THINGS TO SEE AND DO

When you visit the Soldotna, Kenai, Sterling area, you will, of course, want to fish the incredible Kenai River. But there is much more to see and do here besides fishing. Here are some things to consider seeing and/or doing in your spare time. These are certainly not the only potentially interesting things to see and do, but they are the ones that most intrigued me, and the ones I heartily recommend.

If some of what I say sounds a bit commercial, it is just that I am excited about it. Understand that I do not have any pecuniary interests in any of the things I recommend here. Nor do I have any agreements to promote one of these attractions if they will promote my guide service. I recommend these things to see and do simply because I think they are great representations of the area. If I recommend a specific business it is because I think they hold to high standards of excellence.

IN AND NEAR THE CITY OF SOLDOTNA

GO TO THE SOLDOTNA VISITORS CENTER--This should be your first stop, to pick up maps and information about the local area. Be sure to pick up their magazine about Soldotna, the "Soldotna Visitors Guide". It has a wealth of local information. If you want a copy before you arrive in Alaska, they will mail it to you. Just connect to their website and order it. They also have on display the Worlds Record sport caught King Salmon--all 97.25 pounds! The fish alone is worth the visit. If you want to catch trout, the visitors center has a long boardwalk on the river, and you can catch trout here pretty easily. The river has a big back eddy here, and the salmon tend to run with the main part of the current, so this is one of the poorer public access boardwalks for salmon fishing.

VISIT FARMER'S SATURDAY MARKET IN SOLDOTNA--From the second Saturday in June through the third Saturday in September, from 10 AM to 2 PM you can visit the Farmer's Saturday Market and buy Alaska grown produce, flowers, plants, and Alaska made gifts, art and crafts. The Market is held in the Soldotna school bus turnaround on the Kenai Spur Highway at Corral Avenue. As with all Saturday Markets in Alaska, this one is special for visitors from the lower 48 states. You will get a good flavor of Alaskana, and it will cost you nothing--unless you find lots of things to buy, of course.

VISIT THE MOOSE IS LOOSE BAKERY IN SOLDOTNA--Here is a bakery that makes pastries so good you won't be able to eat just one. Each summer I promise myself I won't stop here every time I pass by it--but alas, I can't help myself! Bet you can't either once you have tried them.

VISIT TRUSTWORTHY HARDWARE IN SOLDOTNA--Here is an old fashioned hardware and sporting goods store that can fulfill your needs for fishing supplies. Their prices are very competitive, and their selections are better than Fred Meyers. Even if you don't need anything, stop here to see how busy they are during fishing season. It is an experience in itself.

IN AND NEAR THE CITY OF KENAI

Situated just 11 miles northwest of Soldotna is the city of Kenai. Although Soldotna swells by several thousand tourists every summer, and is then easily the largest city on the Kenai Peninsula, during the wintertime the city of Kenai is actually the larger of the two. Kenai is on the high bluffs overlooking the mouth of the Kenai River and Cook Inlet. It is worth a visit just to look down on the views below. A good overlook is Boy Scout Park in Old Town Kenai.

Kenai has the Peninsula's largest airport. This airport is where you will land if taking the short 20-minute commercial flight from Anchorage to Soldotna.

Depending on your interests, you could spend 1/2 to a full day seeing the interesting things in Kenai. Here are my favorites, listed in a logical progression for visiting:

VISIT KENAI VISITORS AND CULTURAL CENTER--Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center is, in my mind, the premier cultural attraction on the Kenai Peninsula.

While you are at the Visitors Center, be sure and pick up their walking tour map of Old Town Kenai. Use it to find and visit the next three recommended places.

VISIT BOY SCOUT PARK--Boy Scout Park overlooks the mouth of the Kenai River. In season you can watch the subsistence dipnetters. You also have a very good view of the commercial gill-net fleet at anchor in the mouth of the Kenai River. If the weather is clear you can see clear across Cook Inlet to Mount Spurr, and Mount Redoubt.

VISIT OLD TOWN KENAI AND SEE THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES (OLD AND NEW)--The old Russian Orthodox Church, built in 1791, still stands, but has long since been replaced with a more modern one. The old church is a log-cabin type structure, and you can peek in the windows, but it is not open to the public.

The Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church has replaced the old church, and is well worth a short visit. If you have never peeked inside a Russian Orthodox church, now is your chance. If you are fortunate, an interpreter will be on duty and can explain the traditions and history of this old church. In the vestibule are various Russian artifacts to view and some nice Russian art works for sale. Have you noticed that all Russian Orthodox churches have the same type of "onion-shaped" steeple? Do you have any idea why? Be sure and ask your interpreter. It has specific meaning, and you will be glad you learned this interesting bit of history.

