2025 Visitors' Guide

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2025 OUTLOOK FOR DENALI NATIONAL PARK

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CHECK OUT A HISTORIC ALASKA ROADHOUSE

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CANNABIS: A CONSUMER’S GUIDE

OFFICIAL VISITORS’ GUIDE • 2025

EXPLORING ALASKA WITH KIDS

Excursions your family will love, no matter the age range PG.26

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WORLD-CLASS HIKES NEAR ANCHORAGE

Be inspired by the light of the Aurora Borealis. Renew your energy under the Midnight Sun. Experience the warmth of Fairbanks—Alaska’s Golden Heart—and the basecamp to Denali, Interior and Arctic Alaska.

Make the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center your first stop to planning your Alaskan adventure.

Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center 101 Dunkel Street • Downtown Fairbanks 8am – 6pm Summer • 8am – 5pm Winter

www.explorefairbanks.com (907) 456-5774

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VISITORS’ GUIDE • 2025

EPIC ADVENTURES AWAIT, BUT THAT’S NOT ALL RIDE A DOGSLED, HIKE A GL ACIER, SEE SOME THING SPECTACUL AR – WE’LL HELP YOU G E T TO T H AT, A N D S O M E G RE AT FOOD, DRIN K A N D F U N A LO N G T HE WAY

CONTENTS 7 / GLACIERS Get close to some ice

21 / TRAILS Great hikes near Anchorage

9 / FLIGHTSEEING Alaska by air

28 / WILDLIFE See animals up close — safely

12 / WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS Explore Kennecott Mines and more

26 / KID-FRIENDLY TRIPS Fun for the whole family in the Anchorage area

15 / HISTORIC ROADHOUSES Here are some you can still visit today 17 / HIKING Tips, etiquette and safety 19 / BOAT TRIPS Alaska by water

31 / MARIJUANA A guide to legal cannabis in Alaska 33 / FISHING Where fishing dreams come true 37 / ALASKA BREWERIES Where to sample some great Alaska beers

DEAR READER, Alaska has a larger-than-life reputation, so we tend to talk about it in superlatives. It’s the biggest state with the most massive bears and the tallest mountains. It’s got the most glaciers, miles of coastline, volcanoes and acres of wilderness, the longest summer days, coldest winter nights and the brightest northern lights.

It’s these qualities that attract visitors every year. They’re coming for bucket-list, print-and-frame-the-photo, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and that’s exactly what they get. Cruise past calving glaciers and breaching whales, ride a dogsled on an ice field, watch grizzly bears feasting on salmon, or fly past the highest peaks in North America. It’s a superlative opportunity at every turn.

If you live in Alaska any longer than a handful of months, you develop a different perspective. We appreciate a soaring mountain range and cracking glacier as keenly as any avid traveler.

Some of us even make the outdoors a full-time job.

But a person cannot subsist on outdoor adventure alone. And who would want to? There’s a great local beer for the end of that big hike, and some key gear will make getting there comfier. An epic day on the water deserves to be kicked off with a serious cup of coffee, and a long summer evening is even better with a really good meal and a great view.

Discovering the excellent creature comforts of Alaska is an adventure in itself, and honing an insider’s map of the best coffeeshops, public-use cabins, Thai restaurants and local breweries is the delightful work of years. Locals know that if you have kids, getting anywhere and back is an expedition on its own — even if it’s just to the grocery store. We’ll give you some strategies for sharing great Alaska experiences with little ones in tow.

Tapping into that insider’s knowledge of Alaska and combining it with all the information you need for your bucket-list adventure is the goal of this Visitors’ Guide. The joy of being a local is that you can get the best of both worlds; through these pages, that’s what we hope to share with you.

— VICTORIA BARBER Editor

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ANCHORAGE

FAIRBANKS

41 / Find the best seafood in the city

56 / Land of spectacular extremes

44 / Downtown Anchorage nightlife, shopping and more

KENAI

47 / Museums, galleries and cultural centers 54 / Exploring Anchorage’s terrific trail system

VALDEZ

58 / Explore Hope, Seward, Soldotna, Kenai and Homer

MAT-SU • EAGLE RIVER 60 / There’s magic in the Valley

49 / Endless options await

GIRDWOOD • WHITTIER • SEWARD

JUNEAU • SOUTHEAST • KODIAK

63 / Tips for an epic road trip down the famed Seward Highway

51 / Unforgettable ports of call

PUBLISHER

Ryan Binkley

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Nina Wladkowski

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VP OF SALES AND SPECIAL PROJECTS

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SALES

The newsroom of the Anchorage Daily News is responsible for the content of the Alaska Visitors’ Guide.

VISITORS’ GUIDE EDITOR EDITOR

Ryan Estrada, Victoria Hansen, Joleesa Stepetin, Justin Thompson

MANAGING EDITOR

Victoria Barber David Hulen Vicky Ho

PHOTO EDITOR

Anne Raup

COVER PHOTO

Bill Roth

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Kevin Powell

CONTRIBUTORS

Laurel Andrews, Bailey Berg, Bob Hallinen, Alli Harvey, Erik Hill, Loren Holmes, Zachariah Hughes, David James, Erin Kirkland, Marc Lester, Lisa Maloney, Josh Niva, Katie Pesznecker, Bill Roth, Mara Severin

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NORTHERN HOSPITALITY Locations in Dawson City, Denali and Skagway feature comfortable accommodations, friendly service and inviting dining options.

HollandAmericaHotels.com 800.544.0970

Awaken your sense of adventure at one of our five inviting wilderness lodges or on a scenic rail tour to Denali National Park.

princesslodges.com • 800.426.0500 Copper River • Denali • Fairbanks • Kenai • Mt. McKinley

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PROJECT INFO - INTERACTIVE MAP - TRAFFIC UPDATES - AND MORE!

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It is the policyy oof the Alaska Department of Transportation ation and Public Facilities F (DOT&PF) that no one shall be subjectt to t discrimination on the basis of race, color,, national origin, sex, s age, or disability.

HERE’S HOW TO GET UP CLOSE TO GLACIERS IN SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA

By L A U R E L A N D R E W S

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hether you live in Alaska or are visiting, glaciers are one of the state’s most awe-inspiring and unique attractions.

Home to the most glaciers in the United States, Alaska offers incredible glacier experiences for people of all ages and abilities.

We narrowed the trips on this list down to those under 150 miles — or a two- to threehour drive — from Anchorage.

But before planning your next adventure, let’s talk briefly about glacier safety.

HOW TO ENJOY GLACIERS AND STAY SAFE All visitors to glacial areas will benefit from bringing warm, layered clothes, sturdy shoes or boots, and a windbreak layer. Glaciers are colder than surrounding areas and often breezy.

Walking on glaciers can be dangerous unless — and sometimes even if — you have proper training and equipment.

Crevasses and moulins (deep holes) form in the glacier, some of which aren’t always visible. Only experienced outdoors people with extensive knowledge should trek the surface of a glacier by themselves; otherwise, hire a guide to lead you safely.

Glacier safety while kayaking and boating (Page 19) is crucial. Tidewater glaciers can calve at any moment.

“Sudden waves from calving ice can slam the shore with surprising power, sweeping away kayaks and gear stored well above the apparent high tide line” the National Park Service writes on the Kenai Fjords National Park website.

Stay at least a half-mile away from the glacier when kayaking or on a boat, the park service recommends. Land on beaches that are at least two miles from a tidewater glacier.

Don’t try to paddle between two large icebergs

Passengers aboard the Klondike Express take photos of Surprise Glacier during their Prince William Sound cruise with Phillips Cruises & Tours. / PHOTO BY ANNE RAUP

and remain as far away from an iceberg as twice its width or height. The same formula applies when walking around the glacier’s terminus, or toe. Maintain awareness of your surroundings.

One last note: Some of Alaska’s glaciers may be hard to access due to certain seasonal conditions. Make sure to contact local visitors centers for current information.

Got it? Phew. Now for the fun stuff.

DISCLAIMER: This list explores some of the most popular glaciers, but for brevity’s sake does not include many of the tour operators offering hikes, boat trips, scenic flights, kayaking and more. Information about tours can be found with a simple online search.

PORTAGE VALLEY: ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL AGES About an hour’s drive from Anchorage on the Seward Highway is Portage Valley and the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center. Two glaciers are easily accessible in the valley.

Byron Glacier is considered highly accessible for all ages. The 1.4-mile trail to the glacier is a flat, easy walk. The first half is well-maintained with a wide path. The second half is rocky, and to get closer to the glacier, visitors must cross boulders and small streams. The trail can get especially buggy in the summer, so be prepared.

Then there’s Portage Glacier. The glacier has receded out of view from the visitor center, but in the summer there’s a daily cruise and a pull-off where you can see the glacier from the road. A little farther down the road, Portage Pass trail is a 4-mile round-trip hike with glacier views.

During the winter, frozen Portage Lake is a popular spot for skiers, ice skaters and bikers traveling toward the toe of the glacier.

There are no park rangers around in case of emergency, though, so traverse the ice at your own risk and watch for thin or weak ice. (The glacier calves year-round, dropping ice that in winter can cause the frozen surface of the lake to fracture and create additional water hazards.)

Check the visitor center website for current information about operating hours and fees.

WHITTIER AND PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND: TIDEWATER GLACIER TOURS Continue down Portage Glacier Road another few miles — including a trip through the 2.5-mile-long Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel — and you wind up in the town of Whittier.

Whittier is the launching point for many cruises in Prince William Sound, which boasts more tidewater glaciers than any other region in North America. (Valdez is another launching spot, about a five-hour drive from Anchorage.)

Columbia, Meares and Blackstone glaciers are just three of the oft-visited glaciers in the area. There are many different types of tours, kayaking opportunities and public-use cabins in Prince William Sound.

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SPENCER GLACIER: TAKE A TRAIN RIDE TO A GLACIER About 60 miles southeast of Anchorage, Spencer Glacier is only accessible via the Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery Train, which runs daily from May 25 through Sept.

15 in 2025.

Visitors enjoy a scenic ride from Anchorage, getting off the train at Spencer Whistle Stop in Chugach National Forest at 1:45 p.m. Hike about 1.3 miles one way to the glacier viewing platform, or another 1.7 miles to the edge of the glacier (but be mindful of getting back to the train in time for the 4:30 p.m. pickup).

The route then continues past Spencer Glacier to Grandview, revealing views of Bartlett Glacier and Trail Glacier. After a 20-minute stop, the train heads back to Portage. From there, visitors take a motorcoach back to the Anchorage train depot, arriving around 6:45 p.m.

Campsites and a cabin can be reserved via recreation.gov, but spots fill up fast. Tour operators offer guided kayaking, ice climbing or trips down the Placer River.

EKLUTNA GLACIER AND LAKE CAMPGROUND About an hour northeast of Anchorage is Eklutna Lake, which provides most of the drinking water for Alaska’s largest city.

Part of Chugach State Park, Eklutna Lake Campground has a large campsite, bike and kayak rentals, and a trail system that leads out to Eklutna Glacier.

Glacier access is a bit of a journey — to get up close, take the Eklutna Lakeside Trail, 12.7 miles one way. The path follows the shore of the lake, then to the river and glacier.

Alternatively, the Bold Ridge Trail is accessed at mile 5 of the Lakeside Trail. Bold Ridge Trail is then another 4 miles long with a steep 3,600-foot elevation gain that rewards you with glacier views.

MATANUSKA GLACIER, ONE OF THE WORLD’S MAJOR ICE SHEETS Matanuska Glacier is about a two-hour drive on the Glenn Highway northeast of Anchorage. It’s touted as one of the few major ice sheets in the world that visitors can drive to and explore on foot. The glacier itself is gigantic — about 26 miles long and 4 miles wide at its terminus.

The Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Area has 12 campsites, and it’s a 20-minute walk to glacier-viewing platforms, but there’s no direct access to the glacier.

The only road-accessible route direct to the glacier face is through property owned

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sold out of a gift shop and information center.

Then, it’s a short drive and hike to reach the glacier.

Glacier Park only allows access via guided tours. The cost is $150 for out-of-state visitors, $30 for children 14 and under, $50 for Alaska residents and military members and $60 for out-of-state participants accompanied by an Alaska resident (limit two per resident).

SOUTH FORK VALLEY TRAIL: BACKCOUNTRY HIKING The South Fork Valley Trail is an easy- to moderate-level hike to Eagle and Symphony Lakes in Eagle River, about half an hour northeast of Anchorage. The hike is about 12 miles round-trip. Flute Glacier can be reached by hiking to Eagle Lake, then heading another 4 miles up valley to the toe of the glacier — which isn’t a very common destination among visitors due to the amount of backcountry travel involved.

TALKEETNA: GLACIER FLIGHTSEEING IN THE ALASKA RANGE A little over two hours north of Anchorage, the town of Talkeetna is the staging point for climbers heading to Denali. It also has flightseeing options (Page 9) for those who want to bask in the splendor of North America’s tallest peak without climbing it.

There are hundreds of unnamed glaciers on Denali, and 40 named ones, according to the National Park Service. The longest ones — Ruth, Kahiltna and Muldrow — each span more than 30 miles.

Multiple Talkeetna air taxi operators offer trips around the mountain. Some land on glaciers.

SEWARD AND KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK Exit Glacier is the only glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park accessible by road.

The Exit Glacier Nature Center is the starting point for a system of trails leading to the glacier. Those wanting more can make the strenuous 8.2-mile round-trip hike up the Harding Icefield Trail for spectacular views of the massive ice field.

There’s also a 12-site, tents-only campground near the nature center.

Exit Glacier Road is only open to cars during the summer, usually mid-May. In the winter, snowmachines, skiers, dog sleds and fat bikes are still allowed on the road. Check the park’s website for current conditions.

Then, there’s the rest of Kenai Fjords National Park. The National Park Service highlights Bear Glacier Lagoon and boat tours that take visitors along the park’s tidewater glaciers.

KNIK RIVER TOURS AND FLIGHTSEEING Excursions to Knik Glacier in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough have exploded in popularity during the winter, with fat-tire bikers taking a northern route that crosses a river.

Summer access comes by way of Knik Glacier Trail, an unmaintained trail tracing the Knik River. ATVs, biking and boating are common. Tours are offered through nearby lodges.

There’s also flightseeing available to Knik Glacier and Colony Glacier.

CROW PASS TRAIL: A HIKE TO RAVEN GLACIER Raven Glacier can be seen along the historic 21-mile Crow Pass Trail, which has trailheads at Girdwood (40 miles from Anchorage on the Seward Highway) and the Eagle River Nature Center (about 26 miles east of Anchorage).

This hike is recommended from late June to early September due to snow and avalanche danger.

For a glacier view with an 8-mile round trip, start from Girdwood’s Crow Creek trailhead. Hikers follow a series of switchbacks uphill, passing Jewel Glacier to the east of Crow Pass Cabin, and eventually arrive at Crow Pass and Raven Glacier. Hikers can continue on past the glacier, or turn around.

HATCHER PASS: BACKCOUNTRY HIKING TO MINT GLACIER About 80 minutes north of Anchorage is the Hatcher Pass Management Area, a popular recreation area.

The Gold Mint Trail is a 16-mile round-trip journey that follows the Little Susitna River to the Mint Glacier Valley, where at the end, hikers can follow a fairly undeveloped trail up to Mint Glacier. There’s also good glacier viewing — and traversing — on the multiday Mint-Bomber Traverse for more advanced outdoor explorers.

Laurel Andrews is an Anchorage-based writer who was previously a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch News and Alaska Dispatch.

FOR THE BEST VIEWS OF ALASKA, SOAR ABOVE IT ALL ON A FLIGHTSEEING TOUR Special to the Daily News

In

a large state covered with spectacular sights and wild wonders, one of the most exciting and convenient ways to view Alaska’s biggest and best attractions is from rarefied air, high in the sky.

Flightseeing excursions are popular, unique and thrilling outings for visitors and Alaskans alike, with options ranging from a few hours to a full day or longer. Destinations are diverse — ranging from Denali, backcountry lodges, bear and wildlife viewing areas, glacier landings, wilderness fishing spots and national parks. And flightseeing trips are easily accessible for practically all Alaska adventurers.

From a window seat in a small Alaska bush plane or a helicopter, passengers get a proverbial bird’s-eye view and VIP access to parts of the state that most only dream about. This is truly traveling in Alaska fashion. Imagine taking a few circles around the peak of Denali and its massive neighboring mountains in the Alaska Range, sometimes close enough to see mountain climbers. Soar over the epic glaciers, forests and marine magnificence of Kenai Fjords National Park, or coast above the endless mass of jagged mountains and sparkling glaciers in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Or take the ultimate high road over the untouched landscapes and rugged beauty of Gates of the Arctic National Park.

With so many options available, prices can range from around $250 to $1,000 and up depending on the length of the trip, departure point and destination, number of landings and add-on excursions and experiences. Custom and specialty flightseeing experiences are also available for those celebrating special occasions or those who have must-see Alaska checklists and the means to make it happen.

For those dreaming of seeing remote Alaska wildernesses, flightseeing delivers big-time bang for that travel buck. Most flightseeing companies are run by longtime Alaska operators, with savvy, safe, experienced pilots who love flying and showing off our state as much as the passengers love taking it all in. A bonus for passengers is headgear that allows them to communicate with the pilot, and hear stories of flying and the landmarks and landscapes below.

Shop around and you’ll likely find the perfect trip for you. Don’t see what you want? Call the flightseeing operators and ask: Some will customize their trips, taking passengers to remote fishing destinations, lodges or whatever you can dream of. But don’t hesitate: Peak flightseeing season is also peak tourism season in Alaska, and the top flights can fill up fast. Summer is also fleeting here, so the window for trips can close quickly. And approach these flights with flexibility: Safety is the top concern for pilots and tour operators, and Alaska’s weather can be wild and changeable, including during the summer.

Don’t be shocked or concerned by an occasional delay, itinerary change, or even a cancellation due to weather or safety concerns.

Wherever your travel itinerary leads you, there’s likely a flightseeing business nearby. Among the locales where tours are offered are travel hubs like Anchorage and Fairbanks, along with Kenai, Soldotna, Tok, McCarthy, Homer, Girdwood, King Salmon, Talkeetna, Juneau, Ketchikan, Fairbanks, Skagway, Kantishna and more.

On some flightseeing trips, landing is also a big part of the thrill and journey. Many flightseeing planes are outfitted with traditional landing

Journey above glaciers, gorges and peaks on a flightseeing tour for unique views of Alaska’s landscape. / PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN

gear for beach, gravel bar and rustic runway approaches. Others have floats, allowing pilots to take off from and set down smoothly on inlets and rivers. Some also land on glaciers, where a dog sled team and its driver awaits. Some land on a beach, where bear viewing makes the heart race even more! Others land on lakes or waterways that lead to luxurious wilderness lodges, world-class fishing, cool kayaking, backcountry camping and more.

These flights are so much fun, you’ll have your head in the clouds

• Ziplining Tours • Horseback Riding • Farm Tours • Adventure Day Camp • Legacy Mountain Lodge • Wedding & Company Retreats

Akzipline.com • 907-745-2927 Azap@akzipline.com a VISITORS’ GUIDE •

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for days. Here are some of the state’s most popular, unique and fascinating flightseeing destinations, tours and packages:

DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE Alaska’s most towering presence is also its most popular travel destination and mostfrequented flightseeing tour. Denali National Park (Page 23) is an Alaska treasure, with its namesake standing at 20,310 feet as North America’s tallest peak. The park surrounding it is packed with mountains, wildlife, tundra, glaciers and extreme ecosystems. It is located in the state’s Interior, just off the Parks Highway, a few hours’ drive south of Fairbanks and four hours north of Anchorage — on a clear day, you can see Denali from both cities.

A Denali flightseeing trip is thrilling and humbling; it’s easy to feel small when surrounded by so many mountains, especially North America’s largest and most iconic. The trip is perfect for those who don’t have days to explore the park, or for those who want the most intimate perspective of the peak.

Every moment of a flight is exciting, including taking off and the flight there, as Denali gets larger and larger on the approach.

Most outfitters’ flights will include views of Denali’s summit (weather permitting), as well as other notable natural wonders of the park like Ruth Glacier, the Wickersham Wall and the climbers’ Kahiltna Glacier base camp.

Some operators land on a glacier, usually Ruth with its well-marked runway. Passengers don’t just stretch their legs here — they get to breathe in the alpine air, feel the chill of the glacier below, enjoy a snack in the most unique setting and take the coolest photos ever.

Some Denali tours take off from Anchorage, though many operate a few hours’ drive north in the small, quirky town of Talkeetna. A few even take off from Denali National Park, of course. Helicopter flightseeing offers an alternative. Enclosed

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A pilot and passengers enjoy the sunshine on Ruth Glacier during a flightseeing tour of Denali. / PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN

in Plexiglas with no wings to peer over, even trips as short as 30 minutes provide exciting and exceptional views.

BEAR VIEWING You won’t believe how quickly a small plane can get you from Anchorage to some of the world’s wildest bear viewing experiences.

At only 290 miles, the relatively short but pretty flight across Cook Inlet gets passengers to Katmai National Park and Preserve. Big bears are big-time business in Alaska, so it’s no surprise that bear-seeing flights also depart from Homer, Kodiak, Dillingham, King Salmon and other locations. These are big bear hot spots, where the famous grizzly/ brown bears romp and roam around, mostly hunting and chomping on salmon, sleeping or jostling for fishing positions.

Each location has different, but safe, viewing experiences. Katmai’s Brooks River, Brooks Falls and Brooks Camp are the most well-known and popular — a series of viewing platforms are strategically set for the

best viewing and safest experience, keeping visitors as close as 50 feet from the bruins.

Day trips out of Anchorage run between May and September, with passengers on the ground for around 10 hours, plenty of time to gaze in wonder at these big bears. Katmai has lodging as well, for folks who want more time in this most special of places.

