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So, you're walking down the aisle again or for the first time and wondering how to pull it off simply in a simply beautiful setting. Myself, I chose a civil ceremony in a judge's chamber with close family. It was certainly cheap, but it did lack that Disney Happy Ever After touch. But rejoice Alaskan lovers, a wedding in paradise is just a flight away. Hawaii, just because Like kissing cousins on the map, Hawaii is the right fit for 49ers. There's nothing so refreshing in winter as a week in...
Part four in a four-part series. After exploring Peru and Quito to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, my husband and I flew to Coca. Known as the gateway to Ecuador's Amazon rainforest, the town sits at the confluence of the Napo and Coca rivers. That's where we climbed into a motorized canoe and spent two hours speeding down the Napo to our ship, Anaconda. From the moment we stepped aboard the 148-foot, 20-cabin ship, we were excited to see what Smithsonian Journeys and Audley Travel had...
Part three in a four-part series. After enjoying the first leg of our 50th wedding anniversary trip in Peru, my husband and I moved on to Quito, which marked the beginning of an adventure that immersed us in the rich history and vibrant culture of Ecuador. We were met by an English-speaking driver and guide, which Smithsonian Journeys and Audley Travel had arranged. They whisked us away to La Casona De La Ronda, a charming boutique hotel housed within a Spanish colonial mansion dating back to 17...
Part two in a four-part series. As senior citizens, we initially worried our dream trip to Peru and Machu Picchu might be too demanding. Don, 80, and I, 72, weren't couch potatoes, but we weren't marathon runners, either. We had never used Smithsonian Journeys and Audley Travel before, and although the itinerary promised we would be met by a private driver and English-speaking guide at every stop, we couldn't help but wonder "what if...." After our plane landed in Lima on December 20, our...
First in a four-part series. Ever since Don and I said "we do" in Fairbanks in November 1973, my sweetie and I have been talking about taking a trip to South America to see Machu Picchu, the Galapagos Islands, and the Amazon rainforest. When we saw an ad for a highly discounted Princess cruise from Los Angeles to Santiago, Chile, we decided to "Just Do It" for our 50th wedding anniversary. We then Googled how to get from Chile to our three goals and stumbled across Smithsonian Journeys. The...
When Road Scholar put out its recent call for retired teachers and their guests to take a tour of the Italian Riviera or Nova Scotia, the response lagged and both tours were thrown open to everyone. Road Scholar estimates that more than a quarter of its participants are retired educators, which is more than any other career represented. This is likely because of Road Scholar's educational mission and focus on learning through its travel programs. For teachers who sign onto the tours, Road...
Whew! That was a close one—for now. Alaska Airlines’ new program, “Alaska Access,” will not replace Alaskans’ cherished Club 49 Alaskans-only free program for now. Club 49 includes two free checked bags, as well as for anyone else on the same ticket when traveling to and from Alaska; Travel Now 30 percent travel discount; and “Freight for Less” discounted cargo shipping within the state. Alaska Access is touted to offer the benefit of less time finding member-only fares, early access to sales and a monthly Wi-Fi voucher to stay connected whe...
Our eyes turn to the skies in early spring with the return of the birds that signal warm weather and another generation of their species. In Utqiagvik, it's the welcome sight of the snowbird and, in Fairbanks, the sandhill cranes, with their cries that penetrate and bring us outside to wonder at them. And with the birds, there are the annual festivals, with opportunities to celebrate and learn. Here's a preview. Ketchikan Hummingbird Festival, April, dates to be announced. Celebrate the return...
Hawaii is the perfect place to go in February- only six hours out of Anchorage, to a nearby time zone just one hour behind, where you land with nary a hint of jet lag and ready to again experience the warmth of the sun. Islands with distinctive differences While Mokoka'i is quiet and not very touristy, Kaua'i bustles with tourist shops and excursions, O'ahu is home to the state's capital Honolulu with its royal palace and of course the famous Diamond Head commanding the harbor, Lāna'i has a...
After some time off, solar maximum has returned to the skies. It's a regular period of greatest solar activity during the sun's 11-year solar cycle. On Dec. 15, www.spaceweather.com reported Sunspot 3514 flared with a strong M7-class event following close on the heels of Dec. 14th's X2.8-class boomer. The X-flare on Dec. 14 was the strongest flare so far of Solar Cycle 25 and the most powerful eruption the sun has produced since the great storms of September 2017. The smallest flares are...
Travel agents are coming back Many of you in your senior years still avoid the use of computers. This is both good and bad. Good because it makes you comfortable not having to wrestle with the never-ending new applications and websites, but bad because you could shop for vacation bargains online. Travel disruptions in recent years due to the pandemic, lack of trained pilots and extreme weather, look to be a permanent consideration in your vacation plans. That's where travel agents come in and...
John McCool just returned home to Anchorage from an 11-day whirlwind trip with Road Scholar. He believes he's done over 40 with them, and says travel is made easy because the itinerary is so well planned. "You can't beat the prices, and it saves lots of time," McCool said. "No way could I have planned that-hotels, river trips, transportation." Road Scholar, the name a play on the Rhodes Scholarship for college students from around the world to study at Oxford University in England, offers...
