fields, cross-country skiing, beach combing and tide pooling. Explore more than 80 miles of trails that wind through Kachemak Bay State Park, filled with mountains, tundra, fjords, bays, lakes and forests. See wildlife that includes black and brown bears, moose, mountain goats, wolverines and lynx. The magnificent and diverse terrain around Kachemak Bay and Homer is perfect for photography buffs.

Hiking and Nature Walks

Homer offers many scenic hiking and walking trails, including Kachemak Bay State Park and the Homer Spit. There are also many hiking spots at nearby Halibut Cove, where you can see an amazing number of birds at Gull Island. Here are some of our favorite Homer hiking destinations:

• Homestead Trail - This 6 mile route starts at Roger's Loop, just a block away from Alaskan Suites. Songbirds, moose and wildlife inhabit the area. Tunnels along the way through alders identify the historic homesteader's route along the ridge. By taking a beach walk you can take the same route Homer's pioneers used to get to Anchor Point and beyond. You will pass a sea bird rookery only three miles out. From another point, out three miles towards the bay, you have beautiful glacier views to compliment your hiking scenery.
• Calvin & Coyle Trail - Explore 126 acres with several trails, including a wheel chair accessible trail and a 30-acre refuge sight. Hike through the meadow in spring and see it teeming with wildflowers.
• Kachemak Bay State Park - Hike through more than 368,000 acres of glaciers, alpine tundra, forests, fjords, bays and high country lakes. The park offers miles of hiking trails from Glacier Spit to Poot Peak. A daily Ferry Service from Homer carries visitors to the trail heads. The beaches offer kayaking, tide pooling, clamming and beach combing.
• Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies - Connect with the outdoors through guided walks, tours, overnights, and education programs. The Center fosters responsible interaction with the marine and coastal ecosystems of Kachemak Bay through science-based environmental education and stewardship. Popular hikes include the Guided Natural History Hiking Tour, Guided Natural History & Kayaking Tour, Overnight Yurt Stays, and Creatures of the Dock Tour at the CACS Yurt on the Spit.