Hi, It's great that you will travel to Homer this year! We do have space available on Saturday. What that day will look like is: the boat takes you across beautiful Kachemak Bay and to Peterson Bay, where our field station is located. Our naturalists are extremely knowledgeable and enjoy sharing with visitors. They will meet you at the dock and then will take you out to the rocky intertidal areas teeming with life and guide you on your beach explorations. You then can have lunch in our Field Station’s kitchen which has full amenities and in the afternoon you will have the chance to explore lush coastal forest on the trail system that we maintain, find out about the geology of the area demonstrated in prehistoric rock formations, and learn about the cultural history on a visit to an archaeological Native house site. You may also choose to add kayaking to this day, if so, your kayak guide will meet you at our Peterson Bay Dock at 2pm and you’ll spend the afternoon on the water. In conjunction with any Peterson Bay Tour, we invite you to spend the night in the Field Station’s yurts! A comfortable camping experience at the edge of the Alaskan wilderness, overnight yurt stays are perfect for families, couples, or friends. Spending the night allows you to truly enjoy best the land of the midnight sun has to offer - walk the beach after dinner, gather round our spacious campfire ring, or watch the sun (eventually) set over the ghost forest. Overnight visitors either extend a Day Tour and then return to Homer the next morning or depart the Homer Harbor at 4:00 p.m. and return at 4:00 p.m. the next day unless otherwise arranged. Overnight visitors have use of the Field Station kitchen for cooking (electric stove, microwave, coffee maker, toaster) and food storage (refrigerator and small freezer compartment). Each yurt has six bunks and camp mattresses, as well as floor space and camp mattresses for two more people, but you will need to bring your own sleeping bags and extra pads, if desired. The boat returns to Homer at 4 pm after our day tour and at 6pm if you add kayaking. On the boat ride, on the way over or back (dependent on the tides) you will visit Gull Island, a seabird rookery home to thousands of birds including murres, puffins, cormorants and gulls (you will also see lots of eagles). You can book easily by calling 907-235-6746, We hope that you will join us. Let me know if you need any more information on the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies or the Homer area.

Hi Nadine, the kids won't be bored AT ALL!! They probably won't want to leave. What the day looks like: Meet at the Homer Harbor and board the boat for a ride across Kachemak Bay, spending time around Gull Island, a Seabird Rookery with many thousand birds of many different species as well as marine mammal haul-out so sea lions and otters can be spotted. When you arrive at Peterson bay, our naturalist will lead beach exploration looking for and learning about all the amazing intertidal life ~ lunch at the Field Station where we have touch tanks and live aquaria and then following lunch - it's time for the trails. ... hiking, wildlife spotting and berry picking! We provide end of year field trips for kids from throughout the state and camps for kids of all ages. Information and activities are tailored to each guests needs and abilities. Walking distances vary as well according to your abilities. Give us a call at 907-235-6746

Hi, This is Melanie from the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies - the answers above are correct as well as - if you're going to join us for our Cruise Ship Special Peterson Bay Tour - please take the Cruise Ship Spit Shuttle around the harbor to the stop at the Salty Dawg - your Naturalist Guide for the day will then meet you there and bring you to our Yurt at the Harbor and then down to the boat for travel to our Peterson Bay Field Station (just a short ride across the bay). That same shuttle and check-in at our Yurt is also where we begin our Creatures of the Dock Tours! Super fun, interesting for all ages and affordable! If you are choosing to stop into our headquarters in town to see all the displays and gift shop as well as learn about all we do and the nature of Kachemak Bay - just take the Shuttle into town and get off at Stop #2. We're right there! Feel free to get in touch: 907-235-6746 email