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.

This is the perfect trail for a family! People of all ages can come. It's super short with an easy,…read moreflat dirt path. We saw senior citizens, kids, dogs, etc. all comfortably share this path. I took my husband and parents who are in their 60s to this trail. My parents aren't too fond of when I take them on what they call "too crazy of an adventure," but this trail they handled just fine. It only took 55 minutes to drive from Anchorage to the trail head. And you get to drive the beautiful scenic Seward Highway. That itself already made the trip worth it. The trail is only 1.4 miles one way. There are no river crossings or switch backs. It's just out and back. It's a pretty sunny walk, so bring a hat/sunscreen. At the endpoint, you get a nice view of the Byron Glacier. Apparently you can even sometimes visit ice tunnels. Those weren't available when we went because an avalanche reportedly happened the week prior. But it was still definitely worth the trip. If you take your time to enjoy the walk and glacier, the "hike" takes about 3-4 hours.

Absolutely stunning trail! Very friendly to all ages and all levels of athleticism. I've hiked out…read morethere with people as young as 3 and as old as 70-something! It takes about 10 or 15 minutes to walk out there if you're going at a relaxed/moderate pace. PLEASE be careful around the snow and be VERY aware that the ice above the river is often very thin! You'll see other footprints over it, but you are NOT supposed to walk on it, especially on the parts above the river! The water is eroding it from the inside out and one wrong footstep could send you falling 20ft into an ice cavern :( You can have just as much fun here without risking your life!! I always wear bug spray here, but I've seen only a few bugs. Don't drink the water unless you have a filter with you. If you're driving in from Anchorage, the Alaska Wildfire Conservation Center is directly on the route and definitely worth stopping at!

The Seward always promises to deliver three things: beautiful vistas, danger and frustration. The…read morebeauty along the mountainous Turnagain Arm with her swirling clouds, tumbling falls and possibility whales, bears, dall sheep and eagles makes for a very risky drive. Distracted driving is a real risk. Add in falling rock, impatient/sleepy/influenced driving and NO passing zones on most of the Highway and it can be some tricky driving. For Alaskans that drive it regularly, we get really frustrated driving behind tourists who are enamored by the beauty and go well below the speed limit when we are just trying to get home. The State of Alaska is taking it's sweet old time expanding the Highway to four lanes.... SIGH. When there is an accident, which is frequent, the entire highway can close the ONLY artery that connects Anchorage with the south for as long as 12 hours, which is frankly a nightmare. But living in Alaska, you just learn this like all things is just how it is, so relax and resist the temptation to lay on your horn. The traffic will move when it's good and ready. This is why Alaskans are always ready for EVERYTHING (pack snacks.)

Ah, the Seward Highway!…read more Crown Jewel of the Alaska roadsystem! Always in the top-5 of every click-bait list of roadtrips/drives/roadside photography/wildlife/etc. The highway technically starts in Seward and ends in Anchorage. Along the way, you'll pass by two major mountain ranges: Chugach and Kenai. You'll see many glaciers from the road. Wildlife abounds: Moose on the ground, Beluga Whales in the water, Sea Otters in Seward. There are hundreds of rock climbs and dozens of ice climbs on the cliffs bordering the highway inbetween Anchorage and Girdwood. Points of interest from Anchorage to Seward (many also on Yelp): - Chugach State Park - Turnagain Trail - McHugh Creek Trail - Beluga Point - Falls Creek Trail - Mountain Spring - Froth and Forage (Indian) - Girdwood - Wildlife Conservation Center (Portage) - Turnagain Pass - Seward

