2 Best Sights in Side Trips from Homer, The Kenai Peninsula and Southcentral Alaska

A small artists' community directly across from the tip of the Homer Spit, Halibut Cove is a fine place to spend time meandering along the boardwalk and visiting galleries. The cove is lovely, especially during salmon runs, when fish leap and splash in the clear water. The Danny J ferries people across from the Spit, with a tour of the rookery at Gull Island ($66) and three hours to walk around Halibut Cove. The Danny J also provides a daily dinner cruise to The Saltry Restaurant ($41). Central Charters and The Saltry Restaurant handle all bookings. Several lodges are on this side of the bay, on pristine coves away from summer crowds. Mako's Taxi also provides service to most of the lodging destinations in the area.

Recreational opportunities in this beautiful park, which encompasses about 400,000 acres, include boating, sea kayaking, fishing, hiking, and beachcombing. Among the attractions here are Grewingk Glacier, Poot Peak, China Poot Bay, Halibut Cove Lagoon, Tutka Bay, Humpy Creek, and China Poot (Leisure) Lake—trails accessible from Kachemak Bay lead to all of them. Facilities are minimal but include 20 primitive campsites and five public-use cabins. Most Homer water-taxi operators can drop you off and pick you up at specific points and can provide advice about hiking, camping, and kayaking trips.