Ocean Shores Hotel
3500 Crittenden Dr
Homer, AK
At the end of the Alaska road, every room faces the glacier.
About Ocean Shores Hotel
Mike Warburton and his family have run the Ocean Shores Hotel since 1994, and one branch of the family line goes back six generations to the Nome gold rush. They built the property on four acres of hillside above Kachemak Bay so that every room faces the same direction: the bay, the Kenai Mountains, the glaciers that descend toward the water, and St. Augustine, the active stratovolcano that sits on the horizon to the southwest. A private beach sits at the bottom of the property, accessible by trail. Homer calls itself the Cosmic Hamlet by the Sea. The New York Times, Frommer's, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, and Alaska for Dummies have all recommended the Ocean Shores Hotel.
What Ocean Shores Hotel Is Known For
The New York Times, Frommer's, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, and Alaska for Dummies have all recommended it, and that volume of coverage from different editorial standards is not a coincidence. The Warburtons have maintained the property and the relationship with guests the same way since 1994: with warmth that reads immediately as real, deep knowledge of the Homer area and how to spend time in it, and a physical plant that is kept clean and comfortable and pointed, always, at the view that made the property worth building in the first place. Six generations of Alaskan roots show in how the family talks about the land outside the window.
Amenities
- WiFi
- Private beach with driftwood fire access (only hotel in Homer with this)
- Trail from property to beach
- Tidepooling access on private beach
- BBQ grills on property
- Sun terrace
- Kannery Grill restaurant on site
- Sleep masks provided (free, sealed, unused) for Midnight Sun
- Senior (60+) and Military discount rates available
What Guests Love
- Private beach access with permitted driftwood fires, unique in Homer among lodging properties
- Every one of rooms faces Kachemak Bay, the Kenai Mountains, and glaciers: no bad rooms, no courtyard-facing compromise
- Family-owned since 1994 by the Warburtons, with six generations of Alaska roots: genuine warmth and deep local knowledge, Homer-style
- Kannery Grill on site for the evenings you want to stay at the view
- Two blocks from downtown Homer: the art galleries, the Pratt Museum, independent restaurants, and the best coffee on the Kenai Peninsula are walkable
Worth Knowing
- The Midnight Sun is real from May through August: the sky does not get dark, and without blackout curtains, early risers will find themselves awake at pre-dawn in full daylight. The hotel provides complimentary sleep masks (sealed, unused) for guests who need them. Bring your own blackout solution if this matters to your sleep.
- Beachfront and Terrace tier rooms are closest to the water and the beach trail. Hillside rooms have the same panoramic view but require more walking to reach the beach. Worth specifying your preference when booking.
- The private beach is rocky and tidal, not a swimming beach. The experience is driftwood fires, beachcombing, and tidepooling at low tide: excellent for all three.
- Homer is 225 miles from Anchorage, about a 4.5-hour drive on the Sterling Highway. The drive itself is worth doing slowly: the highway runs through the Kenai Peninsula with moose, mountains, and river canyon views for much of the route.
- The Kannery Grill on property serves steaks, seafood, and spirits. Hours are seasonal; confirm with the property if you're planning dinner around it.
The Room
Rooms across three tiers on the hillside: Beachfront (closest to the water), Terrace (mid-hillside), and Hillside (upper). All face the panorama. Most rooms have a private balcony; the kitchenette units are the exception. Every room includes a microwave, mini-fridge, TV, and free WiFi. The furnishings are comfortable rather than curated, and the Alaska-themed artwork on the walls reads as earned rather than installed: local artists, local imagery, local perspective. Beds are comfortable, linens clean and fresh. Room tip from guests: request Beachfront or Terrace tier for the closest view and easiest beach access. If you plan to photograph the view from bed, a Beachfront room with the picture window is the one.
The Grounds
The property sits on four acres of hillside above the water, with a trail connecting the rooms down to the private beach. At low tide, the tidepooling on the beach is exceptional: local schools bring students here specifically during the school year to study intertidal life, and guests with any curiosity about what lives in the cold water of the Gulf of Alaska will find it at their feet. Driftwood fires are permitted on the beach. BBQ grills are available on property. The sun terrace offers the view without the walk. Free parking is directly outside every room. Downtown Homer, with the Pratt Museum, the Bunnell Street Arts Center, independent coffee shops, and the best restaurants on the peninsula, is two blocks away on foot.
The Experience
Homer operates on a different rhythm than most Alaska destinations. The days are long in summer: genuinely, unusably long, with usable daylight past midnight. The outdoor program is not a list of optional activities but a series of things that will happen to you if you show up and get in a boat or a floatplane and go. Halibut fishing off Homer is some of the most productive in the world; a charter boat is how most people spend their first full day. The second day tends to involve a water taxi across the bay to Kachemak Bay State Park, where the mountains begin where the water ends and the hiking is genuinely remote within 20 minutes of the dock. Flightseeing to the Harding Icefield or the volcanoes across the bay. A bear viewing tour by floatplane to Katmai, 45 minutes out, where the brown bears fish the falls in numbers that are consistently more than people expect. In the evenings, Homer's art scene becomes available: galleries open late, the Bunnell Street Arts Center runs rotating exhibitions and performances, and the restaurant strip along Pioneer Avenue does not close early. The Kannery Grill on the Ocean Shores property handles the nights you do not want to leave the view.