STOP IN FOR A PALATE PLEASING EXPERIENCE AT VERONICA'S CAFE--Veronica's Cafe is a "do not miss" place to visit. If you get here too early to have lunch, stop for a cup of tea or coffee, and one of her fine pastries. If you get here at lunchtime, you will NOT be dissappointed. In my opinion, if you are going to visit any restaurant in Kenai, this should be the first. This is no "eggs and hash browns" cafe. It is a simple but very special menu of carefully prepared quisine. You will not be dissappointed.

OBSERVE THE SUBSISTENCE DIPNET FISHERY AT THE MOUTH OF THE KENAI RIVER--While in the city of Kenai, if the timing is right, you really need to go down and see the subsistence fishing that occurs at the mouth of the Kenai River.

This subsistence fishery starts about July 10 and ends about July 31. Hours of dipping are from 6 AM to 11 PM, unless extended by Emergency Order.

Alaska residents may take 25 salmon per permit holder, plus an extra 10 for each additional member of their household. Often you can see huge catches of Reds, and an occassional King Salmon in the bag.

Besides being an important time to gather food for the winter, dipnetting is fun. It can be really hard work, but fun nonetheless.

Here is a photo of a pretty young girl doing her part to procure the family's winter fish supply. She has just captured a Red and is giving it a whack with a fish bonker.

To view this interesting fishery, take the Kenai Spur cutoff from the Sterling Highway, and proceed through the town of Kenai to Spruce Avenue. Turn left onto Spruce and go down the hill to the beach. There you will see paid parking, which is usually sold out, and absolutely full. Ignore this, and park in the 1-hour free parking area. Go and view the dip netters in action. Be sure and get back to your vehicle within 1 hour, as you will get a big fat parking ticket if you forget.

The Visitor's Bureau doesn't tend to direct folks to this interesting fishery. They are, after all, an extension of the Chamber of Commerce, and tend to direct you to commercial tourist attractions. The dipnet fishery will be one of the highlights of your visit, so don't miss it.

IN AND NEAR THE CITY OF STERLING

INTERESTING DAY TRIPS FROM SOLDOTNA, KENAI, OR STERLING

TAKE A RAFTING TRIP ON THE UPPER KENAI RIVER--Alaska Wildland Adventures (907-595-1279 or 1-800-478-4100) offers half day and all day rafting trips from Coopers Landing. You will get to see the upper Kenai in all its glory. I recommend their full day trip through the canyon to Skilak Lake. This is a great trip, even for jaded Alaskans. The trip is safe for kids and adults, and very scenic. Many of my photos of the upper Kenai came from my rafting trips with this company. To the right is a photo of one of their prettier guides.

VISIT THE RUSSIAN RIVER FERRY, AND CATCH A FEW REDS WHILE THERE--The Russian River People Ferry shuttles fishermen across the Kenai River to the mouth of the Russian River, where the fishermen line up in combat fashion to catch Red Salmon. This is a great fishery from about mid-June to mid-August.

HIKE UP TO THE RUSSIAN RIVER FALLS--At the falls you will see scores of Red (Sockeye) Salmon leaping to get up the falls to their spawning grounds. Best times to see the salmon are from mid-June to mid-August, but they may be present a bit earlier and later.

GO RAZOR CLAMMING--Clam Gulch Recreation Area (22 miles south of Soldotna) has some of the world's best razor clamming beaches. (This is not hyperbole. They are indeed famous.) In fact, from the Kasilof River to the Anchor River--some 50 miles of beach--the clamming is spectacular. Limits are pleantiful (60 clams per person), and the clamming is great exercise. If you get your limit of clams, you will be tired out. Eating the clams after you catch them isn't bad either.

Consult the tide tables, and seek out a good minus tide, of -2 feet or lower. Go out about 1 hour before low tide to 2 hours after. You'll be ready to quit after 3 hours of digging if you haven't limited out before. A fishing license is required.

VISIT HOMER--As you near Homer--just before you hit the long highway grade that steeply descends down to the town--you will see a turnout viewpoint on the right. If the weather is good, stop here for awhile, and view Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet. These are some of the prettiest vistas you will see on all of the Kenai Peninsula.

Once you drive down the grade and enter Homer, you will see a new Islands and Ocean Visitors Center. I've not personally seen it yet, but all my friends who have visited it say it is well worth the time to see it. I don't like to recommend things I haven't done myself, but this one may be the exception, given the reviews I've received. When I know more about it, I'll put more information online here.

