Dan & Kiersten

The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail follows the shore of Cook Inlet from downtown Anchorage to Kincaid Park. Running along coastal marshes, over forested hills and passing one of the most dramatically altered landscapes of Anchorage, the trail is perfect for biking, walking and even wildlife viewing. It’s not unusual to pass eagles or moose along the way. The paved path runs 11 miles, and bike rentals are an inexpensive, easy way to explore every stretch. Leaving downtown, the trail hugs the coast, with great views of Mount Susitna, also known as Sleeping Lady. On clear days, Denali and nearby Mount Foraker loom on the horizon. The trail crosses the site of some of the worst damage from the 1964 earthquake. Earthquake Park, Point Woronzof, and many trailside benches and parks offer great views and convenient rest points on the trip further south.

Rent bikes at 5th Ave. & L St. downtown (Pablo's Cycle Rentals) and enjoy a ride along the Coastal Trail starting downtown. 

Jutting out into Cook Inlet on the western tip of Anchorage, Kincaid Park is one of the largest in the city. But don’t let proximity fool you. With nearly 40 miles of walking/skiing trails, 20 miles of single-track bike runs, browsing moose, and even the occasional bear, Kincaid Park is huge. It's our urban oasis, just 12 minutes from our home and about 20 minutes away from downtown Anchorage. 

Way-better-than-average museum with impressively well-done new Art of the North gallery and Alaska exhibition. Paintings, sculpture, photography, video, and other media offer varied perceptions of the Northern landscape and wilderness through historical and contemporary depictions of both land and people. Alaskan artifacts & artworks, plus a kid-friendly, hands-on science center & planetarium. Great collection of Native Alaska garments, organized by tribe and location. Make this your first stop if we have a rainy day during your visit.

The center shares the heritage of Alaska's 11 major native cultures. Visitors experience Alaska Native cultures first-hand through stories, dance, and exhibits. Alaska Native peoples are an important part of modern-day Alaska culture, making up nearly 20% of Alaska's population. Alaska has the highest concentration of native peoples of anywhere in the U.S.: of the U.S.'s 562 federally recognized Indian tribes, 229 are located in Alaska.

Forty minutes from downtown Anchorage lies Eagle River Nature Center, a gateway to Chugach State Park and a glacial river valley as wild and dramatic as any in Alaska. Enjoy an easy, 3-mile nature walk on the Albert Loop (Sarah's Mom Phyllis did this on her last visit and loved it) or trek up-valley 5 miles to see plunging waterfalls and 3,000-foot cliffs. Free daily nature walks.

The Winner Creek trail meanders through a forest for 2.4 miles until you get to a little hand tram. Step inside the tram and pull yourself across (and above) the creek. If you begin at the Crow Creek Mine, the tram is only about a mile away. This is an easy, well-developed trail with gentle elevation gain that winds through America’s northernmost rainforest, crosses a wooden bridge over a thundering blue-water gorge, and connects to a hand tram high above thrashing Glacier Creek.

What was once part of the historic Iditarod Trail, this ranks as some of the best scenery in the area. Some of the incredible and varied sights that await you on this hike include waterfalls, wildflowers, wildlife, mine ruins from the early 1900s, and the awesome Raven Glacier and its massive cascades. The area around Raven, as well as the glacier itself, is amazing, dramatic, and awe inspiring. Your conception of glaciers and what they can do to a landscape will never be the same.

The trail ascends gradually up a series of switchbacks and quickly opens up to expansive views. This hike will take around 3.5 - 4 hours, round trip, and is well maintained. It is not an easy hike, however. For easier walking, we recommend the Powerline Pass Trail in Anchorage (starting at the Glen Alps Trailhead) or the Winner Creek Trail in Girdwood. With all hikes, bring a water bottle, sneakers, rain jacket, a snickers bar, and bear spray.

Powerline Pass is an Anchorage local "do-it-all" trail. It's used year round for hiking, biking, skiing, and more. It's a great jumping off point if you want to access some of the bigger trails/mountains that Anchorage has to offer. It's also an incredible trail in its own right. The trail is an old dirt road road that follows Power Lines through the mountains. It is relatively easy walking and offers sweeping views of the mountains and tundra-filled valley. We recommend starting at the Glen Alps Trailhead and walking as many miles as you want. You won't be disappointed with this one, we promise!

Take a helicopter ride into the majestic Chugach Mountains and onto Punch Bowl Glacier, 3200 feet above sea level. Punch Bowl is a giant snowfield on top of hundreds of feet of ice. Learn how the dogs are bred, see how they are trained to pull the sled, and learn how they have everlasting endurance. More information about the tour & booking: linked here. While we don't have plans to do this ourselves the week after the wedding, don't miss out if this suits your fancy!

