Travel Guide Homer

This small town of 5,000 people is located on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula. The town is known worldwide as the halibut fishing capital, an activity that generates approximately $30 million in sales annually. It is also famous for its "spit", a long strip of land extending into the sea for 7.2 km. Unfortunately, this one almost disappeared during the earthquake of 1964.Homer was created in 1895 and its name is borrowed from the local gold digger, Homer Pennock. Kachemak, the original Russian name given to the bay, means "the high cliffs at the water's edge". The discovery of coal soon led to heavy industrial activity in the area in the late 20th century. This activity ceased at the dawn of the First World War to make way for fishing.Homer is a hippie town and cultivates a very developed arty side. Indeed, it shelters many artists who came here to create. Potters, painters and jewelers sell their work in local stores. The city has hundreds of small businesses, offering a wide choice of goods and services. Take a drive down East Hill Drive to take in the beautiful scenery. Some of the reasons to come here are to see the bears from the air or to walk in Seldovia just across the street.