One of the wettest days on our Alaska motorcycle trip was our ride along the Seward Highway to the Kenai Peninsula and over to Homer. I was bummed as the Seward Highway is consistently listed as one of the most scenic roads to travel. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to fully experience it traveling to or from Seward due to poor weather.

That said, there were a few moments throughout the day where the weather cleared and we were able to make the most of our brief time on the western side of the peninsula. Happily the wildlife didn’t seem to mind being damp, and we were fortunate to spot moose, bald eagles, and sea otters. We also got to ride the most western highway in North America, eat some great seafood, and explore the harbor in Homer.

Our ride across the peninsula was relatively uneventful – we didn’t stop at the overlooks as the mountains around us were socked in. We did stop in Kasilof to check out a Roadside America attraction Brian had tagged and ended up popping in the nearby mercantile and cafe while we were there.

As much as I enjoyed the larger-than-life mosquito, I was really happy we chose to grab lunch at Rocky’s Cafe. Not only did we avoid a bout of rain, we had seafood melts that were beyond all expectation. Full of crab and shrimp with a reasonable amount of cheese, they were warm, filling, and delicious.

If you find yourself in the area, I’d highly recommend a stop. And keep an eye out for wildlife along the way!

Our next successful stop was Anchor Point, Alaska, which is North America’s most westerly highway point.

It took us some time to find parking as the main lot is for RVs, campers, and others wanting to stay onsite via paid, reserved spaces. We were hoping to stop for a short walk around and found a small lot through a row of pine trees with access to the nearby beach.

We were thrilled to spot multiple bald eagles along the ocean, both on the beach and soaring overhead. I would guess we easily saw a dozen during our short visit. I’ve never seen so many in one place!

As luck would have it, the skies cleared temporarily for our walk around Homer’s harbor, which runs along a long, narrow spit. We rode to the farthest point, appropriately named ‘Land’s End,’ and then circled back to park in one of the many lots about halfway up the spit so we could take off our gear and walk around.

There were tons of fishing charters, restaurants, shops, and cafes. We stopped at the Seafarer’s Memorial as well as another larger-than-life statue before the sky started to darken once more, sending us on a brisk walk back to the bike.

Along the way, we spotted sea otters relaxing in one of the quiet boat bays – my first time seeing them in the wild!

They were adorable, trying to nap on their backs but letting their curiosity get the best of them. They would appear to sleep but then you would catch an eye opening and peeking up at you before quickly shutting again as they feigned sleep.

One finally gave up and started playfully rolling around. I could have watched them for hours. It was a true highlight of the day.

While it was not a great day for riding the motorcycle and we missed the stunning scenery of the Seward Highway, we had a number of bright spots on our overnight trip across the Kenai Peninsula. If you plan to visit Seward, I think it’s worth adding some time to travel over to Homer and experience a very different and relatively quiet side of the peninsula.