The purpose of this blog is twofold. Firstly, it is to share the piece of Alaska that we have been lucky enough to enjoy. Secondly, to serve as my memory of the good companies we have found and used for our excursions and the fun areas we've been able to visit. This is my notepad of thoughts, ideas, and not to miss outings.
Alaska ..... the Last Frontier. You have ocean, mountains, a mild summer climate, snow and winter activities in the winter. You can enjoy endless sunshine in the summer and the Aurora Borealis in the winter. There are roads for vehicles and roads for recreation vehicles. Most of the state in not accessible by vehicle but by snowmachine, boat or plane. There are natives in villages with their own language, economy and infrastructure. Alaska is a beautiful state rich in culture and activities and it is a lifestyle that you must live in order to understand. .
Advantages of submerging yourself and your family into a new destination and lifestyle are plentiful. When we were given the opportunity to have Randy work in Anchorage, we had no idea all the fun we would have on his off time. We have been very fortunate to learn ALOT about the 49th state and really enjoy the life it gives us. We love to play and being outside. Regardless of weather, Alaskans seem to enjoy the fresh air and gorgeous views around every turn, ourselves included. The views I never get tired of.
When people say they want to visit Alaska, most people first think about a cruise ship and visiting the ports of call. It's a great way to see the lower part or Southeast portion of the state but you also want to see Anchorage, Fairbanks and what inland Alaska has to offer. If taking a cruise is the only way you are going to see the Last Frontier, take full advantage of that opportunity. If you have more time and are a bit more adventuresome, you may want to experience some of the hidden gems that we have found while living in Anchorage.
Committing the following into my blog in order to serve as my memory ......
Girdwood, Alaska and the Alyeska Resort is a fun day trip from Anchorage. It is less than an hour drive south of Anchorage along the Turnagain Arm. As you drive along the inlet you can enjoy the scenery of snowy peaks with the ocean below. It is vast and I always feel like I am such a small part of the universe and it gives me a feeling of "don't sweat the small stuff". You can pull out at the Beluga Point Lookout or look for dall sheep at the Windy Lookout. While in Girdwood do not miss the Double Musky Inn or Chair Five Restaurants if you are looking for a good meal. If you are looking for a spectacular view, take the gondola to the top of Alyeska and enjoy the scenery (pictured below)!
Continuing south a beautiful side trip is the Portage Lake and Glacier Road and in the summer you can take the Portage Glacier Cruise out to the glacier. It's gorgeous in summer or winter, although the road is much shorter in the winter. :) Continuing you come to the Whittier Tunnel which has quite the history and is a very interesting read. It is a one lane, one way, 2 1/2 mile tunnel that is shared between cars, trucks, motorcycles for both northbound and southbound and the train. There is a toll and a schedule. This picture is the opening to the tunnel.
The Kenai Peninsula is a playground for outdoor activities. We have gone salmon fishing down in Kenai area rivers and enjoyed the little town of Hope. When we have gone deep sea fishing out of the Seward Harbor our favorite fishing charter, whether for halibut or salmon is The Fish House. They are always good and professional and we've always come home with a freezer full! We have driven to the end of the road to Homer. During the drive you go through Soldotna where you can look across the inlet to the volcanos and Ninilchik, an old Russian village and end down at the Homer Split. While we visited Homer we took at flightseeing float plane excursion with Stellar Air over Kachemak Bay to see the glaciers, dall sheep, glaciers, islands and scenery. It was an amazing experience with the bush pilot being our tour guide. I'd highly recommend it for the experience of a lifetime!
Going north out of Anchorage has so many opportunities. Most people that come to Alaska come to visit Mt. McKinley and Denali Park National Park. We were no exception. Mt. McKinley is the largest mountain in North America at over 20,000 feet and Denali Park is the only national park with one road in and out. You can only take your own vehicle for the first 14+ miles and then you need to take the bus and park transportation until the end of the road in Kantishna at mile 92. There is no actual town of Denali but just a wide part in the road of the Parks Highway on the Nenana River. During the summer, tourist season they offer many activities, restaurants and tourist shops to enjoy the area and the outdoor activities in the area. We went and visited the Husky Homestead and learned about their dogsled team and the Iditarod experience. Snuggling with their puppies was a definite highlight!
Staying closer to Anchorage for day trips has been just as fun and interesting. Around each turn there are activities and places to be investigated. Wasilla, the home of Sarah Palin, and Palmer are both within an hour of Anchorage and are commuting distance for many residents. We have done a lot in Wasilla and Palmer and they have a lot to offer their residents. Outside of Palmer is the Hatcher Pass and the Independence Mine Historical Park. It is a beautiful scenic ride for an afternoon. In the winter it is the end of the road but in the summer you can reach Talkeetna after going over the pass. At the summit it was very reminiscent of the Austrian Alps.
Speaking of Talkeetna, that was a fun day trip when my mother came to visit. It is a historic, frontier little town that is the jump off to Mt. McKinley and Denali National Park. We had brunch at the Talkeetna Roadhouse which is a family style restaurant that has a warm fireplace and showers in their restrooms for the guests who are staying overnight after visiting the outback. The food was delicious and the cinnamon rolls were amazing and not to be missed!! While in Talkeetna we went to the Sun Dog Kennels, the home of Jerry Sousa's dog sled team. The dog sled tour was exciting and informative about the Iditarod race. The dogs led us on ATVs through the countryside and shared their excitement with "the run".
You don't have to stay outside of Anchorage in order to enjoy the sights of Alaska. While in Anchorage there is so much you can do to enjoy the day. Looking for an incredible view, nice hike, and if you want to bike down, that's also an option. Go to Flattop Mountain. In the winter the road can be a bit crazy but the view from above is more than worth it. When the kids have come to visit we have rented ATVs and gone on a half day ATV tour. It's definitely a highlight. It's perfect for adventuresome individuals who like to trail ride, like myself, to the crazies who want to jump, slide, skid and bust ass like my husband and my sons! The tour guide was awesome for all skill levels. There are 3 ski hills in the Anchorage area for skiing and snowboarding. Hilltop, Arctic Valley and Alyeska. Alyeska being the "destination" to ski where the others are day hills.
In the summer downtown Anchorage has their Farmers Market. It's a good way to taste the flavors of anchorage and buy some of the local goods. There is also the Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall which has a great selection of some high end stores as well as normal mall flare. Stores I were surprised to find in Alaska are Nordstroms, Michael Kors, Pandora, Lush, and Oil and Vinegar. Dorothy, we are not in Kansas any more! How about hockey? The Alaska Aces is the local AA hockey team and is a great and affordable activity to enjoy with the family while in Anchorage. When the Aces played the Stockton Thunder I was a little torn on who to root for!
Before we actually relocated to Anchorage I had been to Alaska on two cruises. I always thought of it as a "port of call" and not necessarily as a city, town, state, with conveniences and amenities for it's residents. I love Alaska. I enjoy the small town feel. I feel the scenery is unsurpassed and anyone lucky enough to visit is "lucky enough". These notes are my takeaways and will be added upon. Organizing my thoughts and ideas and favorites is only making me want to expand on my blog. Standby for favorite restaurants, weekend getaways and what it's like to have MVP status on Alaska Airlines. :)
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