TRAVEL
Lafayette Goes to Alaska ACADIANA BROADCASTER DEBBIE RAY RETIRES IN ALASKA AND SHARES TRAVEL TIPS
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By Taylor Geiger
fter a 40-year career in broadcasting in Acadiana, well-known and much-loved 99.9 KTDY morning show co-host Debbie Ray retired from the air in 2018. Soon after, she made a cross-country move to Homer, Alaska. Debbie had been carefully planning this move for several years prior, as she and her husband fell in love with Alaska in 2002, when they traveled to Anchorage so Debbie could participate in an Arthritis Foundation fundraising run. “We explored over 1,100 miles on that trip and fell in love with the Kenai Peninsula, Homer in particular,” she explains. Alaska captivated their interest and Debbie recalls, “We visited nearly every year after that, sometimes twice a year.” Following frequent visits, they decided to buy a place in Homer and lease it until they were ready to retire. With the help of their real estate agent, they bought a lovely house with two floors. After moving, they converted the downstairs into an apartment for guests and now offer this apartment for travelers via Airbnb. “We have been completely sold out during our summer season since opening in 2020,” says Debbie. “For our first summer as Airbnb hosts, we were completely booked (preCOVID-19) with guests coming from around the world. By April, all those reservations were canceled, but people from Alaska started booking. And before we knew it, we were completely sold out again. This summer, we had guests from across the globe.” In Debbie’s opinion, the best time to visit Alaska is definitely summer. “During May and September, rates are cheaper, but all the seasonal places are closed. If you have already visited in summer, come back in winter for the Northern Lights,” she advises. Since Alaska is such a big state, planning for a trip there “all depends on the experience you want to have,” says Debbie. “For example, if you plan to fish, July is magical on the Kenai. The salmon are running, the weather is the warmest of the year. Everything is open, and you can even take a short flight from Homer to watch the grizzly bears
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VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3 2021
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Top to bottom: Debbie Ray loves the nature views near her new home; Moose grazing in Debbie Ray’s backyard; Long time friends Debbie Ray and Bernadette Lee catching halibut.
