Anchorage to Homer
 

I swear that I've seen trip reports that say this drive is around 5 hours, but when I plug this drive into Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, etc. all say around 10 hours!

How long should I plan for this drive? (in July, if it matters)

Dear Toshi:

I would say anywhere from 4-5 hours.

MY

Toshi~ I live about halfway between Anchorage and Homer.. in the summer, traffic can be thick, but I would say realistically, with one or two stops for breaks and lunch or dinner, (depending on when you leave), between five and six hours total..

of course, photo ops are everywhere, and if you are interested, the turnouts along Turnagain arm are where many visitors stop to capture the dall sheep on the rocks across the road.. you'll know immediatley, because everyone is looking straight up and the binoculars and cameras are in full swing..

then sometimes, a whale might be spotted in the water, so those pictures are on your right side over the guardrail!

**Down around Portage, there is the Wildlife attraction, and one way to see your first moose, caribou, bear and a variety of other Alaska residents, some of whom should neither be petted or stared at..(Harley riders and such)..

you'll see a sign for Portage Glacier which is a left turn from the Seward Highway and the same area as the Whittier tunnel.

Once in Turnagain Pass, you'll have some nice spots to stop and stretch, the Summit Lake Lodge is fun and a chance to get some food/coffee..

Cooper Landing is another good stop.. the lake and river are beautiful and a few little stores and activities, such as river rafting.. BEWARE my friends, of the GAS stations there.. they are at least thirty cents higher than Anchorage/Kenai/Homer.. kind of a trap.

Then about thirty miles later, you'll roll through Sterling, then Soldotna(Kenai River and lots of people salmon fishing)..

then farther down the peninsula to Clam Gulch, Ninilchik, Anchor Point and voila! Homer, my hometown:)

If you need any advice on eating along the way, I'll be happy to help.
Hope it all works out for you.. July should be sunny and dry and mosquitos not so ferocious in July((Y))

Thanks so much for the replies. This board is so helpful! We're both photo enthusiasts so I'm sure we'll be making many stops along the way.

We plan to take our time in both directions, but I didn't know if there was something obvious that I was missing - like the speed limit was 30mph :)

Any recommendations for lodging in Homer? We'll be there for one night on either side of our bear viewing trip to Hallo Bay. Another poster recommended Alaskan Suites and it looked nice on their website.

Thanks!

Toshi~ I can't recommend Alaskan Suites enough..it is very cozy, clean and has the view of the bay..very popular all year round since they have getaway specials for residents and heavily promote the wine, chocolate and dining thing!(another post late at night for that)..
** maybe one night there and another in town, or out East End Road for the glacier views(charming b&b's, also up the East Hill)

However, some people do like being near the water or on the tip of the Spit, so there is the Lands End Resort, which is also an option..
there are many places to stay, it really depends on if you want a basic room or somewhat more of an Alaskan experience or how many are in the group, as in family..
overnight visitors to Homer have posted a few good recommendations.. I would type in Homer and see what they said within the last year..
anyway, I'm rambling.. hope this gives you some ideas.. J.

I found Land's End this summer to be great. it is right at the end of the "spit" --teh view is gorgeous and lots of boats go by.

There is a great wildlife center in homer too.

There are endless accommodations in Homer. Alaskan Suites are very nice but can be noisy sometimes as they are located right of Sterling Highway.
www.cabinsinhomer.com
www.homerbedbreakfast.com