Alaskan Coast Camping at Homer/Baycrest KOA Holiday
Camping in Alaska is an incredible experience that takes you away from the same old sights. Many RVers take the pilgrimage up to this far North paradise, and some even make it an annual tradition! If you want to stay in one of the most distant and beautiful campgrounds in the world, Homer/Baycrest KOA Holiday is the perfect destination.
This RV park is located right along the coast and it offers some amazing ocean views. Snow-capped mountains are visible across the water, and it’s not uncommon to spot breaching whales throughout the year.
Some folks have mixed opinions about staying at a KOA, but when you’re in a remote area like this, sometimes they’re your best bet. In this case, the Homer/Baycrest KOA is the highest rated campground in the area, plus it offers full hookups and plenty of amenities to make the experience even better. So even if you’re a KOA skeptic, you might want to make an exception for this one.
Overview
Homer/Baycrest KOA Holiday is located at 3425 Sterling Highway(Mile 169) in Homer, Alaska. It’s on the edge of the Kenai Peninsula and the campground overlooks Kachemak Bay. With ocean views on three sides, you’ll be able to capture stunning photos of the sunrise and sunset every day.
The only real city in the area is Homer, which includes necessities like an airport, hospital, and various options for dining and shopping. Even though it’s a small, isolated town, you can still find the essentials here!
The RV park itself also offers a pretty nice setup for visiting campers. The Homer/Baycrest KOA has 78 sites, and 45 of them come with full hookups. The remainder are a mixture of electric-only and primitive sites that require you to dry camp. But if you reserve your spot ahead of time, you should be able to get a full hookup sites if you need them.
Alaska famously has frigid winters, so this park is only open during the warmer months of the year. Guests can book anytime between May 3 and September 15, so there’s a nice window of opportunity for anyone who wants to visit. Just be sure to pack warm clothes! Even during the summer, Alaska can be pretty chilly.
Now it’s time to talk about pricing. Because this is a KOA, the prices may be a bit higher than other campgrounds in the area. But you’ll get nice amenities and a gorgeous location for your money, so many campers feel that the value is worth the cost.
The average nightly prices are as follows:
- Back-In Site, No Hookups: $50 per night
- Back-In Site, Electric Only: $55 per night
- Back-In Site, Full Hookups: $78 per night
- Pull-Thru Site, Full Hookups, Patio: $87 per night
- Back-In Site, Full Hookups, Patio: $98 per night
The rates here can definitely be a bit steep, but you might want to splurge for one of the nicer sites if you took all the trouble to travel all the way up to Alaska! For more information about campground rates and availability, visit koa.com
Amenities
Even though you’ll be camping in a gorgeous rural setting, you don’t have to rough it out here. There are plenty of amenities that are designed to keep you satisfied throughout your stay.
Many of the campsites include full hookups, but even those that don’t come with easy access to a sink that’s perfect for washing your hands or your dirty dishes. Picnic tables are also available at each site, and some also have fancier setups with paved patios. The KOA also has a pavilion and a set of community fire pits where you can gather with larger groups.
Restrooms, bath houses, and a laundry facility are all within easy reach too. The park is also ADA-compliant, complete with wheelchair ramps and wide doorways. The laundry room even has an exterior deck where you can kick back and wait for the spin cycle to finish.
Wi-Fi is provided by the park, and a few cell-phone carriers also have decent coverage here. Users of Sprint, At&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have reported positive experiences with their connection. It’s still good to have a backup plan just in case, but you should be able to use the internet during your visit.
Although there are dining options in Homer, this RV park also has an on-site restaurant where you an grab snacks or full meals throughout the day! The Shortstop Grill offers a full lunch and dinner menu, ice cream, a snack bar, and grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches.
Additional amenities at the Homer/Baycrest KOA include:
- Firewood
- Ice
- Propane
- Gaga pit
- Volleyball
- Yard games
- Boat-themed playground
- Castle-themed playground
- KampK9 dog park
- Community events and planned activities
Nearby Activities/Attractions
This campground also offers special tours for its guests! If you can gather a group between 4–14 people, you can participate in a visit to the Norman Lowell Studio, as well as a tasting tour of local breweries, wineries, and more. It’s a great opportunity to experience the town of Homer with an experienced guide.
But if you want to break away from the KOA for a bit, there are plenty of other ways that you can spend your time in Homer. Take a walk down the historic Homer Shores Boardwalk, charter a fishing boat, or learn about the history of the area at the Pratt Museum. The Seldovia Bay Ferry is another great way to get out on the water and travel to a new spot for the day.
The wildlife is also amazing up here! You have a chance to spot seals and whales in the bay, bears in the woods, and birds in the trees. Wildlife tours can give you a better chance of spotting some local wildlife.
, but be sure to keep your camera at the ready. You never know when a bald eagle or a sea otter might show up.
There are lots of hikes and scenic lookouts as well. Homer offers a perfect blend of ocean views, dense forests, and towering mountains.
The dining options are nothing to sneeze at either. You can always pick up something at the campground, but be sure to check out popular restaurants like:
- Two Sister’s Bakery
- La Baleine Cafe
- Broken Oar Oyster Bar
- The Twisted Goat
- Vida’s Thai
- Fresh Catch Cafe
- Fat Olives Restaurant
- AJ’s Old Steakhouse and Tavern
- Mike’s Alaskan Eatery
- The Kannery
- Tickled Pear
- And more!
The selection up here is honestly impressive for such a remote area! Set aside some extra money for eating out, because there are plenty of delicious options for you to sample.
Homer/Baycrest KOA Holiday RV Reviews
Finally, let’s wrap up with some reviews. The Homer/Baycrest KOA has scores quite well, with an overall rating of 8.9/10 on RV Life Campgrounds. Nobody gave it a score that was below average, and most rated it as good or excellent.
One of the most common elements that guests enjoyed was the location! The campground overlooks the water, giving some amazing views of the ocean. The close proximity to Homer was another bonus.
This KOA has also improved and added features over the years, so it often has something new to enjoy. In fact, many people noted that they would gladly return to this RV park again. In fact, there was very little criticism to be found. It’s a great destination for your next Alaskan trip.
The landing page for the Homer/Baycrest KOA on RV Life Campgrounds is the perfect place to get real feedback from guests. Here, you can find tips from campers, Q&A, and detailed reviews of their experiences.
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- Top Three Alaska Highway RV Driving Tips for Newbies
- Winter RVing in Canada: 20 Tips For Camping in The North
- 10 Things You Won’t Want To Miss In Talkeetna, Alaska
The post Alaskan Coast Camping at Homer/Baycrest KOA Holiday appeared first on RV LIFE.
Source: https://rvlife.com/alaskan-coast-camping-at-homer-baycrest-koa/