This summer fair usually runs the first or second weekend of July…read more No dogs, no politics, no religious orders, no admission fee. Instead they're serving inclusion, free live music, great food, and good vibes. Easily one of the best fairs Alaska has to offer. The Girdwood Forest Fair is a non-profit who's proceeds go to local places around town like Challenge Alaska (see my review for them), of course we have to support! Camping and fair parking (2-3 miles away) are available. I recommend getting there early (mornings). This fair is completely volunteer run. Please tip! Especially when you're in the Bier Garden (kids 13 and under allowed with parent guardian). I loved the custom tumbler cups with attached hooks (very handy) as opposed to using plastic cups. The saison I had there was crisp and refreshing. They also had a wine garden. It's the best to see the kegs keeping cool in the creek. Tons of vendors. Even kid vendors. Lots of places to sit, take a load off, eat, and of course enjoy live music on 3 different stages, amazing! Can't wait for next year!

It's a great festival with lots of crafts, inventive food, and great bands…read more It's about as hippy as you can get in red state like Alaska. I'm not giving it 5-stars though. Why? The signs. The signs are great. I love most of them. But so many of the slogans are "NO DOGS" and "NO ALCOHOL". You can have alcohol, but only in the Biergarten. Fine. I get it, gotta keep the crowds from getting too crazy. But dogs? No dogs? In...Girdwood? I can't go for that.

Local flair hosted by the Alyeska Resort celebrating blueberries. Free live music, pie eating…read morecontests, chairlift rides, 5k run, and local arts and crafts and food. Oh yeah, lots of blueberries too - scones, cookies, tea, pies, etc. Free parking at the hotel or offsite. Fun family oriented event on the resort grounds. Only downer - no dogs allowed.

GCVA stands for Girdwood Center for Visual Arts Our Mission…read moreTo promote the visual arts To share in the volunteer effort To develop a unique gallery for the use of the local arts To encourage the development of other artistic opportunities for the public and its members

Snapple has got it wrong, THIS place is made from the best stuff on earth !…read more Everything from the pingauzer ride, breathtaking views of the valley, sweet dogs and meeting Nick was the highlight of my Alaska trip! Now, prior to heading out to Girdwood and taking the trip, I read the description and thought "Eh, this sounds a bit campy." We did it regardless and do not regret it. Riding up a mountain, playing with puppers small and large, going on a ride in a cart pulled by aforementioned dogs.. sounds silly but it was more fun than watching a kitten chase a laser beam. Mother nature also graced us with a clear, 70 degree day as well. That helps! I've read about some blatant dog abuse that goes on with certain teams or kennels that are associated with the iditarod. Taking that into consideration, these pups did not appear to be mistreated in the slightest. In fact, you could tell Nick absolutely adores all of the dogs and isn't just putting on a show for the tourists. He talks about them as if they were his kids in a sly, goofy way that's rather hard to describe. The doggos, despite short leashes and funny looking houses seem as if they are quite well taken care of and are absolutely ecstatic about doing their job -- running! Shockingly enough, they're equally as estastic to meet strangers as well! If you're looking for a great way to spend an afternoon, check these folks (AND CUTE PUPS) out. Man, I'm a sucker for a cute furry face.

Nic and staff are all great. His office staff were very accommodating as we had scheduling issues…read more They provided us with several options and would have been happy to refund our fees. Fortunately we were able to make the tour. The ride to the kennel is a bit rough but you really get the feel for the area. Nic gives a interesting introduction and you are encouraged to interact with the dogs. He tells stories about himself and the dogs. You then learn how to harness the dogs and off you go in his cart. Taking turns through the sometimes dusty trail on a thrill ride. You finish the tour at the puppy pavilion, where you learn more about the racing and then PUPPIES!! We had enough time to ask questions and never felt rushed. A great day, and then Tyler recommended pizza at Chair 5 in the town of Girdwood, to die for pizza. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g31000-d8421789-r595086029-Girdwood_Mushing_Company-Girdwood_Anchorage_Alaska.html#

I have fond memories of coming here as a child in the 80s so was excited to come back 40 years…read morelater. It's still fun! An adventurous drive up the mountain, a beautiful town set in the middle of the woods, and friendly and outgoing staff. We enjoyed exploring all the small buildings with the endless antiques. No panning for gold for us, but people seemed very into the activity.

