Our Summer Alaska Trip to Anchorage & Denali

Our Alaskan adventure is months behind us now, but better late than never: I am forever grateful for the experience, and I don’t want to forget a moment of it… so months later, I’m going to rehash our journey.

Dan’s parents invited us on this trip, and I could never thank them enough for their generosity. I’m not family, of course, so I was immensely touched that they included me and allowed me to tag along on their annual family vacation.

“Why Alaska?” Um, why not? I heard that question a lot when I told people where I was off to for vacation, and their odd response still perplexes me. Isn’t Alaska on everyone’s bucket list? It has certainly always been on mine. We have Tyler, Dan’s brother, to thank for finally getting it crossed off my list; he accepted a summer internship in Eagle River, Alaska, and that was the springboard for Dan’s parents selecting the state as their vacation destination.

The last week of June, we had packed our jeans and sweaters and were off to the last frontier. (Side note: It is so very lovely to wear layers during the summer. I loved bundling up and escaping the Missouri heat.)

Our trip was essentially split into two parts: We spent a few days in Anchorage and then spent the remainder of our trip visiting Denali National Park.

We flew into Anchorage on Saturday and stayed until Wednesday. Anchorage is Alaska’s most populous city, but it felt rather suburban. I expected it to be similar to Denver, a cityscape set against a stunning mountainous backdrop, but it felt much less cultured and developed. Aside from the expected natural beauty surrounding it, the city itself is nothing to write home about; nothing about it is spectacular except your proximity to the gorgeous landscape signature to Alaska. Perhaps my impression isn’t fair considering I only spent three-odd days there, but it’s a moot point: You don’t go to Alaska for an urban experience. If you’re planning an Alaska trip, I would still recommend Anchorage as a solid entry/exit point.

While in Anchorage, we stayed in a lovely bed and breakfast, Highland Glen Lodge (pictured above). I have always wanted to stay in a bed and breakfast, so I was excited for the experience. It’s definitely not fit for someone who is anti-social or exceedingly private, because you have breakfast in the morning with the other guests and share common spaces throughout your stay. But I loved having a homemade breakfast on adorable china every morning and playing board games in the well-stocked guest lounge. It felt homey, like staying with relatives. Fortunately we didn’t have a shared bath — I don’t think that experience is for me. Our room was equipped so the four of us could stay comfortably together with privacy. It was divided in half, with the front portion serving as one bedroom, and then past a curtain divider was a roomier main bedroom with desk, chair and connected bath.

We started our first full day in Alaska by visiting the outdoor “Saturday Market” (open Sundays, too) in downtown Anchorage. It’s a good spot for souvenirs. Then we drove to Eagle River Nature Center, where Tyler is interning for the summer. We explored one of the center’s nature trails while waiting for Tyler, and we saw the long-awaited postcard-perfect Alaskan scenery for the first time (pictured below). I would definitely recommend a trip to the nature center to anyone visiting the area; the center offers daily guided nature walks and has information about self-guided wilderness hikes and overnight stays in the area.

My photos really don’t do it justice. The scenery really takes your breath away. I know how lucky I am to have experienced it firsthand.

The following day, we rented bikes from Pablo’s Bicycle Rentals in downtown Anchorage and set off for a ride along Anchorage’s picturesque Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. The 11-mile bike trail follows the coastline from downtown through wooden areas with great views. We did the ride in about three and a half hours.

We had a moose spotting on the trail! We were hauling up this tough hill toward the end of the trail, when we noticed that a few groups of cyclists in front of us had all stopped and were observing something off in the distance. Being in Alaska, we assumed it was a wildlife sighting, and we were right: We were just a few yards away from a moose! Moose can actually be pretty dangerous and aggressive, so we kept our distance and remained really quiet as I snapped some photos.

After the bike ride, we drove to a nearby state park to check out Eklutna Lake. It was one of the most picturesque spots I’ve ever experienced in my life. The view from the lake’s rocky shore was perfect. We were pretty beat from the bike ride, so we didn’t explore any of the park’s trails, but I’m glad we took a few moments to stop by the lake. It’s easily accessible — just a minute walk from the parking lot and down a wide path.

Our last day in the Anchorage-area was reserved for kayaking. We drove to Whittier, about an hour and a half away from Anchorage, to sea kayak in the passage canal to Prince William Sound. It was a wonderful experience. Dan and I were in a two-person kayak, and it was fun to be on the water and navigate together. I’ve kayaked sporadically throughout my life and did a Boundary Waters canoe trip back in high school, so I felt pretty comfortable maneuvering the kayak. It was fun to don the gear; with the rubber boots and the skirt over the opening of the kayak, it felt cozy, dry and secure. We paddled out in the bay and took a break to go ashore and climb up to a waterfall tucked away in the hills.

Whittier is a small seaside town only accessible via a one-way tunnel that opens up at specific times. The tunnel was carved out through a mountain to create a single-lane road. You have to plan out your coming and going, so you don’t miss your chance to get through the tunnel. There’s not much to the little town, but it was perfect for the day. It’s a beautiful spot with spectacular views, hole-in-the-wall seafood restaurants, and cute little shops.

After our stay in the Anchorage area, we said goodbye to Tyler and drove to Denali National Park, which is about 4 hours north. In Denali, there’s pretty much just one main strip of hotels, restaurants and shops. Besides a couple large resorts, there are no major chain hotels or restaurants like most major tourist destinations. Many park visitors have to stay in another nearby town, because the accommodations in Denali are so limited. We were lucky to stay right in the heart of the business area, where we could walk to breakfast and dinner. We stayed at Salmon Bake Cabins. The “cabins” were small one-room structures made of plywood and tarp; it was similar to a platform tent, but with more security and warmth. It was surprisingly nice inside, with two full beds with cozy down comforters and thermostat-controlled heat. It reminded me of being at sleep-away camp with its community bathrooms and showers, but the cabin itself was comfortable. Down the hill from the cabins was the Salmon Bake restaurant, where we ate a few times.

Unfortunately our days in Denali were mostly rainy and dreary, but we tried to make the most of it and explore the park as best we could in the weather. The first day at the park we stuck to the trails we could walk to from the visitor center. Our final full day we were determined to try a more challenging hike, so we took a shuttle as far out as we could for a longer trail. We opted not to do a bus tour to the heart of the park, since you’re stuck on a bus for 8 hours and there’s little activity or exploration.

This was such an unforgettable trip. I’m so grateful to Dan’s parents for taking us. Now I can check Alaska off my travel list! I loved our trip, but honestly, I don’t have much desire to go back, because I think most of what we saw could be experienced in continental states like Colorado, Utah and Montana. The most interesting aspects to me were the endless days with light, the wilderness scenery, and the sled dogs.