Lake Clark also has numerous areas for bear viewing, and operators fly folks there for the best views: Chinitna Bay is popular for humans and bears, though Crescent Lake is a place where humans and bears both chase some world-class salmon fishing. Same with Silver Salmon Creek.

Flights from Kodiak Island, complete with lake landing, take passengers to see the island’s famous bears at the Kodiak Brown Bear Center & Lodge. Other flights out of Kodiak reach different areas with varied bear viewing experiences in Katmai National Park, like Frazer Lake along the Katmai Coast, Hallo Bay and Geographic Bay. Whatever flightseeing and bear viewing experience you’re hoping for, there’s a flight time and bear tour that works with all itineraries.

GLACIER LANDINGS WITH DOGSLEDDING As if flying around the state isn’t exciting enough, imagine taking a pit stop on a grand and glamorous Alaska glacier. Then, after landing, meeting a team of sweet sled dogs and their musher, and hopping into their sled basket or grabbing the sled handle for a cruise. That’s a lot of iconic Alaska action in one flightseeing trip, and there are many opportunities to make it happen.

Knik Glacier in the Chugach Mountains is among the most popular and convenient places to do it all. It’s a short drive from Anchorage to Mat-Su, where most passengers take off in a helicopter for the full flight-anddog experience.

Similar trips to different glaciers are available across the state, from Skagway and Juneau in Southeast, to the skiing hamlet of

Girdwood near Anchorage, to Seward on the Kenai Peninsula. Each route has its own take on the trip, but the one constant is that you’ll be overwhelmed by the beauty and magnitude of the glaciers, and the speed and cuteness of the dog teams.

WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (Page 12) is the nation’s largest national park at 13 million acres, and it’s home to 14 of North America’s 20 tallest peaks.

For mountain lovers or those looking for a dramatic landscapes and remote rides, this is the trip for you. On and around the mountains, you’ll see glaciers and raging rivers and maybe even some park wildlife (bears, caribou, migratory birds and sheep, of course), as well as remnants of the area’s copper-mining past.

KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK While the famous Kenai Fjords area outside of Seward (Page 63) is best known for its boat trips to see glaciers and marine wildlife, a flightseeing tour covers more mileage and fjord fun. The area is jam-packed with glaciers, including the incredible Harding Icefield, which you really have to see to appreciate.

“Flightseeing is one of the best ways to get a sense of the vastness of the Harding Icefield.

Soaring over this expanse of ice broken only by isolated mountain peaks, or nunataks, is like traveling back, over 12,000 years ago, to the Pleistocene,” the National Park Service writes on their site. Some outfitters even land on the ice field. And be ready to also see the famous fjords’ wildlife, coves and more.

COLUMBIA GLACIER The Valdez area (Page 49) is a backcountry haven for skiers and snowboarders, with its steep peaks and deep snow coverage. It’s also visually epic for visitors, who will see those mountains, as well as impressive waterfalls, glaciers, wildlife and pretty Prince William Sound. The sound’s Columbia tidewater glacier is the top attraction for flightseers, complete with glacier overflights or landings and exploration on the glacier.

A rain shower forms over Granite Creek as a flightseeing tour soars over Denali and the peaks and glaciers on the south side of the mountain. / PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN

Juneau doesn’t have the exclusive rights to flightseeing fun in Southeast Alaska. Sitka, Ketchikan and Glacier Bay also have special trips to visitors. Sitka selections include Baranof Island, glacier flightseeing and overflights of Mount Edgecumbe volcano and its cool crater. In Ketchikan you can see Misty Fjords National Monument and its peaks, fjords and waterfalls, rainforests and

marine wildlife (and an occasional bear!); bear viewing is available at Traitor’s Cove and Neets Bay. And travelers can go big out of Gustavus, heading to Glacier Bay for remote glacier landings and wilderness excursions, or just a sweet overflight of the national park’s highlights: tidewater glaciers, fjords and peaks, and maybe even a humpback whale sighting.

Denali Flights & Glacier Landings Talkeetna Air Taxi www.talkeetnaair.com

JUNEAU AND SOUTHEAST ALASKA Juneau, Alaska’s capital city, is a scenic gem (Page 51). Several companies offer helicopter tours that fly around or land on one of the many popular glaciers in the area (Mendenhall, Taku, Norris and Herbert Glacier) for different adventures. There are also unique flightseeing trips that give you some Southeast sights, like a view of Juneau, the Tongass National Forest, the Mount Roberts Tramway and more.

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WRANGELL-ST. ELIAS NATIONAL PARK IS A PARADISE FOR TRUE ADVENTURE SEEKERS AND WILDERNESS LOVERS

By B A I L E Y B E R G

At

13.2 million acres, Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest national park in the United States and covers roughly the same area as the next two biggest national parks combined (Denali and Gates of the Arctic, also in Alaska).

It’s difficult not to talk about the area in superlatives, because that amount of acreage holds a lot: four major mountain ranges; the second- and third-highest peaks on the continent; nine of the 16 highest peaks in the U.S.; incredibly diverse wildlife; and the nation’s largest glacial system.

For true adventure seekers and wilderness lovers, the park is a kind of El Dorado, a place rife with opportunities to play — from backpacking, fishing and camping to rafting, hiking and climbing — and see the wilderness in all its glory.

A guide leads a tour of the Kennecott mill at the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark. / PHOTO BY ANNE RAUP

Mountain Air does three daily flights from Chitina into the park from mid-May to midSeptember.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO KENNECOTT MINES: Within 35 years, the Kennecott Mines went from being an established mining camp — pumping out copper around the clock — to a ghost

town. For decades, the mill sat empty and abandoned. Then, in 1998, the National Park Service purchased the mill, power plant and many other camp buildings from private owners and began restoring them. You can take a tour of the mill, a 14-story behemoth that was used to process ore through a multistage process. The tour is worth it for the glaciers and mountain view from the top

BEAR VIEWING - FLIGHT FLIGHTSEEING - FISHING

HOW TO GET THERE Only two roads, both dirt, lead into the park: McCarthy Road and Nabesna Road.

Of the two, the 60-mile-long McCarthy Road is far more traveled. You’ll know when the Edgerton Highway merges with McCarthy Road in Chitina because it will go from pavement to dirt road atop what was once a railroad track. It’s slow going, with blind corners and potholes, but the scenery makes up for it: spectacular views of distant mountains, the Copper River raging below and the impressive Kuskulana River Bridge, which spans a vertigo-inducing gorge. The road ends at the Kennicott River; from there, you cross the river on a footbridge and can either shuttle or walk the half-mile to McCarthy or 4.5 miles to Kennicott.

Alternatively, Copper Valley Air Service flies four days a week between Anchorage, Glennallen, McCarthy and May Creek in June, July and August (and drop down to biweekly flights the rest of the year). Wrangell a 12

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floors and the opportunity to check out the massive, nearly 100-year-old machinery. There’s also oodles of information about the history of the mines and the people who once worked there at the Kennecott Visitor Center.

The view from high in the Kennecott mill affords expansive views of other mine buildings as well as the Wrangell Mountains, and the Kennicott Glacier.

McCarthy-Kennicott Historical Museum: While it could be argued that both towns are museums in and of themselves, the actual museum, located in what was once a railway depot, does a good job of showing the history from the town’s inception in the late 1800s to today. You can see old photographs, artifacts, a miniature model of historic McCarthy and a diorama of the Bonanza Mine.

ROOT GLACIER TRAIL: Past all the wagon-red buildings of the mining camp on the far end of town is the start of the Root Glacier Trail. It’s an easy 4-mile round-trip jaunt out to one of Alaska’s most accessible glaciers. Even from a distance, you can look for the blue pools and streams speckled across the top of the glacier and admire the nearby peaks. If you intend to walk on the ice, wear good footwear and take appropriate safety measures.

GUIDED WILDERNESS ADVENTURES: Companies like Kennicott Wilderness Guides, McCarthy River Tours & Outfitters and St. Elias Alpine Guides offer hiking, ice climbing, packrafting and multiday trips through the spruce forests, alpine tundra, glacier fields and canyons of the park.

Bailey Berg is a writer who splits time between Alaska and Colorado. Her work can be found in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Afar, National Geographic and beyond. She’s the author of “Secret Alaska: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.”

The Pioneers of Alaska erected a signpost in McCarthy designating distances from McCarthy to other Pioneer Igloos within the state. / PHOTO BY ANNE RAUP

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OF THE 3,000 ROADHOUSES THAT USED TO WELCOME TRAVELERS, A HANDFUL ARE STILL STANDING TODAY

By B A I L E Y B E R G

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uring their heyday, there were more than 3,000 roadhouses peppered throughout Alaska. These waystations, which date back to the late 1800s, were essential for gold prospectors, mail carriers, trappers and travelers moving across the vast and isolated terrain.

Built along trails and early wagon roads, usually about 10 miles apart (thought to be the distance a person could walk with all their belongings in a day), roadhouses provided a hot meal, a place to rest and protection from an often unforgiving landscape. Many started as simple log cabins with communal bunks and steaming pots of stew, but some evolved into bustling hubs with trading posts, post offices, saloons and even dance halls. ​​As transportation improved — first with the Alaska Railroad, then cars, then airplanes — the need for these remote outposts dwindled, and many faded into history. Today, only a handful remain. Still, some continue to welcome travelers with a bowl of soup and a warm fire, while others stand as fading reminders of an era when the journey across Alaska was an adventure all its own. Here are some of them:

TALKEETNA ROADHOUSE LOCATION: 13550 E. Main St., Talkeetna Originally built in 1917, Talkeetna Roadhouse has long been the unofficial starting point for climbers preparing to tackle Denali, the highest peak in North America — it’s why mountaineering plays such a big role in the building’s decor. Throughout the dining room, you’ll find walls blanketed with maps, snowshoes, flags from various climbing groups and black-and-white photos from notable summits (like Susan Butcher, who took a team of huskies with her). It’s also been a place where locals swap stories over coffee and visitors experience a slice of small-town Alaska (quite literally — the Roadhouse is famed for its bakery, which serves pies and other baked goods). The lodging options at Talkeetna Roadhouse are simple yet full of character, with dormitory-style bunk rooms and private rooms. You may find beds topped with handmade quilts and a plate of freshly baked cookies on the antique bedside table. There are also shared bathrooms and a cozy common area where guests play board games or read a book from the Roadhouse’s library before the fireplace. Since 2020, the on-site restaurant has been closed to the public, but overnight guests can still enjoy a Roadhouse Sourdough Hotcake Breakfast, which is reportedly made with a starter that’s over 100 years old.

RIKA’S ROADHOUSE LOCATION: Mile 274.5 of the Richardson Highway, Big Delta Once a vital stop along the rugged Valdez-to-Fairbanks Trail, the two-story Rika’s Roadhouse (also known as Rika’s Landing Site or McCarthy Roadhouse) is now a National Historic Site and museum.

Built in 1904, the Roadhouse changed hands a few times before, in

A fire burns in the stove at the Safety Roadhouse, located about 22 miles from Nome along the Iditarod Trail in Western Alaska. / PHOTO BY MARC LESTER

1923, Swedish immigrant Erika “Rika” Wallen took over its operations, acquiring the property for just $10. Under her management, the Roadhouse evolved into more than just a place to sleep; it became a full-fledged homestead, complete with gardens, livestock, and a reputation for warm hospitality until it closed in 1947. Today, Rika’s Roadhouse is the focal point of Big Delta State Historical Park, offering a glimpse into early 20th-century Alaska life. Visitors can explore the original buildings, learn about the region’s pioneer history and walk the same paths that gold rush hopefuls, traders and soldiers once traveled.

KANTISHNA ROADHOUSE LOCATION: Mile Marker 92, Denali Park Road, Denali National Park and Preserve Found at the end of the Park Road, in the area that was once the town of Kantishna, this two-story log roadhouse was built during the mining boom of the early 1900s. For decades, it was the nucleus of

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the community, serving as everything from the post office and commissioner’s office to a community gathering spot and a place for travelers to bed down. It’s the oldest stillstanding building in Denali National Park and Preserve and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 2018. It’s called the Kantishna Roadhouse … and so is the modern, all-inclusive luxury lodge on the same property. Now, travelers can bunk in comfortable log cabins while spending their days fly-fishing, going on guided hikes to Wonder Lake, biking along old mining roads or even panning for gold. Through at least 2026, Kantishna Roadhouse is fly-in only, as a major landslide on the Denali Park Road at Mile 43 has closed access to the area by vehicle.

TOLOVANA ROADHOUSE LOCATION: The confluence of the Tanana and Tolovana rivers Famous as the first exchange station for sled dog teams relaying the diphtheria antitoxin during the Serum Run of 1925 (the event that inspired the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race), the Tolovana Roadhouse situated between Nenana and Manley Hot Springs has been open in some form since 1904. After the last mail delivery by dog team came through

in 1945, the Roadhouse was shuttered and fell into disrepair. In the years since, it’s changed hands several times, often by dog sled operators, with each new owner working to preserve and restore the lodge. During the years where the Iditarod start moved to Fairbanks due to lack of snow (like 2017 and 2025), the Roadhouse has opened as a hospitality stop for mushers.

MANLEY ROADHOUSE LOCATION: 100 Front St., Manley Hot Springs This white clapboard- and forest greentrimmed building has been slinging whiskey and providing rooms to travelers since 1903, though back then, it was called Sam’s Rooms and Meals. Located in the tiny town of Manley Hot Springs, about 150 miles west of Fairbanks at the end of the Elliott Highway, the Roadhouse offers the chance to stay in one of the standard historic rooms (don’t expect modern amenities, like electrical outlets or a private bathroom), share meals with local dog mushers and fishermen in the familystyle dining room, and soak in the nearby hot springs.

Delta Junction Another roadhouse turned historical museum is Sullivan’s Roadhouse. Built in 1905 by John and Florence “Ma” Sullivan, it was strategically located in present-day Delta Junction to serve travelers on the ValdezFairbanks Trail, a major supply route during the gold rush. Unlike many roadhouses that fell into disrepair, Sullivan’s was wellconstructed, with hewn logs and a sturdy metal roof (a rarity in Alaska’s Interior), allowing it to withstand the elements long after its original purpose faded. Though the Sullivans abandoned the roadhouse in 1923 when cars made their rest stop obsolete, they left most of their belongings, ranging from fine china to Victorian furniture, which are now included in the museum housed in the fully restored building. A few dozen volunteers run the free historical center during the summer months.

Bailey Berg is a writer who splits time between Alaska and Colorado. Her work can be found in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Afar, National Geographic and beyond.

She’s the author of “Secret Alaska: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.”

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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW (AND PACK) FOR AN ALASKA HIKE

By L I S A M A L O N E Y

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ou’ve got your backpack, your hiking boots and your bear spray. You’re poised at the trailhead — or are you?

Shouldn’t there be a sign? Is that narrow footpath, leading straight uphill through the trees, really where you’re supposed to go?

Welcome to hiking in Alaska, where hard-working trail crews ensure that some of our trails do, in fact, come with the usual bells and whistles like navigation signs, switchbacks and even a few spectacularly situated open-air toilets. Meanwhile, some of our other trails are literally a wide spot in the road with a footpath zooming straight up a mountain.

What’s a visiting hiker to do?

PACK YOUR INDEPENDENT STREAK First, a little research. Most mapping apps — AllTrails, GaiaGPS and Komoot to name a few — should have most of our major trails in them, although the accuracy of the trail names varies.

You might be surprised by how quickly some of our hiking trails take you beyond range of cellular service, so it’s always a good idea to download your route in advance and, if you’re out for anything more than a very short day hike, consider bringing an old-fashioned navigational aid — like a map and compass, or a good guidebook — in case your phone battery dies or the screen gets broken.

As long as we’re on the topic of what to carry, I strongly recommend looking up the “10 essentials’“ a mind map of sorts for what you should have to address needs like navigation, shelter, water, food and fire in case of emergency (a rundown of the 10 essentials list can be found on the website of the National Park Service). It’s a very flexible system that can be tailored to the sort of outing you’re undertaking; my 10 essentials kit for short day hikes fits in a quart-size zip-close bag.

There’s one other thing you should always have with you, and it’s small enough to fit in any pocket: the peace of mind that comes from having filed a trip plan. That’s as simple as letting someone you trust know where you’re hiking to, how you plan to get there, plus when — and who — to call for help if you haven’t checked in by a designated time.

HEY, BOO BOO! There’s a funny push and pull when it comes to seeing wildlife on a hike. On one hand, it’s thrilling. On the other, meeting critters like moose and bears can be pretty scary, too — a perfectly normal reaction to wild animals that are much larger and stronger than you, and have their own opinions about how your encounter should work out.

Consider, however, that there are plenty of bears and moose inside Anchorage city limits, too. They’re just so remarkably good at blending in that we often zip right by without realizing they’re there. They are living proof that most of the time wild animals want nothing to do with us, and will avoid us if given an opportunity.

That same principle plays out on hiking trails, over and over: As long as you travel in a group, make noise so critters can see and hear you coming, and avoid places you know are likely to generate an up-close encounter (for example, hiking beside salmon streams with the fish are running). Bears and moose will usually melt out of your way so quietly,

A couple takes in the view of Eklutna Lake from the Twin Peaks Trail with their dogs. / PHOTO BY MARC LESTER

you’ll never even know they were there.

If you do happen to see a bear or moose, give them plenty of distance. And, as you may already have heard, never get between a mother and her young, no matter how relaxed she might seem. Trust me on this one — it is a trap.

If you’ve done both of those things and the critter is still interested in you, it’s time to make some choices. With moose, the answer is simple: If you can get far enough outside their “bubble” that they no longer perceive you as a threat, they’ll leave you alone. In theory that means running away but, since even Usain Bolt can’t outrun an angry moose, you’ll probably end up having to keep something substantial between you — a solid tree is ideal. For all their strength and speed, moose don’t corner all that well.

There’s more nuance to handling up-close bear encounters, and expert advice used to be determined by what species the bear was: Black bear or brown (grizzly) bear? Nowadays, biologists and other experts parse encounters out by their motivation: Is a surprised bear that feels the need to defend itself? Or is it an incredibly rare predatory attack?

Regardless of the answer, the number one commandment for bear encounters is that you do not run. I’ll never forget interviewing a wildlife biologist who explained that because of a bear’s instinctive prey drive, “Even if it doesn’t want to eat you, it would love to chase you.”

That doesn’t mean you have to stay put; if you’re able to calmly depart the encounter without the bear following you, do. But if the bear does follow, the next step is usually to stand your ground, ready any deterrents you’re carrying (such as bear spray, which is always a VISITORS’ GUIDE •

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good idea to have along) and get increasingly loud and aggressive to deter Yogi’s interest. If a surprised and defensive bear makes contact, experts recommend that you play dead while protecting your head, neck and vital organs, staying quiet and still until the bear leaves the area.

And lastly, even though the odds are incredibly slim: If you do believe you’re experiencing a predatory attack, your mission is just the same as it would be with any other predator. Fight back to save your life.

GEAR OK, so your No. 1 survival tool, your brain, is packed full of information. You know where you’re going, you’ve filed a trip plan and you know how to handle wildlife encounters. But what on earth are you going to wear whilst engaged in your fabulous outdoor adventures?

The answer: Dress in layers. This is the same principle as carrying a jacket or sweater you can throw on if you find yourself getting chilly, or take off if you find yourself getting too warm. But because Alaska’s weather can be moody and quick-changing, it’s best to think in terms of a base layer (long underwear) that you wear under everything else; a weatherproof outer layer to keep out wind and rain; and an insulating layer, usually made of fleece or wool, that you wear in between the two.

Try to avoid cotton as much as you can. That’s because when it gets wet — whether from wind-blown rain or your own sweat — cotton actually saps the heat from your body instead of making you warmer.

That heightens your risk of hypothermia which, yes, is possible even during the summer.

Don’t forget a good pair of hiking boots or shoes. Some people really benefit from the ankle support and sturdy foot protection of boots whereas others, like me, feel more comfortable in lightweight hiking or

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Hikers are reflected in the water of Gold Cord Lake in the Hatcher Pass area. / PHOTO

BY ANNE RAUP

trail running shoes.

The most important thing is that whatever footwear you choose has great traction and is sufficiently warm to keep you comfortable.

After all, the old adage that “there is no bad weather, just unsuitable clothing,” is very much true here in Alaska — and you wouldn’t want to miss a day of your trip.

Lisa Maloney is an Anchorage-based writer and author of numerous outdoor guides, including “Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska” and “50 Hikes Around Anchorage.” Contact her at lisa@maloneywrites.com, and follow her adventures as @hikingalaska on most social media; @alwayshikingalaska on TikTok.

FROM BOAT CHARTERS TO SEA KAYAKING, TAKE A WATERFRONT VIEW OF ALASKA’S WILDERNESS

By A L L I H A R V E Y

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Recreators paddle a rental kayak during a visit to Eklutna Lake in Chugach State Park. / PHOTO BY BILL ROTH

or many people, being near or out on water is at once deeply soothing and thrilling. If that’s true for you, Southcentral Alaska has world-class water adventure opportunities for every ability level.

UP CLOSE WITH THE GLACIERS Picture an ice slab the size of a house cleaving in slow motion from a massive blue and white glacier, sending up sparkling spray as it slips into water beneath. You’re witnessing this in real time from a boat, at a safe distance but still close enough to hear.

While seeing a glacial calving event isn’t guaranteed, getting up relatively close to a glacier (Page 7) is reliably awesome. Bonus: You don’t need a perfect sunny day to get the best views. The beautiful glacial blues are actually more prominent when it’s overcast.

Several outfits offer boat tours less than a day’s drive from Anchorage.

