Alaska Road Trip: Exploring Homer, the Halibut Capital

Contents

Homer | Introduction

Homer is a charming coastal town located about 200 miles from Anchorage, Alaska's capital. Known as the "Halibut Fishing Capital of the World," Homer boasts a rich marine ecosystem and a relaxed fishing village atmosphere. The drive to Homer offers expansive ocean views, and with the backdrop of glaciers, it almost feels like driving along the island chains of Florida.

Compared to other harbor towns we've visited, Homer has a uniquely laid-back vibe. It's a hotspot for various tourist activities, especially those related to the sea. While halibut fishing is the town's main attraction, visitors can also enjoy marine ecology tours, kayaking, or simply exploring the town and sampling its incredibly fresh seafood. We spent two nights in Homer, with a day and a half of actual activities, mainly participating in sea kayaking and soaking up the town's relaxed atmosphere.

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Homer Spit

Homer Spit, located at the southern end of the town, is the primary port and a popular fishing spot. Even if you don't join a fishing tour, you can fish right from the shore. Many locals, including children, fish here for fun, often releasing their catch back into the ocean.

Hotel Review | Driftwood Inn

Homer is a tourist-friendly town with various lodging options. We chose the Driftwood Inn, an affordable and cozy hotel. While the rooms are small, they are comfortable and budget-friendly, making it an ideal choice for travelers looking to save money.

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Marine Activities in Homer | Kayaking and Ecology Tours

It would be a shame not to participate in maritime activities in Homer. We initially planned to join a full-day tour focusing on marine ecology and sea kayaking. The original itinerary was a Coastal Study Tour in the morning to learn about the intertidal zone, followed by sea kayaking in the afternoon. However, the guide later informed us that observing the intertidal zone would be impossible due to the full moon, so we switched to an island ecology hiking tour. Here’s a reminder for everyone to check the weather and timing when joining activities. Although we neglected to check the tides and felt a bit regretful, the guide took us to visit a small aquarium on the island, where we learned about intertidal creatures. The aquarium had various starfish, and the guide made a great effort to show us a swimming scallop, which served as a small compensation.

To go sea kayaking, we needed to take a boat to a nearby island. Along the way, we were already amazed by the large number of seabirds. Wherever there were rocks, there were flocks of seabirds gathered. Occasionally, we could also see bald eagles up close. You might find them familiar because they are the national bird of the United States. It is said that Homer is one of the best places to see them.

After arriving on the island, we spent the morning hiking on the Lost and Found Lake Trail. This trail requires basic equipment, so we borrowed hiking boots from the island. It was pouring rain on the mountain, making some areas slippery and muddy, which made taking photos inconvenient. However, the guide pointed out many traces of wildlife that we usually wouldn't notice and shared numerous interesting stories about the natural ecology along the way. It was a unique and fascinating experience.

Homer, Homer Alaska, Halibut Capital 22.

The afternoon was reserved for the highly anticipated sea kayaking. Since it was our first time kayaking on the sea, we were particularly excited. Our guide for the kayaking was a handsome coach who had to deal with two novices who weren't very good at paddling. He must have been quite troubled the entire afternoon.

While paddling, we saw no fewer than ten types of starfish. The coach picked up each one for us to touch, and the texture of each species was different.

An unforgettable event happened in the middle of our trip: we saw an otter taking a nap on the sea. Initially, we just wanted to paddle a bit closer to it, but midway, the coach distracted us by showing us a starfish. After looking at the starfish, we turned our heads and found our kayak less than two meters away from the otter. Since it was our first time kayaking and our skills were terrible, we tried hard to paddle away but were still about to crash into it. At that moment, the otter opened its eyes wide, pushed us away with both paws, and then leaped far away to continue its nap. Its expression seemed incredulous, as if wondering how people could be so clumsy. Meanwhile, the coach just kept watching us and chuckling.

Afterward, we took the boat back, and by then, the weather had almost cleared up. We saw large flocks of ducks on the sea; it was hard to imagine so many ducks swimming together without seeing it for ourselves. On the return journey, we enjoyed a different kind of beauty as we gazed at the distant icebergs from Homer's bay.

Looking for Homer Sea Programs?

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Homer Gourmet | Captain Pattie's fish house

We stayed in Homer for two nights and dined at two different restaurants. The first one was Captain Pattie's Fish House, which has great reviews on Yelp and is quite popular. We waited in line for a long time and ordered the sea sample plate, which included fried shrimp and fried fish, as well as steamed clams, paired with IPA beer. Overall, the food was quite good, and the seafood was exceptionally fresh as expected. However, the prices were a bit high. Considering Alaska's surprisingly high cost of living, the cost-performance ratio was acceptable.

Homer Gourmet | AJ's Oldtown Steakhouse & Tavern

On the second evening, after an exhausting day out on the boat, we had dinner at AJ’s Oldtown Steakhouse & Tavern, which was near our accommodation at the Driftwood Inn. This is an established Western restaurant that, unsurprisingly, also features Homer's signature seafood dishes. It's also a well-known steakhouse in the area. We ordered the Prime Rib and fried fish. Personally, I felt that the taste was above average for a tourist spot, but if you’re coming specifically for the food, I would rate it as just okay.

Homer | Introduction

Homer Spit

Hotel Review | Driftwood Inn

Marine Activities in Homer | Kayaking and Ecology Tours

Homer Gourmet | Captain Pattie's fish house

Homer Gourmet | AJ's Oldtown Steakhouse & Tavern

Further reading