Where to Stay in Wrangell: 5 Varied Options for Any Type of Visitor
For a small, off-the-beaten-path Alaskan community, I've been to Wrangell quite a bit – and have enjoyed every visit. I was first there on a sunny day in May 2017 as part of cruising with Uncruise; my next trip was a rainy day in September 2021 as part of an Alaskan Dream Cruises itinerary. My final visit was in June 2022 with Windstar, and the weather was delightfully mixed. I've pretty much seen Wrangell in any weather! (Except snow, I guess – time to plan a return trip in winter!)...
How to Make the Most of One Day in Capitol Reef National Park
Over my years of traveling through the National Parks across the American West, I've developed a soft spot for the underrated ones – the ones most people overlook or skip for the ones they consider "grander" or more well-known. This includes parks like Olympic in Washington, Pinnacles in California, Great Basin in Nevada, and most recently, Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. Each of these parks offers (and all of them, really!) something special and is worthy of a visit – even if you only have one day as part of a road trip or other adventure...
Alaska in February: A Complete Guide to Visiting in Winter 2024
Have you ever been in temperatures so cold that your eyelashes have formed ice crystals? Or stepped outside and had your breath catch in your chest as the icy air hits your lungs? These might not sound like pleasant experiences, but they’re unique and memorable – and ones that are easy to experience if you decide to visit Alaska in February...
How to Spend One Day in Oregon Caves National Monument
Is there anything more impressive than stepping into a room of stone, carved away over millions of years by the forces of time, water, and wind? Caves are easily one of the coolest features of our incredible rocky mantled planet and are often a primary feature at my favorite national parks. It should come as no surprise then, that I jumped at the chance to spend a day in Oregon Caves National Monument as part of my big Oregon road trip in late 2023. A whole park just for caves? And a few big trees?! Sign me up!...
The Best Alaska Black Friday Deals for 2023
(& Cyber Monday too!)Visiting Alaska is expensive. I hate to start on that note, but it's just the truth. Every year when I update my guide to guessing out how much your Alaska trip might cost, I'm bummed to see prices just going up, up, up. That's why it's so important to highlight opportunities for you to save on your Alaska trip – and Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend is one of the best chances for that...
Where to Eat in Whittier, Alaska: 7 Spots to Fuel Up for Adventure
I'll be honest: one of my favorite culinary experiences in Whittier isn't actually in Whittier; I enjoyed a delicious dram of peppermint schnapps over glacier ice on the Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise during my last visit, and it held a special place in my heart. But you might find yourself on land in Whittier – perhaps before or after a glacier cruise or fishing charter or planning one of the other things to do in Whittier – and feeling hungry...
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...
Glacier National Park Reservations: Demystifying How to Visit in 2024
Located in the heart of the universally impressive Rocky Mountains, Glacier National Park is also called the Crown of the Continent – high praise that's well deserved, if you've ever been fortunate to visit. If you're reading this post though, I'm guessing you haven't visited Glacier National Park... instead, you're planning your first trip, and have discovered that it's like, really confusing to figure out when, where, and how to visit Glacier National Park...
How to Make the Most of One Day in Rocky Mountain National Park
The Rocky Mountains have long captured the imagination and spirit of exploration. Early American explorers saw them as a fortress wall to overcome in search of better prospects out west; today they continue to divide the continent between the (still) wild and generally less developed west and the agricultural stretches of the Great Plains, Midwest, and Atlantic coast...
