Road Trips from Anchorage Alaska

Our family’s summer vacation to Alaska in 2019 was amazing. First, my daughter Nina (aged 9) and I went on a cruise while her (twin) brother and my husband went fishing on the frozen tundra. We met in Anchorage afterward. We spent some time in the city, but we also went on quite a few road trips from Anchorage Alaska. Here’s where we went:

WASILLA Alaska

What to do in Wasilla, AK

The Wasilla Iditarod Headquarters  (the purpose of our visit) is a one-room, memorabilia-filled museum. There, you can watch an interesting 30 minute movie about Alaskan Huskies and how they can withstand the conditions of the 1,000 mile run in Alaska’s frigid winter snow.  Usually after the film, visitors are able to meet Alaskan Huskie dogs and puppies. We were unhappy to find out that we came too late in the day to do that. The animals leave the premises at 5:00PM (but the museum is open until 7). Fortunately, we were able to return a few days later (on our way back from Denali)….and we got to meet and cuddle 14 day old puppies!!!!!!

Where to eat in Wasilla, AK

Wasilla turns out to be a pretty big town with strip malls, box stores (like Target) and common fast food restaurants (like Taco Bell).  We decided to try a local Italian place called Evangelo.  We made the right choice!  It was fast and easy, the service was great, and the food was delicious and plentiful. 

PALMER Alaska 

Williams Reindeer Farm

This farm is so awesome! It is a family run operation, and a teenage boy was our tour guide and teacher. He showed us how to feed the reindeer and “kiss” the resident moose (by putting greens in your mouth for him to take)! He also introduced us to the horses, cats, dogs, and bunnies that live on the farm. 

Musk Ox Farm

This nonprofit organization is the only domesticated musk ox farm in the world.  The hair of the animals provides Qivuit, the second most rare natural fiber. The oxen hair is combed for the material which is sent elsewhere to be milled into yarn.  You can purchase skeins of the Qiviut yarn (and items knitted with it by farm employees) in the gift shop.

SEWARD, Alaska

Seward Scenic Highway

A trip on the notorious Seward Highway is a must! Words and photos cannot do the beauty justice; this long and winding road is just breathtaking! We drove from the shore of the Turnagain Arm to the Chugach Mountains and the Kenai Peninsula. Stops along the way that we did not make include:

• Beluga Point (check online for the bore tides schedule)
• Potter Marsh Bird Sanctuary (half mile boardwalk to see birds and maybe moose)
• Turnagain Arm Pit BBQ restaurant
• Portage Glacier
• Alaska Conservation Wildlife Center
• Alyeska ski resort  (tram, Seven Glaciers Restaurant)
• Byron Glacier. 

Exit Glacier

We did stop at The Exit Glacier in the Kenai Fjords National Park. We took a short hike to get a glimpse of this incredible site. It has receded quite a bit in recent years (due to global warming), so the walk to get up close to it would have taken a hour. We didn’t have the time or the stamina to do that, so we just hung out on the rocks which hold the rush of glacial water every spring. Nina and Alex had fun playing in the vast open space surrounded by magnificent towering peaks.

Alaska Sea Life Center

We rated The Alaska Sea Life Center in Seward just okay. There were many beautiful tanks and exhibits to see, but it was very small. The highlight of this aquarium for us was the amazing view of Resurrection Bay from its terrace.

Seward Harbor

I think the most interesting part of the day was going to the Seward Harbor where the many halibut and salmon fishing charters can be found. We were lucky enough to see the fishermen returning at the end of the day; most of them were locals preparing their stockpile for the winter months. We found it fascinating to watch the anglers hang, clean, weigh and fillet their catch.

Where to eat in Seward, AK

Seward is a cute little fishing town with a Main Street full of touristy shops and restaurants. We chose Apollo for lunch and were treated to great fish and chips.

We also went to the Harbor Street Creamery for an ice cream treat. I ordered death-by-chocolate and I did not enjoy it; the texture was grainy and it tasted like freezer burn. The huckleberry and lemon meringue flavors were creamy and much more tasty.

DENALI 

It took us about 3 1/2 hours to get to Denali / Mount McKinley National Park. Be prepared with snacks if you plan to take this journey; there are very few places to stop along the way. 

We took Kantishna Air Taxi for the first leg of our adventure.  It was such a good choice!  The flight provided us with astounding views, including a look at the big mountain (which we wouldn’t have been able to see from land on that particular day).  

We took the 5 hour bus back to the park entrance. This trip was way too long and pretty boring. The high point was the stunning scenery. The animals we saw, including a few bears, were very far away, which was disappointing. 

We stayed at Denali Bluffs Hotel, which is set in a beautiful location and has a pretty good barbecue restaurant called Mountaineer Grill.

If you are planning a trip to Alaska, please check out the following posts: 

• Anchorage Alaska With Kids
• First Day on Royal Princess Alaska – Recommendations for what to do when you first board a cruise ship
• Food Aboard The Royal Princess Alaska – My review of the food that we ate during my first cruise
• Onboard Cruise Activities – What I found to do on the ship
• Ketchikan Alaska Excursions – including The Alaska Raptor Center
• Juneau Alaska Excursions – including dog sledding on Mendenhall Glacier and evening whale watch
• Skagway Alaska Excursions – including glass blowing and panning for gold