Kenai Travel Guide

Getting There

From Anchorage, the drive on the Seward and Sterling highways to Soldotna is 147 miles. Allow 3 hours, without stops: In summer, traffic will slow you down; in winter, speeds are limited by ice and the fear of hitting moose. Kenai is 11 miles from Soldotna on the Kenai Spur Highway, the first major right as you enter Soldotna from the north on the Sterling Highway.

The Homer Stage Line (tel. 907/235-2252 or 907/399-1847 on the van, www.homerstageline.com) connects Anchorage, Homer, Seward, and points between with van service. In summer they run to Homer daily from Anchorage and Seward, less frequently in winter. The fare from Anchorage to Soldotna is $50 one-way, $90 round-trip. The pick-up point in Soldotna is the Thompson's Corner gift store at 44224 Sterling Hwy. The Anchorage ticket office is at 2607 Eagle St. (tel. 907/868-3914).

Kenai receives very frequent flights from Anchorage from Era Aviation (tel. 800/866-8394; www.flyera.com).

Getting Around

The area is so spread out that walking most places really isn't possible, and there's no public transportation. Everyone drives. Several major car rental companies operate at the Kenai airport: Hertz, Avis, Budget, and Payless. If you plan only to fish, however, you may not need a car, instead getting rides from your guide, your host, or a taxicab. Ask about transportation options when you reserve your rooms. There are several cab companies; try Alaska Cab (tel. 907/283-6000 in Kenai or 907/262-1555 in Soldotna).

Visitor Information

The Soldotna Visitor Information Center, 44790 Sterling Hwy., Soldotna, AK 99669 (tel. 907/262-9814 or 907/262-1337; www.soldotnachamber.com), is located on the south side of town; drive through the commercial strip and turn right after the Kenai River Bridge. It's open daily in summer from 9am to 7pm; in winter, Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Besides the usual brochures and free maps, they offer a computer loaded with comparative information about lodgings, camping, and other services, and will help you find a room or charter. Anglers should stop in to see the world-record 97-pound King salmon and a 20-pound rainbow trout.

In Kenai, the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center at 11471 Kenai Spur Hwy., Kenai, AK 99611 (tel. 907/283-1991; www.visitkenai.com) is an attraction in itself. A museum does a good job of using artifacts to explain the cultures that passed through the Kenai: the Natives; Captain James Cook, who explored Cook Inlet in 1778 (a first edition of his journals is on display); the Russians, who settled in 1791; and the later pioneers and oil workers. Look for the "King of Snags," an immense conglomeration of lost fishing lures, rods, and sticks from the bottom of the river. Temporary art exhibitions are mounted, too. To get there, follow the Spur Highway past Main Street and look for the large, landscaped building on your left. In summer, admission to the museum portion is $3, free for students through high school; off season, admission is free. They are open summer Monday through Friday from 9am to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm; and off season Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturday 11am to 4pm.

Special Events

Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center hosts invitational art shows each summer. Works usually cross media and include contemporary art and traditional Alaska Native work. Admission is $3 for adults, free for minors.

In Soldotna, the Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race (tel. 907/262-3270), an Iditarod qualifier, is held in late January and helps kick off the mushing season. Progress Days (tel. 907/262-9814), in late July, offers a parade, rodeo, car shows, and other festival events commemorating the completion of a gas pipeline in 1960. That's the area in a nutshell -- but, if you miss it, you can still catch Kenai's Industry Appreciation Days the last Saturday in August.

In Ninilchik, the Kenai Peninsula State Fair (tel. 907/567-3670), south at mile 136 on the Sterling Highway, is the third weekend in August (Aug 15-17, 2008), with rodeo, music, crafts, games, agricultural and craft exhibits, and other country attractions, plus a few kids' rides. One-day admission is $8 for adults, $6 for children ages 6 to 12 and seniors.