If you’re based in Anchorage and have limited time, check out the Mv Ptarmigan to Portage Glacier. Only an hour’s drive from Anchorage, you’ll spend about an hour on Portage Lake cruising right up to the face of the ice. Tickets run $49 per adult and $29 per child, with five daily sailings from May 16-Sept. 16. (Online reservations must be made at least five days in advance. For same-day ticket sales, purchase on site at the Portage Glacier Cafe in Girdwood; see graylinealaska.com for details.)

For those with more time, the 26 Glacier Tour run by Phillips

Cruises & Tours says it all in the name. Departing from Whittier, the nearly six-hour, narrated cruise covers 150 miles of Prince William Sound, and includes breathtaking views across College Fjord and Blackstone Bay. Tickets are $199 per adult, $125 per child, and include a meal, coffee and tea.

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often charismatic wildlife! Whales, sea otters, puffins and Steller sea lions abound. Many day cruise operators focus on wildlife viewing (and you’ll likely get some glaciers in there, too).

Major Marine Tours, based in Seward, cruises to Kenai Fjords, where the whalewatching in particular is world class — but then, like so much in Alaska, so is the rest.

Running from $115 for an adult/$57.50 per child for an early spring tour, to an 8.5-hour cruise at $295 per adult (no children under 12 on this itinerary), there is an array of day tours to choose from, including private charters.

Also based in Seward, Kenai Fjords Tours ventures into Resurrection Bay and beyond, offering options for different interests and food on every tour. Choose between a wildlife or glacier emphasis, or calmer water tours for those with concerns. Pricing ranges from about $100 per person in the early season to about $200-plus for a full-day tour.

Want to get really close to the action?

Little compares to paddling at eye-level in calm blue saltwater near a wild and forested shore, watching shorebirds wheel overhead, spotting eagles on their perch, and seeing otters floating on their backs nearby.

Homer provides a stunning starting point for outfitters such as True North Kayak Adventures, which offers kayak trips, gear rentals and even cozy lodging in gorgeous Kachemak Bay. A half-day kayak trip runs $165 per person.

Finally, while you’re out on the water, why not catch some dinner? There are myriad salmon and halibut fishing charter options in both Seward and Homer, and easy pack/flash freeze/ship outfitters back on land to get your catch conveniently and safely processed. Check out Alaska Northern Outfitters in Seward and Homer Charter Fishing in Homer as starting points. Trips run roughly $400 per person.

RIVER RAFTING Your view of Alaska is going to change the closer you are to the water. Guided rafting trips provide a family-friendly experience with a bit more of a rugged, adventurous edge than cruises, yet still appropriate for a wide range of mobility levels.

If you choose a guided rafting tour on the fabled Kenai Peninsula, you’ll experience an otherworldly green-blue river moving your raft swiftly along as you scan the shoreline for bears feeding on fish. This region is teeming with life. One outfitter is Alaska River Adventures, offering half- and full-day float trips beginning at $75 per adult and $37.50 for kids.

For those looking for more adventure, NOVA tours based in the Matanuska Valley offer a glimpse of a more rugged, exposed, grand Alaska that makes you feel like you truly are as far north as you traveled. The light a 20

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hits differently up there, across an expanse of glacially fed river and jagged mountain peaks. A Matanuska River overnight tour is customizable for different experience levels, and starts at $550 per adult and $350 per child.

Up for a spicier ride? Try a guided trip with Chugach Outdoor Center to Sixmile Creek, near aptly named Hope. This fabled local whitewater route is not for the faint of heart (or for those who can’t swim). Choose between a Class IV, two-canyon itinerary for about $139 per person, or three canyons including IV and V (the latter being more difficult) rapids, for $215.

Finally, for the more experienced and intrepid explorer, try the versatile and increasingly popular packrafting. For the uninitiated, packrafts are inflatable and portable rafts designed to compress into a backpack, enabling you to flex your backpacking skills while accessing more remote, wild water. You get to hike in and paddle out! Alaska Packraft School guides an overnight packraft trip through fabled Crow Pass, which includes 15 miles of hiking and 8 miles of rafting on Eagle River, for $620.

LAKES OF THE GREAT LAND Alaska’s lakes feature prominently in the imaginations of many people imagining the

far north, as they should — Alaska has over 3 million of them. Not even lifelong Alaskans will get to see every one, but there are some beautiful lakes worth visiting, only a stone’s throw from Anchorage.

Eklutna Lake sits 12 winding road miles away from the Glenn Highway, tucked back into the Chugach Mountains and, at 7 miles long, is the largest lake in the region. On a clear day, it glows an ethereal blue-green. Lifetime Adventures at the lake’s edge provides dayrental kayaks starting at $50 per rental.

Craving even more adventure and “only in Alaska” experience? Hardy travelers can try paddleboarding on an icy blue glacial lake at Knik Glacier with Alaska Sundog Guiding, for $999 per person.

The options for witnessing Southcentral Alaska from its many waterways are as numerous as there are bodies of water. You could spend a lifetime trying to see every one.

Instead, why not pick one or two out of the best the region has to offer, and enjoy yourself fully while you’re there? It’s as sure of a bet you can make on creating an unforgettable life experience.

Alli Harvey is an artist and writer who previously published a long-standing outdoors column with the Anchorage Daily News. You can find more of her work at alliharveyart.com.

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YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO BEYOND CITY LIMITS TO EXPERIENCE WORLDCLASS HIKES IN THE ANCHORAGE AREA

By L I S A M A L O N E Y

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ith 495,000-acre Chugach State Park hovering right on the city limits, Chugach National Forest to the south and spectacular destinations like Eklutna Lake and Hatcher Pass within an easy 90-minute drive, Anchorage is one of the best hiking base camps in all of Alaska.

You could easily spend weeks exploring all of our trails, but if you’re looking for a place to start, consider these can’t-miss favorites.

FLATTOP MOUNTAIN Easily the most-hiked mountain in Alaska, the distinctive, shelflike summit of Flattop Mountain is a defining feature of Anchorage’s skyline. For those with vehicles that can handle a rough access road, my favorite route up Flattop starts from the Upper Canyon Road Trailhead, also known as the Rabbit Creek or Flattop Sunnyside Trailhead. You may have to steer around serious potholes on the way to the trailhead, but your reward is a straightforward 1.7-mile hike along beautiful switchbacks to Flattop’s summit.

Or, you can tackle the 4.4-mile Rabbit Lake Trail from the same trailhead. Rabbit Lake is arguably the quintessential long day hike for families in the Anchorage area, and it’s a popular first backpacking trip.

For easier access to Flattop but a tougher hike overall, thanks to a rocky scramble near the top, head to the Glen Alps Trailhead. If you don’t have a car, this trailhead is served by the Flattop Mountain Shuttle, which makes daily trips from downtown Anchorage during the peak tourism season of late May to late August.

Glen Alps also serves as the launching-off point for other popular hikes, including the 2.7-mile trek up Little O’Malley Peak on the far side of the valley; the straightforward 6-mile ramble along Powerline Pass Trail to the eponymous pass; and the 9-mile Middle Fork Loop, which traverses both sides of the valley to connect with the slightly less-used Prospect Heights Trailhead.

STRAIGHT INTO THE MOUNTAINS Perhaps you’re dreaming of hopping right out of your car and into the Alaska tundra? If you know where to go, you can get pretty darn close to that. One of the best places to do this is Arctic Valley Ski Area, located about 30 minutes northeast of Anchorage along the Glenn Highway. Arctic Valley sits just inside the boundaries of Chugach State Park and, although it’s an active ski area in the winter, it makes a fine hiking trailhead during the summer.

Here you’ll find 4,105-foot Rendezvous Peak and its only marginally higher-elevation neighbor, Mount Gordon Lyon. Both make

A group of hikers takes in a view of the clouds from Flattop Mountain in Chugach State Park, on the edge of Anchorage. / PHOTO BY MARC LESTER

wonderful first summits for new mountain hikers, but they offer such spectacular vistas of mountain ridges rolling into the distance like waves that they’re worthy goals for seasoned hikers, too. Better yet, once you leave your car you only have to hike a short distance to get above brushline and into the tundra proper.

With that said, my favorite trail in the area is the Muktuk Marston Trail. This relatively new trail skirts 4 miles along Rendezvous’s south and west flanks, just barely at or above treeline the whole time. During the summer and early fall, this is one of the best hikes for spotting wildflowers — and the ski area’s main valley is a well-known berrypicking destination in the fall.

For even more direct access to tundra hikes, consider the 90-minute drive to Hatcher Pass, which has been steadily gaining notoriety for its “Lord of the Rings”-like combination of rolling mountain slopes and craggy granite outcrops.

With about a dozen hikes in Hatcher Pass proper, few are more family-friendly than the 1.6-mile walk to Gold Cord Lake, where you might hear the shrieking whistles of marmots or the tiny, hoarse squeaks of pika. The 1.4-mile April Bowl Trail, which can be extended all the way up the rocky slopes of Hatch Peak if you like, comes in a close second.

Meanwhile, the 0.5-mile loop around roadside Summit Lake — which confusingly sits a short distance below the actual “summit” of Hatcher Pass, whereas April Bowl starts right at the high point — is a good choice for those who want an easy, flat trail that’s not paved.

Or for an ADA-accessible adventure, explore the paved trails around nearby Independence Mine State Historical Park, where you can enjoy rugged mountain views and historical mine buildings at the same time.

I think most hikers would agree that the 4.4-mile Reed Lakes Trail is the crowning glory of Hatcher Pass, whether you’re looking for a long day hike or a moderate backpacking trip. However, that same VISITORS’ GUIDE •

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popularity means it can be a challenge to find a parking spot. Show up early, and come ready to scamper through the extended field of carsized boulders you encounter a couple miles into the hike. Heads up: Most dogs can’t handle the boulders.

WORTH THE DRIVE: EKLUTNA LAKE, HOPE AND WHITTIER Also to the northeast of Anchorage, a little more than an hour out of town, is Eklutna Lake. This 7-mile-long, glacier-fed lake is a remarkable multisport playground, with kayaks and bikes for rent. But hikers will be most interested in two trails here.

The first is the Eklutna Lakeside Trail that runs along a series of shallow hills overlooking the lakeshore, starting as an old dirt road and eventually narrowing toward a brushy footpath as you near the far end of the lake. Or if you’re up for some altitude gain, head up the steep, sustained Twin Peaks Trail, which in official terms ends after 1.3 miles at a nondescript bench in the woods. But you can follow a narrow footpath onto the slopes overlooking Eklutna Lake, and even — if you’re able to decipher the web of faint footpaths continuing uphill — continue uphill to tag the summit of roughly 5,400-foot Pepper Peak.

There are beautiful hikes to the south of Anchorage, too. It’s worth driving almost two hours along the incredibly scenic Seward Highway to the small, seaside town of Hope, where you can catch an early lunch before you tackle the 4-mile walk up 3,700-foot Hope Point, which presides over stunning views of Turnagain Arm. For an even more remote-feeling adventure, turn your vehicle’s headlights toward the small town of Whittier, whose only land access is via the longest highway tunnel in North America: the 2.5-mile Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, whose single lane accommodates vehicle traffic in alternating directions and the occasional train passing through. (You can also get to Whittier on the Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery Train.)

After literally driving (or riding) through the mountain, it’s only a short distance to the trailhead for Portage Pass Trail, which starts out with a steep, 0.8-mile hike up to the pass of the same name. That alone pays immense dividends, earning you views of Portage Glacier glittering in the distance while, if you turn and look behind you, you’ll overlook Whittier and the wildlife-rich waters of Prince William Sound beyond it. But if you continue all the way down to the lakeshore in front of the glacier — a 2-mile trip according to Chugach National Forest, or 2.6 miles by my GPS — you can dip your toes in the frigid water or maybe even fish out a small piece of iceberg.

A woman and her dog take in the view of Portage Glacier and lake from Portage Pass. / PHOTO BY ANNE RAUP

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People hike along the Little O’Malley Peak trail in Chugach State Park. / PHOTO BY EMILY MESNER

NOTES: Unless otherwise noted, all distances given here are oneway. Parking is free at the Hope Point and Portage Pass trailheads; parking at the other trailheads listed here costs $5. Finally, some rental car agreements prohibit driving on the gravel portion of Hatcher Pass Road, which is needed to access the April Bowl and Summit Lake trails.

Lisa Maloney is an Anchorage-based writer and author of numerous outdoor guides, including “Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska” and “50 Hikes Around Anchorage.” Contact her at lisa@maloneywrites.com, and follow her adventures as @hikingalaska on most social media; @alwayshikingalaska on TikTok.

HOME TO NORTH AMERICA’S TALLEST MOUNTAIN, HERE’S YOUR GUIDE TO DENALI NATIONAL PARK A visit to Denali National Park includes the drama of nature taken to new heights. / PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN

By B A I L E Y B E R G

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6 million acres, Denali National Park and Preserve has options for every type of visitor.

Whether you’re an avid backpacker looking to forge new trails or a relaxed traveler content to watch for animals on a tour, you’re sure to experience jaw-dropping scenery.

GETTING THERE Located roughly four hours north of Anchorage and two hours south of Fairbanks on the George Parks Highway, it’s an easy drive to the heart of the state — after all, there’s only one road entrance to the park. If you don’t have your own wheels, here’s how to get there.

BUS: For a ride in a deluxe motorcoach, one option is The Park Connection, where travelers can either book tickets from Anchorage or Seward. Another is the Alaska Shuttle, which runs between Anchorage and Fairbanks, allowing passengers to get out at any point along the journey and rejoin via a later bus for a $10 re-booking fee.

TRAIN: Taking the train (the Alaska Railroad turned 100 years old during the 2023 season) adds about three hours of travel time to your journey, but it goes through wilderness only accessible by track. Plus, there’s a dining and bar car, knowledgeable guides and dome cars with sweeping views of the mountains and valleys along the way. The train makes a stop on the nearly 1,000-footlong railroad bridge over an enormous gorge known as Hurricane Gulch. On a clear day, you can see the mountain range from there.

(A more economical option both in terms of funds and time is taking the rails one way and a motorcoach back. Bonus: You’ll see even more of the state.) Check out alaskarailroad. com for more information on riding the train.

GETTING AROUND The National Park Service maintains the only road leading into the park. It’s a 92-mile, mostly gravel route running parallel to the Alaska Range to what was once the mining community of Kantishna. Normally, from late May to early September, visitors can drive the first 12.5 miles of the road to Savage River with just their park pass.

To go farther than the dozen-ish miles allowed to personal vehicles, travelers have to be on foot, bike or riding on one of the school-bus-style shuttles. You can hop on a cheaper, more flexible bus tour that allows you to get off and on and explore on your own, or you can take a narrated bus tour with a driver who crafts an itinerary for you. There are also courtesy buses that serve the portion of the park road that is publicly drivable, which includes stops at the sled dog kennel and Visitors Center.

For summer 2025, the road was expected to only be open to Mile 43 due to rock slides (with the partial closure extending through summer 2026). Be sure to check the National Park Service site for the most up-to-date information before your visit.

‘WILL THE MOUNTAIN BE OUT?’: WHERE TO SEE DENALI Rising 20,310 feet, Denali can be seen from parts of Anchorage to Fairbanks on a clear day. But clear days can be hard to come by.

National Park Service rangers stress to visitors that the mammoth mountain is out only one of every three days (a rule that isn’t hard and fast — it could be out for days at a time and then hidden for a month straight).

Even with its great height, the mountain isn’t visible from the park entrance, the surrounding campgrounds or nearby hotels.

Miles 9 and 11 are your first chances of spotting it, the latter spot having a pullout and interpretive waysides with information about the cliff. There are many other spots along the road that allow for peeks of the peak. While

IS IT DENALI OR MOUNT MCKINLEY? For thousands of years, Indigenous Koyukon Athabascans called North America’s highest mountain Denali, meaning “The High One.” However, in the late 1800s, a prospector named it Mount McKinley to honor then-presidential candidate William McKinley, who had no connection to Alaska. The name stuck federally in 1917, despite local resistance.

The state adopted the Denali name in 1975, though it wasn’t until 2015 that then-President Barack Obama restored the mountain’s Indigenous name, recognizing its deep cultural significance. However, in early 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to revert the name to Mount McKinley, a decision met with pushback from many Alaskans who said they’d continue to call it Denali. So really, the name depends on who you ask. the most iconic view of Denali is at Reflection Pond, near Mile 85, the road to that view is closed in 2025, unless you’re staying at one of the fly-in-only accommodations in Kantishna.

FOR SURE OPEN IN 2025 SLED DOG KENNEL: Denali is the only national park in the U.S. where rangers do winter patrols via dog sled. But during the few precious months when there isn’t snow on the ground, the dogs have different duties: educating tourists, posing for pictures and getting belly rubs. Their kennel is free to visit, and their handlers are available to chat about what goes into making a sled dog. (Bonus: There’s usually a litter of puppies there training to become full-fledged sled dogs.)

DENALI NATIONAL PARK VISITORS CENTER: If you come in by train, the visitors center will be one of the first buildings you see. It’s the main information center in the park, with exhibits on the park’s history and the animals you might see in the boreal forest outside its doors. There are also various VISITORS’ GUIDE •

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ranger-led activities and hikes that launch from there.

ADVENTURE SPORTS AND FLIGHTSEEING: Various operators tout all manners of escape from their storefronts on Glitter Gulch, a half-mile stretch of road near the park entrance.

Activities range from ATV rides and ziplining near the park to rafting down the Nenana River or flightseeing around the mountain. Shop around to find an itinerary that matches your interest and budget.

WONDER LAKE: This is where Ansel Adams’ famous photograph of the mountain was taken. When Denali isn’t shrouded in clouds, its image is mirrored in the water below, making Wonder Lake a favorite spot for photographers. However, because it’s located at Mile 85 of the Denali Park Road, it’s only accessible to those staying in Kantishna this season.

REOPENING AFTER 2026 Due to the Park Road closure, Eielson Visitor Center (located at Mile 66) will be closed at least through 2026. Be sure to check with the National Park Service for updates on when the Visitor Center will reopen.

If you’re planning ahead for 2027 and beyond, be sure to check the National Park Service site to see if you can add a shuttle to Eielson Visitor Center to your list. On a clear day, the views of Denali are stunning. Three maintained trails spider out from the center, though hikers are welcome to go off path. Inside the center is also a small art

People walk along the Savage River Loop Trail in Denali National Park and Preserve. / PHOTO BY EMILY MESNER

gallery with works depicting the wilderness of Denali.

WHERE TO STAY There are four campgrounds in Denali National Park that will be accessible in 2025: Riley Creek (at the park entrance), Savage River (13 miles in), Sanctuary River (23 miles) and Teklanika River (29 miles).

The sites have anywhere from seven to 53 tent-only campsites, with the exception of Riley Creek, which has 150 sites suitable for camping and RVs. Considering how few campsites there are in the park, we highly recommended you make a reservation ahead of time.

For more information, go to reservedenali.com.

There are also many hotel, cabin, B&B and hostel options for visitors to Denali National Park. Many are clustered just outside the park entrance, a few are found at the end of the park road and more are located in neighboring towns.

While remote, the accommodations at the end of the park road in Kantishna are far from roughing it. Places like Denali Backcountry Lodge, Kantishna Roadhouse and Camp Denali may be 92 miles into the national park, but they don’t skimp on creature comforts like running water, electricity, heat and private bathrooms (granted, there’s no Wi-Fi or cell reception).

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Generally much spendier than the options at the park entrance, these lodges are usually allinclusive. During the 2025 season, these accommodations are fly-in only.

Outside the park, your options vary widely. Crow’s Nest is made up of terraced rows of cozy cabins tucked up on a hillside, offering exponentially better views of Mount Healy the higher you go, and Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge is one of the biggest lodging options with high-end amenities, including an espresso bar, a dinner theater and laundry services. More lodging options can be found at denalichamber. com.

Bailey Berg is a writer who splits time between Alaska and Colorado. Her work can be found in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Afar, National Geographic and beyond. She’s the author of “Secret Alaska: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.”

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STAPLES FOR THE RUGGED WEST

NOW OPEN IN ANCHORAGE

FAMILY FUN: YOUR KIDS – AND YOU – WILL LOVE THESE EXCURSIONS AROUND ANCHORAGE

By E R I N K I R K L A N D

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ith about 1,961 square miles of land making up the Municipality of Anchorage, there are a lot of options when it comes to exploring the state’s most populous area with kids. From forest trails in local and state parks to immersive museums and cultural experiences in and around Alaska’s biggest city, youngsters of any age will find plenty of activities, no matter their interest or abilities.

Stretch out everyone’s legs with a walk or hike on one of the many trail systems that wind through the city and nearby mountains. For a short walk among the forests of Anchorage, try the Alaska Botanical Garden at the eastern edge of town, where plants native to Alaska combine with interpretive signs and unique art along an easy-tonavigate network of trails just right for smaller kids.

Older children and families with hiking experience may enjoy a longer trek into Chugach State Park. The third-largest state park in the nation, Chugach offers visiting hikers the chance to get into the backcountry without ever leaving the city limits. With many hikes above treeline, it’s also one of the best ways to view the “Anchorage Bowl” below, as well as Cook Inlet, the Alaska Range and, on a clear day, Denali, North America’s highest peak. The Glen Alps trailhead is located a short drive from downtown and provides access to a number of hikes that range from moderate to difficult. Parking fees are $5 per day, payable on site.

The Alaska Public Lands Information Center on Fourth Avenue

Kova, a polar bear at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage, rushes to the surface as she pounces on a plastic barrel while swimming in her enclosure. / PHOTO BY EMILY MESNER

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A rider takes on the singletrack trails in Russian Jack Springs Park, in Anchorage. /

PHOTO BY BILL ROTH

has a wealth of information regarding local, state and federal lands in Anchorage and beyond, plus several interesting displays about local wildlife, history and natural science unique to Alaska.

