We took the Portage Glacier cruise on our last day in Alaska (July 2026). We weren't expecting much…read moreas the other glacier tours were recommended, but we didn't have time to fit in a five-hour boat tour and longer car or train ride further south. We were pleasantly surprised. The captain brought us right up to the edge of glacier with plenty of time for photo opportunities including posing with the life rings and touching some glacial ice that the crew retrieved from the lake. Hat tip to the crew and especially to George who presented a very informative briefing throughout the voyage with enough humor to keep everyone's attention.

We drove by the Portage Glacier area while heading to Anchorage. It is located 50 miles south of…read moreAnchorage off Seward Highway. The mountains surrounding it are just stunning. Portage Glacier is one of Alaska's most visited attractions and can easily be accessed by taking 5-mile Portage Glacier Road from Seward Hwy. You can't see it off the main road because it has receded over three miles and is no longer visible. But you can drive to Portage Lake and get up and close to it by boat. The Begich, Boggs Visitor Center is near the lake and the sightseeing boat tours are a short drive from it. In the winter, the lake freezes over and can be used to ice skate and cross-country ski on. If you like to hike, a few popular trails near the area are Portage Pass Trail, Byron Glacier Trail and the Trail of Blue Ice.

Beautiful escape to nature with endless flat trails just outside of Anchorage, Eagle River Nature…read moreCenter is a family staple with lots of wildlife.

Eagle River Nature Center is highly worth it for about a 30 minute drive from Anchorage. As you…read moremake your way along the road in to the area, you're greeted with scenic views of the Chugach mountains. There are pullouts to take pictures of those and the river. The nature center is literally at the end of the road with a large lot ($5 parking fee) and the area trails & outside space open even when the building itself is closed. Sadly, we did go on a Tuesday (they're open Wednesday-Sunday) but we still enjoyed the scenery and a short trail. I had hoped to do the 3 mile Albert loop but it was closed due to bear activity feeding on salmon. That was expected since it's a normal closure for August. Still enjoyed the shorter Rodak trail which brings you to a deck and amazingly scenic overlook. There are longer trails but I had other plans for the day. We saw a beaver dam and some salmon from the viewing deck, no bears on our trail, but did carry bear spray as they are active and regular seen in the area. What a beautiful peaceful place. A must do when visiting Anchorage.

A great family park. They have a zip line swing that's perfect for young and older kids. It's…read morealways clean and there is a wide verity of play areas for you d and older kids. I especially like the hill that's near the pavilion for sledding.

Sweet set up here! Bring your bikes, basketballs and tennis rackets! Nice rock wall for kids and…read morepretty cool set up for a playground and awesome Picnic area. Will probably frequent this park with the kiddos this summer :)

Kudos to Joy G for snagging the FTR on this one! (and shame on my for missing it!)…read more This is one of two trails in Hope. Both are very well maintained. The other one, Gull Rock, is flat the entire time: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gull-rock-trail-hope This one, should you take it all the way to the top of Hope Point (3,708'), if you want to take it that far! Views from the top are incredible. You get views of the many peaks of the arm that you just can't get driving to Girdwood because, well, you're too close to the mountains to see their full profiles! This trail is also unique in that it melts out pretty early season (May) for how relatively high it is. More details on Joy G's review, check it out!

Hope Point trail has 2 access points. You can park at the free parking lot that shares the trail…read morehead will Gull Rock Trail for the first mile. Or, if you're lucky enough to be camping at Porcupine Campground, you can start your hike at the unmarked trailhead that starts at the entrance to the campground where the bridge crosses Porcupine Creek. It takes through a much prettier walk through the forest full if beautiful flora and the sounds if rushing water. We hiked both and agree this was much nicer. We didn't have time to hike the whole trail since we also did part of Gull Rock this day, but turned around due to overgrowth and a TON of bear scat on the trail. Hope Point is much rockier and steeper, and doesn't have the same pretty views as Gull, but I also don't want to be mauled by a brown bear. We'll definitely do this trail again.

