[citation needed] Long known as the "Halibut Fishing Capital of the World", Homer is also nicknamed "the end of the road", and more recently, "the cosmic hamlet by the sea".

Winters are snowy and long, but not particularly cold, considering the latitude, with the average January high only slightly below freezing.

The annual snowfall averages 50 inches (127 cm) per season, falling primarily from November through March, with some accumulation in October and April but rarely in May.

Homer receives only about 25 inches of rainfall annually due to the influence of the Chugach Mountains to the southeast, which shelter it from the Gulf of Alaska.

[8] Summers are cool due to the marine influence, with 75 °F (24 °C) maxima or minima remaining at or above 55 °F (13 °C) being extremely rare.

Tiller digs indicate that early Alutiiq people probably camped in the Homer area, although their villages were on the far side of Kachemak Bay.

According to local historian Janet Klein, he was an employee of the Alaska Railroad and had wintered company horses on the beach grasses on the Homer Spit.

The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve co-host a visitor center with interpretive displays known as the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center,[15] and a cultural and historical museum there is called the Pratt Museum.

[17] The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District provides primary and secondary education to the community of Homer.

These schools are: The Kachemak Bay Campus of Kenai Peninsula College provides post-secondary education, as well as ESL and GED training to the community of Homer.

[citation needed] Because of the city of Homer's location on the Kenai Peninsula and its abundance of natural resources and marine habitats, there are many public education programs focused on the environment.

[18] Both organizations encourage science education and sponsor many events aimed to teach people of all ages about the ecosystem and conservation.

The festival is held annually in early May when more than 13,000 shorebirds from 25 different species visit the Kachemak Bay area during spring migration.

Some birds seen during the spring migration and the festival include horned puffins, sandhill cranes, and arctic terns.

[24] Many of the birds seen during the festival can be identified with the help of published guides that categorize distinguishable features such as, topography, silhouette, size, and color.

The Homer Airport lies near the coast as well, with local air taxis and regular scheduled commercial flights to Anchorage.