Cover more ground by renting bicycles and pedaling along popular routes that pass through Anchorage neighborhoods and business districts. The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail travels 11 miles between downtown and Kincaid Park, with several parks and playgrounds along the way for rest breaks or a picnic. Ambitious bikers can try the Moose Loop challenge, a 32-mile ride combining four of the city’s main multi-use trails through the city’s urban greenways. When viewed on a map, the route’s shape resembles the head of a moose.

Mountain bike enthusiasts will enjoy shredding the singletrack along South Anchorage’s Hillside trails, or, for younger riders, the new trails at Russian Jack Springs Park in the northeast side of town. Pick up bike rental information and maps at the downtown Log Cabin Visitor Center.

One of the best ways to learn more about Anchorage’s rich history and cultural traditions is by visiting one of its museums. Downtown, the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center features three floors of permanent and rotating exhibitions specific to Alaska’s culture, industry and history. The all-ages Discovery Center is designed specifically for children, engaging them in Alaska’s landscapes through science, art, nature and interactive displays.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center, just minutes from downtown, is situated on 26 acres of land and includes both indoor and outdoor exhibitions that explore the history, traditions and ancient lifestyles of Alaska’s First People. Catch a demonstration of Native games by local youth, visit authentic replicas of dwelling houses constructed to teach the similarities and differences among Alaska’s Native tribal groups, and join in the dancing and drumming presentations held each day.

The center is Alaska’s largest cultural facility, and there’s something to pique everyone’s interests.

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A rider launches into the air at Anchorage’s Hilltop Bike Park. / PHOTO BY BILL ROTH A member of the Commemorative Air Force stands on a Consolidated BT-13 on static display during the Alaska Aviation Museum’s Fly-By Festival at Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage. / PHOTO BY BILL ROTH

The whole family will also enjoy the Alaska Aviation Museum, found along the shoreline of Lake Hood, the world’s busiest seaplane base. Featuring four hangars of vintage aircraft and exhibitions showing off Alaska’s long relationship with flight, the museum has plenty of hands-on activities for kids, including flight simulators, touchable aircraft and the Seybert Tower, where live radio transmissions from Lake Hood are routed for visitors’ hearing.

Any trip to Alaska would not be complete without a look at the wildly popular sportfishing industry. Fortunately, Anchorage provides many opportunities to drop a line in the water, and children are welcome to try their hand at landing a fish. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game office on Raspberry Road provides a rod loaner program for kids, and can advise on current licensing requirements and regulations.

A great place to learn about Alaska’s fish species is at the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery along the banks of Ship Creek in downtown Anchorage. Here, kids can witness the eggs-to-fingerling process of Alaska’s sport fish populations before they’re transported to local waters for anglers to catch. There’s even an outdoor viewing area where salmon, returning to their home waters, splash their way up Ship Creek for spawning each summer. Just downstream the hatchery is The Bait Shack, where parents and kids can rent a full line of gear (and receive helpful tips for first-time salmon fishers).

And speaking of wild critters (Page 28), make sure you take the kids to The Alaska Zoo, located just off O’Malley Road in South Anchorage. Open daily and featuring a wide variety of mammals and birds suited to life in northern climates, the zoo offers a quiet, forested retreat during an otherwise busy day.

There’s a small cafe and plenty of space for picnic lunches or dinners when everyone’s hungry. The zoo also offers a free shuttle during the summer months from downtown Anchorage (online reservations are required on the zoo website).

For a longer day trip outside the city proper, drive south along the Seward Highway (Page 63) to Girdwood. A designated Scenic Byway, this 40-mile stretch is a wonderful area to look for beluga whales in chilly Turnagain Arm, Dall sheep on the rocky cliffs above, and the occasional moose browsing along the popular Bird to Gird trail adjacent to the highway. In Girdwood, take the Alyeska Resort Aerial Tram to the top of Mount Alyeska for a bird’s-eye view of scenic Glacier Valley with its seven hanging glaciers circling the area. Take the tram both ways, or hike one way up or down the steep slope for a truly invigorating adventure.

Girdwood is also home to Crow Creek Gold Mine, a perfectly preserved mine site dating back to 1896, with authentic buildings, equipment and the chance to pan for gold along the rushing creek itself. Kids will enjoy wandering the mine structures and artifacts before taking a short walk to the creek with a gold pan and bucket of “paydirt” so they can try their luck at striking it rich.

Just south of Girdwood is the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, a 200acre sanctuary for animals not able to live independently in their own habitat. Kids will love wandering the 1.5-mile loop to view animals like moose, musk ox, brown and black bears, wolves and a herd of wood bison.

Want to have a truly immersive experience?

Try one of the animal encounter tours that go behind the scenes for a deeper education on the habitats, health and care of the

center’s critters.

For those wanting to venture farther into the local wilderness, Eklutna Lake sits deep within the Chugach Mountains 22 miles from downtown Anchorage. Managed by Alaska State Parks, this 7-mile-long lake is a glorious turquoise color and features plenty of hiking and biking trails along and near the shoreline.

Or, take to the water aboard a kayak rented from a lakeside outfitter and see the stunning landscape in a different way. Kids will also enjoy playing along the shoreline at one of the many day-use sites. Parking fees are $5/day, payable on site.

At the end of the day, don’t forget to stop at Wild Scoops ice creamery on E Street for an Alaska-themed treat. This microcreamery makes truly delectable scoops representative of the state’s favorite flavors.

Erin Kirkland is a freelance travel writer and author of guidebooks about Alaska, including “Alaska On the Go: Exploring the 49th state with Children,” and Lonely Planet’s newest Alaska guide.

A young visitor looks at Chomper, the Anchorage Museum’s common snapping turtle, in the Discovery Center. / PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN

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FEATHERED, FURRED OR FIERCE – HERE’S HOW TO SAFELY GET UP CLOSE WITH EPIC ALASKA ANIMALS

By B A I L E Y B E R G

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he 49th state is home to an astounding variety of wildlife: Some species are present at the highest density anywhere in the world. These animals have the power to captivate locals and visitors alike; you’ll often see cars pulling over to get a closer look. Here are just a few for your bucket list and tips on where to scope them out.

MOOSE: Locals will joke that moose are to Alaska what squirrels are to the Lower 48. While they’re not quite that ubiquitous, they do often show up where you’d least expect them — perusing a backyard garden, browsing shrubs in a grocery store parking lot or enjoying the long grass on the side of the highway. They’re hard to miss: Adult females weigh between 800 and 1,300 pounds and males tip the scales at 1,200 to 1,600 pounds.

BEARS: Of the species of bear found in Alaska, the two you’re most likely to see are brown bears and black bears. Black bears, the smallest of the bunch, usually dwell in forested areas, but are also more likely to wander into town or pick through garbage cans. Brown bears, also called grizzlies, are spread throughout much of the state. A subspecies of brown bear, the Kodiak bear, is one of the largest kinds of bears and found exclusively in the Kodiak Archipelago. Then there’s the Arctic-dwelling polar bear, found in coastal areas above the Arctic Circle and on the North Slope.

DALL SHEEP: Snow white with small, curved, golden-brown horns, this nimble subspecies of sheep thrives in mountainous terrain, where predators can’t reach and humans don’t bother them. You might see them high up on the near-vertical rock face of the Seward Highway — where they can sometimes distract drivers and present a 28

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A bull moose walks across a small pond between the Seward Highway and the Alaska Railroad tracks at Potter Marsh in Anchorage. / PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN

traffic hazard. They’re also found throughout Chugach State Park and scattered around Denali National Park and Preserve.

SALMON: Five kinds of salmon can be found in the rivers and streams of Alaska: sockeye (also called red), pink (aka humpy), king (or chinook), coho (silver) and chum (dog). During the summer months, salmon return from the sea to the waters where they were hatched. Their internal homing devices bring them remarkably close to where they entered the world, and that’s where they mate, spawn and die. You can watch their epic homecoming journeys throughout the state, though one of the easiest viewing areas, Ship Creek, runs through the heart of downtown Anchorage. There you can watch kings, coho and pink salmon charging upstream and eager anglers standing shoulder-to-shoulder, trying to fill their freezers. Kings start running in late May through July and cohos claim the river from August through midSeptember.

BALD EAGLES: Bald eagles, Alaska’s largest resident bird of prey with a wing span of up to 7.5 feet, are a frequent sight in the Last Frontier. Some towns, like Unalaska/ Dutch Harbor, are practically overrun with this national emblem. It’s estimated that a whopping 30,000 bald eagles are in Alaska.

WHALES: Take a boat in Prince William Sound or Resurrection Bay and, if the timing is right, you’ll see the tails of humpback, bowhead and gray whales waving in the distance. A few of the other kinds of whales in Alaska: beluga populations found in Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm; bowheads, which come close to North Slope villages during their migration; and orcas, found in the Glacier Bay area through to the Aleutian Islands.

WHERE TO SEE ALASKA ANIMALS UP CLOSE ALASKA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CENTER (PORTAGE): Each of the animals at the Conservation Center has a story. Uli, the female black bear, was found wandering downtown Juneau as a 5-pound cub; Jade, the red fox, was found by joggers after being orphaned; Artemis, a musk ox calf, was found hiding under a raised utility building near Prudhoe Bay after she was separated from her herd. They’ve all found a lifelong home at the sanctuary, which is dedicated to animal care, conservation, research and education.

The center has over 200 acres of habitat for the animals — including moose, wood bison, deer, elk, birds of prey, coyotes and reindeer.

Some, like the wood bison, are raised and reintroduced to the wild. (Mile 79 of the Seward Highway, Portage) ALASKA ZOO (ANCHORAGE): Started in 1969 with just Annabelle, an elephant won by a local grocer in a contest, the zoo now includes more than 100 animals, including polar bears, Dall sheep, harbor seals and Arctic fox. Beyond simply providing a way to view the animals, the zoo focuses on education, research and animal rehabilitation.

(4731 O’Malley Road, Anchorage) ALASKA SEALIFE CENTER (SEWARD): The only coldwater marine science facility in the Western Hemisphere, the SeaLife Center in Seward is where to go if you want to see Steller sea lions, seals, puffins and other coastal birds, salmon, octopus, crabs, starfish and sea urchins. A big part of the SeaLife Center’s mission is rehabilitating injured or abandoned animals from throughout the state, so you might even see an infant walrus, beluga whale or other sea mammal. (301 Railway Ave., Seward)

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Dall sheep look down from the rocky cliffs by the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm, located south of Anchorage. / PHOTO BY BILL ROTH

A musk ox at the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer. / PHOTO BY

BILL ROTH

THE MUSK OX FARM (PALMER): Located on a Colony farm in Palmer, the Musk Ox Farm is a domesticated animal operation that began in 1964. Part of the farm’s animal husbandry involves collecting the hair that’s shed from musk ox undercoats each spring.

The fibers, called qiviut, are said to be softer than cashmere and warmer than wool when spun into yarn, which you can purchase in the farm’s gift shop. You can only get as close as the fences allow, but you’ll have no problem seeing the handful of new calves born each spring. (12850 E. Archie Road, Palmer) REINDEER FARM (PALMER): You can pet

and feed the roughly 150 reindeer at the Reindeer Farm in Palmer — they’re friendly and will take grain pellets out of your hand.

Fun fact: These same reindeer participate in the annual Running of the Reindeer at the Anchorage Fur Rondy festival each February (think running of the bulls, but with reindeer in downtown Anchorage). (5561 S. Bodenburg Loop Road, Palmer) ROBERT G. WHITE LARGE ANIMAL RESEARCH STATION (FAIRBANKS): Bordering the University of Alaska Fairbanks, this research station is mostly devoted to studying musk oxen,

which gives students at the university experience maintaining colonies of large animals. You don’t have to be a student to meet their musk oxen (and the reindeer and cattle that also live there) — LARS has regularly scheduled open hours in the summer and pre-arranged tours in the winter for visitors to stop by. (2220 Yankovich Road, Fairbanks) Bailey Berg is a writer who splits time between Alaska and Colorado. Her work can be found in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Afar, National Geographic and beyond.

She’s the author of “Secret Alaska: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.”

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• Qiviut is the th downy underwool of the Musk Ox

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A VISITOR’S GUIDE TO LEGAL CANNABIS IN ALASKA, WHETHER YOU’RE AN OLD HAND OR JUST LOOKING TO SAMPLE LOCAL FARE

By Z A C H A R I A H H U G H E S

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Budtenders at cannabis retail shops around the state are a resource for information about local marijuana varieties. / PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN

o, you’re visiting Alaska and wondering about weed.

As states all over the country have decriminalized and legalized recreational cannabis, these days Alaska’s rules and retailers are less outliers than they were even five years ago. These days, buying and consuming legal weed in the 49th state is not much different from places like Oregon or Massachusetts.

Whether you’re a cannabis connoisseur or just looking to sample a novel local offering during vacation, pot shops in Alaska are likely to have whatever you’re looking for. But you might pay a little bit more for it.

THE BASICS Alaska has long had permissive rules when it comes to cannabis, but following a 2014 ballot initiative, the state fully legalized recreational consumption for anyone 21 and older. That includes tourists, as long as you can provide a valid government ID. Cannabis is regulated more or less like alcohol, so if you’re wondering whether something is legal or not, ask yourself: “Would I get in trouble doing this with an open beer or spiked seltzer in my hand?”

The big caveat is that Alaska has almost no equivalent to bars or restaurants for pot. With the exception of one establishment in Fairbanks, Good Titrations (which bills itself as “one of the first on-site consumption cannabis cafés in the nation”), there are no “pot cafes” or easy commercial locations in which to light up.

This leaves visitors with relatively few places to legally consume.

Most hotels and bars ban indoor smoking (of everything). There are ample outdoor smoking areas, and though it is not uncommon to detect the distinct odor of pot smells emanating from them, it is technically unlawful to consume cannabis there, even non-odiferous versions like

edibles and vape pens (at least within the Municipality of Anchorage and several other jurisdictions). If you’re staying on private property like an Airbnb or lodge, check the rules or with your host. As with alcohol, it technically remains unlawful to consume in public parks and greenbelts.

This all gets especially confusing given that federally governed entities like planes, marine ferries and national parks within Alaska still have full prohibitions on cannabis.

WHERE TO BUY Most cities and towns in Alaska have cannabis retail shops, and they are rarely hard to find. You can literally just Google it. The state has the highest number of retailers per capita of any in the union (take that, Oregon!). If you’re in population centers like Anchorage, Juneau or Fairbanks, you should have no problem finding a number of reputable, high-quality retailers, many of them right in the centers of downtown.

Even smaller towns that tend to see lots of summer tourists and cruiseship passengers have multiple, well-stocked businesses with a full range of products.

This is not the case in small, rural, primarily Indigenous communities, some of which have bans on cannabis commerce as they do with alcohol. While under Alaska statutes “a local government may not prohibit the personal use and possession of marijuana and marijuana products,” they do have something called local option laws, which allow a community to ban the importation and sale of them. Bigger hub communities like Nome and Bethel have pot shops, but almost none of the smaller villages in rural Alaska do. Currently, the state’s Marijuana Control Board does not have a list detailing individual communities’

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local option laws for cannabis.

Shops abide by strict standards for IDing customers, so make sure you have your driver’s license or a state-issued ID handy when you enter. They also deal primarily in cash, though businesses will typically have an ATM on site for withdrawals.

Once inside, “budtenders” are there to help you find what you need, and they’re generally exceptionally well-versed in the attributes of the products on hand. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Staff, especially budtenders, are accustomed to helping customers find what they’re looking for. If you are new to pot, don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Same as you would with a barista or bartender, always tip your budtender.

WHAT TO BUY Owing to a number of regulatory and financial factors, Alaska has a unique cannabis industry relative to other states that have legalized recreational use. Though there are some bigger players, the state’s cultivators, manufacturers and retailers are generally small and independently run. Although there’s been a degree of consolidation in the sector the last few years, we are overwhelmingly a “mom and pop”-type cannabis industry, without a ton of major corporate, heavily financed

conglomeration that has dominated some states in the Lower 48.

The cannabis scene here is creative, collegial and comprehensive. You’ll find most of the same products you’d encounter in bigger, more sophisticated markets. The catch, though, is that the range of options, particularly for more cutting-edge and highly refined products, is narrower.

And a bit more costly. Everything is more expensive in Alaska, from energy costs to cultivation equipment to labor, and that’s reflected at the point of sale. Businesses work hard to keep costs low for consumers, but you’re still likely to find products a bit pricier than if you were buying them in Colorado or Washington, for example.

Bud flower remains the most popular product in retail shops across the state, with plenty of strains to choose from. Higher THC strains are the predominant offering at product counters. Some say this is because of users’ preferences, others say it has more to do with market incentives created by the state’s policy of collecting a flat tax on raw cannabis according to weight, not strength. Regardless, if you want lower-potency flower, you may have to work a little harder to find it.

There are lots of small and ambitious edible operations that have thrived in the last few

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years. Cookies and gummies, sure, but also highly local fare like THC-infused fireweed honey, cannabis ice cream and “strawberry moose milk,” which … does not actually come from a moose. It can be hit or miss wandering into a shop if you have a specific edible product in mind, so check menus online or look up an edible manufacturer’s website and see where they sell their products. Better to go in with an open mind than a shopping list, basically.

As far as more avant-garde concentrate products go, from disposable vapes to sugar wax to live rosin offerings, Alaska lags a little behind what’s happening in major markets.

Again, it’s best to query a particular store or company in advance if you have a specific product you’re intent on purchasing; many of them put their menus up on their websites.

Again, you can literally just Google it.

Whatever your level of interest in cannabis, spending a little cash while you’re visiting (even if it’s just on a shop T-shirt or hat) supports local businesses and chips in a bit of tax money to our state and local budgets, which are things to generally feel good about.

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ALASKA FISHING: FROM REMOTE LAKES TO DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE, HERE’S HOW TO GET IN ON THE ACTION

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ensational silvers and killer kings. Trophy-worthy trout and fantastically finned grayling.

Hearty halibut and rewarding reds. It’s a lineup of Alaska’s finest fish, and these spectacular species — and many more — are all within casting distance, driving distance and short-flight distance of Anchorage.

Yes, Alaska’s largest, busiest and most populated urban hub is also a sportfisherman’s fantasy … and that isn’t a fishing tale. Even the most secretive angler brags about this fishery, and it couldn’t be kept secret anyway: Anchorage is a mainstay on most “America’s Best Fishing Cities” lists.

“We’re very fortunate here in Southcentral, where we have so many diverse fisheries,” said Jay Baumer in a 2022 interview. Baumer is a sports fisheries manager biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game who manages the Anchorage, Prince William Sound and North Gulf Coast regions. “You can go fishing for a wide variety of species and have different opportunities, whether it’s a remote experience or you just want the convenience of something nearby. We’ve got it all here, which is fantastic.”

For Anchorage visitors, that includes the doorsteps of their local lodging. The community is covered in streams, creeks and lakes that are packed and stocked with tens of thousands of fun, fighting fish. And there are seemingly endless fishing options expanding out across Southcentral Alaska.

Sportfishing is a year-round activity in Anchorage and Alaska, but the action surges in summer. From May to September, the fish counts are generally high, salmon are running, Alaska’s midnight sun is warm and bright, and fishermen are giddy.

That said, the 2024 fishing season was slow for those seeking salmon in Anchorage. And that followed a tenuous 2023 fishing season that saw unprecedented restrictions and closures on sport and personal-use fishing of king salmon around the state’s Cook Inlet region.

But fishermen are ever the optimists, every cast an opportunity. With technology helping

provide information on where the fish are running, and trends pointing to a rebound in some salmon fisheries, the 2025 season could be a breakout of the funky fishing of recent years. Check out the sportfishing section of Fish and Game’s website — adfg.alaska.gov — for the latest updates.

Where should you wet a line? Around Anchorage, pretty much anywhere there’s water, there are fish. Many of these fishing holes also offer peace, quiet and the natural vibe of wild Alaska, even in the most urban of locations. As you cast and reel, and even get into a salmon or trout, it’s easy to forget you’re in Alaska’s biggest city.

SHIP CREEK — ANCHORAGE One of Anchorage’s most exciting fishing holes is set in one of the city’s biggest hot spots — downtown. Ship Creek carves across Anchorage’s northern side, passing by the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery before depositing downtown into picturesque Cook Inlet. It’s a fishing oasis on the edge of Anchorage’s cityscape. These waters are home to regular runs of summer salmon — kings early in the season, silvers (coho) later — and when the fish arrive, the banks bustle with fishermen.

“Right downtown you can fish for king salmon and coho salmon,” said Dan Bosch in a 2018 interview. Bosch is a passionate fisherman, now retired from his longtime role at Fish and Game, most recently as Anchorage-area regional management coordinator. “If you haven’t fished there before, just watch what everyone is doing, if they’re using eggs or spinners, and where they are setting up along the creek.”

As noted, the 2024 season wasn’t especially special at usually awesome Ship Creek.

With a slow start to the king run, along with unusual creek levels due to an intense level of snowmelt from a historic winter, a sportfishing closure took place on Ship Creek from June 29-July 13. And when a slow coho run arrived later, bag limits were one fish in August until a closure from Aug. 24-Sept. 30. As the season closed, Fish and Game responded to the challenges with some salmon-specific regulatory changes that could carry into 2025. Be sure to stay updated on the latest guidelines before you fish, and here’s hoping for a hot season at Anchorage’s hottest spot.

Anglers fish during the Coho Rodeo Derby at Ship Creek in Anchorage. / PHOTO BY LOREN HOLMES

OTHER URBAN HOT SPOTS Ship Creek might be the most visible venue, but incredible fishing opportunities abound in every corner of town and every direction of Southcentral Alaska. Anchorage lakes (Campbell, DeLong, Jewel, Mirror, Sand Lake) are loaded, and creeks (Bird, Campbell and Ship) and rivers (Eagle and Eklutna) are jamming with an array of fish — from several freshwater and landlocked salmon species to Dolly Varden/Arctic char and awesome Arctic grayling. Chester Creek runs through the center of town and can be great for rainbow trout (8-12 inches!), too.

