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Just a couple hours south of Anchorage lies a twisty stretch of road that passes though Cooper Landing. The town, with about 350 full-time residents, is a vibrant summertime hub. Surrounded by the Kenai Mountains and turquoise waters of the Kenai River, the stop is a must for those visiting the Kenai Peninsula.

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A copy of the Gwin's Lodge Gazette serves as a placemat and menu at the restaurant in Cooper Landing. A full bowl of salmon chowder is one of the most popular offerings.

The small town was named for Joseph Cooper, who struck gold in Cooper Creek in 1894. Another former Cooper Landing resident, and one of Cooper's grandsons, Loren Leman, is a former lieutenant governor of Alaska. The small, historic town has deep roots in Alaska's history but is quaint and is home to many lodges, summer cabins and charter services as well as Alaska wildlife.

One way to experience Cooper Landing is a visit to Gwin's Lodge at Mile 52 Sterling Highway. Gwin's hosts a restaurant that is open year-round and 15 cabins and chalets, each with a private bath.

Robert Siter, owner and manager of the lodge, said Gwin's is in a great location. The lodge, one of Alaska's oldest traditionally built log roadhouse lodges, opened in January 1952. The cabins were restored in 2005.

"Cooper Landing is one of the most scenic places in the state," he said.

According to Gwin's Web site, the lodge is the closest full-service lodge to the Kenai River and Russian River confluence, which is a highly productive sockeye salmon sportfishery.

New to the 2009 season is the Salmon Bake Music Pavilion, with more than 2,500 square feet of open-air screened dining and Alaska music every Friday and Saturday evening. Along with music, the restaurant offers a variety of salmon and cod grilled fresh.

Siter said the atmosphere is great for families and visitors passing through.

"Folks can come in and get a salmon dinner and listen to music," he said.

Another great place to visit in Cooper Landing is the Cooper Landing Historical Society Museum at Mile 48.7 Sterling Highway. The museum is open May 15 through Sept. 15 Wednesdays through Mondays.

The town's history is displayed in two historic buildings: the schoolhouse, built in 1955, and Jack Lean's cabin, built in the late 1920s and used today as the town's post office.

The museum is filled with old newspapers, videotapes of early town residents and an articulated skeleton of a 20-year-old brown bear killed on the Sterling Highway near Soldotna. There also are medical instruments used by area doctors Joseph H. Romig and Howard G. Romig from 1896 to 1980 and a slab of Sitka spruce that is said to be approximately 600 years old.

Cooper Landing historian Mona Painter said the museum also has a new pavilion covering the old mining equipment from Jims Mine on Surprise Creek. The items, which were donated when the museum opened and then stored, are now displayed under the pavilion.

"It is more of a feature," she said.

For those wanting to see the natural beauty of Cooper Landing, Painter recommends visitors drive to Cooper Lake on Snug Harbor Road. On the way to the lake, she said, keep looking to the left to view a breathtaking waterfall. Painter said the waterfall had been hidden by trees but today there is a view from the road.

"It is beautiful," she said. "It doesn't even have a name."

Those visiting the first week in June can watch Kenai River guides race during the annual Kenai River Drift Boat Regatta. The race is a kickoff to area fishing and a very busy time in Cooper Landing.

Painter, a full-time resident of Cooper Landing, said the area is a great place to be.

"It is so beautiful. You have the lake and the river ... and of course the terrific fishing."

For those ready to hike and see more, locals rave about the U.S. Forest Service trails that cover 157 miles and are maintained and kept clear for hikers.

All visitors should remember that the Kenai Peninsula is home to both brown and black bears. It is estimated that there may be 3,000 black bears and nearly 300 brown bears on the Peninsula. Keeping bears away from human food is the best way to prevent contact with them.

Another way to get out and learn about Alaska is at the K'Beq Archeological Site at Mile 52.6 Sterling Highway. Dena'ina Athabascans share their culture and traditions with visitors through interpretive walks and a viewing area. Visitors can view artifacts more than 500 years old and discover how the Dena'ina respected the plants and animals of the land.

Freelance writer Sara J. Hardan-Smith lives in Nikiski.