6 Perfect Days in Alaska

Anchorage isn't a city I would recommend visiting for a long weekend… unless you live on the west coast, because from Houston it was a 7 hour flight. With that being said, a really long weekend shouldn't be out of the question (Wednesday - Monday). I think the following itinerary best suits a great Alaskan visit. *Note when we travel I like to do the strenuous activities first when we are more fresh!

Watch for BEARS!

Day 1

Depart for Anchorage on a Wednesday sometime between May and September. Domestic flights come in the evening not allowing much time for activities on day one. Anchorage is 1 hour behind the West Coast Time Zone. I’d recommend the Guesthouse International. They provide a free shuttle to and from the airport and are in walking distance from everything downtown. Plus it is the cheapest hotel we found (ranging from $105-$125 per night) and all you really need hotels for is sleeping.

View to Seward

On the hike to Harding Icefield

View from the top!

Even wildlife on the hike!

Day 2

Head to Seward! I rented a car for the following and will try my best to provide alternatives. We rented a car from downtown because it is cheaper than the airport. If you do not want to rent a car, take the Alaskan Railway from Anchorage to Seward ($85 one way). This departs Anchorage at 6:45 am. I recommend this first because your body is still use to your local time. Enjoy the train ride before arriving in Seward at 11:05 am. Hike to Exit Glacier (6 hours) to see the massive Harding Icefield. It is totally worth it.

Miller's Landing

Day 3

For your full day in Seward, you NEED to go on the water. I am going to promote Miller's Landing since that is the outfit we used for our 2 day kayak trip (Resurrection Bay Guided Overnight Trip). Pick the one that suits you… you can’t go wrong. Check Groupon for deals and make sure you dress accordingly. After the day’s end either drive (or spend the night in Seward ) or take train back to Anchorage at 6pm and arrive at 10:45pm ($85 one way). Check out these views you may see while on the water:

Kayaking the Bay surrounded by Glaciers

Sightseeing boat

Hanging in Thumb Cove with 3 Glaciers

Early morning cruise ship arrival

Nice open downtown (4th street pictured)

Day 4

Game watch @ Humpy's! But we lost :(

Sleep in a bit. Walk downtown and rent a bike to get a nice and different view of the city. Choose any of these routes. Work up a good appetite and head back into town. I recommend lunch at Humpy's. It is a great place to watch sports too (We watched a couple world cup games there). Walk to the Anchorage Market & Festival downtown. You’ll find fresh produce, exotic artwork from across the world and from Alaska… it’s a good place to people watch!

View from atop Wolverine Peak

More wildlife on the trails!

Day 5

Try some local beers!

Drive to Chugach State Park for a great hike for good views of the city, bay, and mountains (on a clear day). We hiked Wolverine Peak at Prospect Heights Trailhead. This is about a 10 minute drive and a 6 hour hike. There is a shuttle that goes to Flattop Mountain that is very popular and has good views. Williwaw Trail is another hike at Prospect Heights Trailhead that was not as rigorous as Wolverine Peak but less popular than Flattop. Worked up an appetite? Good!     Can you say 20 foot chocolate waterfall?
Head to the Alaska Wildberry and make sure you do not make the same mistake we did and go to the one in the mall. Go to the original off hwy 1. This is best if you have your own car. After swimming in chocolate (just kidding, don’t do that) head back to town and head to a nice dinner. We ate at both Glacier Brewhouse and Snow Goose. Both are fantastic. I heard Simon and Seaforts is great also, but can’t personally vouch.  

Salmon at the Snow Goose

Day 6

Sleep in & explore local coffee shops (Ave G and 4^th street have good ones). Go to the Native Center and learn some cultural history. They put on great shows. Plan it here. I always save souvenir shopping for last, so that is a good thing to fill time before lunch (Trapping Jack’s or Grizzly’s on 4^th are good places). Good time to return the rental if you got it in the city (you can still use the hotel's service). For lunch, we will recommend our hole in the wall @ Nane’s Pelmeni’s famous Russian dumpling. He doesn’t have a website, but has a facebook page. Going in the summertime, you won’t have a prayer to see the Northern Lights, but the Planetarium puts on a good Aurora Borealis show. Make your way to the airport and it won’t take long 

for you to be missing this beautiful underappreciated place.

*Your flight will most likely land in the early morning of the next day!

Native Heritage Center

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