My family and I were fortunate enough to sneak in a quick camping trip over the recent Fourth of July weekend. By way of disclaimer, or perhaps confession, I should elaborate on my family’s idea of “camping”. First we load up the RV with roughly half of the contents of our Anchorage home and head south on the Seward Highway towards our favorite “camping spot” in Cooper Landing. Even with holiday traffic, and the obligatory stop at the Girdwood “Y” bakery for apple fritters, we made the trip in right around two hours. Okay, another confession, this “camping spot” I am talking about is really in the driveway of my brother-in-law’s house who manages and lives next door to the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge. (more…)

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You may not think a visit to a museum would normally be on your list of must see places to visit in Alaska, but a visit to the Anchorage Museum earlier this week gave me reason to believe otherwise.  I am really excited about visiting the Anchorage Museum this summer as it has been under renovation and expansion for the last three years. The Grand Opening occurs on May 22nd for the new Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center, the Imaginarium Discover Center, and the Thomas Planetarium among other new features of the museum. (more…)

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The Crow’s Nest Cabins are a great place to stay at Denali National Park. Working long summer hours in tourism my husband and I rarely get a quiet moment to relax together, but the Crow’s Nest Cabins allowed us to do so. For travelers it is a great property to visit as a quiet get away with beautiful views.  the Crow’s Nest is located just outside the entrance to the Park. (more…)

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The Anchorage Market & Festival in downtown Anchorage is open every weekend from Mid-May to mid-September throughout the summer.  It’s located in at the corner of 3rd and C Streets, just three blocks from Anchorage’s town square.  Market hours are from 10am to 6pm.  For locals who have visiting friends and relatives, its a great reason to come downtown on a weekend.   For visitors, its another great reason to explore downtown Anchorage.  (more…)

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Having booked reservations for Anchorage hotels for years, I often get asked where you should eat while here.  Anchorage is blessed with many great restaurants, but in downtown I have a few favorites.  If you are overnighting in downtown, it’s important to know where to get a great breakfast, and some hot coffee.  Locals love Snow City Café located at 1034 W. 4th Avenue, open from 7:00am – 3:00pm.  A reward winning local favorite, Snow City has a great atmosphere and fresh, original breakfasts such as their Ship Creek Benedict which include salmon cakes instead of the traditional Canadian bacon (which they have too).  Breakfast is served all day, but they have great sandwiches, pasta, and salads as well.  (more…)

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For a real Alaskan lodge experience while in Seward stay at the Seward Windsong Lodge.  The Seward Windsong Lodge is located just outside the city limits enroute to Exit Glacier. The lodge is set in a wooded setting near the Resurrection River with scenic views.  If you have stayed at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge then you will be delighted to know the lodge is operated by the same company and you will experience the same high quality of service and experience in Seward as well. (more…)

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We live a good distance away from downtown Anchorage so when we have evening functions on weekends we like to stay in town at an Anchorage hotel.  One of our most favorite hotels and probably the one we stay at the most is the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel and Spa.  The Sheraton is 16 stories tall, making it one of the taller buildings in downtown.  The hotel is located at 401 E. 6th Avenue, which is towards the east side of downtown.  (more…)

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Its’ hard to imagine coming to Anchorage, Alaska and not exploring the region further to such destinations as Denali, Seward, or Talkeetna but regularly I receive calls from cruise passengers and business travelers that only have one day to spend in Anchorage before departing and are seeking suggestions on what they should do and where they should go with their limited time. For visitors who have less than a full day in Anchorage, there are many great local sites to visit.  The Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center in downtown is within walking distance from many downtown hotels including the Sheraton Anchorage, which is located just two blocks away.   In addition, the Alaska Native Heritage Center is a must see if you are interested in experiencing Alaska Native culture first-hand through storytelling, authentic Native song or dance, and artist demonstrations.  Be sure to budget enough time at the Center to visit the life size native dwellings and meet each village site’s host who enjoy sharing their culture with you. The center offers courtesy shuttle service from various downtown locations during the summer months if you don’t rent a car. (more…)

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