Insider Guide: Homer, Alaska
Emma Teal Privat and Claire Neaton (the Salmon Sisters) are headquartered in Homer, on the south end of the state, so we asked for their recommendations in and around the Kenai Peninsula.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Halibut Cove in Homer, Alaska
Sunset’s Insider Guide series highlights seasonal diversions and secret travel tips from local experts. Follow along as we learn where to eat, drink, stay, and shop.
Photo by Dawn Heumann
Meet the insiders: Emma Teal Privat and Claire Neaton, co-founders of Salmon Sisters
Emma Teal Privat and Claire Neaton are no strangers to fishing boats. The sisters grew up wild harvesting with their family in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and now helm an all-woman team that provides fresh sockeye salmon, Pacific cod, and more delivered right to your door. They’re headquartered in Homer, on the south side of the state, so we asked for their recommendations in and around the Kenai Peninsula.
WHERE TO EAT:
Travis Riley
The Bagel Shop is a “local mainstay with the best bagel sandwiches.” Try the wasabi lox. Stop by Two Sisters Bakery for a “sticky bun and ham and cheese savory,” or a “rhubarb danish and a coffee to enjoy while you stroll down to Bishop’s Beach.” The “best tiny summertime pizza joint” is Finn’s. Order the “blue pear pie with pears, blue cheese, and pine nuts.”
WHAT TO DO:
Take a water taxi across the bay to hike Grewingk Glacier, or ride a bike down the Homer Spit, where you can stop by the sisters’ fish shop and “pick up some wild Alaska seafood to cook on a beach fire for dinner.” Take a ride on the Danny J ferry to The Saltry Restaurant in the “small artist community of Halibut Cove for an evening on the deck with seafood and cocktails.” Or, stop by the Homer Farmers’ Market for “locally grown vegetables, flowers, and artisanal wares.”
WHERE TO STAY:
Kristian Irey
“Recharge and get inspired by nature” at the family-owned Kachemak Bay Wilderness Lodge. “It’s an intimate and remote experience in one of the most peaceful, wild, and spectacular ocean and mountain settings.” You can also stay in “charming cottages by the sea” at Seaside Farm, home to an organic working farm, or stay a bit further away from town but opt for a luxury spa experience at Alyeska Resort. Public-use cabins are also available by water taxi in Kachemak Bay State Park.
WHERE TO DRINK:
Larry Bain
After a day on the water, stop by iconic dive bar Salty Dawg Saloon, housed in an old lighthouse to “bump elbows with salty locals and fishermen.” Live music can be found at Alice’s Champagne Palace, while craft beer is made at Grace Ridge Brewing. “If you’re from Homer, you count down the days” until Coal Town Coffee & Tea, a “tiny walk-up coffee shop” opens for the summer.
Read the Current Issue Here!
Get one year of Sunset—and all kinds of bonuses—for just $24.95. Subscribe now!