Drive to Girdwood and take the Alyeska Aerial Tram to have dinner on top of a mountain. Or you can just enjoy the view.  The Alyeska Aerial Tram is a provides a scenic ride from the Hotel Alyeska to 2,300 ft in elevation and the top of Mt. Alyeska. From the Tram, you can see for miles in all directions – including views of the Turnagain Arm, up to seven “hanging” glaciers, and endless peaks deep into the Chugach Mountain range. Moose and bear sightings are common on aerial tram rides, too. At the Upper Tram Terminal, there is an observation deck providing even more breath-taking panoramic views of nearby mountains, hanging glaciers, sparkling streams, towering spruce, and an array of wildlife. Conde Naste Traveler rated Alyeska "Best View of Any U.S. Ski Resort." Dinner reservations should be made for the Seven Glaciers Restaurant at the top of the tram. Dinner reservations include the tram ride to get to the restaurant.

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center preserves Alaska’s wildlife through conservation, research, and education. It's way better than a zoo, and is surprisingly fun to roam around. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides them with spacious enclosures and quality care. The Center maintains over 200 acres of spacious habitats for animals to feel at home and display their natural “wild” behavior. Visitors will see brown bears, bull moose, bison, eagles, and many other Alaska animals. Open 8:30am - 7pm.

While in Talkeetna take a Denali flightseeing tour from the town of Talkeetna and experience one of the greatest mountain landscapes on earth. Over six million acres of mile high granite gorges, ancient blue glaciers, and endless icy peaks. Book at www.talkeetnaair.com.

While in Talkeetna take a three hour tree canopy tour across nine ziplines with panoramic Denali views and woodland aerial walkways. Book at www.denaliziplinetours.com/tours

While in Talkeetna, cruise into Alaska’s untamed wilderness on fully narrated river tours in the shadows of Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America. These tours are perfect for all ages and each trip includes a short nature walk to their Dena’ina Indian Encampment and authentic trapper's cabin. Book at: www.mahaysriverboat.com/

While in Talkeetna visit the Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station. Located in downtown Talkeetna, about 100 miles south of the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve, this ranger station serves as the center of mountaineering operations. Climbers wishing to attempt Denali or other peaks in the Alaska Range stop here first, for an orientation to the mountain and to acquire their climbing permit. This ranger station also offers some visitor services, particularly in summer. It's really fun to stop in and watch some their videos!

3 mile roundtrip trail offers an easy walk for all ages. It features a close-up view of a glacier with rugged mountains in all directions. Follow the winding, mostly flat trail that follows Byron Creek through a rocky alluvial plain that is interspersed with tall alders, cottonwood, and aspen trees. Have an impromptu snowball fight in snowfields left over from winter avalanches.

Start your day by taking a unique whistle-stop train to a glacier in the Alaskan wilderness. Developed in partnership with the Chugach National Forest Service, the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop is a remote wilderness area that is only accessible by train. It’s also home to one of the most spectacular and visible glaciers along the Railbelt: Spencer Glacier, a massive wall of ice cascading down the mountains to Spencer Lake. Get up close and personal with giant icebergs in Spencer Glacier Lake after the scenic train ride on the Alaska Railroad’s Glacier Discovery Train. Book the rafting trip at alaskanrafting.com/product/spencer-iceberg-placer-river-float/, and select the Portage departure. This is a low-key float -- so low key that you won't even have to paddle. The raft trip includes your train fare.

Book a day of salmon fishing -- the iconic Alaska summer activity -- out in the ocean! Silver Salmon will be running in mid-August and they're a blast to catch!  You can also do a half day of Halibut fishing with a half day of salmon, if that's your thing. Book in advance because the boats fill up quick! Every local AND every tourist love doing this activity. We enjoy going out of the town of Seward, but you can also book a charter in Whittier or Soldotna. You can also go right out of Talkeetna if you'd like to fish the great Susitna River instead of the ocean.

There's also an endless list of captains who will take you drifting down a river to fly fish for salmon or for trophy Alaskan trout. You can do drift down the world-famous Kenai River!

If you want more information, reach out to us and we can give you all the details you need on fishing. Fish can be stored in a freezer at the Anchorage Airport for a small daily fee, so no worries on how to keep your fish while you enjoy the rest of your vacation in Alaska.

Drive through the spectacular Hatcher Pass, an epic and easily accessible part of the Talkeetna Mountain Range. Toward the top of Hatcher Pass sits Independence Mine, a partially restored gold mine you can walk around and learn about. It's easy walking and mostly paved, so great for folks of all ages and abilities. There are lots of more extreme trails branching off of the main trail, if that's your thing. 

The non-profit Musk Ox Farm is dedicated to the domestication of the musk ox, an Ice Age mammal that once roamed the earth alongside saber-tooth tigers and woolly mammoths. Known to Alaska Natives as “Oomingmak”, which means “The Bearded One”, this once-endangered animal produces an annual harvest of qiviut (kiv'-ee-ute), the finest wool in the world. The Musk Ox Farm offers a close up experience of these magnificent Paleolithic ruminants with guided tours, exhibits, a gift shop featuring some of the worlds only gently hand-combed qiviut fiber, qiviut yarn, and qiviut garments.
www.muskoxfarm.org