Travel»Pacific Northwest»Alaska’s Softer Side

Alaska’s Softer Side

Avid adventure traveler David Hanson sets out to discover coastal Alaska’s less rugged, more indulgent attributes: hot-stone massages, gourmet food, leather-bound wine lists, and complimentary bathrobes.

I pick up an espresso at Mermaid Caf and head down to the long, thin spit packed with fish-n-chips joints, bakeries, and fishing tour operators.

Photographer Annie Schlechter

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No Place Like Homer

First Stop: Homer and Kachemak Bay

The launching point for any Kachemak experience is Homer, a midsize (by Alaska standards) artsy town with one of the state’s best museums, the Pratt. I pick up an espresso at Mermaid Café and head down to the long, thin spit packed with fish-n-chips joints, bakeries, and fishing tour operators.