Sorted by date Results 69 - 93 of 206
I hopped on my bike and pedaled to the hot springs toward downtown Tenakee Springs, only to be stopped by the sight of a couple frozen in fear, their faces blanched pale. "Luna (a neighbor's dog) is barking at something up on the hillside," they said. I stopped my bike, looked and listened and pedaled on my way, glancing up at the hillside while singing a show tune. No bear would deter me from those warm waters. The restorative power of a good soak cannot be underestimated and sometimes just...
Women chatting in Greek stroll by signs that identify the Spartan Gas Station and Alexander the Great Apartments. They pass restaurants where diners are feasting on pickled octopus, squid salad and gyro sandwiches. Nearby, a man wearing a diving suit emerges from a river and clambers into a boat, clutching a sponge he dredged up from the bottom. At this time of limited travel, it may be impossible to visit other countries that are on your bucket list. However, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy...
OK, so I haven't lived in Alaska since 2012, and we decided to return when real estate prices tripled in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and the streets of my mother's beloved working-class fishing hometown became crowded with Lexuses, BMWs, Mercedes and Jaguars. I even saw a Rolls. Plus, people were not behaving in the stores, especially the supermarkets where management had stuck arrows down to indicate the flow so people could keep a safe distance. Time after time, I'd point out to someone they...
Alaska doesn't have a state lottery – but you could win the jackpot in one of our salmon or halibut fishing derbies. These fishing tournaments offer big fish winners cash and other prizes. Just grab a rod, buy a derby entry ticket, and bring home the biggest fish. Just be sure to have a valid Alaska fishing license. It's free if you're over 60. While other states may set the senior age level at 65, we get it five years earlier because we've worn ourselves out faster. Fishing and hunting l...
My wife and I had long dreamed of visiting Costa Rica. We knew about its reputation for magnificent landscapes, abundant animal and bird life, and preservation of the magnificent environment. We could have spent hours searching the Internet for flights and hotels, reserving a rental car and taking care of the many other details that are required. But we didn't. Instead, we made a single phone call that took care of all of the necessary planning. In addition, we knew that we would be following...
Air travel requires spending time in security lines and airport terminals, which can bring you in close contact with other people and frequently touched surfaces. Social distancing is difficult in busy airports and on crowded flights, and sitting within 6 feet of others, sometimes for hours, may increase your risk of getting COVID-19. How you get to and from the airport, such as with public transportation and ridesharing, can also increase your chances of being exposed to the virus. Testing before and after travel can reduce the risk of spreadi...
Come the time when we are able to travel freely, consider skipping Disneyland to visit a real castle on Cape Ann, just an hour north of Boston. Rising on the shore of Gloucester, Massachusetts, the first light of day strikes Hammond Castle illuminating its leaded stained glass windows and lighting up nearby Norman's Woe, the scene of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's tragic poem "The Wreck of the Hesperus." The son of John Hays Hammond Sr., who became wealthy as a mining engineer in Cecil Rhodes'...
Cabin fever came early this year for sure. With a vaccine coming available within the next couple of months, once we can go outside with some safety it'll be like the gift of an early spring. Meanwhile, consider getting some fresh air and sunlight by watching or participating in upcoming ski, skidoo and snowshoe races. It'll help with the blues and possible depression caused by the enormity of the pandemic's effect on our mental health. The calendar is out for races across Alaska. Visit...
I keep on thinking of that line from the old Laurel and Hardy routine, "Well, that's a fine kettle of fish you've gotten us in." Indeed, thanks to the coronavirus it is a trying time for a travel writer. Still there are things happening in the cruise ship industry that holds out hope for next year to bring tourism dollars back into the state. In 2018, two million out-of-state visitors arrived in Alaska on a cruise ship. Tourism adds close to $2.2 billion a year to the state's economy. Plus, more...
People who ascend a high mountain ridge in Wyoming are greeted by a collection of rocks carefully laid out in a geometric design. Visitors to southwestern Ohio marvel at the sight of a mammoth earthwork shaped like an undulating snake. A maze of stone walls, chambers and other structures perched on a hill in New Hampshire lives up to its nickname of "America's Stonehenge." If you're under the impression that archaeology is a dull, mind-numbing subject of interest only to scientists, think again....
How would you like to spend a night or more at a hotel once frequented by Clark Gable, Ingrid Bergman, Marilyn Monroe and a long list of other Hollywood luminaries? Or snuggle down under the sheets at a former stagecoach stop along the famous Chisholm Trail which played host to George Custer, the cavalry commander in the Civil and American Indian Wars, and Jesse James, who needs no introduction. A hotel can be more, much more, than just a place to catch a good night's sleep. Properties...
Gone are the big cruise ships from our waters. And although the small cruisers of last month's column have had some COVID cases, but sanitized and are back on the Inside Passage, we still find ourselves prohibited form traveling to Canada or Europe. Safer to stay close to home, but at the same time strike out for parts unknown - the rest of the Last Frontier. State cabins offer retreat from civilization With the pandemic still playing with our lives, many of us want to retreat somewhere...