Details
Homer, AK 99603
The Boutel designation is earned, not purchased. Boutels is editorially independent and has no financial relationship with any listed property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ocean Shores Hotel pet friendly?
No, Ocean Shores Hotel does not allow pets.
Does Ocean Shores Hotel have EV charging?
No, Ocean Shores Hotel does not have EV charging.
Does Ocean Shores Hotel have WiFi?
Yes, Ocean Shores Hotel has WiFi.
What is there to do near Ocean Shores Hotel?
Homer Spit: 2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there. Kachemak Bay State Park: 4 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there. Pratt Museum: 0.2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
How far is Ocean Shores Hotel from Homer Spit?
2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is Ocean Shores Hotel from Kachemak Bay State Park?
4 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.
How far is Ocean Shores Hotel from Pratt Museum?
0.2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
Is Ocean Shores Hotel the only hotel in Homer with private beach access?
Yes. Ocean Shores is the only lodging in Homer where guests can walk directly from the property to a private beach and build a driftwood fire on the sand. The tidepooling at low tide is so good that local schools bring students here during the school year.
Does the Midnight Sun affect sleep at Ocean Shores?
Yes. In Homer in summer, the sky stays light well past midnight and is bright again before pre-dawn. Ocean Shores provides complimentary sleep masks for guests, but the masks are light. If blackout sleep is important to you, bring a sleep mask or blackout eye covering of your own. The hotel does not have blackout curtains.
How do I get to Homer from Anchorage?
Homer is 225 miles south of Anchorage on the Sterling Highway, about a 4.5-hour drive. The drive through the Kenai Peninsula is excellent: mountain views, rivers, and a good chance of seeing moose. Alaska Airlines also operates seasonal flights to Homer Airport (HOM), a 3-mile drive from the hotel.
What outdoor activities are available from Homer?
Homer is the hub for halibut fishing charters (some of the world's most productive grounds), bear viewing floatplane tours to Katmai, water taxis to Kachemak Bay State Park for hiking and kayaking, flightseeing over the Harding Icefield and the Kenai volcanoes, and guided sea kayaking in the bay. The hotel staff can help arrange or recommend outfitters for any of these.
Does Ocean Shores Hotel have a restaurant?
Yes. Kannery Grill on the property serves steaks, seafood, and spirits. Hours are seasonal: confirm with the hotel before planning dinner around it.
What is the difference between Beachfront, Terrace, and Hillside rooms?
All three tiers face the same panoramic view of Kachemak Bay and the Kenai Mountains. Beachfront rooms are the closest to the water and the trail down to the private beach. Terrace rooms are mid-hillside. Hillside rooms are the highest on the property, with the widest panorama and the longest walk to the beach. If beach access matters to your stay, request Beachfront or Terrace when booking.
Is a car necessary to get around Homer?
A car is useful but not essential for most of what Ocean Shores guests come for. The hotel is on the Homer Spit, a 4.5-mile road extending into Kachemak Bay with fishing charters, restaurants, galleries, and the Salty Dawg Saloon all along its length. Bear viewing floatplanes, halibut charters, and water taxis to Kachemak Bay State Park all depart from the Spit within walking distance of the hotel. The main town of Homer, with its independent food and coffee scene, is a short drive up the hill.
Does Ocean Shores Hotel have a pool?
Ocean Shores Hotel does not have a pool. Ocean Shores Hotel is 2 miles from Homer Spit, most guests are here for the park and surrounding outdoor recreation.
Is parking available at Ocean Shores Hotel?
Yes. Free on-site parking is available at Ocean Shores Hotel.
Does Ocean Shores Hotel include breakfast?
No. Breakfast is not included at Ocean Shores Hotel.
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Things to Do Near Homer and Kachemak Bay
Homer Spit
2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can bike there.
A 4.5-mile gravel spit that juts into Kachemak Bay, lined with halibut charter boats, seafood restaurants converted from canneries, kayak outfitters, and a boardwalk at the very end where you are standing in open water with the Kenai Mountains in every direction. The Spit is where the Homer fishing fleet lands, where the water taxis to Kachemak Bay State Park depart, and where the Land's End feeling of Homer is most concentrated.
Kachemak Bay State Park
4 miles, about a 10 minute drive, or you can bike there.
Accessible only by water taxi from Homer Spit (15 to 30 minutes across the bay), Kachemak Bay State Park encompasses 400,000 acres of mountains, glaciers, tidal flats, and coastal forest where the next road is 40 miles away. Hiking, kayaking, and beachcombing begin immediately at the dock. The Grewingk Glacier trail is the most popular; guided kayak tours depart from the Halibut Cove area on the park's edge. Water taxis run daily in season.
Pratt Museum
0.2 miles, about a 5 minute drive, or you can walk.
Homer's natural and cultural history museum, two blocks from the hotel, with exhibits on the Kachemak Bay ecosystem, Alaska Native heritage, and the area's homesteading and fishing history. The adjacent gardens and the satellite station on the Homer Spit monitoring birds and wildlife around the bay round out a property that operates at a level unusual for a town of 5,000.