See bears in their habitat

Nothing says "real Alaska experience" quite like a close encounter with bears. Although it's possible to see bears, most commonly black bears, within the city limits — yes, even right downtown — for the ultimate in bear viewing you want to travel to the wilderness — and Homer is the perfect jump-off point for such an adventure.

It pays big dividends to go with those who specialize in bear-viewing adventures.

Trips can be arranged to last a few hours or a few days with camping or lodging as part of the package. Most bear-viewing trips out of Homer are to Katmai Park and Preserve on the northern edge of the Alaska Peninsula — just an hour's plane ride from Homer. An estimated 4,700 bears live within Katmai, the highest concentration of brown bears anywhere in the world.

Both air-taxi services and charter-boat companies transport people to Katmai and offer a wide range of options.

Most guides have spent years around the bears and have come to understand their behavior and appropriate responses from humans. Some can even identify specific bears that they have observed for nearly 20 years. Guides will usually explain bear safety to visitors before departing and will continue to educate them about bear behavior while in the field.

A bear-viewing adventure is likely not only to yield spectacular photographs and stories galore, but a deep-seated respect for these majestic animals and the wilderness where they make their home.