Alaska is any adventure lover's dream. It's overwhelming to try and plan what to do and where to go. We would always dream about going fishing, hiking, flying to glaciers, to Katmai National Park and kayaking around the islands. Should we do a cruise or should we just pick a place to stay and start adventuring out? When would be the right time to go? After so much stressing and worrying about the fact that we wouldn't get to do everything we wanted to do, I am so glad we finally just went! There is no reason you can't go back, right?
As I got closer to graduating, I needed a grad trip to keep the motivation high for that last stretch. I had just finished the book, Inside: One Woman's Journey Through the Inside Passage, while I did not want to kayak the entire Inside Passage, I was so inspired by Susan's decision to just go for it. We talked it over and we decided enough is enough. Let's book it! We landed on staying in Anchorage as a homebase and then venture out to do our top bucket list items that we could fit into our 5 day timeframe and budget. The best tip I have for you when planning your activities, things are NOT close. That may go without being said, but it is a huge factor to consider. However, the silver lining is that everywhere you drive is BEAUTIFUL.
Alright, now to go the good stuff, the exploring! Our first day was spent in Seward for a boat cruise and an afternoon of kayaking in Resurrection Bay. We booked the Fox Island afternoon cruise, with Sunny Cove Kayaking. I would highly recommend them. Our guide was super knowledgable and was flexible. We were in a very small group, so we just decided to hop in the kayaks and head out. We saw puffins, sea otters, lions mane jellyfish, and the best part a sea lion! It popped its head out right in front of our kayak and I completely freaked out! The most magical moment. They will give you a list of what you need to bring, but I did not regret having layers! It was super cold in the morning on the boat cruise, a little warmer kayaking as you get your blood moving, but it was right back to being cold on the boat. I had a base layer both bottom and top, and waterproof jacket and pants.
The next day, we wanted to go salmon fishing, so we booked a tour with a local guide. I wish I could recommend him, but I would not. The moral of our story is that you get what you pay for. We booked last minute and got something on the cheaper end. We went to a local grocery store to get our fishing license for the, it was super easy. Don't stress about it! I will say even though it was a bad guiding service, overall, it was a fun day of fishing on the Little Susitna River. The fish were going crazy and we hit our limit very quickly! Since we were so far out from Anchorage we got a styrofoam cooler and some ice to keep the fish fresh until we could get them to a processing store. There are lots of processing stores that will flash freeze your fish and get them ready for you to check as baggage.
After an eventful morning fishing, we decided to head to Denali Brewing Company by Talkeetna. This was by far my favorite brewery in Alaska. The beer is so delicious. I also can't believe how lucky we were, we got to see Denali! It was a perfectly clear day and as we drove to the brewery it was a spectacular view. Our original plan had been to head to Denali the next day and get some hikes in. But to be 100% honest, after all of the driving we didn't feel like making the 4-hour trek. We took the morning slow and researched some fun things to do. Anchorage is pretty, but the hikes in the area are quite the commitment. We were having a hard time finding something mellow enough but not exactly a stroll in the park. In our research, Whittier is pretty close to Anchorage and had a cool hike that hikes along the coast. To get there you travel through the longest tunnel in North America. They only allow one lane in at a time. There are specific lanes for each type of vehicle. We made the mistake of getting in the wrong lane and missing the green light and ended up waiting an hour to get through! Don't make the same mistake, read the pamphlet they give you. Ha-ha.
There are so many glaciers in Whittier. Since we were there in August, it was towards the end of the summer season and I couldn't help but think how big they used to be earlier in the season, or when we lived in a much colder climate. We hiked the Emerald Cove Trail, which features lots of waterfalls and follows the river. Along the way we found blueberries and huckleberries, along with salmon spawning in the river. The entire trip I wanted nothing more than to see a bear, however, once we were in the perfect scenario to see one, I was ready to bail. Especially when we found a salmon that had a fresh bite. Thankfully, the salmon were the only wildlife we saw on the trail. One of favorite things to do in coastal areas is to get clam chowder, and of course there was the perfect place in Whittier.
On the way back to Anchorage we stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Refuge Conservation Center. They have lots of amazing animals that you can view from your car or do a walk around like a traditional view. It is all outdoors, so be prepared! We were able to see wolves, moose, and grizzly bears. It wasn't the magical experience of seeing one safely in the wild, but again, once we had the opportunity to see a bear in the wild it was much scarier than I thought, so this was a good compromise.
On our last day, we spent time exploring Anchorage. The Anchorage Farmers Market is a great place to get some souvenirs and of course, check out a local brewery, the Midnight Sun Brewing Company. There is still so much I would love to do in Alaksa, go to Homer and fish for halibut, take a seaplane tour to Katmai National Park and see grizzly bears, and do some more sea kayaking closer to Ketchikan. But I don't think you can go wrong no matter what you do in Alaska. Best tips I have for you, be spontaneous, bring lots of layers, you get what you pay for, and just book already!
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