We didn't go panning for gold, but lots of people were there doing just that! We just checked out…read morethe history of the place. It's amazing how nothing was every thrown away. Everything is somewhat preserved creating a time capsule. And lovely gardens. It's a beautiful place in the summer. The flowers and water make it an easy way to spend some time here.

We decided on a last minute helicopter tour to land on a glacier. Our experience with Alpine Air…read morewas extremely smooth. After a quick safety overview, my 11 year old son and I were on our way in a private helicopter! The sites were amazing. Our pilot was experienced and had great control. We were able to spot some wildlife too! The glacier experience was amazing once in a lifetime thing. Highly recommended!

This was a great way to kickstart my adventure in Alaska! Lots of first just in the tour for sure…read more I got the dog sledding tour, which was so awesome! After gearing up, you get ready to ride on a helicopter to punch bowl glacier. The ride was so cool (one of my firsts)! If you've never been in a helicopter, it's an amazing way to sightsee since the viewing angle is way less restrictive than any other aircraft. The maneuverability can make it similar to a thrill ride! Once up there, while waiting to get set up or waiting for others before me to go on their tour, the staff introduces you to their vast arrays of dogs that were born and bred to be sled dogs. Love it or hate it, the dogs seem happy and seem well taken care of. It was amazing to see the 7 puppies that were 8 weeks old and teething. It's hard to not smile when they start chewing on the boots provided by the company. Lastly the piece de resistance is the actual ride. It was very fun and enjoyable being able ride in the sleds with dogs pulling you. They can go pretty fast and the mushers go into the history of dog sledding. Overall, it was a fun experience and a great way for people to enjoy a unique adventure!

We didn't go into the resort, but the location is gorgeous with many trails…read more Sure looks like a great vacation or retreat site, though!

I loved the idea of a mystery tour, especially from someone so knowledgeable about the Anchorage…read morearea. She has so many unique and small hidden corners, and she fills the driving time with very entertaining stories. Not only did I see beautiful sights and take two beautiful hikes, but I also learned a lot about the city itself. Even if I never end up in Anchorage again, I'll always remember this tour and recommend her to others who end up there as well.

Tour was awesome. Very friendly and very nice. Informative . Explained a lot about Alaska and took…read moreus around and to an animal sanctuary. Saw animals and enjoyed speaking with our tour guide . Will definitely come again but in the summer and will book a tour with her

We did the 20 mile jet boat trip last August and it was a WOW experience from start to finish. It…read moresounded pretty cool from the website. But the experience was 100 times more spectacular. We had an exciting ride, saw glaciers, saw huge icebergs and made some memories that will last forever. The boat took us up the white water rivers at over 25 MPH and when we skirted the rocks, it felt like a race car cornering around a race track. Don't get the idea that it was dangerous though. Andy was a master at piloting the boat so I would trust him with my mother. This was an easy adventure but it was spectacular. Don't miss this and enjoy the ride!!

Amazing experience, Andy was amazing and kind. He really took good care of us and snowmobile riding…read morewas soo much fun!! Amazing customer service...Amazing experience! Definitely a must if visiting Alaska.

Take the helicopter glacier hike tour! You will not regret it!! My husband and I were second…read moreguessing such a big ticket item for our Alaska trip but we agree it was worth it! Our trip would not have been the same had we skipped this standout experience! Our guides Andy and Matt were amazing! We had a lot of fun with them and learned a lot too. Thank you guys for the memories! Until you see and walk on a glacier, you cannot understand the scale and size of one! There are hidden worlds when you get on the ice! Waterfalls into the abyss, hidden ice caves, lakes of deep aqua blue... and it goes on and on in every direction. Completely insane! Do yourself a favor and book this trip. The views from the helicopter alone are worth it, but exploring a glacier is priceless!

Did the spencer glacier kayak and hike, starting from the Alyeska Resort. $379pp (occasional…read morecoupons on their Facebook). This took about 9 hours, with about 5 hours being kayak + hike. The rest was transportation/waiting for train/etc. Prices are high, but the experience is pretty amazing. It's hard to do activities or get up close to glaciers without assistance/guides. The group to guide ratio is low so you're definitely safe. I love the energy from the guides. They know what they're doing and they are so enthusiastic about it. They definitely take care of you if you're a newb to all this. Amazing views. Amazing pictures. Would recommend!