I went to Alaska last week and had a blast. There was so much to see, eat, and drink, that there just wasn’t enough time.
Upon flying into Anchorage on Wednesday, June 19, my first stop was at Bear Tooth Theaterpub. It was under construction and their limited menu did not include their amazing Cajun Chicken Tacos or the Tasty Little Garlic Treats. That’s what you should get if you go.
I booked the AirBnB “Arctic Garden Suite” and my host, Javier, was really cool. He shared some of his homebrew with me.
I had Moose’s Tooth Pizza for dinner that evening. The wait is long but worth it. That pizza is some of the best on the planet.
Thursday morning, I ate breakfast at Middle Way Cafe. Yum! Next, I hiked the North Face Trail at Alyeska Resort & Hotel all the way up to the Bore Tide Deli & Bar. There was snow along the way, so I made a snow angel. I took a tram back down and saw a big moose I was glad not to have crossed paths with on the way up.
Girdwood Brewery was along the way out of town back to Anchorage, so I had to stop for a few drinks (of course). Although a strain on my pocketbook, dinner at Orso in Anchorage that evening was worth it!
It was the eve before the Summer Solstice, and the sun didn’t set until 11:45. I drove out to Port Woronzof for a beautiful view.
On Friday (Summer Solstice), I had brunch at the Snow City Cafe. Again, expect a long, but worthy, wait. Brunch was close enough to lunch and big enough to sustain me until dinner. Now, it was time for some brewery and brewpub hopping.
King Street Brewing Company, Anchorage Brewing Company, the Whale’s Tail, 49th State Brewing Company, and the Williwaw Social were all visited before my reservation at Glacier Brewhouse. You should most definitely make a reservation and dine at Glacier Brewhouse while in Anchorage! It is so good!
Saturday was the Anchorage Mayor’s Marathon and Half Marathon. I elected to run the half at a nice and easy pace. The whole time, I had some Halibut Fish Tacos on my mind at Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse. This place is a must stop for lunch!
From there I made my way up to the Palmer and Wasilla area for an event that evening. With a little time to kill, I had some beverages at Arkose Brewery in Palmer.
Sunday was a relaxing and peaceful day, as I drove up the gorgeous Hatcher Pass and took a small hike up to Summit Lake where I watched some parasailing. I also had a zen moment on the Little Susitna River. This all made me work up an appetite for some grub at Palmer City Alehouse where I had a Bloody Mary with cheeseburger slider and bacon slice additions.
On Monday, I drove to Valdez. While the drive is long, it is very much worth it. Matanuska Glacier, Worthington Glacier, Thompson Pass, and Keystone Canyon (which contains some amazing waterfalls and trails) is all part of this journey. Many tourists find their way to Valdez via a cruise ship and miss out on all of this natural beauty.
Tuesday was the ultimate part of the trip, as I signed up for a sea kayaking voyage through Anadyr Adventures. We were taxied out of Port Valdez around the Valdez Arm into Heather and Columbia Bays which took a little over 90 minutes. While in the Valdez Arm, I spotted Orcas! I also spotted them on the way back, which was double the treat. In Heather and Columbia Bays, I kayaked among icebergs and sea otters which was very fun. I’ve captured a lot of my trip into a quick 2 minute 15 second video. Please enjoy! If you haven’t already, like my Facebook page to keep up with my travels: https://www.facebook.com/PleepleusShaw/
The Shaw Show 