OUTSIDE ANCHORAGE ACTION: ROAD TRIP REELING Anchorage is also the jumping-off point for fishing adventures all over Southcentral Alaska and beyond. A short drive or quick hike in practically any direction from urban Anchorage adds more casting spots. For nextlevel groundfish and salmon fishing, drive south for an hour (Prince William Sound out of Whittier) or two (Resurrection Bay out of Seward on the Kenai Peninsula) or five (Kachemak Bay out of Homer on the Kenai Peninsula), or drive north for 30 minutes to two hours (Matanuska-Susitna Borough).

Some of Alaska’s — and the world’s — most exciting salmon fishing goes down on the Kenai Peninsula, a few hours’ drive south of Anchorage, where the Kenai, Russian, Anchor and Kasilof rivers are flush with the famous fish. This is action-packed angling for Alaska’s salmon species. It can also be combat fishing at its gnarliest. When the fish are running, anglers line the banks, practically shoulder to shoulder, while locals and guides motor boats VISITORS’ GUIDE •

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up and down the rivers, homing in on hot spots. For most, that work is worth it when they land one of Alaska’s bright and hardfighting salmon, creating photo-worthy onlyin-Alaska moments that can be social media profile shots for years. Bonus note: The Kenai is also a world-class trout fishing river.

The fishing is also sweet in port towns like Whittier, Seward and Homer, which are all beautiful drives south of Anchorage. You can cast from their banks for salmon, but improve the odds and options by jumping aboard charter boats to chase the big, barndoor halibut and locate salmon runs as they return to their freshwater spawning grounds.

Catching a big halibut is tough work, but it’s a different kind of fish fight. Instead of running and splashing like salmon, these flat lunkers are more likely to turn into dead weight as they are slowly reeled up from the dark ocean bottom. They sometimes freak out when nearing the surface and sudden daylight, but handy deckhands are ready with a net and/or a gaff to snatch the flopping fish.

The port town of Valdez is a longer drive away, but the roads there are about as scenic (glaciers, mountains, wildlife, waterfalls) as it gets, and once you’ve arrived, the fishing around Port Valdez and Prince William Sound is equally impressive.

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Point your vehicle north from Anchorage and you’ll soon have awe-inspiring Denali looming large in your windshield, guiding you toward the glacier-carved and fish-filled Matanuska-Susitna Borough. You’ll find exciting fishing all around the Mat-Su, some less than an hour from Anchorage, some a little farther. When the salmon are running, the region’s rivers are slamming with fish and fishermen, especially the Deshka River, Willow Creek, Susitna River, Eklutna Tailrace and Montana Creek. If you prefer a slower pace, there are dozens of lakes packed with grayling, trout, Arctic char and landlocked salmon; favorites include Nancy Lake, Big Lake, Rolly Lakes and Knik Lake. If you like lakes, consider packing a lunch and your gear, renting a canoe, and soaking up the evening sun and the peace of Alaska’s outdoors.

FLYING FOR FISHING OUTSIDE ANCHORAGE If you’ve come all the way to Alaska to chase fish, you might as well dial up the fun to a once-in-a-lifetime experience by booking a fly-in fishing adventure. From Anchorage, floatplanes, skilled pilots and savvy guides will get you to the fish in high-flying fashion.

You’ll typically take off in a floatplane

from Anchorage’s Lake Hood, which buzzes with around-the-clock activity during Southcentral’s warm, bright summers. If you think the lake takeoff is thrilling, wait until the landing! And that’s just the start of the fun. (Of course, more conventional plane rides are available; you could fly commercial to great fishing towns like Kenai, Cordova, Ketchikan, Homer, Juneau, Valdez and more.)

What do you want to catch? A fighting salmon? A plump trout? A vicious pike? All of the above? Your guides have you covered.

How long do you want to cast? Half-day, fullday and multiday trips are available.

Want to go really big? Hook up with an outfit that will get you to a remote, fly-in lodge, where you can spend your days and evenings fishing until you can’t stop reeling or smiling, and your nights recovering like royalty in massive cabins and luxurious lodging. This is the ultimate in Alaska fishing experiences.

FISHING FACTOIDS Overwhelmed by the options? Contact Fish and Game in person, on their Sport Fish Information Center phone line (907-2672218) or online (adfg.license@alaska.gov or the Fishing section of adfg.alaska.gov) for questions about fishing, licenses, regulations

or anything else Anchorage or Alaska fishing related. Fish and Game’s We Fish AK and Go Fish AK sportfishing websites are especially helpful and informative for ambitious anglers and families looking for fishing fun.

Fish and Game now has a mobile app that provides information about licenses, permits, tags and regulations, allows fishermen to record their catches, and even has a sport fish species identifier.

The Sport Fish Information Center in Anchorage (333 Raspberry Road) provides up-to-date information on all the fisheries.

You can even borrow fishing gear! There are also area fishing blogs and message boards, and friendly fishermen and retailers who are happy to share tips while you shop for tackle or gear.

Lures and lines, rods and reels — the choices are endless. But there’s one piece of equipment fishermen (residents 18 or older and nonresidents age 16 or older) must carry: a sportfishing license. Nonresidents have many sportfishing license options, from one day ($15) to a week ($45) to 14-day ($75) to annual ($100), and other options in between.

If you are on a quest for a king, you will also need a king salmon tag, which runs an additional $15 for one day and up to $100 for a year, with three-, seven- and 14-day stamps also available. For residents, there are numerous license options, including special rates for military, low income, senior citizens, disabled and elderly, so do your research.

Savvy shoppers will note that these are great deals, as many license prices dropped from prior seasons following a dip in sales during the pandemic.

NOTE: You might hear Alaskans buzzing about dipnetting for salmon to fill their freezers. Yes, it can be a fruitful fishing experience, but only Alaska residents are legally allowed to do it.

Alaska sportfishing licenses are available at most sporting goods shops, grocery and convenience stores, and online, of course.

It’s also a fisherman’s responsibility to know regulations, which are easily available in print in most places you can buy fishing licenses or gear, and online. Bosch said the key to figuring it out is to read the general regulations for each region (example: the Anchorage area), then look for site-specific regulations for streams (example: Ship Creek).

In other words, know where you are fishing and what you are fishing for. Oh, and always be bear aware — clean your fish and dispose of fish waste responsibly.

For those new to Alaska fishing or looking to maximize their chances of a big catch, hiring a guide or booking a charter can make all the difference. Whether you want to chase kings on the Kenai, battle halibut in Homer

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or fly into a secluded river for trophy trout, expert guides can tailor a fishing adventure to your skill level and bucket-list goals.

If you’re plotting a chartered or guided fishing experience, shop around. Most reputable charter companies have years of experience, tout their safety, fishing prowess and fun times, and are easy to study up on via their websites and social media. Find a perfect fishing fit for you and your crew by being specific about what you want to catch, how long you want to fish, and how much you want to spend.

One charter fishing bonus: It often comes with sightseeing in some of Alaska’s most incredible landscapes and wildlife, including water wonders like whales, orcas, porpoises and countless seabirds. Charter fishing out of Seward is practically overwhelming with the natural and wild wonders of Kenai Fjords National Park.

And don’t forget the bevy of fishing derbies that take place all summer in regions across Alaska. Catching a trophy fish in Alaska is memory making; neglecting to buy a derby ticket and then landing a winning fish is bittersweet, if not heartbreaking.

Baumer recommended that visitors and residents alike spend time on the sportfishing section of Fish and Game’s website — adfg. alaska.gov — for updates on everything from hot fishing spots to places where they can borrow, rent or buy gear.

“Nothing really different or changed over the past seasons, but it is always good to remind people to check for the most recent regulations and emergency orders, which are all posted online,” he said. “From the old-time fisherman or someone going for the first time, it’s always good to refresh your memory on that.

“And we’re always here to help with questions, whether they’re planning their trip or there’s a specific detail they’ve got a question about,” he added. “And we’re ready to get people here to go fishing. You can come up and fish, be careful and, like always, do it safely.”

FISH ON! Josh Niva is an Anchorage-based writer. He’s a former reporter and editor for the Anchorage Daily News.

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DRINK LIKE A LOCAL, WITH ALASKA-MADE BEER, MEADS AND CIDERS

By M A R A S E V E R I N

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n exchange for living in what is perhaps the country’s most beautiful state, Alaskans sometimes have to do without: professional sports teams, Trader Joe’s and, well, sunlight for half the year. But we make up for it with the Iditarod, reindeer sausages and chasing the aurora borealis. In other words, we often have to make our own fun. And by “fun” I mean “beer.” Those words are interchangeable, right?

Beer is a big part of life for Alaskans. We hike with it, camp with it, boat with it, cook with it, and pair it with foods like the stuffiest of sommeliers. We throw it monthly birthday parties like the First Tap events at Broken Tooth Brewing Co. (otherwise known as Bear Tooth Theatrepub and Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria), complete with national musical acts like Modest Mouse, the Indigo Girls and Norah Jones. We even occasionally do yoga with it (at downtown’s Williwaw Social). In other words, we take it everywhere and we take it seriously.

Beers from the state’s biggest brewery, Alaskan Brewing Co. based in Juneau, might already be in your refrigerator if you live in one of the 25 states where it’s available. Established in 1986 by Marcy and Geoff Larson, it was the 67th independent brewery to open in the country.

Alaskan Brewing has a steady line of signature brews, including their most recent, “Wildness,” as well as seasonal specialties that incorporate cranberries, raspberries, locally roasted coffee, locally grown white wheat from the Matanuska-Susitna region and even Alaska spruce tips.

It’s the most well-established of all the state’s breweries. Ubiquitous around Alaska, this long-running brewery is our Papa Beer, if you will (I’ll show myself out).

But Alaskan Brewing is just one of over 50 breweries, distilleries, meaderies, and cideries in the state (for an excellent list, visit brewersguildofalaska.org). And while almost half of them are in Anchorage or within a short drive of our state’s largest city, some of our most remote ports of call and tiniest towns are emphatically in on the brewing action (I’m looking at you, Gakona Brewery in Gakona, population 169).

A server pours a beer at the 49th State Brewing Co. location at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. / PHOTO BY LOREN HOLMES

The ever-expanding Denali Brewing Co. in Talkeetna (population 1,072) may be a small-town hero, but it’s now anything but small. Their four signature beers — Mother Ale, Chuli Stout, Single Engine Red and the ever-popular Twister Creek IPA — as well as their seasonal brews like Slow Down Brown and Flag Stop Milepost #3, are year-round mainstays of summer barbecues and winter bonfires.

Their brewery is also home to the more recently established Alaska Cider Works, Alaska Meadery (featuring “Razzery,” a mead made with raspberries, sour cherries and apples) and Denali Spirits (featuring vodka, gin, whiskey and “smoke” whiskey), because when you’ve fermented one, why not ferment them all?

(Denali Spirits’ canned cocktails, especially their blueberry mojito, are so popular in Anchorage that at one time there was a Facebook page largely dedicated to tracking them down. Luckily, supply has since caught up with demand.)

But some breweries are even more remote. Ports of call and island hopping here can be one way to get your fill of hops. Breweries can be found in Ketchikan (Bawden Street Brewing Co.), Kodiak (Kodiak Island Brewing Co., Double Shovel Kodiak Cidery and Olds River Inn), Homer (Homer Brewing Co. and Grace Ridge Brewing Co. for beer, and you can also check out Sweetgale Meadworks for hard cider and locally sourced meads featuring ingredients like nagoonberry), Sitka (Harbor Mountain Brewing), Seward (Seward Brewing Co. and Stoney Creek BrewHouse), Valdez (Valdez Brewing and Growler Bay

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Brewing), and Skagway (Klondike Brewing Co. and Skagway Brewing Co.).

Of course, many trips to Alaska begin and end in Anchorage. And if you’ve foolishly left some beers untasted during your travels, you can make up for lost time in the city, which boasts — let’s face it — a ridiculous number of exceptional craft breweries.

Summer Sale

LOCAL BREWERIES AND TAPS IN ANCHORAGE Downtown’s Glacier Brewhouse specializes in oak-aged English and American West Coast style beers, 13 of them, from blondes to stouts.

Beneath the floor of the Brewhouse is a “Wall of Wood,” composed of casks of special release beers that are conditioned in oak barrels once used to age wine and bourbon. The history of the oak imparts the “mother tongue” flavor characteristics, like vanilla and coconut, into these limited-edition brews. Opt for one of these unique beers or choose from their flagship choices like raspberry wheat, oatmeal stout, imperial blonde, Bavarian hefeweizen or a flight that includes them all.

Down the street is 49th State Brewing Co., expanding into Anchorage from its original location in Healy, at the edge of Denali National Park and Preserve. If you were unable to visit their flagship location, where you can sip beer while playing bocce or horseshoes on the lawn, you can catch up with them here. There are unique year-round choices like Smok, their smoked lager, as well as seasonal offerings like the Tiger’s Blood Sour, an homage to shave ice — it’s described as “ferociously fruity.” Or you could try the Apple Fritter Ale, with hints of cinnamon, icing, caramel and vanilla. This location also has some of the best views in town and an expansive outdoor rooftop patio.

Just about all of the full-service restaurants in downtown Anchorage proudly feature some variety of Alaska beers. In the heart of downtown, Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse prides itself on a huge selection of beers, both international and local. Tent City Taphouse offers a diverse and carefully curated list of rotating local brews, including their house beer, Tent City Tangerine IPA brewed by Glacier Brewhouse. Tent City regularly hosts “Taste of the North” beer dinners featuring Alaskan brewers. One, in collaboration with Ship Creek Brewing Co., featured Szechuan chicken wraps with the Together is Better Baltic porter, and a complex English barleywine served with baked Alaska.

If you have transportation around the city, treat yourself to a brewery tasting-room tour. Found along unassuming side streets in the more industrial areas of Anchorage, some of our best beers can be sipped and savored at the source. Finding these spots can feel like being invited to a secret party. And it’s a glimpse into Anchorage’s most authentic beer culture.

In Midtown, Onsite Brewing Co. has unique small-batch brews in a funky, relaxed environment. And while not an actual brewery, the quaint Cafe Amsterdam offers an interesting range of local and international beers in a European-style tasting room adjacent to their dining room (a further plug for this spot is that it shares strip-mall space with La Bodega, an excellent liquor store with a wide range of local offerings, as well as Wild Scoops, a fantastic ice cream shop — truly one-stop shopping).

Farther south, King Street Brewing Co., Turnagain Brewing, Cynosure Brewing, Magnetic North Brewing Co., Brewerks and one of our newest, Ship Creek Brewing Co., are all within a stone’s throw of one another. If you’re lucky, you might run into one of Anchorage’s popular food trucks parked outside, so you’ll have something to wash down with your flights. Depending on the day, you might find reindeer sausages, pad Thai, cheesesteaks or pupusas on hand. On the weekends, Anchorage Brewing Co. features a top-notch in-house popup restaurant, called Familia, with a rotating menu featuring Alaska ingredients. a 38

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A growler sits on a table at the Midnight Sun Brewing Co. tasting room in Anchorage. / PHOTO BY LOREN HOLMES

Nearby, Midnight Sun Brewing Co. is part tasting room and part community center, with First Friday art openings, a rotating menu of creative comfort food and an all-around cool, local vibe. My next-door neighbors frequent the brewery for their great brews (favorites include the Panty Peeler Belgian-style Tripel and the Pleasure Town IPA) and also to pick up free spent grain to feed to their chickens.

One of the newest and farthest south, while still in the Anchorage Bowl, is Raven’s Ring Brewing Co., which is a brewery/winery and meadery. From a traditional IPA to a Concorde grape wine called Grape Juice to a rotating vintner’s pour like Sweet Peach Jalapeno mead, this ambitious operation is challenging the notion that you can’t please everyone.

Other Anchorage points of interest for nonhoppy but still home-grown adult beverages include Alaskan Spirits Distillery, Anchorage Distillery, Zip Kombucha, Double Shovel Cider Co. and Hive Mind Meadery.

If your travels are over and you still haven’t had your fill, check out the Silver Gulch Brewing & Bottling Co. inside Terminal C at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport on your way out of town. An offshoot of the flagship Silver Gulch brewery in Fox, Alaska (about 10 miles north of Fairbanks), this location has a bar and restaurant, and a retail shop carrying growlers of their own brews, as well as those of other Alaska brewers and distillers.

Before you start your great northern beer safari, bear in mind that tasting rooms often have limited and varying hours, so always double-check before planning a visit.

Whether your travels take you to finedining restaurants, low-key alehouses or rustic cabins in the woods, make like an Alaskan and fuel your adventures with one of our beloved, home-grown brews. When in Alaska, drink as the Alaskans do.

Mara Severin is a food writer who writes about restaurants in Southcentral Alaska for the Anchorage Daily News.

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WHERE TO EAT WORLD-CLASS SALMON, HALIBUT, KING CRAB AND MORE

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like to explore a new place fork first. A destination’s culinary landscape is often as interesting as its topographical one.

And Alaska is no different. If you want to break the ice with a local, ask them about their favorite pizza. Or burger. Or bowl of pho. You’ll definitely hear about Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria, which might be described as one of the city’s most important social hubs. You’ll hear about the broth-tonoodle soup ratios at old-school Vietnamese eatery Ray’s Place vs. the trendy Phonatik in South Anchorage. You’ll hear about Tommy’s Burger Stop, Lucky Wishbone and Arctic Roadrunner, where loyal locals have gotten their burger-and-fries fixes for decades.

Landlubbers, quit reading here.

For most visitors to Alaska, fork-first travel means seafood. Fish is at the top of our gourmet (and recreational) food chain.

Many residents love to fish, and those who don’t make sure to befriend someone who does. How else will you keep your second freezer packed tight with salmon and halibut?

However, if during your Alaska vacation you’re not lucky enough to finagle a dinner invitation from a well-stocked local, never fear. The seafood-savvy chefs at Anchorage’s best restaurants have you covered. From sweet king crab legs to humble halibut tacos, dining out in Anchorage means eating the way many Alaskans dine in. Which is to say, beautifully.

SPECTACULAR SALMON Salmon, in Alaska, is both a luxury and a staple. Flaky, fatty (the good kind of fat) and full-flavored, salmon stands up to a wide range of preparations, including the smokiness and heat of an open flame. There are five salmon species found in Alaska, but the king variety is, well, king.

King crab legs at Club Paris in downtown Anchorage. / PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN

If you treat yourself to a glistening piece of Alaska king salmon (also known as chinook), you should also treat yourself to a view of Cook Inlet and Mount Susitna (known locally as “Sleeping Lady”). At the Crow’s Nest atop the elegant Hotel Captain Cook, it might be served with forbidden rice and wild mushrooms with a saffron beurre blanc.

Simon & Seafort’s Saloon & Grill offers sweeping views of the Alaska Range as well as a full range of the state’s finest seafood — black cod, halibut and both sockeye and king varieties of salmon prepared your way, grilled, baked, pan-seared or blackened.

For similarly beautiful views with a more relaxed vibe, check out the 49th State Brewing Co., where grilled king salmon is served on a bed of brown and red rice, kale and red quinoa with a lemon cream sauce, and can be paired with a house-brewed IPA. Bonus points for grabbing a spot at the best deck in town.

Or keep your eyes peeled for the “Big Blue,” the Salmon HookUp Truck, which makes appearances at festivals, breweries and food truck fairs around Anchorage throughout the summer. Owned and operated by commercial fishermen, the Cook Inlet salmon in their sandwiches, quesadillas, tacos and kebabs is as fresh as it’s possible to get anywhere. It’s like a taste of the ocean on wheels.

Or you can get your seafood fix at the most important meal of the day by hitting up Snow City Cafe for a Ship Creek Benedict made with smoked salmon cakes. This laid-back local favorite also offers a fantastic salmon BLT and a snow crab Benedict (Oscar style). Or hit

Birch and Alder for the Bagel Experience, a breakfast sandwich with Alaska cold smoked lox, sprouts, preserved lemon, onion, capers and crisp tomato chips. When it comes to breakfast in Alaska, it’s go big or go home.

HEAVENLY HALIBUT Considering the size of this behemoth catch (some exceed 400 pounds), Alaska halibut is prized for its delicate, buttery flavor. Its name derivation comes from half (holy) and butte (flat fish), and a beautifully prepared fillet can indeed be a spiritual experience. Its immaculate white flesh, firm textured and clean tasting, lends itself to a wide variety of flavor profiles.

At Orso, downtown Anchorage’s buzzy Italian eatery, you can order it served simply in a thin wrapper of salty prosciutto with a marsala garlic butter sauce. Next door at Glacier Brewhouse, double your pleasure with the crab-stuffed halibut, which is dusted in panko and filled with spinach, artichokes and, of course, crab. This beauty is served on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes and drizzled in a beurre blanc. Or try the halibut fillet.

This is coated with basil pesto and spent grain breadcrumbs sourced from their own brewing process and will pair nicely with one of their house-made beers.

Tent City Taphouse offers a halibut Alaskana with fresh dill, braised fennel, lemon crème fraiche and a smoked lemon pan jus. There’s also a more casual fish and chips preparation with traditional mushy peas and a less traditional gluten-free batter and their

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The always inventive Crush Bistro serves halibut pan-roasted with an edamame and wakame mash, baby bok choy, miso cream and a house XO sauce, for a Japanese take on your fish. In Midtown, the refined but relaxed Kinley’s Restaurant also offers halibut cheeks served with pancetta and pea risotto, lemon brown butter, basil oil and a balsamic reduction.

For a tropical take on fresh halibut, check out Palmeira, a sunny culinary oasis a little off the downtown beaten track that serves a seafood tostada topped with coleslaw, pickled onion, cucumber, avocado and spicy sesame aioli.

