Combining the stunning landscape and abundant wildlife of Kachemak Bay with the outstanding food scene, culture, and people of Homer, makes this corner of the world an ideal Happier Place destination.
The quaint town of Homer is one of those unique and highly beloved places that people visit from all over the world and then never forget. Quite a few people simply just stay for good.
About a 4-hour drive (220 miles / 355 km) south of Anchorage, Homer sits on the furthest tip of the Kenai Peninsula. If that wasn’t far enough, there is the skinny landmass called Homer Spit that stretches another 4.5 miles (7.2 km) into the sea.
During the extra-long days of the northern summer, Homer Spit is where people camp along the rocky beach, fish for salmon at an artificial “fishing hole”, eat at restaurants where only the views beat the food, and to take a boat out into Kachemak Bay.
While Homer is known as the “Halibut Fishing Capital of the World” with lots of commercial fishing boats calling Homer Harbor home, we like to think of it as the “Gateway to Kachemak Bay”.
Kachemak Bay is a 40-mile long arm of the Cook Inlet that is fed both by the sea and by numerous rivers coming down from the surrounding mountains. It’s home of Alaska’s first state park: Kachemak Bay State Park – which can only be reached by boat or plane. Along the bay are lots of smaller and larger coves and inlets, like Halibut Cove and China Poot Bay. Other worthy sights include Grewingk Glacier and Gull Island.
The Kachemak Bay wildlife is abundant year-round: whales, porpoises, otters, seals, eagles, gulls, puffins, cormorants, murres and on and on and on.
Here are a few of the views we collected around Kachemak Bay…
Some of our Alaska photos are featured on Happier Place postcards and other products listed below.
Check them, get them, send them – make someone happier (including you).
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Set of 5 Postcards: That way…$8.00 -
Single Postcards (4th Edition)$2.00 -
Set of 3 Greeting Cards: Road$9.00 -
Set of 3 Greeting Cards: Hey!$9.00 -
Single Greeting Cards with Envelopes (1st Edition)$4.00 -
Set of 3 Greeting Cards: Waterfront$9.00 -
Yes, let’s! Multiple Choice Postcards$2.00 – $2.50 -
Single Postcards (2nd Edition)$2.00
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All photos were taken by Luci Westphal – except maybe the whale pictures were taken by Scott Solary, while Luci was recording video. It all happened so fast.
If you want to see more photos of Homer itself, check out this post from Luci’s blog. On her new website, there are also more photos from the Kenai Peninsula.
These pictures are really incredible MashaAllah I would love to visit Alaska someday.
Thank you so much. Hope you can make it there one day.
The place has galleries and cluster on Pioneer Avenue, near the Pratt Museum, which shows local art and artifacts, including a pioneer cabin. The Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center has wildlife exhibits.People get attract from this place.
I’ve read about this part of Alaska before and it’s always sounded like it would be a beautiful place to visit and have an adventure! These shots make the scenery look truly spectacular! I can’t wait until lockdown is lifted and we can travel again!
It really is a beautiful corner of the world. Fortunately, it’s a bit more accessible than so many of the wonders of Alaska. But still enough off-the-beaten path that it doesn’t feel totally overrun. Thank you for your kind words about my photos. Hope you get to have wonderful travels once we can all get out there again!
What a beautiful place! You’re photo’s are amazing. I’ve never been interested in going to Alaska but the gorgeous landscapes and nature shown here are making me think maybe!
Thank you so much for your kind words. Actually, I never had Alaska on my list either. I went up there to film an interview for a documentary. After arriving and seeing the incredible landscape and abundant wildlife, I can’t recommend a trip up there enough. (And I was already living in Colorado, so I know of mountains and wildlife.) If you ever get to go, please report back 🙂
I’d love to see the views from the restaurants if they’re as nice as you say. This is somewhere i’d really love to go when I can. Luci and Scotts photos are amazing!!!!
Thank you so much, Melanie. You know, I don’t think we took any photos of the views from the restaurants – the good food and simply enjoying the views must have been too distracting. 😀
You have really gorgeous photos here! Alaska is a beauty! It’s the perfect ruminating place for me.
Thank you! And in the summer you can ruminate even longer – since the sun doesn’t set until long after midnight.
Alaska is beautiful I have heard. I love places like these. They are so peaceful. I love the pictires you have shared here.
It does seem like places with less people and more untouched nature are more peaceful, doesn’t it. Food for thought…
This is beautiful and much needed, right now. The landscapes are stunning. Thank you for inspiring me.
Thank you so much for writing this. It does feel a little awkward to be posting about travel destinations during this time. But also one of our big driving factors with Happier Place is that “seeing nature can make you happier”. Ideally, we want to inspire people go outdoors. Right now, we just hope to give people a short break and make people a little bit happier for a while. So your comment is extra appreciated.