It's a winner!…read more Alaska has so much spectacular scenery. It's everywhere you look, and this trail takes the prize for most stunning. Seriously. It looks, feels, and smells really nice. The only downside is that it's popular, so don't expect a quiet, solitary time. There are lots of people on this path, but at least it will keep the bears and moose away! ha

Winner, winner, chicken dinner! One of my favorite "easy hikes." The city of Girdwood is…read moreenchanting. I'm in my very own version of Beauty and the Beast whenever I'm adventuring in the area. I was grateful to have been able to experience this trail in its entirety, prior to an accidental death, and the ultimate closing of the hand tram. You can start this hike at the Alyeska Hotel (more popular) or at Crow Creek Mine (less popular). From Crow Creek Mine to the gorge it's about 1 mile. With the hand tram closed, theres no safe way to cross the gorge. From the Alyeska Hotel to the gorge, it's about 2 miles. I'd recommend starting from the hotel for a longer hike. That side also has many natural staircases, unique bridges/water sights, basically, the best photo opps. When in season, this trail offers lots of berry, mushroom, and other foraging opportunities. Highly recommend.

Sprawling park in the heart of Girdwood!…read more Home to the annual, free, forest fair. (It's a hippy thing) Big trees and mountain views!

What is otherwise normally  a quiet, community park becomes a living tribute to art, music and self…read moreexpression every July during the Forest Fair.  Camping is normally forbidden,  but during the fair the park resembles Woodstock, replete with mud, tye-dyes and people sneaking off to smoke dope.  There's concerts,  events for the kiddos, tons of food, and a LOT of Alaska made crafts (pretty much anything you can imagine.)  It's hard not to love the fair. But I also enjoy the park when it's not crammed with people during the fair.  The park is flanked by creeks and there are all kinds of wonderful plants and wildflowers growing. The trees here are huge, which is fairly unusual in this part of Alaska.  At the fore of the park,  there's the usual playground equipment.  Across the street there's a picnic area with tables, bear trash cans and grills.  There are also a few little trails tucked amongst the trees that offer some delights as well, some of which can only be discovered if you're willing to get your feet wet.

Stopped here for the view of the Turnagain Arm, which was beautiful. We hiked a bit through the…read moreforest and past a pretty bridge, but turned around when we saw signs warning about mudslides. Still, a peaceful spot and worth a quick visit.

Yep 100 Challenge 2017 - #56/100…read more Haven't hiked this trail so this review is limited to the park itself. It's a nice little spot for a picnic with family and/or friends. Beautiful views of Cook Inlet and the creek. I saw three picnic tables and a barbecue grill and parking is adequate. Personally, I just come to snap a few photos of the views. One time. I had the misfortune of needing to use their porta-potty facilities. Do so at your own risk!

Bertha Creek is a lovely little wooded campground nestled between Girdwood and Hope in the middle…read moreof nowhere Alaska. It's funny because it's only 3ish miles away from its sister campground Granite Creek, but somehow Bertha feels just right. Most of the sites are cozily shaded amongst the ample spruce trees and nicely spaced apart. There are a few sites on the south side of the campground that get sun in the afternoon and have a stunning view of the surrounding mountains. Bertha Creek wraps very closely around the perimeter of the campground, but none of the sites have a creek view due to undergrowth. I'm guessing the creek is a class 3 rapids, so it makes sense that the sites would be a little distance in the event the creek floods or changes paths over the years. There is a darling waterfall just a few hundred feet from the nearest campsite and I've decided that I'm DEFINITELY camping here next year so we can spend the day frolicking in the water. I'm packing my waders and gonna try to see if it's scalable. The waterfall is blissfully moss covered a la Fern Gully, so I'm probably fooling myself, but I can dream... at the very least I plan to spend a few years sunning myself along the banks of this beauty. OK, details: No campsite host. He's down the road a Granite Creek. So if you need firewood, it's about a 3 mile trek. One bear box for the whole campground. Clean, "modern" pit toilets. No running water, but there are water pumps. $14 per night, no reservations. I highly doubt this campground ever fills up due to its remoteness. Sites are large enough for Small RVs. There aren't any pullthroughs, so ginormous RVS might have trouble, but it's doable if you're a good driver. This is an ideal site for tents, but I do believe bears are a real concern, so be prepared. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Johnson Pass Trail is the nearest attraction. This is really the middle of nowhere. Six Mile Creek and Hope are the next nearest things to do. Girdwood, about 40 minutes away is the next nearest gas station, grocery store and Rv dump station. One aside, it looks like the Forest Service is working on some improvements here... they built a heavy duty bridge to nowhere over the creek so maybe there is an awesome trail in the works? Bertha Creek is really gorgeous so I'm excited to see what the finished product will be!

This recently updated (last 10 years or so) neighborhood playground is located in the south…read moreAnchorage, Huffman area. It is unique in the way that the largest structure is a neat treehouse with attached slides. There is a large saucer swing, large surrounding grassy areas, and lots of places to sit. Highly recommend this playground when you're in the area.