But if you want to eat halibut like a true local, look for the hand-held variety. Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse serves up everpopular blackened halibut tacos that many locals could describe from memory. You can also enjoy your seafood al fresco at El Green-Go’s, a popular downtown food truck where you can customize your fish tacos with either halibut or salmon. The White Spot Cafe, established in 1946, is an old-school lunch counter that serves up a lightly battered halibut sandwich revered by Anchorage residents for decades. Similarly old-school and just as beloved is Arctic Roadrunner, which serves salmon and halibut burgers topped with traditional fixings and one of the best onion rings in town. Their dining room is a treasure trove of nostalgic Alaskana and on nice days you can eat your lunch outdoors along Campbell Creek.

THE KING OF CRAB Alaska king crab legs have such a sweetly subtle flavor that I’m resistant to experimental recipes. Drawn butter and perhaps a few lemon wedges are, for me, the ideal accompaniment to this particular delicacy.

Happily, many of Anchorage’s best restaurants share my view. The Crow’s Nest, 49th State Brewing Co., Simon & Seafort’s and Tent City Taphouse all offer this decadent treat, by the pound, in its simplest form. And if you want your old-school dish served in an old-school dining room, head to Club Paris, which has been serving seafood and steak since the 1950s, and where you can eat your crab with a side of nostalgia and a dash of “Mad Men” atmosphere.

For a spicier take on king crab, check out downtown’s new Cajun Corner, where your king crab legs are served “bucket style” and can share space on your plate with tiger shrimp, crawfish, andouille sausage, corn and potatoes. Or in South Anchorage, order a feast at Inferno Seafood Boil, where the sign encourages you to “get kraken.” You can order king crab and live varieties of blue 42

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fontina, grana and gremolata. And while there do not — I repeat, do not — pass up a bowl of their sweet prawn bisque.

SCALLOPS

The halibut sandwich is a local favorite at the White Spot Cafe in downtown Anchorage. / PHOTO BY BOB

HALLINEN

crab, Dungeness and snow crab (among other crustacean varieties). You can’t get much fresher than that.

A cheeky king crab offering can be found at Altura Bistro in a deeply decadent red king crab macaroni and cheese featuring fresh gemelli, hatch chilies, aged white cheddar,

A chic but unpretentious fine-dining destination is Ginger, which serves one of my favorite scallop dishes in town. These are served atop a basil-pine nut crusted threecheese pasta, tomato brunoise and finished with truffle oil and fresh basil. This is not your grandma’s mac and cheese.

In Midtown, Jens’ Restaurant, a longstanding white-tablecloth favorite, serves sophisticated seasonal takes of Alaska’s finest. As of this writing, their scallops are being served with a butternut squash risotto and balsamic reduction, and topped with a pumpkin seed brittle.

For a wildly global take on this delicacy (and for some of the best cocktails in town), head to Whisky and Ramen, where you can order the miso cacio e pepe with scallops served on ramen-pasta hybrid noodles and topped with a sous vide egg.

OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY OYSTERS As my family will tell you, I love oysters.

Every year, I dutifully bring my family to the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. And while I like

giant pumpkins and baby piglets as much as the next person, secretly, I go for the oysters. When I arrive, I saddle up to the Pristine Products oyster booth and down a quick dozen of Prince William Sound’s finest while watching the pros shuck the next plateful. At the end of the day, after my family has stuffed themselves full of funnel cake and onion blossoms, I’ve been biding my time and saving my appetite. My farewell gesture to the fair is to slurp back another dozen oysters on my way out. They’re that good.

If you aren’t lucky enough to be in town during the Alaska State Fair, you’ll just have to suck it up (so to speak) and get your fix without the funnel-cake palate cleanser.

Many restaurants serve fresh-shucked local oysters with a traditional mignonette or cocktail sauce, including Fletcher’s (the more casual dining option in the Hotel Captain Cook) and Sullivan’s Steakhouse (which also serves them charbroiled and Rockefeller-style).

At the Crow’s Nest, raw oysters are served with a rotating and always creative “mignonette of the day.”

In Midtown, Altura Bistro serves fresh oysters with yuzu plum wine foam and micro shiso while nearby, Kinley’s serves them cold in a Riesling mignonette or au gratin in roasted shallot cream sauce topped with basil and sauteed spinach.

That said, the cold salt waters of Alaska’s coast produce the most delicious oysters in the world — plump, sweet and briny — so after dabbling with dips, toppings and sauces, do yourself a favor and end your meal with at least one oyster eaten au naturel. A little taste of the sea is the perfect dessert.

Mara Severin is a food writer who writes about restaurants in Southcentral Alaska for the Anchorage Daily News.

Altura Bistro chef and owner Nathan Bentley pours bone marrow dashi tableside for a black cod dish served with ginger-nori butter, pork dumplings, bok choy and fresno chili. Bentley is a three-time James Beard Award semifinalist. / PHOTO BY LOREN HOLMES

CELEBRATING OVER 65 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

Voted “Best Steak” 28 years

Press Picks 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

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IN ANCHORAGE’S SMALL BUT MIGHTY DOWNTOWN, YOU’LL FIND TOURIST TEES, ART, FINE DINING AND MORE

By K A T I E P E S Z N E C K E R

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Fourth Avenue in downtown Anchorage. / PHOTO BY LOREN HOLMES

early 286,075 of Alaska’s 733,406 residents call Anchorage home. While town proper sprawls Other downtown stops for the historically curious include the across 1,706 square miles, Anchorage’s downtown is Anchorage Museum, packed with historical, arts and cultural exhibits, conveniently compact and easy to navigate. It’s the and the Fraternal Order of the Alaska State Troopers Alaska Law oldest developed part of the city, with many buildings dating to the Enforcement Museum, which houses a rich collection of the history of early 1900s. Its sensible and alphabetically organized street grids those officers who brought law and order to one of the largest and farrender it pleasantly walkable and navigable for visitors. flung jurisdictions of America.

Start your urban adventure at the central Log Cabin Visitor The Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery was established in 1915 Information Center at the corner of F Street and Fourth Avenue.

by President Woodrow Wilson. Just south of Sixth Avenue and west of Staffed year-round by well-versed hosts, the center offers loads of Cordova Street, it’s the final resting place for some of Anchorage’s most information about the city’s history, general visitor guides and access significant pioneers and historical figures, including Alaska Native to out-of-town excursions and city tours. Grab brochures or catch a leaders, politicians and artists. The 22-acre cemetery covers a nineshuttle for tours departing nearby. block area and offers contemplative space for walking and exploring For the historically curious, pay attention while wandering the final resting place of some of the city’s most notable pioneers. downtown streets. There are interpretive signs at strategic street corners and along sidewalks that share photos and stories of Anchorage’s earliest days, pointing out important landmarks and significant buildings.

Next to the visitor center sits the two-story cast concrete Historic City Hall, which first opened in 1936. These decades-old buildings Come meet the locals! Bears, lynx are architectural treasures, since many of bison, moose, reindeer, muskox, Anchorage’s oldest buildings were destroyed wolves, caribou, porcupines, and in the devastating 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, which cracked open sidewalks others that call the Alaska Wildlif and toppled structures.

Conservation Center home.

The old city hall’s lawn is often fronted by summer vendors selling ever-popular reindeer Wildlife viewing, tours (feed a be hot dogs and other delicious food. The lawn and educational opportunities abo sometimes hosts free outdoor public concerts. just 45 minutes south of Anchorag Nearby, a handful of charming circa-1915 the scenic Seward Highway. cottages on Third Avenue are among the city’s original homes. Just below downtown in the AWCC is a non-profit sanctuary dedi predominantly industrial area known as Ship preserving Alaska’s wildlife through c Creek, the Alaska Railroad Anchorage Depot, education, research, and quality anim built in 1942, still serves the state’s rails today.

The circa-1915 Oscar Anderson House Museum today is surrounded by a charming park, a quiet corner just downhill from the main downtown corridor in an area known as Bootlegger’s Cover. The house, which in past summers opened to tourists, was donated by Anderson’s widow in 1976. It has remained closed for renovations and repairs. Updates to its accessibility will be shared on the museum’s website. a 44

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For those visitors seeking the perfect Alaska trinket to commemorate their time here, simply wander central downtown’s streets for authentic treasures — from furriers to ivory carvings to kitschy T-shirts. Many tourist shops sell reasonably priced T-shirts, hats and other knickknacks. More valuable and individualized Alaska mementos like crafted jewelry, fur items, ivory figurines, stationary, pottery and Alaska Native art are sold at higher-end boutiques.

Sevigny Studio sells locally crafted jewelry, pottery and artwork, including originals and prints by its namesake Katie Sevigny. The Kobuk is a charming shop selling locally made collectibles and global crafts, foreign foods, gourmet candies and a wide range of tea, with a tea shop in the back of the store.

The Tiny Gallery on Fourth Avenue is a cozy cove of treasures, with many local artists’ work featured year-round.

The Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall has lost many retailers in recent years, though it still has popular chain stores such as Sephora and Bath and Body Works. The real reason to swing by are the local shops, like Alaska Cake Studio, which will satisfy any sweet tooth, and Alaska Wildberry Products, for tasty and memorable vacation souvenirs.

ANCHORAGE DINING AND NIGHTLIFE Anchorage’s nightlife options span dives, cocktail bars and beer-forward pubs. During long-lit summer days, score a patio or deck seat to soak in the novelty of late-day sunshine and gorgeous views.

For pub crawling, begin at the corner of F Street and Sixth Avenue, across from the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, where one will find decades-old Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse. The menu covers the gamut of Alaska pub grub, like fried halibut and king crab nuggets with garlic aioli, and its expansive beer selection is top-tier. Next door to Humpy’s is Flattop Pizza + Pool, featuring a laid-back urban vibe.

Across the street, Williwaw Social boasts a rooftop bar that opens on nice summer days and is unparalleled for views of Anchorage’s Town Square Park. It’s known for big outdoor summer shows and entertainment indoors on its main stage.

A second open-air option is 49th State Brewing Co. Its incomparable deck overlooks

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Cook Inlet. You can even glimpse the tip-top of Denali during favorably clear conditions.

For a fancier evening, several finedining restaurants downtown have clever craft cocktail creations and extensive wine selections.

Ginger specializes in Pacific Riminfluenced cuisine with a modern, warm aesthetic and a chic bar. This is an ideal stop pre-show at the performing arts center, which is just steps away.

Crush Wine Bistro and Cellar features wine flights from an impressive cellar presented by knowledgeable staff, alongside shareable small plates and seasonally sourced entrees. The menu changes often, keeping this foodie favorite fresh and fun. Don’t miss its companion wine shop next door, which sells many delightful bottles and beers.

For unexpectedly great Cajun cooking, there is Gumbo House, a longtime downtown staple located on Sixth Avenue. The 20-yearold restaurant features jambalaya, po’boys, gumbo and a full bar. Live music is performed some nights as well.

For a fantastic view of the sun dropping down toward the mountain known as Sleeping Lady, visit Simon & Seafort’s, and enjoy craft cocktails and Alaska seafood.

Check their website for some exceptional

breakfast lunch espresso Est. 1998 | Downtown

snowcitycafe.com 1034 W 4th Ave 907.272.2489

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happy hour deals on delicious bar bites. For more killer 360-degree views, hit the top floor of the Hotel Captain Cook at the Crow’s Nest.

The venerable fine dining restaurant also has a small bar area, with incredible cocktails and wine sourced from its deep cellar. Attire here is business casual.

A true downtown Alaska experience would not be complete without delving into a dive bar. One of the best known is Darwin’s Theory, where salty patrons munch on free popcorn and sip stiff drinks in a laid-back atmosphere. Another crowd-pleaser is Pioneer Bar, whose sign touts that it’s the home of Alaska’s “almost-perfect bartenders.”

Both share commonalities: long legacies, personable staff, affordable drinks and Alaska-brewed beers and ciders.

Mad Myrna’s is downtown’s “gay nightclub and cabaret.” With drag shows, cabaret performances, karaoke nights and dancing, and a gorgeous sunny patio during summer, Myrna’s is a true standout with a highenergy vibe and a long tradition of inclusive entertainment in the Last Frontier. It’s also a sleeper hit on the foodie scene with some super tasty menu items.

Katie Pesznecker is an Anchorage writer and former reporter for the Anchorage Daily News.

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ANCHORAGE MUSEUMS RANGE FROM EXPANSIVE TO NICHE, BUT ARE ALWAYS INSPIRING

By K A T I E P E S Z N E C K E R

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nchorage’s arts and culture scene features perspectives, experiences and treasures that offer insights into Alaska’s history, showcases its contemporary landscape and highlights the art and traditions of its Indigenous people.

Whether you’re culturally curious, hungry for history, or angling for artistic experiences, Alaska’s largest city has something to offer.

The Anchorage Museum is an ideal launching spot for the most expansive experience. It is the largest museum in the city, with permanent exhibits, rotating features, and everything from classic and modern art to Native cultural arts to exhibits on the city’s historical and economic development. The campus is within a short walking distance for downtown-dwelling tourists.

Permanent installations include “Living Our Cultures, Sharing Our Heritage: The First People of Alaska.” This interactive gallery showcases more than 600 objects from the Smithsonian, selected and interpreted with counsel from Alaska Native groups. From traditional clothing fashioned from skins and furs, intricate beadwork and baskets and hand tools dating from long-ago times, it’s an impressive collection highlighting the resiliency and unique beauty of Alaska Native cultures.

The Alaska Exhibition highlights the ingenuity, technology and connection to place that have allowed Alaskans to thrive. Nearby, the Art of the North exhibit unfolds across spacious gallery bays, with sculptures, videos, photography and paintings. This is where you’ll find the timeless works of Sydney Laurence, Alaska’s most iconic Romantic landscape artist.

Current exhibits include “Alaska Triennial,” running through Sept.

7, 2025. This celebrates place through the lens of contemporary art and encourages the creation of new works by Alaska artists.

Also exhibiting through September 2025 is “Painting at the End of the Ice Age,” landscape paintings by David Rosenthal. These document the final years of our current geologic Ice Age. “Tricksters and Sourdoughs: Humor and Identity in Alaska” runs through Oct. 4, 2026, and is an Alaska take on humor as a coping mechanism, and also a vehicle for creating and sharing culture.

The museum store is a great gift shop for visitors seeking unique trinkets to bring home. Proceeds benefit educational and public programs and exhibitions.

There’s also an onsite cafe just off the museum entrance lobby called Muse — operated by Crush Bistro — which offers grab-and-go fare with an emphasis on local cuisine, along with hot and cold beverages and snacks.

On summer Wednesdays, the museum’s popular Lunch on the Lawn series features fun food trucks, live local music, science activities and family-friendly games in a beautiful green space.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center offers an encompassing celebration and commemoration of the history and experiences of Alaska Natives. It is a premier destination, devoted to understanding and sharing the ongoing legacy of Alaska’s Indigenous first peoples.

The Native Heritage Center is an indoor and outdoor facility that covers some scenic 26 acres, located northwest of the Glenn Highway

Lettering on the Anchorage Museum reminds visitors that Anchorage is the traditional homeland of the Dena’ina people. / PHOTO BY MARC LESTER

and Muldoon Road. Its largely Alaska Native staff educates visitors about the resiliency, unique traditions and shared experiences of Alaska Native culture.

It includes exhibits, demonstrations, a cafe and a gift shop featuring work from Alaska Native artists. The center’s “Hall of Cultures” is set to reopen in June 2025 after renovations; the space features a number of dynamic exhibits that will teach visitors more about each of the five major culture groups of Alaska.

Many visitors will be surprised by Alaska’s broad range of Native cultures and traditions, and the Heritage Center presents an extraordinary opportunity to see it all in one place.

Situated alongside picturesque Lake Tiulana, the center includes re-created village sites, a glimpse into more traditional ways of life that visitors can freely explore: a Dena’ina log home; a Yup’ik/Cup’ik Qasgiq and Enet; Iñupiaq/St. Lawrence Island Yupik Qargi; Sugpiaq Ciqlluaq; Unangax Ulax; and the Eyak/Tlingit/Haida/Tsimshian clan house and carving shed. Each village site was built to resemble a traditional structure along with cultural belongings that each group used in their daily lives.

While the Anchorage Museum and the Alaska Native Heritage Center are the largest and best-known in the area, many other cultural centers and museums address both broad topics and niche interests.

Downtown Anchorage is home to the Fraternal Order of the Alaska State Troopers Alaska Law Enforcement Museum. Admission is $5, or $3 for military, law enforcement, seniors, and youth under 18, and free for those 12 and under. The museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Wednesday to Friday and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

This specialty museum highlights the history of those who brought law and order to one of the largest and most far-flung jurisdictions in Alaska. It houses the state’s only collection of historical law enforcement memorabilia, including an authentically restored 1952 Hudson Hornet automobile.

The troopers museum also sports antique radios, handcuffs and leg irons, early wiretapping equipment, old photographs and documents and Alaska policing uniforms. Exhibits showcase women in Alaska law enforcement and one room contains a remarkable collection of law

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enforcement patches. The unique gift shop sports Alaska State Troopers memorabilia and souvenirs like fun hoodies and interesting history books.

Also downtown is the Oscar Anderson House Museum, a 1915 home in storied Bootleggers Cove that was home to the 18th settler to arrive in “Tent City.” The charming cottage is now surrounded by a park and looks out across the waters west of Anchorage, and it’s acknowledged as a National Trust for Historic Preservation “Distinctive Destination.” This museum was closed during the 2023 and 2024 summer seasons for repairs. Updates will be shared on its website.

On Anchorage’s east side, the Alaska Museum of Science and Nature is a hidden gem, shining scientific light on the special and specific aspects of Alaska, from prehistoric times to present. The museum is designed as a learning adventure for visitors of all ages, exploring Alaska’s geological, cultural and ecological background. The museum is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.

Alaska may be more defined by the potential and achievements of the aviation industry more than any other state in the country, so appropriately, the Alaska Aviation Museum claims a unique spot on the roster of regional museums. It is appropriately situated

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on the shores of the Lake Hood Seaplane Base, billed as the busiest seaplane base in the world. In and of itself, Lake Hood is worth a stop and photo op, or even a walking tour to see landings and takeoffs and photograph colorful floatplanes.

The Aviation Museum is among Anchorage’s top attractions, with artifacts and relics of Alaska’s remarkable air travel history that will delight aviation buffs. There are more than two dozen vintage aircraft on display in four hangars and also outdoor exhibits. The Aviation Museum is open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Entry is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and veterans, and $11 for children 3-13. The museum also offers a family rate of $75 for up to two adults and three children.

Before leaving Alaska, final arts and culture experiences await at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

On the lower level is the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. This ever-growing exhibit celebrates Alaska athletes, sporting events and moments, paying homage to some of the state’s greats.

Some names may ring bells with visitors from the Lower 48, like cross-country skiing Olympic gold medalist Kikkan Randall and NBA player Mario Chalmers. Inductees offer interesting peeks into Alaska’s unique sports

culture, Olympic heroes and Arctic pursuits.

The Hall of Fame celebrates dog mushing feats, mountain climbing and other athletic advocacy, and the lovely hall of portraits includes compelling captions and context.

Inductees in 2024 were NCAA All-American runner Allie Ostrander, musher and five-time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race winner Dallas Seavey and 10-time Special Olympics World Games medalist Bobby Hill.

The airport also has a life-size bronze statue of the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, for whom the airport is named. The statue depicts “Uncle Ted,” as Alaskans called him, seated on a bench with an arm outstretched, as though midsentence. It’s a point of interest for fans of Alaska politics and history, in which Stevens was pivotal for decades.

If you’re traveling with access to the newly remodeled Alaska Airlines Lounge, check out the artwork on display. Curated with support from the Alaska Native Heritage Center, featured work is flanked by QR codes that will connect to deeper information about the pieces. This is a last chance for visitors to take in beautiful creations from the 49th state before their Last Frontier adventure draws to a close.

Katie Pesznecker is an Anchorage writer and former reporter for the Anchorage Daily News.

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VALDEZ: A CHARMING TOWN THAT’S THE IDEAL START FOR PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND ADVENTURES

By K A T I E P E S Z N E C K E R

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aldez is an end-of-the-road town teeming with adventure and beauty, where visitors can fill their cups with great food, world-class fishing, Alaska history and locally brewed beer.

Located at the head of a deep fjord in eastern Prince William Sound, Valdez is a 300-mile drive from Anchorage. The drive in itself is an adventure. Motorists will enjoy sweeping views of jaw-dropping mountains, vast glaciers, tumbling waterfalls and possibly wildlife along the way.

Valdez holds a unique place in Alaska history. In the early 1900s, Valdez enjoyed a prosperous Gold Rush era. Families settled in, and a town was born. Its landscape changed forever when the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake triggered a tsunami that struck the original townsite and caused the deaths of 32 residents. It was the demise of the town in its original location.

Today, history buffs can visit the original Valdez townsite just a few miles east of modern Valdez. It is a quiet place of remembrance, marked with signage and a seaside pioneer cemetery.

With ingenuity, residents moved salvageable buildings to the town’s current location, and its modern-day location took root. Download information for a self-guided walking tour (valdezmuseum.org) to view those buildings that survived the quake.

The Valdez Museum and Historical Archive showcases the town’s vibrant history, from its earliest Alaska Native occupants to its prospector days to its modern form. Nearby, the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum boasts one of the largest collections of Alaska Native art and artifacts in the world. Check their

A whitewater kayaker paddles down Mineral Creek in Valdez. / PHOTO BY ERIK HILL

respective websites for operating hours.

While Valdez comes alive in the summer, it’s home to nearly 4,000 people year-round.

There’s one post office, one main grocery store, one hospital and one high school. Many residents work for or in connection to the terminus of the historic trans-Alaska pipeline system, visible across Port Valdez.

