Summer Fun on the Kenai Peninsula.

• Author: KELSEY, MARK

The tourism industry markets Southcentral's playground yearround, but most people visit during the summer.

It takes little convincing to get people to visit the Kenai Peninsula during the summer.

And why not? A mere half-day's drive from Anchorage and the MatSu valleys, the peninsula offers a getaway experience without the expense and hassle of truly "getting away."

Much of the recent promotional effort in the tourism industry has come from the Kenai Peninsula Tourism Marketing Council, which promotes the summer season, as well as the winter and shoulder seasons. Bill Wasowicz, president of the KPTMC board, said the area is already beginning to see the fruits of its promotional labors, and numbers are expected to increase in coming years as word-of-mouth advertising takes over.

"We produced our first 'Weekender' guide this year. It's a full-color glossy highlighting things to do to attract people from the Anchorage Bowl area," he said. "Before, we targeted the summer season. Now, we target year-round visitors, the local folks."

It is a theme echoed by visitor centers and chambers of commerce around the area, where cities and towns try to show that there is more than one fun season and something for everyone on the Kenai Peninsula all year long. Still summer is the prime season for visitors to flock to this pristine wilderness area.

Soldotna

In the heart of the Kenai Peninsula, 150 road miles from Anchorage, is the city of Soldotna. And running through the center of Soldotna is the region's biggest draw-the Kenai River. The river, known in fishing circles as a world-class trout and salmon stream, is, indeed, the area's lifeblood. But there's much more to the river city than just fishing.

"We call Soldotna Alaska's little secret. Not a lot of people know about Soldotna, and they think it's just fishing," said Kim Mariman, visitors service manager at the Soldotna Visitors Center. "But we have the best of it all here, and we have the friendliness and hospitality of a small town."

Soldotna also has location on its side. Mariman touts Soldotna's central location as a great jumping-off point for day trips to other corners of the peninsula. Whether it be for a visit to the still-active gold mining community of Hope for its August pink salmon derby, the annual Summer Solstice Festival in Moose Pass, a fishing charter out of Ninilchik or Anchor Point, or just for a quiet beach walk in CaptainCook State Park north of Nikiski, nothing on the...