Homer Alaska

A day trip across Kachemak Bay to the charming village of Halibut Cove offers you wildlife-viewing opportunities, an up-close look at a bustling bird sanctuary, and time to explore a tiny island community of artists, craftspeople, and anglers. Go there on the Danny J, a classic wooden fishing boat that ferries both visitors and residents across the bay, twice a day between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

During the noon cruise, enjoy a narrated, 30 –minute visit to Gull Island, a bird sanctuary in the bay that's home to nine nesting species, including red-faced cormorants, puffins, and gulls, as well as numerous migrating visitors. The birds are very used to a human presence, and they will swim in the water right alongside the boat. The Danny J gets so close to the island that at high tide that you'll have a bird's-eye-view down into the nests. Bring your camera and binoculars for the K-Bay marine wildlife too: seals, humpback whales, and porpoises.

The Danny J docks right below Halibut Cove's first and only restaurant, the Saltry. Unless you pack a picnic lunch, you'll need to make a reservation here (this is a requirement for the evening, a.k.a. dinner tour). The fare is hard to resist: hearty chowders, fresh-baked bread, fresh-picked salad, and of course, the catch of the day from Kachemak Bay, hot off the charcoal grill. The menu also includes fine wines, microbrews, and desserts. Lunch and dinner seatings are coordinated with the Danny J runs, and prices range from $12-$18 (lunch) and $14-$25 (dinner).

Twelve blocks of privately owned boardwalk connect the buildings of Halibut Cove, which sit on either side of a watery "street" that divides the island from the mainland. Stairs lead down to the water from houses perched on pilings, out of the tide's reach; even the post office bobs on a floating dock. Check out displays by local artists-including pottery, paintings, and jewelry-at the Experience Fine Art Gallery (907-296-2215), open during the summer. Artist Dianna Tillion, one of Halibut Cove's pioneers, runs the year-round Cove Gallery (907-269-2207), which features her unique octopus-ink paintings.

Take the kids to see the Morgan horse farm, or comb the beach for treasures and intertidal creatures. You may also spot eagles and harbor seals, or run across families of pheasants and chickens. For a 360 –degree view of the mountains, glaciers, the Homer hillside, and Halibut Cove, take a hike up the island trails.

You'll have 2½ hours to see the sights in Halibut Cove on the noon cruise, and 3 hours to spend dining and exploring on the evening cruise (most travelers split the time equally). The galleries stay open until 9pm.