The town is simply arranged and easy to navigate, with walkable, open roads and frequent, sweeping views of the surrounding mountains that beckon to backcountry adventurers.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE Valdez visitors have endless opportunities to hike, bike, boat, kayak, fish and more. The Valdez vicinity serves as a jumping-off point for countless hikes and trails, including the Dock Point Trail, Gold Creek Trail, the Valdez Glacier area for hikes and kayaking, and Mineral Creek, which cuts deep into the folds of the surrounding mountains toward old mining territory.

Alaska Guide Co. offers an array of guided excursions, whether you want to paddle, ice climb, rock climb, hike, backpack or mountain bike. Private guided tours are tailored to give visitors a customized experience.

Valdez Stay and Play offers adventures like glacier tours and electric bike rentals and can connect clients with lodging. Kayak outfits Anadyr Adventures and Pangea Adventures are also reputable for safe, unforgettable, fully outfitted experiences, with a variety of services to support adventures of all ambition and skill levels.

For a more relaxing experience, try a sightseeing charter: Stan Stephens Glacier and

Wildlife Cruises offers far-ranging day cruises aboard smooth-sailing catamarans that range from 6 to 7.5 hours.

The comfortable Stan Stephens ships are captained by knowledgeable crews who will delight passengers with information about the history and landscapes of the area. Crews also have a keen eye for spotting and pointing out wildlife, like orcas, humpback whales, Steller sea lions, seals, puffins, bald eagles, kittiwakes, cormorants, porpoises, goats and even bears.

Wildlife lovers have plenty of opportunity to see animals in and around town too.

Valdez is known for its fish-hungry black bear population. It’s worth a drive around Port Valdez to Allison Point for a chance to see black bears pawing waters near the hatchery for pink salmon, though they’re known to stroll nonchalantly about town as well.

Other animals abound. It’s common to see otters lolling about in the harbor. Bald eagles are plentiful, often on the shoreline tearing at salmon carcasses. An occasional orca will even make a cameo in the port. And of course, Valdez is known for its wild bunny population.

FOOD, SHOPPING AND SOUVENIRS For souvenirs commemorating your Valdez visit, start at The Prospector. This outdoor outfitter remains the go-to spot for outerwear, fishing and hunting gear, and more. The Valdez Art Co-Op sells wares by 10 local artists working in different styles and mediums.

To drink and dress like a local, visit Valdez Brewing, buy a pint of local beer and a branded hoodie, and enjoy the industrial-chic taproom or the spacious outdoor patio. Valdez VISITORS’ GUIDE •

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Brewing is one of two breweries in town and often has a food truck parked close by.

The second brewery in town is Growler Bay Brewing Co. At press time, its more limited hours were 4-9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday.

Valdez boasts a satisfying assortment of restaurants. The Fat Mermaid on North Harbor Drive offers sensational pizza and salads plus a full bar, with occasional live music and a small outdoor dining area. A block away, Fu Kung Chinese Restaurant, a local staple, has a big menu that includes plentiful vegetarian options.

A cluster of food trucks also on North Harbor Drive offers delicious variety, including tacos and Thai cuisine. Hours vary.

Also fronting the harbor is The Roadside Potatohead, open May 1 to Sept. 15. This corner-spot restaurant has excellent beer and wine options and sports al fresco patio dining, with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and anglers returning with their daily catch.

GETTING THERE Valdez is reached by road (it’s about a 5 1/2-hour drive on the highway) or by the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry. Check the website for schedules. This on-water route departs from Whittier, about an hour south of Anchorage. Traveling by sea is a relaxing way to absorb front-row views of beautiful Prince William Sound, and Valdez is small enough that you can walk off the ferry and reach the town’s primary hotels, restaurants and points of interest on foot. Flights are also available into Valdez via Ravn Air (see ravnalaska.com for current pricing and schedule).

Katie Pesznecker is an Anchorage writer and former reporter for the Anchorage Daily News.

Nasturtiums brighten the scene at Valdez harbor. / PHOTO BY ERIK HILL

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WHETHER YOU’RE IN JUNEAU, KETCHIKAN OR ANY OTHER TOWN ON SOUTHEAST ALASKA’S COAST, YOU WON’T FORGET TIME SPENT HERE

By B A I L E Y B E R G

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ith busy fishing fleets, thriving art and food scenes, vibrant Native communities and quirky little museums, it’s hard not to fall deeply, madly in love with the coastal communities of Southeast Alaska.

You can drive to a few towns in the area, but those road trips require many, many miles. For a first visit, your best bet is to travel by boat or plane. (Note: If you’re hoping to travel on a ferry via the Alaska Marine Highway System, be sure to check updates at dot. alaska.gov/amhs.)

One word of advice — pack some waterproof layers. Known as the Alaska Panhandle, Southeast Alaska is part of the world’s largest temperate rainforest. There’s a reason for all that lush greenery you’ll see as you travel through. Ketchikan normally gets just under 23 inches of rain between June and August, but some years, it blows that average out of the, um, water. From May to August 2001, Ketchikan residents (grudgingly) welcomed 57.12 inches of rain to town.

JUNEAU Alaska’s capital city is where glaciers spill into valleys, fishing vessels cruise the fjords, the smell of salt and spruce fills the air, and bald eagles casually perch on lampposts like they own the place (which, they kind of do).

Mendenhall Glacier is a mustsee, with its electric-blue ice

and thundering waterfalls. For a front-row seat to some of the best wildlife viewing in the state, hop on a wildlife-watching cruise from Auke Bay — humpbacks breach, Steller sea lions bark from rocky outcrops, and otters float along with piles of mussels on their bellies. If you’re feeling brave, you can take the tram up Mount Roberts for sweeping views before hitting alpine trails lined with wildflowers and scampering marmots. Or for a more leisurely afternoon, wander around downtown, sip a sprucetip beer at Alaskan Brewing Co., and pop into Tracy’s King Crab Shack for buttery crab legs the length of your arm.

HAINES Haines is Southeast Alaska without the crowds — just soaring peaks, wild rivers and laid-back locals. The downtown is small but packed with personality. Colorful buildings line Main Street, where you’ll find art galleries, quirky museums (like the world’s first dedicated to the history of the hammer) and the excellent Haines Brewing Co. For something a bit wilder, drive out to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, home to the world’s largest concentration of bald eagles — hundreds of them soar overhead or perch in riverside trees, waiting for salmon to make their final swim.

Visitors take in a view of Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. / PHOTO BY MARC LESTER

with visitors forever. Ignore the rain and keep on paddling during a guided kayak trip around the islands off Sitka. Walk the pathways and take time at each totem pole at Sitka National Historical Park. The park, where Russians invaded and fought the Tlingit people, offers an immersion course in the Russian occupation of the town. Sitka served as the capital of Russian America from 1808 until Alaska became part of the United States 59 years later. Open the drawers in the exhibition space of the Sheldon Jackson Museum — first opened in 1887 — to see antique children’s toys, jewelry and more beautiful artifacts. It’s quite the intimate and peaceful museum experience. Classical music fans would do well to time their visit to the annual Sitka Summer Music Festival (June 3-29, 2025),

CELEBRATE

when some of the world’s best chamber music groups perform.

For a locally made treasure, head straight to the Island Arts Gallery, a co-op run by roughly two dozen of the town’s artists.

KETCHIKAN Ketchikan tends to be all hustle and bustle in the summer when cruise ships are in, but there’s more to the town than just that.

Ketchikan has one of Southeast Alaska’s most colorful art scenes.

Get the lowdown on who creates what on the Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council site. The city’s best-known artist, Ray Troll, is the talent behind the punny T-shirts you’ll see everywhere from airport gift shops to festivals across the state.

Check out Troll’s work, along with pieces by Evon Zerbetz and many of Ketchikan’s other fine

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SITKA It could be the mist or fog that often hugs Sitka. Or perhaps it’s the insane sunsets that take over the entire sky. Maybe it’s just the really good coffee at the local bookstore. Whichever “it” of Sitka grabs you, the place sticks

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artists, at the Star Gallery (5 Creek St.). But the art goes on … from the docks to the school buildings, the island community celebrates local artists at every turn. Turn a walk around town into a public art treasure hunt. Or, for art that’s equal parts craftsmanship and storytelling, visit the Totem Heritage Center — or just keep your eyes open for some of the many, many totem poles around town. Prefer learning about the, ahem, saucier side of olden times? Stop in at Dolly’s House Museum (24 Creek St.) to learn about Ketchikan’s Prohibitionera red light district. Then, take a flight trip out to Misty Fjords National Monument for the chance to kayak among whales.

SKAGWAY This is Klondike Gold Rush territory, flat out. Skagway has its modern bits — Glacial Smoothies & Espresso, the breweries Skagway Brewing Co. and Klondike Brewing Co., and gift shops that sell things that aren’t made in Alaska — but at its core, it’s a town-sized Gold Rush museum. As Skagway is home to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, visitors intent on camping should consider staking their tents in the former town of Dyea, home to ruins and cemeteries that include the gravesites of many a person who once moved to the area to strike it rich. Of course, there’s plenty more to explore here, with trails to hike and, after a helicopter ride out, glaciers to dogsled on. One of the only Southeast towns accessible by road (via the Klondike Highway), visitors can also get to town by air, ferry or cruise ship.

KODIAK Famous for its sizable namesake brown bears, Kodiak should be just as well known to outsiders for its ever-so-green landscape — its nickname is the Emerald Isle. Between Kodiak City and the villages, there are around 13,000 year-round residents on the island. Hike the local trails. Launch a kayak or stand-up paddleboard in Anton Larsen Bay. Keep watch for whales or, often just as thrilling, puffins speeding by. Drive out Anton Larsen Bay Road to see the island’s famed wild bison. (Just slow down as you approach them. You don’t want to startle a herd of something so sizable.) Dig into Kodiak’s history at the Alutiiq Museum — home to more than 250,000 artifacts, recordings and documents — or the Kodiak History Museum, formerly known as the Baranov Museum. Get ideas for the next day’s adventures over a brew at Kodiak Island Brewing Co.

In summer, Broadway Street in Skagway is often full of visitors, many of them from cruise ships. / PHOTO BY ANNE RAUP

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DISCOUNT Bailey Berg is a writer who splits time between Alaska and Colorado. Her work can be found in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Afar, National Geographic and beyond. She’s the author of “Secret Alaska: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.”

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Cyclists pause along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail at Point Woronzof to watch cargo planes take off from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. / PHOTO BY ERIK HILL

ANCHORAGE HAS A TERRIFIC TRAIL SYSTEM. HERE’S WHERE TO START EXPLORING

By K A T I E P E S Z N E C K E R

To

see and experience Anchorage like a local, take to the city’s extensive and awardwinning trail system. Dozens of miles of intertwined routes creatively connect the city’s various neighborhoods, meander through charming parks, and offer pretty peeks at some of the most picturesque places in Alaska’s largest city.

Anchorage boasts more than 120 miles of paved bike and multi-use trails, not to mention 130 miles of plowed winter walkways, 105 miles of maintained ski trails, 36 miles of dog mushing trails and 87 miles of non-paved hiking trails — all within the municipality!

Options explode when one is willing to ramble beyond the city limits and connect to Chugach State Park, with its scenic alpine tundra and access to some 495,000 acres of

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jaw-dropping scenery.

But there is no shortage of adventure and exploration within the city. Besides the established and official trail system, there are many makeshift routes that wander through woodsy stands that connect city neighborhoods.

Within town limits, Anchorage’s impressive trail system borders the city’s watery coast, travels thick forests and connects pretty parks and multitudes of neighborhoods.

Pedestrian tunnels bore beneath busy roadways, a safe passage to bypass bustling traffic. In more peaceful parts, wood-planked bridges span burbling creeks and streams.

This comprehensive system is the foundation for recreation, exploration, relaxation and, in some cases, commuting.

Overall, the city trail system is ideal for visitors who want to experience Anchorage from the vantage point of its natural surroundings.

The crown jewel of the system is the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, a recreational conduit for walkers, bicyclists, runners and rollerbladers in its popular summer

months. The 11-mile trail is celebrated for its connectivity, as it leads from downtown’s historic sector to a multi-use chalet at the sprawling Kincaid Park closer to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

The generally flat Coastal Trail grade affords easy access and use for all ages and abilities. There are multiple locations to access this route, so it is a scalable and customizable experience, whether one seeks a short stroll or a venture along its entirety. From this beloved route, users will enjoy views of the downtown skyline backdropped by the Chugach Mountains, possibly spot wildlife and shorebirds, potentially view Denali and its flanking mountains, and skirt along the fault line of the epic 1964 Good Friday Earthquake.

Begin or pause your Coastal Trail outing at Westchester Lagoon. Just 1.6 miles from the trail’s downtown start, the lagoon features plenty of parking and an expansive park, with Chugach Mountain views, serene water, picnic tables and benches for contemplative breaks and a nice playground for kids.

Birders will appreciate waterfowl, migrating shorebirds, mallards, grebes, swallows and

more. The lagoon sets the stage for a splashy summer paddle. When iced over in winter, it transforms into a popular spot for skating and hockey.

From Westchester, travel 9 miles on the Coastal Trail to Kincaid Park, or hop on the eastbound 4-mile-long Chester Creek Trail. The Chester Creek Trail is paved and mostly flat, following its namesake creek as it winds from neighborhood to neighborhood, flanked by community parks. Popular points of interest along Chester Creek include Valley of the Moon Park, another spot worthy of picnic or play on a pleasant summer day.

Earthquake Park on the far west end of Northern Lights Boulevard is another popular entry point or rest stop along the Coastal Trail.

There is a parking lot here, and placards showing points of interest on the horizon. This pullout and point on the trail is best known for the now-gone neighborhood of houses that slid into the sea with the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake.

From Earthquake Park, there are opportunities for striking photos of downtown Anchorage. On clear days, you may see North America’s tallest peak, Denali, and its companion mountains Foraker and Hunter on the northern horizon.

If you want to go big, consider tying all these trails together and attempting the growing-in-popularity Moose Loop. The Moose Loop is an inventive, connective hodge-podge of existing routes: Chester Creek Trail, the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, the Campbell Creek Trail and the Ship Creek Trail. Strung together in a 32-mile route, it could creatively be viewed like the outline of a moose’s head in profile.

The route covers it all — from parks to schools, trails to neighborhood streets, past businesses and homes, in quiet woodsy areas and crossing highway overpasses. It’s a buffet of Anchorage biking and an epic ride. The major trails that cover the Moose Loop do not seamlessly link, so riding this route demands paying attention to location and being nimble in making one’s way.

Another emerging loop trail is the Goose Loop. Chester Creek Trail ends at Goose Lake Park, in central Anchorage near the University District. A lovely walking option is to follow the 3-mile paved trail surrounding this scenic lake. Warm summer days draw swimmers here, and municipal lifeguard schedules are updated on the lake’s website. Adults must be present while children are swimming.

The Goose Loop 5k route includes the route around Goose Lake and also meanders through the University of Alaska Anchorage and medical district.

For those eager to bike the trail system, multiple downtown vendors rent bikes all year round. Rates and lengths of rentals vary from hourly to by the day or even the week. Downtown Bicycle Rental (333 W. Fourth Ave. #206) offers all kinds of options and accessories, including electric bikes and complimentary bear spray. Summer recommendations are taken but not really needed, according to the

An iconic bench is part of the Moose Loop on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail between Kincaid Park and Point Woronzof. / PHOTO BY ANNE RAUP

company’s website. To reserve for today or tomorrow, text 907-2501170; for longer-lead rentals, use the form on the website.

Alaska Pablo’s Bicycle Rentals (415 L St.; 907-277-2453) is also open year-round with plenty of wheels for rent. Pablo’s also offers luxury van tours of the city that are intended to be fun, interactive, informative, photographically friendly and affordable, and last about two to three hours.

SAFETY TIPS Anchorage’s trail system is busy and full of people of varying skills and abilities traveling at different speeds, so it’s important to remember some basic safety and courtesy guidelines. Be aware of your surroundings and ensure you keep safety in mind so you can see and hear what is around you at all times.

The municipality reminds users that trails are usually multi-use and not intended for racing, so be aware of surroundings, travel at safe speeds and never take up more than half the trail.

Keep right, except to pass. Listen for others upon approach; it’s common for bicyclists and others to have bells on, or to verbally warn those ahead of their approach by saying things like “on your left!”

All pets must be leashed. The law requires any animal or human litter be picked up and disposed of. Even so, keep an eye out for meandering dogs as you navigate turns and narrow spaces. Leashing dogs is also a good idea due to ever-present wildlife in the area.

Wildlife awareness is key. Moose, bears, coyotes and other animals share city trails, and that’s especially true the farther one travels from downtown. Be alert and give wildlife plenty of room — moose, in particular, often show up on or near the trails.

When traveling in bear country, be mindful of making noise, traveling with one or more people whenever possible, and staying observant.

It’s smart to carry water and make sure someone knows your route plan. Applying bug spray and carrying bear spray are smart moves.

Sunscreen shouldn’t be forgotten in the long summer daylight hours.

OF NOTE: Camps where unhoused people reside are present along some of the Anchorage greenbelts off the trail system, and you may notice them as you go by. Daytime is the best time to access the trails, and as always, be aware of your environment and exercise caution when traveling, especially when solo.

Katie Pesznecker is an Anchorage writer and former reporter for the Anchorage Daily News.

Bikers on the Chester Creek Trail during bike-to-work day. / PHOTO BY LOREN HOLMES

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EXPERIENCE DAZZLING EXTREMES OF SUMMER AND WINTER IN FAIRBANKS, THE GOLDEN HEART CITY

By D A V I D J A M E S

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ocated near the geographic center of the state, Fairbanks is known as Alaska’s Golden Heart City. Established along the Chena River in 1901, it originally served prospectors working outlying gold claims. It’s since grown to include a university and two military bases, and has become the commercial hub of Interior Alaska.

The Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau is the first stop for information, and has welcome centers along the riverfront, both downtown and in the nearby Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. The Thompson Center provides an excellent introduction to the history and culture of Interior Alaska’s original inhabitants, the Athabascan people.

Downtown has many shops, restaurants and events. Often on summer evenings, the Golden Heart Plaza is brimming with activity.

From there, it’s a short stroll to nearby Pioneer Park, offering fun for the whole family. There’s playground equipment, historic buildings, a train ride, restaurants, gift shops, museums and more.

Fairbanks is the site of several summer festivals, where residents and visitors enjoy being outdoors during the long daylight hours.

Every summer brings the Midnight Sun Baseball Game, featuring the Alaska Goldpanners, which is held under the endless summer hours of daylight. This year’s game is June 20 at 10 p.m. The Midnight Sun Festival, hosted by the Downtown Association, takes place in the city’s downtown center June 21. The large outdoor gathering includes live music, vendors and activities.

The weeklong Golden Days celebration, the largest summer event in Fairbanks, includes a variety of events and begins July 12. It culminates on July 19 with a parade, street fair, rubber duckie race on the Chena River and more.

Finally, the Tanana Valley State Fair runs from July 25 to Aug. 3. The annual event offers attendees a chance to watch livestock shows, take in live music, wander through commercial exhibits and let the kids go on some rides, all while keeping fueled on the endless food options.

Museums are scattered throughout town, including the Museum of the North, which holds one of the state’s premier collections of artifacts from Alaska and the Arctic. The Fairbanks Community/Dog Mushing Museum focuses on city history, culture, weather and Alaska’s No. 1 sport, dog mushing. Car buffs will motor toward the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum. Summer visitors wanting a taste of winter can experience 20-below temperatures at the Ice Museum. And restless young ones will enjoy a stop at the Fairbanks Children’s Museum.

Fairbanks has a lively, close-knit and very supportive arts community, with several galleries open year round displaying the work of local artists. For those seeking a deeper knowledge of Alaska, the secondhand bookstore Forget-Me-Not Books always has a large selection of Alaska-related books — some of them quite rare — along with plenty of other volumes on all topics. The bookstore is operated by 56

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A paddler rides with the Chena River current through Fairbanks on a bright summer day. / PHOTO BY MARC LESTER

and benefits the Literacy Council of Alaska.

Much of Fairbanks’ growth has been driven by resource extraction.

A tour of Gold Dredge 8 north of town gives visitors a taste of the rich gold mining history of Fairbanks, while the nearby Trans-Alaska Pipeline Viewpoint lets people walk right up to one of the world’s engineering marvels.

For a taste of nature, Creamer’s Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, located on the north side of town, offers birding and wildlife viewing as well as miles of walking trails. The Large Animal Research Station on the north part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus allows visitors a close look at musk oxen.

Sportspersons looking to go fishing or hunting first need to obtain the proper license from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The department also has advice for obtaining a licensed and qualified guide to help arrange transportation, supplies and other needs to make the experience complete.

For outdoor recreation, hiking and/or mountain biking trails can be found on the UAF campus, at the nearby Birch Hill Recreation Area, in the Chena River State Recreation Area east of town, and elsewhere.

Trails on Birch Hill and campus are groomed for skiers when the snow arrives. The Chena River winds through downtown and is popular with paddlers. Mountain bikes, canoes and kayaks can be rented from several establishments, many of which offer skis and fat bikes for rental in winter. The Fairbanks Hiking Club, Fairbanks Cycle Club, Fairbanks Paddlers, and Running Club North can be contacted for further information on outdoor activities. All four welcome out-oftown guests to their events.

ATVs and snowmachines can be rented for excursions on the vast network of public multiple-use trails that extend in all directions beyond Fairbanks. Check with rental companies for information on accessing the best trails.

For getaways, Denali National Park is just a two-hour drive south, and the Arctic Circle about five hours north. The Riverboat Discovery Tour provides the opportunity to slip out of town and head down the Chena and Tanana rivers via sternwheeler.

