If the call of the wild – as in breathtaking national parks, sparkling rivers and lakes and abundant marine life habitat – is calling you, then consider Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula for your next adventure vacation. You’ll also be treated to quaint main streets, meet interesting locals and learn a thing or two about Alaska’s rich history. Here’s some of what to expect, in my article from Texas Lifestyle magazine’s 2019 Travel Issue.

Seaside Seward

About three hours of breathtakingly beautiful drives south of Anchorage deposit you in the seaside community of Seward. Located on Resurrection Bay, which doesn’t freeze in winter, Seward is home to the first railroad bringing goods and people between Alaska’s interior and Seward’s busy seaport. First established in the 1790s as a trading post by the Russians, it eventually was settled by the U.S. in the early 1900s. Today, this bustling community of 3,000 boasts a community college, impressive sea life center, and diverse economy bolstered by its proximity Kenai Fjords National Park.

The harbor is activity-central where you can book a fishing charter for some salmon snagging, or a full day of salmon and halibut fishing. Or spend a few hours alongside all manner of sea life on a Kenai Fjords tour. Bring your camera, warm clothes and Dramamine if you are seasick-prone. On our tour, we encountered two pods of breaching Orca Whale, spotted Stellar Sea Lions and seal pups sunning on ice chunks, watched Puffin and marveled at the Holgate Glacier, an actively calving tidewater glacier.

Get your land legs back at any number of seaside and downtown eateries. Listen to the day’s fish stories over fresh catch at the U-shape bar at Ray’s Waterfront, or stroll down main street for a meal of locally sourced foods at The Cookery.

Then work off those calories with a walking tour of historic Main Street. Must-see stops include the Alaska SeaLife Center, an aquarium and marine research and rescue center; the Chugach Museum and Institute of History and Art; and the Resurrection Bay Historical Society.

Exploring Exit Glacier

Seward offers a variety of accommodations, from harbor-front hotels to hostels and cabins. Our goal of an off-grid cabin that would accommodate four guests proved hard to come by in Alaska. But our cabin in the woods was a perfect alternative – and the perfect jumping-off spot to take in Exit Glacier and the Kenai Fjords National Park. Its Marmot Meadows Trail is a good choice for a strenuous hike past waterfalls, across streams and alongside prolific wildflowers in bloom. The view of Exit Glacier from the top of the trail is worth all the sore muscles.

Looking for more adventure? Try a guided glacier hike complete with crampons and helmets. Or test your marathon legs on Marathon Mountain, the site of one of Alaska’s most popular and challenging foot races. As with all Alaska hiking, always hit the trail over-prepared. During our visit, two cruise line passengers got lost on Marathon Mountain with no food, water or bear protection and were lucky to be rescued uninjured by Coast Guard helicopters after a night on the mountain.

Homer the Halibut Capital

On the opposite side of the Kenai Peninsula and at the end of the Sterling Highway lies Homer, known as the Halibut Capital of the World. While the destination is beckoning, don’t rush the drive. From Seward, the road takes you through the Upper Kenai region, along the turquoise Kenai Lake and Upper Kenai River. Along the way, you’ll pass through Cooper Landing, steeped in gold mining history, but nowadays visitors are drawn to the area’s abundant outdoor adventures.

During summer salmon season, you are likely to see crowds of fly fisherman along the route angling to stock up on salmon on the Kenai, Russian and Cooper Rivers. You’ll pass through Soldotna, a good spot to refuel and stretch your legs with a stroll through the old pioneer town near the visitor center. As you round the bend to approach Homer, the views open up to reveal the sparkling Kachemak Bay that awaits.

On the Water

Rooms and cabins for rent abound in Homer proper, or continue across the Homer Spit to find the Land’s End Resort aptly named for its location at the end of the 4.5 mile spit. Our waterfront condo was the perfect spot for our last few nights in Alaska. Rooms sit directly on the ocean, from which you can watch sea otters lazily floating by as fishing boats come and go from the harbor.

No trip to Homer would be complete without some halibut fishing. On our day out, we each hauled in our limit of large Halibut along with cod and rockfish. Local fish processors will package and flash freeze your catch for shipping home commercially or, as we did, on the return fight.

Sea kayaks offer another way to get on the water and close to wildlife, and one that we couldn’t pass up. In fact, we voted our paddle, hike and dine day as one of the trip highlights. A water taxi transports kayakers to Petersen Bay where kayaks await for a morning of paddling. Drift alongside eagles distractedly feasting on their fish catch. Watch sea lions lazily sunning from just feet away. Hold one of the multitudes of colorful starfish hanging out on the shoreline rocks.

At mid-day, your water taxi returns to deposit you around the bend at Kachemak Bay State Park, Alaska’s first state park, with a promise for a late afternoon pickup.  In the meantime, you are on your own to explore the trails leading to Grewingk Glacier Lake. The four-mile Glacier Lake Trail rewards hikers with beachside views of the glacier. After the somewhat rigorous return hike via Saddle Trail, your group will be ready for dinner at the Saltry Restaurant at Halibut Cove, and a water taxi ride back to the harbor.  Before turning in, stop by The Salty Dawg Saloon– a fixture here since 1957- and add your autographed dollar bill to a wall or ceiling.

Saying Goodbye by Air

Seeing the Alaska landscape up close – on the water and on the trail – is unforgettable. But seeing it from the air in a float plane provides an altogether unique experience. The Homer/Beluga Seaplane Base is just four miles from Homer Spit and blocks from downtown Homer. We scored a last-minute morning flight time with Beluga Air, the perfect bookend treat for our last day in Alaska. The hour-long flight on Wes Head’s deHavilland Beaver took us over the Homer Spit and across Kachemak Bay to open up vistas just not possible from the ground. Our seasoned pilot shared tidbits of history and geography before treating us to an unexpected glacier lake landing, smooth as proverbial glass.

Visitors with more time can opt for guided or unguided bear viewing flights. And couples looking for a truly unique wedding venue might consider a remote mountain lakeside wedding, officiated by pilot Wes, who will whisk you to your remote honeymoon retreat as well.

When he landed us back at seaplane base, it was time to say our goodbyes -for now – to Alaska. There’s little doubt we will be back. With its natural beauty and nearly limitless recreation options, the only question is whether we can resist the tug of the Kenai again – or break new tracks in another of Alaska’s many treasures.