Exploring the Beautiful State: Our Unforgettable Trip to Alaska
- GHP
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Our second trip to Alaska was filled with adventure. We concentrated on two small areas of Alaska, Palmer and Seward, both super kid friendly and adventurous. We hope that this will make not wait to book your trip to Alaska, it is true what they say, it will ruin all other places you visit and you will only want to keep returning to Alaska.
Exploring Alaska
We landed in Anchorage and headed up to our VRBO outside of Palmer in Fishhook. It was a great place to stay, perfect for kids and outside of town which we like.
Next day, we explored the Independence Mine, at the entrance of Hatcher Pass. It is a very cool drive and the temperature drops significantly. Hatcher Pass was still closed. But there are several short hikes that you can take from the mine to Gold Cord Lake. Independence Mine is very cool park of history to see in Alaska. We definitely recommend it. Next year, we hope to drive through Hatcher's pass.
The Ultimate Highlight of this Trip: ATV Ride to Knik Glacier
If there is one thing that you must do while in Alaska, then here it is. 30 mins from Palmer through Alaska Backcountry Adventure Tours, we signed up for the 8-hour Knik Glacier Tour.
And wow, by far, was the most amazing excursion we have ever done anywhere. We will be talking about this for years to come. It includes all your gear and you get to drive your own atv or side by side (fits 5-6 people), you follow a guide through all kinds of terrain. The kids loved going through the water the best, some areas were over two feet high coming into the cab. We rode in Can-am UTVs and they were impressive, it was a smooth, comfortable ride, even for Shelby who was in a car seat.
At our first stop, we could see the glacier in the distance and come to find out that it was 20 miles away. It took us over 4 hours of riding to the glacier.
Once we arrived to the glacier, it was massive. We hung out while they cooked us lunch over the fire.
It took us another 4 hours to get back but it was so worth it. Jim drove the whole time and not one complaint, he thoroughly enjoyed it, the kids did not want it to end, we can’t wait to go back again.
We highly recommend it and here is the link to the tour we took.
Second half of the trip - Seward
Seward is about 4 hours from Palmer but it has the coolest drive.
Place to stop is The Bake Shop in Girdwood, they serve really big cinnamon rolls and good sandwiches.
We stayed at Miller’s Landing outside of Seward. This was our second time staying here. They offer a cafe and fishing charter as well. At the cafe, You can watch all the fishing boats came in and watch sea otters in the bay
Jim went out on the fishing charter one day and was very successful, it was all day.
Our other adventure was the 6 hour marine tour with Major Marines Tour, second time doing this one and it is very comfortable, enjoyable boat ride where you see all kinds of wildlife, the favorite this time was 3 pods of killer whales. It includes lunch, inside and outside seating. Totally worth it if you are visiting Seward
Tips for Traveling to Alaska
Book Everything Early: best deals are 6-8 months from when you plan to go and places can book up quick.
Alaska is Huge: You need at least 7 days for a trip and concentrate on certain areas because it is vast and there is so much to do
Check Fishing Regulations: If you book a fishing charter, check the regs, there are certain days you can fish halibut, etc.
Check out this Blog: Valerie & Valise is a great blog that has so much info on Alaska. They also offer discounts to different things
Clear and Sunny: it does not get dark until midnight. It is easy to lose track of time but you are in the most beautiful place
Everyone needs to go to Alaska, don’t wait, plan it and book it, you won’t regret it.
