Homer, Kenai, and Beluga Whales

In this video, we hang out in Homer, overnight in Kenai, and sleep on the side of the Seward Highway so we can see Beluga whales.

Homer

Sadly, the weather was nasty when we arrived in Homer and didn’t improve much. The clouds parted a few times, and we got glimpses of blue sky, but then the gloom and rain came back. Normally we would wait out the weather, but we had to get back to Anchorage, so Paul could fly out to Vegas.

Mariner Park Campground

We stayed at Mariner campground on the Homer Spit. RVs are $24 no hookups. But you can park right on the water.

RV parked at Mariner Park Campground on the Homer Spit.

View from our front window at Mariner Park Campground on the Homer Spit.

Camping at Mariner Park Campground on the Homer Spit.

2 motorhomes parked at Mariner Park Campground on the Homer Spit.

It’s a good place to set up and watch bald eagles and the tide change even if the weather is nasty.

Water view at Mariner Park Campground on the Homer Spit.

Water view at Mariner Park Campground on the Homer Spit.

We did drive down the Homer Spit and did some touristy things like visiting the Salty Dawg. It’s one of those places where you write on a dollar bill and tack it up somewhere. As you can see, the participation level is high! And as touristy as this place seems to be there were plenty of locals hanging out there too.

salty dawg in homer alaska.

salty dawg in homer alaska.

salty dawg in homer alaska.

beer at salty dawg in homer alaska.

our bill at salty dawg in homer alaska.

A few more sights from the Homer Spit.

seafarer's memorial on the homer spit.

seafarer's memorial on the homer spit.

crazy sky on the homer spit.

kitchy bear art on the homer spit.

Vegan options in Homer

Thanks to Happy Cow, we found a couple of spots with vegan options in Homer.

Two Sisters Bakery had some baked goods and lunch items like a vegan pita.

two sisters bakery in homer, alaska.

The Bagel Shop has house-made vegan schmears that are delicious! We tried the cashew jalapeño. The plain bagels are vegan as long as they don’t have egg wash on them. If you go, ask which bagels are vegan. They were going to experiment with alternatives to egg wash for their topped bagels and might have worked something out.

The bagel shop in homer, alaska.

Vegan bagel from The bagel shop in homer, alaska.

On the way out of town, we stopped into the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center to learn more about the area. And then we walked around the little town before hitting the road again.

homer, alaska.

Kenai

So there’s not much to say about Kenai. We stopped there for an overnight as we made our way towards Anchorage. Our stay at Walmart National Park was uneventful. Kenai is an excellent place to restock your supplies if you’re not planning a stop in Soldotna.

We didn’t find much to do in Kenai. Even the woman at the visitor’s center said there wasn’t much to do in town. So we drove around a little bit and checked out the beach which was lovely in the late afternoon sun.

beach in kenai alaska.

beach in kenai alaska.

statue in kenai alaska.

Upper Kenai River Trail

After we left Kenai and headed towards Anchorage, we made a pit stop for a short but beautiful hike. The color of the water here was just stunning.

upper kenai river trail sign.

upper kenai river trail.

upper kenai river trail.

laura and kevin on the upper kenai river trail.

a small boat on the river by the upper kenai river trail.

And look at these jolly polka dotted mushrooms!

mushroom on the upper kenai river trail.

In search of Beluga Whales!

We’d heard people saw Beluga whales at Beluga Point so we planned to stay in a pullout near there so we could hang out through a high tide or two.

mountain view at cook inlet.

And we were lucky enough to see the Beluga whales come in twice during our stay.

beluga whales at cook inlet.

The tide change at Cook Inlet is almost as impressive as the Bay of Fundy. Turnagain Arm sees the largest tidal range in the United States, with a mean of 30 feet. At least according to Wikipedia. Check out the tide change progression in these pics. And this didn’t even start at low tide!

tide change at cook inlet of turnagain arm.

tide change at cook inlet of turnagain arm.

tide change at cook inlet of turnagain arm.

The Motorhome Experiment’s video shows you the Beluga whales a bit closer.

We’re finished with our time in the Kenai Peninsula, but we aren’t done with Alaska yet! We’ve got a few more videos and posts to go.

Next post: eating vegan in Anchorage

Check out all the videos in our Alaska 2018 adventure here.

Laura Nunemaker

About the Author

Laura Nunemaker

vegan. full-time traveler. rv dweller. food lover. cow petter.

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