7 Fun Options for Homer on your Cruise to Alaska

No, Not that Homer

Homer.  The fictional television cartoon patriarch adored by husbands everywhere and equally abhorred by their wives.  As soon as I hear the opening music come on, “The Simpsons…da, da, da, dada, da, da,” I grab my computer and retreat to the bedroom to watch quality television like my favorite show, Teen Mom OG. 

But we’re not here to talk about that Homer.  Which is why Eric will never read this post and I can talk freely about his poor taste in entertainment. 

We’re here to talk about Homer, Alaska and some options for your port day there. 

Port Day? I Didn’t Know Cruises Sailed to Homer

There’s a good reason for that, because very few Alaska itineraries include it. We were lucky enough to be on one of the rare calls to Homer aboard Holland America’s Ms Zaandam in September 2018.

If, after reading this post, you decide you simply must book a cruise to Homer, “Bill, turn off the Simpsons and check out this 14 day Alaska cruise I just charged to your credit card,” here are the ships currently scheduled to dock in Homer in 2019 and 2020:

The detailed Homer port schedule for 2019 can be found here.

What’s so Special about Homer?

Still on the side of my husband and the Simpsons and wondering what’s so special about Homer, Alaska anyway?

Don’t expect to see singer/songwriter Jewel there because, while Homer is her hometown, you’ll have to visit Nashville these days for your best hope of a chance encounter. However, you might run into the Kilcher family from Alaska: The Last Frontier or the FV Time Bandit, the commercial crabbing boat made famous on The Deadliest Catch and sometimes docked on the north side of Homer’s harbor.

But that’s not all! Homer is known the world over as the halibut capital and is home to the longest street extending into the ocean.

Plus, this stuff:

7 Things to do While at Port in Homer

These seven things made for a beautiful, educational, active, and fun day in Homer for myself, my mom, and my teaching/travel assistant, “H.” Do them all or choose a combination that works best for you. They are numbered below in the order we did them.

1) The Hop on Hop off Bus in Homer

Imagining lively commentary aboard a double-decker bus, akin to one you’d see in London, with splashy graphics depicting local attractions on crimson paint? Well, you’ll find Homer’s version a little closer to the beginning of a horror movie staring your elementary school bus driver that begins with, “shut up kids or I’m going to slam on the breaks and send you flying through the windshield!” and ends in cannibalism. If it sounds like I wasn’t pleased with our decision to “hop on” and “hop off,” you’d be wrong again. I just want to ground your expectations.

We booked this excursion through our ship and paid $15 per person. We handed our ticket over to a Homer retiree and an old school bus with a matching driver named Bart picked us up right outside the ship. Bart pointed out a bald eagle perched nearby as we left the port area and offered some unscripted remarks about the area.

There were four stops. The first was at a strip mall and the next two would deliver us to our intended destinations for the first part of our day, The Pratt Museum and Bishop’s Beach. The bus came around every 20 minutes. We happened to be there on the first day of school, so we were warned to expect some possible delays at certain times since the buses and drivers were doing double duty, but we never waited more than 15 minutes.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to get around and see some highlights of Homer, this is a good option. I’d do it again.

*Note that this bus does NOT go to the spit, there is a separate complimentary shuttle for that. Keep reading.

2) The Pratt Museum

Address: 3779 Bartlett Street Homer, AK 99603

Hours: The Pratt alternates between summer and winter hours

Summer hours (May 3, 2019 – September 14): Daily, 10am – 6pm
Winter hours (September 15 – May 14): Tuesday – Saturday, 12 noon – 5pm

Admission: Adults: $10; Seniors: $8; Youth 6-18: $5; Children under 6: Free

The Pratt Museum is a small but well curated gem staffed by locals eager to share all they know about this little section of earth they call home. It offers a fascinating introduction to the local history, art, culture, and environment of the Kachemak Bay. With a wealth of information and many interactive exhibits, it will keep the attention of both the young and Prof. Cruise (i.e. the old). Be sure to visit the Homestead Cabin – if you’re lucky there will be an actual homesteader who will share their story.

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3) Bishop’s Beach

While no church services are offered here, there’s plenty of driftwood to climb on to deliver a sermon of your own. Here’s “H” preaching about how he, “don’t need no education.” He wasn’t very convincing and has since started Kindergarten as planned.

