Girdwood / Homer Bus Service - Trip Details

Homer Pickup/Dropoff: Aspen Suites Hotel Homer - 91 Sterling Hwy, Homer, AK 99603

Schedule

For additional travel details check our route and schedule page.

What to Expect

The drive between Girdwood and Homer is split into three legs; Girdwood/Cooper Landing, Cooper Landing/Soldotna, and Soldotna/Homer. There are two brief stops to allow passengers to stretch their legs; one in Cooper Landing and one in Soldotna.

Girdwood/Cooper Landing

The leg between Girdwood and Cooper Landing takes just over an hour and is primarily through mountain passes. However, closer to Girdwood the road runs along the edge of Turnagain Arm.

Turnagain Arm has one of the most extreme tidal exchanges in the world and, if the timing is right, you might get to get a look at the Turnagain Arm bore tide; a wave that forms on the incoming tide due to a large influx of water.

Moose and the occasional black bear can be spotted along this leg, particularly getting closer to Cooper Landing.

Cooper Landing/Soldotna

The drive between Cooper Landing and Soldotna takes about an hour. Near Cooper Landing, the road winds along the bank of the legendary Kenai River; highly regarded by fishermen for its world-class salmon runs.

You’re all but guaranteed to see large numbers of fishermen trying their luck. Fishermen aren’t the only ones hoping to bring in some salmon, though. Keep an eye out for the occasional brown bear trying its own luck.

Soldotna/Homer

The leg between Soldotna and Homer takes about one and a half hours. This is probably the best leg of the whole route for spotting moose.

About half the drive runs along the eastern side of Cook Inlet and offers excellent views of several active volcanoes located on the west side of Cook Inlet. Two notable peaks are Iliamna and Redoubt, which both exceed elevations of 10,000 feet. If it’s clear, you may be able to see plumes of steam rising from either peak.

Closer to Homer, you’ll pass Anchor Point and the Anchor River; a popular location for salmon and steelhead trout fishing. Cresting over the last hill before entering Homer, you’ll get a great view of the Homer Spit and Kachemak Bay.