Homer excursion/tours please/or just walk around

[wwbill4]

Should we try and book something when we get into Homer, Alaska, or which ones have good reviews?

Thanks,

Bill

[donaldsc]

Most of the neat things in Homer are definitely not within walking distance of the ship. You may be close to the spit but in my opinion, the spit is just an overrated tourist trap. It might have been a neat place to visit 20 years ago when it was probably much more funky but now it is a bunch of restaurants, takeout food joints and souvenir shops.

 

We enjoyed Homer but we stayed 3 days at a B&B and had a car.

 

DON

[poolwife]

There is great kayaking and halibut fishing out of Homer. If neither one is for you, it is worth seeing just for the beautiful views of Kachemak Bay. I am thinking you must be on HAL's Amsterdam, then you will see those gorgeous mountains and water. One of my favorite places to visit in Alaska. We just came back from there and frankly we just walked around the Homer spit and went to the visitor center but you would also need a car to get there if on the ship.

[mapleleaves]

There's a lot to see and do in Homer. It depends on your interests and how much time you have. Send for Homer's free Visitor Guide. http://homeralaska.org/visit-homer/recreation-adventure

 

I'd suggest a rental car to make good use of your time. We always find moose around the residential areas. Drive to Ninilchik to see the old Russian church. To Anchor Point to watch them put in and take out the fishing boats (usually bald eagles are there for leftovers from the fish cleaning). The view from up above the Spit is spectacular on a clear day .. you can see across the bay to the mountains and volcanoes.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Agree w/Mapleleaves about the car rental. We did that last Aug. on the Amsterdam port stop in Homer - which by the way, is one of my fav AK ports. Just beautiful! The views are spectacular! Save your souvenier shopping for this port - loads of handmade crafts, jewelery, etc. in the little shops on the Spit and in town.

 

We walked the Spit and did our sightseeing and shopping til noon, then the rental car was brought to us (we met at the fisherman's memorial) and went back to the airport to complete paperwork. Then it was off to see the eagle's nest right at the traffic signal in town - the fledglings were about to take flight, sitting on the edge of the nest!

 

Next we went to the Homer brewery where my niece's boyfriend drank his fill of some of their home brews (big thumbs up from him!) and my niece and I sampled their delicious Chai tea (so good we ended up ordering a case around Christmas time - yum!), then we drove out the road to Dr. Linda Chamberlain's Howling Husky Homestead for a private tour of her kennels and learned all about the sport of mushing. It was interesting and fun, and just the three of us. We even got to harness a dog, and of course, spend time getting our doggie fix, as we all missed our own four legged friends. Linda's husband was making honey while we were there, so we got to watch and have a taste. Linda is a wonderfully interesting woman who volunteers at the Iditarod every year, and has an amazing collection of mushing relics and native antiques related to mushing.

 

Afterwards, we stopped at the Fritz Creek General Store at Linda's recommendation - its a general store on one side and a post office on the other. Had the best darn homemade pizza there I've ever had! Delicious! After making our way back to the airport, they drove us right to the Amsterdam dock and we boarded in plenty of time for departure. Be sure to remain on deck when leaving (and approaching) both Homer and Kodiak - wow! Talk about amazing scenery! It will blow you away!

 

I'd done this 14 day itinerary back in 2010 as well, and DH and I had rented electric bikes on the Spit - had a blast zipping up and down the Spit and over into town. Unfortuantely, the shop no longer rents electric bikes, but there are bike rentals all over the Spit and its a fun way to get around.

 

If you're a fan of the Deadliest Catch tv show, check the harbor to see if the Time Bandit is in port. It was the day we were there in 2010, and I even got a photo taken with one of the crew members in front of the boat. Thrilling for this DC fan! Last August, the Time Bandit was up in Ketchikan assisting w/the salmon harvest, but I did spend a really pleasant 20 minutes or so speaking with Andy and Jonathan Hillstrand's mother in the shop they have on the Spit. Lovely lady who adores her boys.

 

Of course there is kayaking, organized hikes with the Islands and Oceans Center, and halibut fishing to keep you occupied in Homer. The Pratt Museum is really nice as well.

 

Enjoy your trip - its really a magnificent itinerary and I'm so sorry that HAL is discontinuing it after this year:(.

[vbmom87]

If you are the outdoors type, you might enjoy a hiking tour with the Center for Alaskan Studies. We really enjoyed it!! They run a shorter cruise ship tour, but it still takes up most of your time in Homer. You start with a short boat ride across the Kachemak Bay with opportunities to view marine birds and a seabird colony and then make your way to Peterson Bay Field Station. You should not have mobility issues to do this hike. It is pretty rugged terrain, but it was worth it to us.

 

http://akcoastalstudies.org/guided-tours/57-guided-natural-history-tour.html

 

http://akcoastalstudies.org/guided-tours.html

[trophy_23]

We really enjoyed Homer but found the $15 hoho bus a rip off, especially for those with mobility issues, as the stops were poorly placed.