There are also gorgeous views of Kachemak Bay and the Cook Inlet and I’m told on a clear day you can see mountain ranges and a pair of volcanoes. You’ll enjoy the walking trails through the nearby marsh area and abundant wildlife. Sea creatures and eagles galore, but hardly another human to be seen!

4) Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center

Address: 95 Sterling Hwy

Hours:

Memorial Day – Labor Day Open 9am-5pm Daily 

Labor Day – Mid-September Open 10am-5pm Monday – Saturday 

Mid-September – Mid May Open 12pm-5pm Tuesday – Saturday 

Mid-May – Memorial Day Open 10am-5pm Monday – Saturday

Kids often groan when told they’re visiting a museum on vacation. But after the fun we had at the Pratt Museum, my T.A. “H” was excited when we stumbled upon the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center located up a hill near Bishop’s Beach.

This free museum, funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service will cause you to say with a tone communicating both surprise and delight: “how can a town this small have so many fantastic museums?” You’ll find numerous interactive displays and videos about the history and ecosystem of the region. Make sure to stop by the information desk if you have kids with you – they can earn their Jr. Biologist Badge by completing a booklet of activities. There are also lovely paths to explore outside – keep your eyes out for birds and other wildlife!

5) The Homer Spit

“H” was hopeful that this place might finally be able to teach me how to hawk a respectable loogie. You might have experienced one of his while innocently walking the streets of downtown Seattle. Wiping the wet spot from your hair, you blamed it on a seagull when the real culprit was shouting “score!” from his balcony 21 floors above.

That would be the “Seattle Spit,” while the Homer Spit is a 4 mile strip of land at the southern point of the Kenai Peninsula that stretches out into the Kachemak Bay. On the Spit you’ll find numerous restaurants and bars, campgrounds and hotels, the Homer Harbor, and the final two attractions I visited: The Salty Dawg Saloon and The End of the Road.

There is a free shuttle bus that will drive you from your ship to the heart of the spit. Grab some lunch or ice cream or a drink before you head toward the end of your road. I mean the road.

6) The Salty Dawg Saloon

Salty.  Me on the days following the end of a cruise.  Dawg.  Me trying unsuccessfully to convince my son’s friends I’m cool.  Saloon.  Where I go to drown my sorrows of the above.  But put them all together and you get the Salty Dawg Saloon, a most famous bar featured on The Deadliest Catch, which attracts locals and tourists alike. The original building dates back to 1897 and housed Homer’s first post office, a railroad station, a grocery store, and a coal mining office. Later, a second building was added that served as a school, post office, grocery store, and residence and a lighthouse was built to cover a water tank.

Today, the eclectic interior is plastered with dollar bills signed by visitors. Stop in to grab a drink, play a game of pool, and look for a Washington bearing the name of a most renowned visitor to Homer, “Prof. Cruise.”

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7) The End of the Road

The End of the Road was my favorite Boyz II Men song in the 9^th grade.  This may come as a surprise to any of you who mistakenly thought I was much younger due to my wardrobe, clearly purchased from the children’s department, or the age of my son.  Look, it’s hard to find pants short enough to fit me and kids clothes are cheaper anyway and I had what they call a “geriatric pregnancy.”  Instead of flowers, my first issue of AARP magazine was waiting for me in recovery.  I’m pretty much the opposite of the moms in my second favorite show, Teen Mom 2. 

In this case, “the end of the road” isn’t a soulful rumination on a failed relationship, it’s literally the end of the road. Walk all the way to the end of the spit and you’ve succeeded in reaching the end of the longest stretch of road extending into the ocean. Congratulations! Now savor the sweeping views before you head back to catch the cruise ship shuttle.

And now we’ve come to the end of this post. 

A Final Thought on a Port Day in Homer

You’ll have so much fun in Homer you won’t even mind missing multiple episodes of your favorite show. Whether you have terrible taste like my husband or sophisticated tastes like me, we can all agree that a wonderful day will be had by all in Homer!

Class dismissed.

*Check out my other Alaska port posts here. And don’t forget to subscribe to the blog (scroll up to the top right) and follow me on social media:

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