Where to Eat in Talkeetna: An Alaskan’s Guide to 9 Great Restaurants
For a small Alaskan town, Talkeetna has a big personality. It is perhaps best known as the inspiration for the 90s dramedy Northern Exposure, and with few exceptions, has changed very little since the time when it served as the fictional setting for a backwoods doctor and his quirky friends. Talkeetna isn't frozen in time though: it has grown and is a vital part of the tourism economy in The Last Frontier...
The McKinley Park Hotel: Why Alaska’s Best National Park Has No Hotel
If you've ever visited Denali, you might have wondered something... Or perhaps you're planning your Alaska vacation and plan a few nights in Denali and are curious... Why is there no grand lodge or hotel in Denali National Park?
Where to Eat in Juneau: 15 Fantastic Restaurants Recommended by Alaskans
Nestled on the banks of the Gastineau Channel in the heart of the Inside Passage, Alaska's capital city of Juneau is smaller than most. Home to just about 32,000 people, you might not think that Juneau has a good dining scene – but be prepared for Juneau to surprise you (as it does in so many other ways too)...
The 13 Best Things to Do in Sedona: Itinerary for a Perfect Weekend
As you drive into Sedona, the towering red rocks make a clear statement: this is somewhere special. Somewhere you can get in touch with nature, the earth, and perhaps even some greater powers. In addition to stunning natural scenery, Sedona has gained a reputation as a small, mystical enclave. It's one of the best places for hiking in the morning, and meditating with crystals at a vortex that afternoon – and your Sedona itinerary should certainly include both...
How to Make the Most of One Day in Skagway, Alaska
Since its not-so-humble beginnings as a Gold Rush boom town, Skagway, Alaska, has been a unique place to spend time – and remains so to this day. As I did during my most recent trip, most people visit Skagway as part of an Alaska cruise (over 90%). This means that the vast majority of people are short on time when they find themselves in this literal Alaskan backwater. Never fear though: you can do a lot during one day in Skagway...
The 4 Best Places to See Redwoods Near San Francisco
In between the trees, it's cool and dark. The air is pungent with damp earth and tree smells. There are virtually no birds, no bugs, and no hint of wind. The daylight streams through in weak beams of light, fighting its way to the forest floor past sprawling branches and behemoth trunks. In the Redwoods, it's almost always dawn or dusk...
Windstar Cruises Alaska Review: A Luxury Sail through the Inside Passage
Every morning, I would rise from bed, and walk to the curtains. I'd open them just a sliver – even at 6am, the sun was already high and the day was bright. And there it was: blue water – and blue skies! Though the forecast had called for rain the entire duration of our Windstar Cruise in Alaska and we packed with that in mind, good fortune smiled upon us. Almost every day of our journey through Alaska's Inside Passage aboard the Star Breeze was clear skies and sunshine... exactly the kind of magic you need to make memories in this incredible place...
21 Wonderful Weekend Getaways in the Bay Area
Since we moved to the Bay Area a few years ago, one of my favorite parts has been exploring all the region has to offer. From the arid south to wine country in the north, the misty Pacific Coast to the forested mountain ranges – oh, and let's not forget the islands, waterways, and cities that make up the San Francisco Bay Area itself...
7 Spooky & Fascinating Haunted Places in Anchorage, Alaska
In the summer of 1992, a family made their way up the Alaska-Canada Highway to settle in their new home near Anchorage. One night, they stopped in a small b&b after a long day of driving, and the next morning, the parents reported the same spooky apparition – my mother woke up to experience an older couple standing at the foot of their bed, while my dad thought it was a dream...