On the Homer Spit you will see lots of sportsfish charter operations. Homer is billed as the Halibut Fishing Capital of the World. Perhaps that is a bit of hyperbole, but Homer does have a splendid reputation for all the halibut caught by sportsfishermen here every year. If you book a halibut charter here you have a very good chance of catching your limit. Most fish are in the "chicken halibut" category--weighing less than 30 pounds, but each day you can expect to see fish in the 100 plus pound class, and occassionally 200 plus pound fish are brought in. Overall, Homer, Ninilchik, and Seward have pretty equal halibut fisheries, so where you decide to book your halibut charter should be based on other factors, like weather conditions at the time you intend to fish, and what kind of fishing experience you are seeking.

On the Homer Spit is the now famous "Homer Fishin' Hole," recently renamed the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon. (Nick was a great guy, I'm sure, but the Fishin' Hole lost some of its charm when it was renamed.) The city created its own fishery by planting salmon smolts in this saltwater lagoon. After acclimation to the lagoon, the smolts are released, to go out to sea and return to the lagoon as adults. Fishermen line the shores of the Fishin' Hole to catch these adult salmon each year. It is a great place for adults and kids alike, and a good place to catch a salmon without a boat or guide. Best fishing times are:
King Salmon--Starts in late May, peaks in mid-June, and ends in early July.
Silver Salmon--The first run begins around mid-July. The second run overlaps the first, and ends about mid-September.

(The State Legislature defunded their portion of the stocking of this Lagoon in 1993. This despite the common knowledge that Homer draws more fishermen -- Alaskan and tourist alike -- than any other city in Alaska, and brings in huge amounts of tourist dollars. Thankfully the locals developed a community group named the "Friends of the Fishin Hole," and they have continued the program since then through raffles, donations, and fishing derbies.) Kudos to the locals!)

VISIT SEWARD--If you want fast saltwater salmon fishing, Seward is the port for you. Nowhere else in Alaska has such liberal sports limits for Silver Salmon. You can keep six (that's right--6!) Silvers a day, and if you happen to be lucky, you can keep two Kings a day as well. Why such liberal limits? Two reasons: lots and lots of fish, and the Seward Chamber of Commerce subsidizes the state hatcheries to supplement the hatchery plants in Resurrection Bay, and thus has some say in the limits the State applies here. When my relatives come up to Alaska to fish for Silvers, it is usually in early September, and this is my ace in the hole. Why would I tell you about this great fishery when I book charters on the Kenai for Silvers? Sure I may lose a few charters by doing so, but it would not be honest of me not to mention this great fishery. Besides, they are completely different ways of fishing. The Kenai River experience is unique, almost mystical at times. Seward's Silver fishery is like any other saltwater port town's, just better. If you are an avid fisherman you owe it to yourself to try both.

Besides the salmon, Seward has a great halibut fishery too. You will travel further to get your halibut than at Ninilchik or Homer (usually), but the country here is so spectacular you will scarcely notice the extra time. I fish Ninilchik because it is so close to Soldotna, and I've been to Seward many times. If it was my only halibut trip in Alaska, I would recommend Seward for the sheer beauty of the surrounding mountains. In my opinion, the Ninilchik, Homer, and Seward halibut fisheries are so close to equal as to not be worth arguing about. Your decision as to which place to go should be based on other factors.

I highly recommend that you investigate the commercial boat tours of Kenai Fjords National Park before you go to Seward. My favorite tour company is Kenai Fjords Tours. I wouldn't even consider the Resurrection Bay tour unless I was extremely short on time. The two longer tours are far superior.

VISIT NINILCHIK--Many sportsfish charter operations ply Cook Inlet out of Ninilchik. They launch their boats at Deep Creek, through the surf, and go out for halibut and/or salmon. The saltwater salmon fishery here is overtouted, considering the small numbers of salmon harvested here each year, but this halibut fishery is well worth considering. This is my favorite place to go for a halibut charter. Besides fishing, don't forget to drive down to the town of Ninilchik and poke around. It is one of the oldest little towns on the Peninsula, and has its own unique Alaskana charm.

WATCH THE FISHING BOATS LAUNCH THROUGH THE SURF--At Deep Creek and at Anchor Point, you can watch halibut charter boats launch through the surf. These are mostly smaller boats than operate out of Homer, but they are still very capable fishing boats, and they go out as much as 20-25 miles in search of halibut for their sportsfisher clients. The halibut fishing here is, in my opinion, equally as good as at Homer, and you need not travel as far from Soldotna to fish for halibut. Go watch the boats launch, look at the fish they've caught, and then book a halibut charter if you like.

GO BEAR VIEWING--Talon Air Service (907-262-8899) offers fly-in guided bear watching day trips out of Soldotna. Their prices are reasonable, and the bear viewing is from boats--which makes it very safe to get up quite close to the bears without them suddenly charging you. Their combination bear viewing and salmon fishing trips make the most sense to me. While you are waiting for bears to come down to the stream to fish, you can fish for salmon from the boat. Once the bears come down to feed, you would rather snap photos and watch them, so it works out well for both man and bear.