BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Alaska Alaska - been there?

Do you live in Alaska or visited? What would you recommend to see while there?

Thank you,
Angela

I live here, and I think it all depends on what you are interested in for what you want to see.
Arts? come to Fairbanks in the Summer for our summer arts festival! First Alaskans culture? There is something in almost every area, but the Native heritage Center outside Anchorage will do!
Skiing? For resorts, try Alyeska, for heli-skiing the Wrangells and Chugach mtns offer a lot.
Northern Lights? Chena Hot Springs in March.
Fishing? lots of places, and the same for hunting.

Hi Lisa, thanks for the feedback. Any advice on the best way to keep warm during the cold season if that is when the trip takes place? And how many months does your winter last? Do eskimos really exist? Thank you, Angela

Loved Alaska. It was absolutely gorgeous. The glaciers are stunning in their power and mass. But the scenery as you travel through the land is what struck me. Oh, and those darn cute husky pups....LOVED THEM! I could have come home with twenty. Definite must see if you haven't been there.

Hi LorenaB:

Thanks for sharing - how did you keep warm?

I have been twice - once with my boyfriend and once on my own. I absolutely loved it both times and can't wait to go back! I simply adore the landscapes. I could drive and hike around for weeks.

LOL, and no one will tell me how to keep WARM????

I would love to go, but cannot deal with alot of cold. Hey, I watch TV and see all those igloos (is that how it is spelt).

I've been twice...heading for my 3rd trip soon! I kept warm (in the warm months!) by wearing layers!

Hi Angela, I live here in Alaska too (I was BellaOnline AK Editor until my husband suffered a severe TBI and sidelined me a while back) and I had to smile at your questions of how to stay WARM here (G). Believe it or not, we have houses with gas heat in most larger Alaskan cities ... and those who don't have gas heat have wood stoves, fuel oil boilers, electric heat (sometimes solar or generator supplied) or a mix of all of the above). I haven't seen any igloos recently (smile) ... just kidding! I live about 10 miles outside of Wasilla, AK, and we stay quite comfortable all winter on locally harvested wood heat. We are getting older though, and my husband is now partially disabled, so we do depend more and more on our fuel oil boiler to see us through the long Alaskan nights - that way we don't have to get up and stoke the woodstove in the dark. First thing in the morning, a toasty wood fire takes over and is amazingly comfortable and comforting as we look out over our winter wonderland. :) When traveling, most people use cars, trucks, RVs, buses or trains. The last time I checked, they all had heaters (wink). Seriously (smile), the previously mentioned "layering" was a good response. Even in winter, I start out with a short-sleeve shirt or blouse of some sort over jeans or slacks. Most places you are going will be heated and you'll want to shed those "outer layers". Over this, I'll usually add (in any season, including summer) a light weight sweater or sweatshirt, just in case. In winter, I add one of my heavy down coats (Cabela's is an excellent resource for truly "Alaska-appropriate" heavy coats (pretty ones or purely practical ones) and other outdoor gear. Another good source is Duluth Trading Co. You can look either up online for ideas. For footwear; it really depends on what you are planning. In the summer, we wear tennis shoes, hiking boots or strappy sandals or heels just like anyplace else. BUT ... during the winter, it's a good idea to store a pair of bunny boots or other well-insulated winter boots behind the seat of your vehicle ... just in case. I do own a cushy pair of Muk-Luks made from Alaska-harvested furs ... but you will honestly find me more often in plain, ordinary shoes unless I plan on being outdoors for a long time. If you have any other questions about the weather in AK, let me (and your current AK editor :) know. I'm betting you'll get more answers than you expected. Cheers, Deb in AK