[LM_NET] HIT: OT Anchorage vacation

[Debra Allen <kidsbooks2002@YAHOO.COM>]

Wow, you guys are great!

It seems that several of us will be visiting Alaska this summer, so here is the 
info:

Be sure to go on up to Denali and take the bus tour.  It takes a full day, but it 
is not to be missed! ;-) Rent a car or take the train, and it will take several 
hours, but GO! ;-) If you drive, drop in and see Telkeetna. It is a delightful 
little town.

Drive down to Seward.  Stop at the Alaska Conservation place along the way.  In 
Seward, visit Exit Glacier, the Sea Life Center, and do a cruise in the Kenai 
Fjords (take seasick meds - it is kind of rough water)  You might want to check out 
getting on a cruise from Seward.  They are cheap right now.  Last I heard you could 
get inside cabin for 7 night for around $500-700 each.  We highly recommend Holland 
America. 

My favorite things to do the last 2 summers I was up there, were a glacier/bay 
cruise, and fishing from Seward or Whittier.    The museum in Anchorage is really 
good.  The trip to Denali takes a long time, so we went to Talkeetna.  It is the 
starting off point for climbing in Denali...The views are just as good with a lot 
less time involved.  The town is really fun, cute shops and a fun museum that 
traces the history of climbing in the park.  We went berry picking, hiking.  Near 
Girdwood is a nature/animal reserve..you get to see the animals very up close.  
They rescue animals and rehab or keep them.  Better than the Anchorage Zoo, I was 
disappointed in that.  Also, we panned for gold at a place near Girdwood.  The 
mountain sheep hang out on that highway as well.  The shopping in Anchorage is 
limited...there is a downtown area mall, and the tourist shops are all over.  
Although, there are some of them that have as good a prices as you can get 
elsewhere,
for t-shirts and such. For food, we loved Humpys..a bar in downtown Anchorage.  
Also the Moose's Tooth has good pizza.    The Beartooth Theatre Pub & Grill is 
supposed to be fun...watch a movie while you eat, but during the week is better 
than weekends, as it fills fast. 

I would definitely go to Seward and take one of the boat tours out to Kenai Fjords. 
All the tour operators are fine but Major Marine has a lunch/dinner cruise which is 
quite good. Leaves at 11:00 and returns at 7:00 if all goes well weather-wise.
Go to the musk ox farm in Palmer.
There's a great museum in Anchorage.
If you can get a couple extra days go to Denali National Park.
Anchorage often gets a lot of rain in the summer.  Bring your good rain gear for 
this, also expect cooler daily temps, a few sweatshirts would be a good idea.  Also 
be ready for mosquitoes, bring your repellant.  Last, there will be daylight nearly 
constantly when you’ll be there.  I do not know what your room situation will be 
like, but I found it difficult to sleep with midnight sun.  The easiest and 
cheapest solution to light at night is aluminum foil and scotch tape on the windows 
of your room.  It’s one of those things that makes a lot more sense when you’re 
having a hard time falling asleep because your senses tell you it could be noon 
outside.   
       Things to do:  Get yourself a rental car if it’s in the budget.  There is 
some very cool stuff in easy driving range.  One place I enjoy seeing is the 
Alyeska Ski Resort.  It’s just South East of Anchorage on the highway that goes 
along the Cook Inlet .  If you continue down that road a bit more you can stop in a 
place I think was called Glacier Bay.  It has a viewing station to look at an ice 
flow which drops glaciers in the lake.  There is some light hiking in that area and 
the mountains are spectacular to see.  
        Another place which was amazing to see for me was something called “ 
Glacier Park ” it is not to be mistaken with the Glacier Park in NW Montana.  
This Glacier Park is actually privately owned and lays about a 2 hour drive to the 
north beyond Palmer.  You have to pay an entrance fee, but you can walk along some 
paths that take you on top of the glacier.  It is an experience.  The drive out 
there takes you along some of the Alaska rivers and valleys and also offers some 
stops in local mining towns.  The local flavor is something else.  
       In Anchorage itself you ought to try and take a walk or two in the parks 
that go along the cook inlet on the west side of town.  They are near the most 
notable hotel there, The Hotel Captain Cook.  Just to the north of that is an area 
that has a Saturday Farmer’s Market I enjoyed visiting.  The downtown area, which 
is near the same hotel also offers a very nice art museum with a lot of Alaska art. 
 In that area is a pedestrian street with the visitor’s center, they have 
fantastic information there about the lay of the land and things that are 
happening.  I also hope you like seafood, that is a great place to eat the 
treasures of the ocean. 
      The last thing I recommend you try to do if you have the time and desire is 
to take your rental car down the Kenai Peninsula .  They have some interesting 
things to visit and the scenery is out of this world.  About 200 years ago it was a 
Russian hunting outpost and they have some Russian Orthodox chruches that hold a 
lot of history.  I visited one in Seward.  
       You might also consider trying to budget some money for buying Walrus Ivory. 
 When I lived on the Island I spent a few thousand dollars on the ivory carved by 
the natives there.  It is legal provided the ivory came from a walrus hunted for 
Eskimo food and the carving was done by an Eskimo. It is available in some of the 
gift shops there, though it tends to be a lot more expensive than the ivory you 
find in places like Nome . 
I would recommend driving to Girdwood, which is about 45 minutes south of Anchorage 
, and visiting the Alyeska Ski Resort.  During the summer, you can ride the tram up 
the mountain and take in the spectacular views.  There are great restaurants in 
Girdwood as well, such as Chair 5 and Double Musky.  Double Musky is pricier, but 
the food is well worth it!  I believe you can also rent bicycles in Girdwood to 
ride around the small town, if you’re interested in that.  The drive down to 
Girdwood is beautiful as well. 
A little past Girdwood is where the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is located. 
 http://www.alaskawildlife.org/visit.html  Visitors can see bears, moose, musk 
oxen, caribou, etc. in a (sometimes very) up close experience.  I recommend it over 
the Alaska Zoo.  You can also take the Portage Glacier cruise, located in the same 
area.  http://portageglaciercruises.com/ 
In Anchorage , it just depends on what you want to do.  I would definitely 
recommend attending the Downtown Saturday Market. 
http://www.anchoragemarkets.com/main.html  They have great food, fresh local 
produce, and tons of Alaskan items.  Perfect if you’re looking to take souvenirs 
back to Mississippi .  Another good souvenir place is Alaska Wildberry Chocolates. 
http://www.alaskawildberryproducts.com/  They are located in a different part of 
Anchorage , but have a chocolate waterfall and they give out free samples! 
And one place that you have to eat is Moose’s Tooth.  
http://www.moosestooth.net/index2.htm  It’s a pub and pizzeria with the BEST 
pizza and salads around.  It’s ALWAYS busy, so the best time to go is either 
before Noon or between 2:30-4:30 if you don’t want to have to wait too long.  But 
even if you have to wait, it is well worth it! 
I hope this helps you plan a great vacation!  I love Alaska in July…it’s 
usually sunny and fairly warm.
In the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, which is an hour drive away, you should visit 
Hatcher Pass.  There is an old gold mine that has been turned into a park.  It's a 
very nice walk/hike.  Can be a bit steep, but a must see.  
Museums in Anchorage
Sourdough Mining Co (dinner and a show)
Drive down Turnagain arm and visit Alyeska Ski Resort and Girdwood

Debbie Allen, Librarian  Sudduth Elementary, Starkville MS  kidsbooks2002@yahoo.com


      

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