Kenai Peninsula Alaska
Visiting the Kenai Peninsula and all its beauty is a must if you are travelling to Alaska. So far, it has been the prettiest part of our Alaskan travels.
After leaving Denali National Park, we headed to Anchorage with no intention of stopping but for groceries and gas. After restocking, we drove the stunning Seward Highway known as “The All American Highway” following the Chugach Mountains and Turnagain Arm. Often you can get a glimpse of Dall Sheep, Beluga Whales, Eagles and jaw-dropping vistas along the way.
We stopped for the night at Bird Creek Campground which we don’t recommend as you’re sandwiched in between the highway and the railway tracks making for a very noisy night; a bad scenario for a light sleeper like me. Even the beautiful surroundings couldn’t redeem the situation.
To say the least, we left super early landing in Seward for breakfast. We knew we were in a magical little spot when the harbour came into view. This working port was dotted with recreational and shipping boats, and tourists from the docked cruise ship. I adore the smell and sights of a port town and Seward didn’t disappoint. It’s a spectacular destination for most tourists as it’s got all the amenities plus the area is home to many outdoor activities including hiking, mountain biking, fishing and cruising to the Kenai Fjords National Park.
While in Seward, we hiked the Exit Glacier along the Glacier Overlook Trail, a moderately strenuous hike, stopping for lunch overlooking the glacier. Usually you can’t get up to a glacier, so it was pretty cool walking along the side of one. If you go and are an avid hiker, feel free to take the more strenuous hike to the Harding Icefields.
After leaving Seward, we backtracked our way to Homer. Normally, you’d go to Homer after leaving Anchorage and then continue to Seward, but true to our trip planning, we do things backwards at times. We were actually waiting for a tour we had booked in Homer so we had time to explore other areas.
The road trip to Homer through Coopers Landing was a gorgeous drive and if you are a fisherman, this is the area you want to fish, especially the The Russian River.
After a few hours, we drove into Homer - The Halibut Capital of the World! Who comes up with these slogans? I see a committee in my future.
Upon landing in Homer, we made our way to the spit which houses all the tourist attractions including gift shops, museums and excursions. Bypassing all of this, we had a quick drink at The Salty Dog, a landmark dive bar, for a very strong Crown. One part Diet Coke to three parts rye…very salty.
Homer is a must if you fish but the main reason we came here was to do a little bear watching. During our entire Alaskan trip, we hadn’t really seen any Grizzlies, so we thought if they weren’t going to come to us, we’d go to them. After carefully researching the tours, we chose Captain Mel from Bear Viewing In Alaska . We decided to take a boat tour to Lake Clark but you can also fly. Just do your research if you are going to embark on such a trip as you want to make sure you’re booking with a reputable company and know you’ll have to remortgage your home. Every trip is weather dependent regardless if you book an air or boat trip. We almost didn’t go as the swells were quite large on our departure day, but after some convincing and careful consideration, Captain Mel hooked up the boat and took us on a once in a lifetime experience.
Click on our YouTube video for a glimpse of the awesomeness.
Grizzlies and Bald Eagles Homer