The nearby town of North Pole is home to the Santa Claus House, where it’s Christmas all year. A bit farther down the road is the Chena Lake Recreation Area. Open all year, it’s popular in summer with paddlers, cyclists, walkers and swimmers. Overnight visitors can stay at one of the 45 campsites. In winter, it’s a nearby destination for snowmachining, skiing, fat biking, ice fishing and more. Wildlife viewing can be enjoyed during any season.

Many races are available for those seeking a workout. This year’s

Midnight Sun Run will be June 21 at 10 p.m.

Held annually on the Saturday night closest to summer solstice, the race often attracts as many as 3,000 participants for a 10K dash under the perpetual daylight of summer.

In September, the Equinox Marathon, which starts and finishes at the university, puts runners on one of the most grueling marathon courses in North America. With over 3,000 feet of climbing and descending along a route that is largely set on trails and dirt roads, the route offers a spectacular view of the Alaska Range from the top of Ester Dome — if the skies are clear. Some years it snows on race day, so be prepared for anything. This year the race is on Sept. 20 and there will be a full marathon as well as a relay.

After a full day of activities, it’s time to relax. Fortunately, restaurants for all tastes and budgets can be found in Fairbanks, including a remarkable number of very good Thai restaurants. And later, visitors can kick back at one of the growing number of breweries and distilleries.

FAIRBANKS IN WINTER Winters bring icy temperatures dipping to negative 40 or below, and visitors should come prepared. But usually it’s nowhere near that severe. And with the dry climate and minimal wind, zero in Fairbanks can feel warmer than 30 above in Anchorage. Winter solstice brings just three hours and 41 minutes of direct sunlight, but the low-lying sun envelops the town and hills in a beautiful pink and golden glow. And by late January the light is back.

December is when the darkness reaches its zenith, and the season is marked by numerous events downtown, leading up to the solstice itself. During the week of Dec. 21, an evening festival culminates with a fireworks show welcoming back the light. Ten days later, on New Year’s Eve, fireworks again illuminate the sky, this time from the West Ridge of the UAF campus. Other winter events fill the calendar during February and March.

Fairbanks is the ideal location for aurora viewing, and a number of local businesses cater to this growing clientele. It also offers some of the best winter recreational opportunities in Alaska. Snowmobile tours are gaining in popularity, and several guides offer them, both near town and further afield.

Dog sled tours are available for those wanting to experience mushing.

For winter athletes, the Chena River to Ridge Race offers 25- and 50-mile routes for skiers, fat bikers and runners every March, while the White Mountains 100 presents those same groups with a challenging 100-mile trip though the White Mountains National Recreation Area about an hour north of town.

Those with more modest ambitions can rent

Downtown Fairbanks and the Chena River. / PHOTO BY LOREN HOLMES

fat bikes for winter excursions on the trails in Goldstream Valley and cross country skis for the trails on Birch Hill and the university campus. Downhill ski runs can be found on Birch Hill and Moose Mountain.

Finally, no visit to Fairbanks is complete without a trip to Chena Hot Springs Resort, 56 miles east of town. While open year round, winter is the best time to climb into the outdoor pools. The hot water keeps bathers comfortable even as air temperatures drop

below zero — snow and ice sweep upward from the pool edges and you can often see the northern lights dance in the sky. It’s the quintessential Fairbanks experience and one of the reasons many residents consider winter in Fairbanks the best season of all.

David James is an Alaskan author and literary critic based in Fairbanks. You can find more about his work at davidjamesak.com.

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Anglers stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the Kenai River as they try their luck catching first-run sockeye salmon heading to the Russian River. / PHOTO BY BILL ROTH

THERE ARE FISHING TOWNS AND STAGGERING VIEWS APLENTY ON THE KENAI PENINSULA

By B A I L E Y B E R G

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ccessible wilderness, heaps of trails and enough trophy fish to spawn “it was THIS big” stories for years to come: It’s easy to see why the Kenai Peninsula is sometimes referred to as “Alaska’s playground.” While there are oodles of worthwhile spots to visit, here are just a few to get you started.

HOPE Impossibly charming, Hope is a worthwhile detour for those zipping down to conquer the Kenai Peninsula. The atmospheric downtown with stunning views of Turnagain Arm offers a good jumping-off point for a variety of hikes. Gull Rock Trail, an old wagon road, 58

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is a local favorite — it’s 5 miles one way with negligible elevation gain. Hope Point is a strenuous climb following an alpine ridge that offers incredible views (and serious bragging rights). Those looking for an adrenaline rush can book a rafting trip down Sixmile Creek.

For those seeking a more relaxing trip, there are heaps of cabins with cozy porches ideal for cracking into a book, the Dirty Skillet makes for a solid dinner spot, and the Creekbend Company attracts some popular Alaska bands for nighttime entertainment.

SEWARD Just over 120 miles away, Seward could make a nice day trip from Anchorage. But why rush? It has all the Alaska elements: water, mountains, forests, fishing and quirky local charm. Want to see a glacier up close? Access some by water in Kenai Fjords National Park or by land at Exit Glacier. Want to see sweeping views of Resurrection Bay?

Meet Mount Marathon and marvel at how local and international athletes get to the top, and back again, in an iconic Alaska footrace each year (traditionally held on the Fourth of July). Looking for something the whole family will enjoy? Don’t miss the touch pool at the Alaska SeaLife Center, and look for vessels with pun-inspired names in the harbor.

Complement your adventures with a meal at one of the local eateries, many of which are housed in historic buildings.

SOLDOTNA AND KENAI Drive through these towns in the height of summer and you’ll notice many cars laden with big, round dipnets, rods and reels with all the bells and whistles, coolers and muddy Xtratuf boots. The salmon that return en masse to the Kenai River are legendary. (Be advised: The area’s dipnet fishery is deservedly famous but open to Alaska residents only. See our fishing guide, Page 33, for an overview of

other great options, and always make sure you have the correct permits; the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s We Fish AK site is a good place to start, or call 907-267-2218.)

If fishing doesn’t call to you, there are breweries with airy patios, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters & Visitors Center offers naturalistled outdoor programs, and Soldotna’s Homestead Museum showcases homesteaders’ cabins with free guided tours.

HOMER AND HALIBUT COVE Visitors to Homer find there are many ways to explore “the end of the road.” Just 220 miles from Anchorage, the town sits between the water and the mountains and extends out onto a skinny, 4.5-mile-long spit. It’s a town where fishermen, artists, beer lovers, foodies, musicians, adventurers and beachcombers all feel at home.

It’s easy to while away a few days — tramp along the beautiful

trail systems, check out the tide pools, eat at first-rate restaurants, pick through the various art galleries and handicraft stores.

You can learn a bit more about the 49th state’s local ecosystem at the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies or the Exxon oil spill at the Pratt Museum.

If time and budget allow, tick off some bucket-list experiences: Get a bird’s-eye view of nearby glaciers and wildlife on a flightseeing tour; cruise around on a water taxi looking for sea creatures; try your hand at reeling in a “barn door”-sized halibut on a charter; or take a water taxi across the bay to Halibut Cove, an artist enclave known for divine dishes at The Saltry Restaurant and stunning scenery.

Bailey Berg is a writer who splits time between Alaska and Colorado. Her work can be found in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Afar, National Geographic and beyond. She’s the author of “Secret Alaska: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.”

A couple walks on the sidewalk next to the Homer Boat Harbor. / PHOTO BY EMILY MESNER

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Rental kayaks from Lifetime Adventures rest on the shore at Eklutna Lake. / PHOTO BY BILL ROTH

MAT-SU: GET ON THE HIGHWAY AND DISCOVER A WEALTH OF ADVENTURE, HISTORY AND SCENIC BEAUTY NORTH OF ANCHORAGE

By A L L I H A R V E Y

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rive less than an hour north of Anchorage, and the landscape changes dramatically as you enter the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The view opens up to showcase dramatic peaks rising steeply from a vast, flat valley floor.

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This is only the beginning. At 25,000 square miles, the Mat-Su area is nearly the size of West Virginia. The attractions in the region are varied and surprising; you will find everything from world-class wilderness experiences to historic sites and museums and unique Alaska eats.

The charms of the Mat-Su start even before its official boundary. In Eagle River (still technically part of Anchorage), be like a local and hike up Mount Baldy; it’s a short, steep climb to get above treeline, with terrific views.

Intrepid hikers can extend the hike deeper in the Chugach Mountains on the stunning and remote-feeling Blacktail Rocks trail. Either way, you’ll earn your lunch (and “schooner”sized signature beer) at Pizza Man, chased by a quick pick-me-up from the coffee shop Jitters, a local favorite. Not quite ready to leave the area? Head a little farther north on the Glenn Highway and take the exit to Eklutna Lake. Rent kayaks for the day and paddle out on this pristine, glacial lake that supplies Anchorage its drinking water.

Hikers take in the views from atop Bodenburg Butte, near Palmer, on a sunny afternoon. / PHOTO BY ERIK HILL

Clouds begin to clear at Independence Mine State Historical Park, in the Hatcher Pass area. / PHOTO BY ANNE RAUP

Next stop: Palmer. You could spend an afternoon or a lifetime equally delicious Grape Tap. Take advantage of convenient one-stop here and have plenty to do. Downtown is postcard-picturesque with shopping by fueling up the car and getting groceries before continuing breathtaking mountain views. Park the car and take a walk: Check out north. the Palmer Museum of History and Art for behind-the-scenes scoop Talkeetna is as charming and quirky as Alaska towns come. The on the area, including the history and presence of Indigenous people walkable downtown is like a scene from the ‘90s TV show “Northern in this region. Duck into a local favorite, Fireside Books, before fueling Exposure” (if it had actually been filmed in Alaska). The journey up at delicious and often locally sourced Turkey Red or Feather and down the 14-mile spur road to town from the main highway is long Flour restaurants (check hours before you go). You can top off your because there’s so much to see. Inventive and tasty Denali Brewing visit with a latte or smoothie bowl at a warm and modern community Co. is wonderful; ditto with Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe, a standalone hub, The Fern. Mat-Su is an area with rich agricultural history, and cabin tucked away in the forest. Alaska Wild Harvest offers tours and the growing Matanuska Community Farmer’s Market is a worthwhile tastings in its birch syrup production facility, and has a wonderful gift stop on Wednesdays from 4-7 p.m. throughout the summer. If you shop. Approaching town, the Denali view on a clear day is worth the miss that, Bushes Bunches Produce Stand specializes in local produce. entire trek. A visit to Talkeetna Roadhouse is a must — either to stay Need to stretch your legs? Options range from hiking the well-loved or to feast, or both — and stop by Dancing Leaf Gallery for a flavor of local Butte, to more strenuous hiking on Lazy Mountain. On your way out of town, pay a visit to the Musk Ox Farm to learn firsthand about this unique and iconic Arctic creature from EXPERIENCE knowledgeable guides. Beer lovers: Don’t skip Bleeding Heart Brewery, right at the foot of the iconic Palmer water tower — and thankfully, they have great food, too!

Heading north, don’t miss historic Hatcher Pass. Hatcher Pass Road winds 12 miles from downtown Palmer and over 3,000 feet up into the Talkeetna Mountains, with incredible views at every turn. Learn about the mining history firsthand by visiting the unique museum set right in the alpine at Independence Mine State Historic Park. Take a hike and see remnants of perilous gold mining operations amid the jawdropping tundra scenery. If an afternoon visit isn’t enough, stay over at Hatcher Pass Lodge in one of the quaint, red A-frame cabins. Or, just grab a hot cocoa in the cozy cafe.

Wasilla gets a bad rap for its most prominent feature: big box stores. Locals know there’s much more just off the beaten path. Pay a visit to the Wasilla Museum and Visitors Center to orient yourself. Venture down Knik-Goose Bay Road to the Knik Museum, sited at what was once the most populated community along Cook Inlet.

Golf much? Keep driving, and tee off at Settlers Bay Golf Course. Back in the core of Wasilla, enjoy a meal at the cozy gem of a Laotian eatery, Cafe Khao Neow, or opt for the fancier and

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well-curated local art and crafts. Want to get a closer look at the Great One (the Koyukon Athabascan meaning of Denali)? Check out K2 Aviation for flightseeing tours (Page 9).

Finally, push the boundary of the Mat-Su region and your physical ability by paying a visit to Denali State Park. No, this isn’t the national park and you won’t actually summit The Mountain. But you’ll still experience thrilling and wild Alaska outdoors with an overnight at K’esugi Ken Campground and a hike up the Curry Ridge trail, where — if the weather is in your favor — you’ll earn stellar and consistent Denali views.

If there’s one region in Alaska with a little taste of everything magic about the state, it’s the Mat-Su. Fuel up, power down, explore, and enjoy all that you’ll find in this amazing corner of the world.

Alli Harvey is an artist and writer who previously published a long-standing outdoors column with the Anchorage Daily News. You can find more of her work at alliharveyart.com.

Tourists walk in the rain during a visit to Talkeetna. / PHOTO BY BILL ROTH

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SEWARD HIGHWAY ROAD TRIP: GREAT FOOD, HIKES AND SCENERY ALONG AN ICONIC DRIVING DESTINATION

By K A T I E P E S Z N E C K E R

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hile Anchorage is packed with exceptional excursions, creative cuisine (Page 41) and a range of its own natural beauty, visitors willing and able to venture beyond city limits have an easy scenic escape via the Seward

Highway.

This renowned 125-mile route begins by trailing alongside the western edge of a narrow finger of water called Turnagain Arm. This historic waterway is known for its high tides and the occasional pod of beluga whales. It was named for British explorer Captain James Cook, who had to famously “turn again” when his ship reached the Arm’s dead end while searching for the Northwest Passage.

Along the Seward Highway journey, scenery is paramount. The highway is framed by the dramatic Chugach and Kenai Mountains, striped with shockingly white ancient glaciers that contrast against lush summertime greenery. Passing by small communities, rustic roadhouses and pristine alpine lakes, the highway terminates in Seward on the edge of Resurrection Bay. The time-pressed traveler could make it to Seward and back in one long, full day, logging nearly six driving hours. If that’s all the time one has, it’s worth it. But overnighting in Seward (or elsewhere along the way) offers a more enjoyable and leisurely experience, and time to appreciate the area’s beauty while soaking up history, recreation and dining along the way.

GIRDWOOD About 45 minutes south of Anchorage, Girdwood is a laid-back ski town with an artsy vibe. Once situated right on the water, it relocated inland a few miles from the Seward Highway after the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake.

For Alaskans and visitors alike, Girdwood is a recreation mecca, with a charming collection of memorable restaurants, art galleries, ski chalets and condos.

Winter slopes and ski lifts transform to host downhill mountain biking come summer. Paved paths thread through the town, offering an opportunity to take in scenery during a stroll.

For those seeking a more thrilling walk, check out the Veilbreaker Skybridges. This relatively new feature is open from July to September and features 410 feet of walkways suspended 2,500 feet above the valley floor.

Another popular recreation route is the Winner Creek Trail, which begins just behind the picturesque Hotel Alyeska. Also behind the hotel, hikers craving vertical feet can scale the North Face of the ski resort, then ride the tram down afterward for free.

For another challenge, tackle the first few miles of the south end of the 21-mile Crow Pass Trail. The trail winds upward, with breathtaking views of glaciers, jagged mountaintops and remnants of long-gone gold mining efforts.

People walk across the skybridge above New Year’s Chute, which is one of two Veilbreaker Skybridges that collectively span 600 feet and are suspended 2,500 feet above the valley floor, at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood. / PHOTO BY EMILY MESNER

Girdwood has a bounty of local dining. There’s local icon The Bake Shop, open as of press time Wednesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. A morning-time staple for 40-plus years, The Bake Shop features homestyle favorites like sourdough pancakes and sweet rolls, and lunchtime staples include homemade soups and sandwiches on freshbaked bread.

For a special dining experience, try Jack Sprat. Tall chalet windows offer storybook views of the towering mountainside. Its regional cuisine with an Alaska touch is truly special, highlighting seasonal fresh produce and locally sourced protein such as halibut. Check the restaurant’s website for hours.

Girdwood staple Double Musky Inn is beloved for its colorful French Quarter decor, a world-class wine cellar and classic Creole dishes with Alaska flair. Its lively elegance has delighted locals and tourists alike for decades.

For a relaxed hipster vibe, pop by Girdwood Brewing Co. Outdoor seating surrounds warming gas-fed fire pits. Inside, order pints or smaller-pour taster glasses. A rotating roster of local food trucks sell tasty treats like crepes and cheesesteaks; the schedule is updated on the brewery’s website. Girdwood Brewing also sells hoodies, trucker hats and artsy stickers to commemorate your sudsy Girdwood side trip.

PORTAGE Like Girdwood, Portage once sat alongside the Seward Highway, but after the 1964 quake, Portage faded away, with little remaining today but the remains of decrepit cabins and rotted-out cars overtaken by aggressive brush.

In Portage’s place, visitors today will find the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (Mile 79 Seward Highway), a sprawling sanctuary across 200 acres that provides large-enclosure spaces for orphaned and rehabilitating Alaska animals. Here, visitors will delight at the antics and amblings of bears, moose, wolves and more Alaska wildlife.

View animals by either driving, walking the 1.5-mile loop encircling the center, or booking a tour with a staff naturalist. Hours are 9 a.m.-7 p.m. May 1 through Sept. 15. Check the website for additional hours.

WHITTIER An eastern turn at Portage down Portage Valley Road delivers

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motorists to the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center, and beyond that, the end-of-the-road town of Whittier.

The center is typically open between Memorial Day weekend through early September and is just 5 miles east of the Seward Highway via a pretty, quick drive.

Named in honor of U.S. Reps. Nick Begich and Hale Boggs, whose flight in Alaska disappeared in 1972, the center is built on the edge of a lake on the moraine left by the receding Portage Glacier. The center itself offers science-geared educational opportunities for adults and kids alike. The Visitor Center offers a unique opportunity to learn about the Chugach National Forest, America’s farthest north national forest.

Beyond the center, travelers will encounter a truly different experience by way of the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. The 2.5-milelong, one-way toll highway tunnel cuts through the formidable mountains, connecting the Portage Valley to Whittier. The longest in North America, it was originally a train tunnel.

Find tunnel schedules online to time your visit accordingly.

Whittier exists as a critical deepwater port.

In this unusual community, most residents call one of two large buildings home due to the lack of housing and buildable land.

A Princess cruise ship is seen in port at Whittier. / PHOTO BY ANNE RAUP

For activities, there are glacier-viewing boats (Page 19), hiking and fishing (Page 33). Hungry Whittier visitors will find fresh seafood at the Swiftwater Seafood Cafe, open most summer days with menu items such as shrimp, calamari and halibut. The town’s single hotel, the Inn at Whittier, remains closed after flooding; reopening updates will be posted on their website. Camping and RV options exist as well.

The Whittier tunnel experience is unique enough to warrant a detour. If you have time, visit the small but surprisingly comprehensive Prince William Sound Museum. An impressive number of exhibits fills its snug space, capturing the story of Whittier’s history.

SEWARD Arriving in Seward is a showstopper.

The highway ends at last in this small town, surrounded by the dramatic mountains that backdrop Resurrection Bay. Seward is home to an amiable community full of fishing outfits, kayak companies, sightseeing excursions, shops, restaurants and bars, plus there’s a beautiful boat harbor where visitors can walk the docks. About 2,735 people live here year-round. Summer cruise ships may deposit thousands of visitors per day.

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SeaLife Center, a hands-on aquarium and working science facility that boasts close-up views of puffins, sea lions and octopus. From the SeaLife Center, you can stroll along Fourth Avenue to absorb a serene sense of Seward’s long-ago frontier culture, with Old West storefronts, historical murals, steepled churches and commemorative plaques and historical markers. A paved footpath that runs from the SeaLife Center along the waterfront toward the harbor is a pleasant way to enjoy the mountain scenery.

Seward has plenty of hotels and motels, home rentals, hostel beds, camping and RV options for those overnighting it.

Beyond the roadways, day cruises through Kenai Fjords National Park are a popular way to soak up the glorious waters of Resurrection Bay. Otters, seals, puffins, orcas and various migrating whales all may make cameos on these charters, some of which include island stopovers for meals.

To see a glacier by foot, carve out a couple of hours for a stop at Exit Glacier. Located just inside Kenai Fjords National Park, this glacier at the edge of the Harding Icefield recedes annually, to the sadness of many fans. But a moderately graded walking path leads to overlooks where the glacier is still visible and can be photographed.

No Seward experience is complete without sampling bars and restaurants. The Seward Alehouse is a laid-back watering hole for locals. Inside, order from the window that connects to next-door Lone Chicharron Tacos, which features incredible and affordable tacos.

Lone Chicharron’s owners also operate The Cookery. The intimate restaurant celebrates Alaska’s bounty: fresh oysters, locally farmed meats, produce sourced from the Kenai Peninsula, foraged finds and fresh fish paired with wines from all over the world.

Other Seward gems include Stoney Creek BrewHouse, whose beers are increasingly featured around Alaska. And don’t miss Le Barn Appétit, which offers sweet and savory crepes, Belgian-Alaskan waffles

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People try to snag salmon near on the beach next to the Spring Creek campground in Seward. / PHOTO BY LOREN HOLMES

and fresh-baked pastries.

Seward is synonymous with fishing, and there is a bounty of half- or full-day charters that fish for halibut, salmon or both. Charters typically provide all fishing gear, and in town, there are options for having fish filleted and flash-frozen for shipping after your excursion ends.

These trips depart early and return late, and make for a full Alaska experience. Play your cards right, and you will enjoy the scenery of a wildlife-viewing trip while returning home with a freezer’s worth of fish to commemorate your unique and unforgettable Alaska vacation long after it’s over.

Katie Pesznecker is an Anchorage writer and former reporter for the Anchorage Daily News.

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