A recent visit to Juneau reminded me how fortunate Alaskan’s are to have such an abundance of fresh, local seafood available to us.  In Juneau for meetings, I had the opportunity to splurge on Alaskan king crab, Alaska salmon kabobs, and salmon cakes.   One of my favorite restaurants in Juneau is The Twisted Fish – it specializes in Alaska seafood and is popular with both locals and visitors.  As a result of my trip to Juneau, I have fresh enthusiasm for including Alaska seafood in meal plans this winter. 

Returning to Anchorage, I took a poll around the office asking what they think the best seafood restaurants are around the State, so if you are visiting Alaska be sure to check out some of these restaurants our staff themselves seek out when they want fresh Alaskan seafood:

Anchorage:      Simon & Seafort’s
Juneau:              Twisted Fish
Fairbanks:        Pikes Landing
Skagway:           The Fish Company
Seward:             Resurrection Roadhouse
Talkeetna:        Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge (more…)

Comments(0) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

For the past five summers I have been visiting Denali and enjoying the locally owned restaurants.  When you arrive in the Denali National Park area you find several large lodges and of course each of these has one if not multiple restaurants, ranging from casual cafés to more upscale restaurants.  These restaurants are great but somtimes you want to explore the local fare, and there are several located within a few miles from the Denali Park entrance.

In the area known as the Denali Canyon you will find a full service restaurant & bar, a fish and chips restaurant, two beer and pizza joints, a hot dog stand and, and a burger joint with the best views in the canyon. The Denali Park Salmon Bake is located across from the Denali Princess Lodge and serves a hearty breakfast, has a full service bar and has a great lunch and dinner menu with local favorites such as Salmon Quesadillas and Halibut Tacos. (more…)

Comments(0) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

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…)

Comments(0) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

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…)

Comments(0) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

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…)

Comments(3) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

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…)

Comments(1) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

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…)

Comments(2) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post

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…)

Comments(1) |  Email This Post |  Print This Post