Portage Pass Trail is a fantastic hike in Whittier, Alaska!…read more I didn't even know this trail existed until the Ship Captain on my 26 Glacier Tour Cruise mentioned it was his favorite activity. So...being only about 6pm in the summertime and still looking for more worthwhile areas of Whittier to explore...I thought...why not come over here to Portage Pass to hike for a few hours! From the parking lot where I had left my car for the cruise, the trailhead was only 1-mile away near the tunnel area getting in and out of Whittier. When turning onto the road leading towards the trailhead, be careful of all the potholes along the way. I parked on the side of the road. Portage Pass Trail is a 4-mile roundtrip hike. Well...let me just back up a little... It's a 1-mile hike to Portage Pass which overlooks Portage Lake and Glacier in the background. Then, it is 1 more mile to trek from Portage Pass down to the shores of Portage Lake. Then...obviously, it is a 2-mile hike back to the trailhead. The 1st mile hiking to Portage Pass was virtually all uphill. I gained 800 feet in elevation. This part was moderately strenuous. I believe, since you work hard to make it to Portage Pass, you might as well go all the way to Portage Lake/Glacier. The 2nd half of the hike from Portage Pass was mostly downhill where I winded my way through bushy areas but all on a defined, dirt trail. And it was sort of fun to maneuver on down to the shore. And just to back up one moment, at Portage Pass in late afternoon, the sun was shining brightly onto Portage Glacier and the surrounding landscape offering beautiful views worthy of pausing for photos. Finally, at "The Toe" of Portage Lake and Glacier...the setting was calm and quiet. There weren't many hikers around with me at 7pm. I took some time to admire Portage Glacier but found that my pictures weren't nearly as colorful being at eye-level with a fading sun in comparison to the perspectives looking down on the landscape while hiking lower from Portage Pass. For me being a picky photo person, the dwindling sun started facing me which created shadows rather where I would have preferred the sun positioned at my back. So...to give a suggestion...I believe visiting Portage Lake and Glacier; you'd be better served coming in the morning time. I also noticed that you could hike around the lake to possibly even step on Portage Glacier! That was intriguing to me, but I knew I still had the return hike to complete along with taking the tunnel to depart Whittier. Those factors were on my mind. And...I didn't have any micro spikes or crampons with me so the best I could do was maybe just stand in front of the glacier. But I feel that would maybe lose the photogenic aspect whereas being at the shoreline, I could capture the glacier in its entirety. This just me being particular...lol, that's all. I spent 25 minutes wandering along the shore, even to just breathe in the fresh air. Had I known about Portage Pass Trail ahead of time, I certainly would have afforded myself an extended stay to marvel at how cool untouched glaciers can appear in the distance. The hike back to Portage Pass was uphill, but not nearly as difficult as the initial trek from the trailhead. Then, of course, once back at Portage Pass, it's downhill back to the dirt road where I parked. I'd say the 4 total miles hiked plus time at the lake took me 3.5 hours...just enough time to complete my 26 Glacier Cruise Tour plus this afternoon hiking adventure making for an absolutely wonderful summer day experience here in Whittier, Alaska.

Wanting to see a glacier but with our previous honeymoon glacier adventure being canceled due to…read moreinclement weather, we had to get creative. My husband and I found the trail head for Portage Pass and decided to give it a shot! The trail head is located down a gravel road, on your right hand side immediately after you exit the Whittier tunnel. There is no parking lot. The trail was extremely easy to follow and as most reviews state, the 1st mile is all incline until you reach the peak. Once you reach the summit, the wind picks up but then it is all downhill until you reach the glacier. During our adventure, the trail was quite slippery and frozen over with ice but we managed to find a few foot holds. Seeing a glacier up close and personal is absolutely breathtaking and a once in a lifetime experience. We had the entire trail to ourselves since it was the off-season and not too many people wanted to brave the whipping windchill. Definitely worth the short drive from Anchorage if you want to see this glacier before it is gone!

The campground was quiet, the sites were large and ours backed up to a nice creek. We had views of…read morethe mountains. The bathrooms were clean. Laundry available 24 hours/day. Nice fire pits. We really liked this campground.

Great little spot in Alaska. The views are great, staff very friendly, but the showers and…read morebathrooms take the prize. I love camping and I'm always scared oh what I will find in the bathrooms. Here the bathrooms are stylish, clean, and there is plenty of hot water at no charge. There is also an affordable laundry room next to the bathrooms. Will definitely come back.

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.

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.

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 park has stunning views. I got to spend a day in Seward after a long week of doing work in…read moreSoldotna. Seward Waterfront Park is known mostly for their campground area. I didn't camp, but did spend some time walking around the park and taking pictures of the mountain range on the other side of Resurrection Bay. There are restrooms, picnics tables and shower houses at the park. Seward Waterfront Park extends from the boat harbor to the Alaska SeaLife Center near the downtown area. For activities, there are historical landmarks and interpretive signs along the Sea Otter Trail, a skatepark, wildlife viewing, RV parking, camping and a playground. When I was here, there was a cruise ship parked in the terminal. The best part for me was the view of the mountain range from across the bay. The snow on the mountains made for some beautiful photos.

Absolutely stunning. Each spot has a fire pit, but it's dry, no water or power. You can pull right…read moreup to the water. Otters swimming right in front of us. Walk right to the local bars and shopping. It's stunning.

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.