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06/23/2016 12:00 PMLet me tell you, without reservation, that Alaska is everything you think it is and more. And if you're like me – stuck on relaxing beach vacations – Alaska is worth breaking your pattern for. Everywhere you look is like a postcard – a snowcapped mountain, a hike for a view of a glacier, and a boat trip to see some of the best wildlife in natural habitats.
When you think about long, sun-filled days, Alaska probably isn't the first place to come to mind. Everyone thinks of Alaska as being dark and vitamin D deficient. While they do have nearly full darkness at the peak of winter (which of course, does have the benefit of a higher chance of seeing the Northern Lights), the opposite happens in the summer – nearly 24 hours of daylight. My first trip there was in July for my brother and now sister-in-law's wedding. I know you're wondering what they do there. My brother is an architect and my sis-in-law is a veterinarian. Too normal for Alaska, right? No bushwhacking. Although I think my sister-in-law tends to a lot of huskies. They drive normal cars – a Subaru and a Mini Cooper. And they don't have to take a helicopter to go grocery shopping.
You know what 7 p.m. here in Connecticut looks like in the summer? That dusk timeframe after the sun has set but before it's dark? That is what it looks like from 11 p.m. (when sun sets) until 4 a.m. (when sun rises) in Alaska in July. I know – how do you sleep, right? Room darkening shades. In my brother's house, the room that I stayed in had shades that darkened the room so much that I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. And I slept better than ever.
While many areas of Alaska are less inhabited, the area that I stayed (about an hour north of Anchorage) is ripe with roads, bike paths, beautiful hiking trails, and unmatched scenery. Literally everywhere you turn offers something new to photograph, and we quickly knew we needed a boat trip to see some glaciers (after all, that's what most people think of when they consider Alaska for a trip).
I do a lot of boating in CT in the summer, but this trip required a much different wardrobe. Despite being July, the waters are extremely cold, and our hoodie sweatshirts and raincoats seemed to give us just the right barrier to the cold air. Our cruise quickly had all of us on the starboard side as squeals came from passengers. An adorable sea otter was just hanging out, floating on its back, and watching us. If we were spotting wildlife just moments out of port, we were excited for the rest of the day, and it didn't disappoint. Alaskan puffins, seals, sea lions, and various birds gave us plenty to watch on our way to the glaciers.
If you've never heard a glacier (yes, I said heard), you should. As we got close to the biggest glacier on our cruise, the captain told us that he was going to shut off the engines and urged us to all be as quiet as we could. The icy stillness paved the way for a deep and hollow popping sound that echoed across the walls of the blue-white glacier, signaling melting. Sections of ice tumbled down to the water, causing the lounging seals on ice slabs to bob atop the icy blue waves. The popping does signal melting, and while we could start a conversation now about global warming and climate change, I'll stay focused.
During this same July trip, we took a journey to Denali National Park. Denali has six million acres of land where wildlife is free to roam, un-fenced. Denali is North America's tallest peak at 20,310 feet. We reserved some great riverside cabins to be within the gorgeous landscape. Phenomenal views, short glacier hikes (we had a range of athletic ability within our group so wanted to keep them mild), and a white-water rafting trip made our trip to Denali complete. With full wetsuits and lifejackets on, we still weren't prepared for what our rafting guide called the "glacial facial" as icy Alaska water crashed over us!
My next trip to Alaska was still adventure-packed, but this time, we dug deeper. Staying with my family, we took some day trips that I would highly recommend if you're heading to this area:
• Hatcher Pass: Among the Talkeetna Mountain Range, Hatcher is accessible from paved roads and offers a glimpse into gold mining with Independence Mine State Historical Park located within.
• Alaskan Salmon anyone? Check the local rivers for a chance to see salmon spawning as you explore the area. Or take a special fishing trip to catch them – you can get them packed to ship home!
•Bodenburg Butte: A short hike that can be completed in two hours, it was quickly a steep hike with my brother and the family dogs. (I was quickly grateful they were experienced hikers who helped to pull me up some of the steepest inclines!) At the top, we were rewarded by breathtaking views including glacier in the distance, and my quick scan immediately revealed that there was plenty of space to bring a yoga mat and have one of the best yoga experiences in life, if one was so inclined.
•A bike ride on a 6-mile bike path from the butte (where my family lives) to downtown Palmer so I could hang out at a local coffee shop and do some very inspired writing. As I left to head to town, my sis-in-law warned me that I should stay alert – I may encounter a moose! Honestly, I was hoping to but did not.
•Alaska State Fair (held in late August): Lumberjacks climbing 100-foot trees in about five seconds, delicious food, incredible local artifacts and jewelry for sale, some of the largest vegetables I've ever seen entered in the farming contests, concerts, and much more.
•Reindeer farm: Visit with and feed reindeer, and even a moose at the Reindeer Farm in Palmer.
• Seldovia: Located on the Kenai Peninsula, south of Anchorage, Seldovia cannot be reached by roads, so ferry or plane will have to take you there and it's worth the trip to see the 20-foot tides and the sea otters playing around the docks. Even on a drizzly, cold day, a hike across some small bridges and trails through the woods led us to the clear green waters at the beach. (I did happen to purchase a pair of heavy Alaskan mittens before boarding the ferry, and they were worth every penny!)
Of course, Alaska is huge and what I just took you through was over several trips. Visit travelalaska.com and request a copy of the vacation guide/vacation planner. It helps with routes and how long it will take to go from place to place to set a realistic plan!
What to pack:
Ladies, leave the heels at home unless you're taking a cruise and want to have something for formal night. Pack layers! In the summer in Alaska, you will want everything from t-shirts to sweatshirts or sweaters, pants, maybe a couple of shorts or skirts, absolutely a rain coat, and perhaps a scarf, winter hat, and a pair of mittens or gloves for some of the colder adventures. Footwear is the most important. Good, waterproof hiking sneakers will give you versatility, and a slightly rugged slip on shoe is good for daily shopping or sight seeing trips. I'm a huge fan of Merrell footwear when I'm in Alaska, my brother lives in Keen, and you can't go wrong with Patagonia or North Face for some of your outerwear. A good trailrunner shoe is also good if you plan to do a lot of hiking (just break them in first)! Also bug spray (for hikes) and sunscreen – since you'll be exposed to much more daylight than in CT.