Here it is at the end of the summer and travel and tourism are still at a standstill, adding to statewide unemployment and stalled revenue for large and small businesses across the state. This affects Alaska mightily. The Resource Development Council of Alaska reported that summer 2018 volume showed an increase of 100,000 visitors from summer 2017. The cruise market grew by seven percent or 79,300 visitors. The air market increased by one percent or 9,600 visitors, while the highway/ferry...
Just after Independence Day, I jumped in my car and for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, drove beyond the boundaries of Anchorage to the village of Talkeetna, two hours north. A devastating element of the coronavirus' grip has been its effect on Alaska's tourism industry. This seasonal boom of visiting humanity caters to nearly three million visitors each year, most of them fresh off cruise ships and tour buses, and many stopping in Talkeetna on their way to or from Denali...
With the state opening up somewhat there is hope for travel. Many lodges and inns are closed this year while nearby accommodations are open – and offering some deals. The Glacier Bay Lodge is closed for 2020, opening again in 2021, but always offers a 10 percent senior (55 and over) discount. The lodge sits in a wooded site and is very cozy. Glacier Bay is remote and hard to get to but well worth it. Glacier Bay National Park spans over 4,000 square miles and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and...
Since the end of March, Alaska has been under a mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone entering the state. Under that regulation, titled “Health Mandate 10.1 - International and Interstate Travel - Order for Self Quarantine,” individuals arriving in Alaska from domestic or international communities were required to isolate away from the general public for 14 days. Inbound travelers were also supposed to fill out a Traveler Declaration Form provided by the state upon arrival, outlining quarantine plans, and listing a contact number during tha...
When I contacted Scott McMurren, who has published the Alaska Travelgram each week since 1999, for his take on tourism at this strange moment in time, he wrote, "Not sure how much insight I can share, aside from 'subject to change without notice.' "Well, the pandemic affects every aspect of our lives, including how, where and when we travel. It's kneecapped our efforts to plan. So those of us in the business need to consider how to keep each other safe... as well as our guests. That's job one....
Normally by mid-May I've come and gone several times from my home in Anchorage, sometimes unpacking and re-packing in the same day. It usually feels both frenetic and satisfying to finally be on the road, in the air, or upon the water after a long winter of wishing I was traveling. But nothing is usual, this year. Statewide mandates, while easing for most Alaska cities, are still in place, including a 14-day quarantine for incoming travelers from Outside. But truth be told, many Alaskans, like...
Well now, here we are. The Canadian Border is still closed and there's the difficulty of traveling to other locations where officials continue to uphold social distancing and stay-at-home advisories. But Alaska has opened up and maybe it's time to hit the road or maybe, if you have underlying health concerns, to sit in a nice comfy chair and watch a good travel movie or read though travel guides to prepare you to go when the world becomes more welcoming. Movies with scenery and emotional punch...
If one thing is certain in this time of uncertainty, it's that humans love to travel. The World Tourism Organization reported that 1.4 billion people traveled globally in 2018, taking boats, planes, cars, and even their own two feet to see what the rest of the world has to offer. Here in the United States, the month of May is often considered a kick off to summer travel, when schools let out and traditional vacations begin. But 2020 has so far been anything but traditional, thanks to the...
Well this is a conundrum for a travel writer - travel restrictions. I have said this before and I will say it again: you live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, one that millions of people travel to, so get out on the road and see your state. And spring is one of the best times to journey across Alaska. It's a quiet time before the hordes come (or not this year) and the weather is usually pretty good with not-too-low temperatures and sun. There's life flooding back into the...
Located on remote Baranof Island at the gateway to the Pacific Ocean, the city of Sitka is probably the last place one would expect to be at the forefront of the walking-biking movement. Yet this community of under 10,000 people is not only in front, it's fast becoming a leader among other walk and bicycle-friendly towns in the United States, winning accolades for its innovative approaches to human-powered advocacy and activities. From June 9-13, Sitka's walking and biking groups will play host...
Wild West, here we come; cowboy boots, big belt buckles, and a sense of adventure in tow. It's Golden time. Located just 20 minutes from downtown Denver, the small city of Golden packs a punch for visitors looking to become acquainted with Colorado's rich western history while also accessing the towering Rocky Mountain wilderness. Golden truly is "Where the mountains meet the plains," nestled in beautiful Clear Creek Valley. Surrounded by high points – North and South Table Mountains, and M...
Let's face it, the coronavirus has changed travel plans all over the planet. Where does a nervous Alaskan go to have fun and adventures? Your own back yard. Millions of tourists flock to The Last Frontier every year but residents have the envious cat seat to all the state has to offer – you just have to hit the road. A birder's delight Across the world and the Lower 48, birds fly north to breed and hatch their young. While not in the numbers of even 40 years ago that Elders in Utqiagvik told me...
As the new year moves swiftly forward, United States travelers over age 62 wanting to explore the nation's public lands should begin planning now. With the now-termed "America the Beautiful" National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, senior adventurers gain access to more than 2,000 federal lands, monuments and historical sites managed by six federal agencies. It also offers a substantial discount in some cases for camping, boat launches and other fees. When the formerly-$10 Golden Age...