The tourists have departed and the land is changing colors, and it's the time when Alaskans can see the state unhindered by tour buses and being asked pesky questions like, "when do the Northern Lights come out?" Best of all, the fish are running and the crowds are gone. Hook a fish Best Fishing Specials Of 2023 on The Kenai River: • Drifters Lodge,18404 Sterling Hwy., Cooper Landing, AK 99572 20 percent to 30 percent off guided fishing and rafting trips on the Kenai River. Call and book at 9...
Why do I write so many columns about trains? Because I'm old, you're old and we can't walk that far anymore. Taking a train means you see more of a country and its cities, towns and villages, and in style and comfort. Comfort means a lot at our age. Czech railway company RegioJet picks up speed If you're traveling by train between major cities in the Czech Republic or Vienna, Regiojet offers economy class, first class, business class, and four-bed cabins, which are like bunk beds and perfect if...
It didn't take long for new Alaska Marine Highway Director Craig Torga to make waves. Since his appointment in March this year, he's been busy turning the ferry service around. The winter schedule is now out and he's heeded the concerns of remote ports. For example, Kake, Angoon and Tenakee Springs will have two stops a week Wednesday and Saturday, every month this winter - a far cry from last year's dead zone in January and February. And Gustavus will also get two visits a week. Unfortunately,...
By DIMITRA LAVRAKAS Senior Voice Travel Correspondent "That the Alaska Railroad was ever built is astonishing," writes Alaskan author Steven Levi in his rollicking history of the Alaska Railroad in "A Rat's Nest of Rails: Tundra, Ice, Mosquitoes and Permafrost Saga of the Alaska Railroad" (signed copies available at https://authormasterminds.com/steve-levi). It was a feat of engineering and pluck, resulting in 100 years of carrying freight and tourists, much to the benefit of Alaska. "It was...
All Aboard: The Alaska Railroad Centennial On view May 5, 2023 – Feb. 18, 2024, Anchorage Museum Atrium, first floor. Opening in the centennial year of the completion of the Alaska Railroad, this exhibition created in collaboration with Alaska Railroad historians and experts looks at the history, impact and legacy of the railroad through archival images, objects and ephemera. Examining three key eras of railroad history spanning the 20th and 21st centuries, the exhibition highlights crucial m...
William G. O'Leary has served as president and chief executive officer for 10 years and is responsible for the daily management and operations of the Alaska Railroad Corporation. Here he gives his thoughts on the railroad's past and its future. Looking back on the history of the railroad, what do you think were the most important decisions made that made the railroad so successful? One of the pivotal moments in Alaska Railroad history was its purchase by the state from the federal government in...
It seemed like it would never happen, but the snow is gone and you can take to the road to check out all the great summer fairs and festivals Alaska has to offer. This year, try voyaging in a direction you've never gone by taking the Alaska Marine Highway to Cordova, Haines or Ketchikan, and be treated to bubble feeding whales, porpoises trailing alongside and breaching belugas-all at no extra cost. Here are some fairs and festivals to put on your list. Southcentral Anchorage Love My Pet Fest,...
Recently, a press statement came in from online travel guide Travel Lemming that reported on national parks ranked by affordability, accessibility, biodiversity, crowds, reviews and weather. The overall rankings of Alaska's National Parks are: Kenai Fjords, No. 13; Katmai, No. 21; Denali, No. 36; Wrangell-St. Elias, No. 39; Lake Clark, No. 43; Glacier Bay, No. 48; Gates of the Arctic, No. 62; and Kobuk Valley, No. 63. All eight of Alaska's National Parks were in the top 15 for crowds. Gates of t...
Gone are so many of the historic Alaska roadhouses that provided travelers with a meal and sometimes lodging, but senior centers across the Kenai have stepped in. The Seward Highway to Kenai's communities is lined with breathtaking scenery from bore tides, mountains and a side trip to Portage and its glaciers. (A word about Turnagain: Do not get out of your car and try to walk on the sucking mud or you will become the center of a rescue situation.) And once on the Kenai you have dining options....
You enter Newport via the impressive 600-foot Yaquina Bay Bridge, a combination of art deco and art moderne with touches of gothic architectural style that opened in 1936. It sits a thrilling 135 feet above sea level. With so many things to do, Newport, Oregon, is a perfect place for a quick getaway or a family reunion. Plus, you can fly direct from Alaska to Portland's sweet and user-friendly airport with a mere 60 gates and dodge the complexity of Seattle's 111 gates and that darned...
Thousands upon thousands of travelers have been stuck recently in transportation hell due to a number of problems. Whether it's weather, lack of airline employees, FAA system failures, it's a real bummer. Stalled before even boarding There is nothing more chilling for a traveler that to arrive at the airport and see "canceled" up and down a flight monitor. That's what happened on Dec. 22, when a bomb cyclone hit the upper Midwest, shutting down 2,700 flights on Dec. 22 and 5,700 the next day....
For 39 years, Angel Flight West has transported thousands of people to medical care – for free. Flights are generally for passengers who can't afford airline tickets, or for whom travel by land or commercial airline could pose a physical hardship, passengers with compromised immune systems or who live in remote areas without access to commercial transportation. Angel Flight West provides air transportation within and across 12 Western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, I...
For the second year in a row, Alaska Airlines and GCI have teamed up to donate one million miles to the American Cancer Society and their program to help Alaskan cancer patients travel for their treatment. Whether traveling from remote areas of the state or traveling out of state, every patient could use a little more support in their corner. The American Cancer Society can assist patients who need to travel within Alaska for medical treatment. In some limited cases, travel to the mainland may also be possible for patients who cannot otherwise...
