Alaska is full of unexplored corners – even for someone who has visited more than a dozen times. I've probably been on 10+ Kenai Fjords National Park cruises over the years, yet have never splurged to stay out at one of the remote resorts in the park. The most exploring I've done of Kenai Fjords – other than the day cruises and hiking at Exit Glacier – is lost in fuzzy memories of a place called Fox Island...| Valerie & Valise
If there's one food people most associate with Alaska, it's gotta be King Crab. We've all seen the buckets of giant legs and mouth-watering red hue of the shell – and there are several iconic places to visit if you want to try King Crab in Alaska. (I'm thinking of Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau and the "King Crabby grilled cheese" at 49th State Brewing...) The popularity of King Crab in Alaska has been around since long before Deadliest Catch first debuted, but the show's popularity certainl...| Valerie & Valise
If there's one class I wish everyone in America – heck, the world – had to take before graduating their basic education program, it's statistics. In a world dominated by headlines meant to grab attention, I think it would do us all well to have a better radar about numbers we can trust, and when someone might be massaging or manipulating the data. Such is the case for one of Alaska's most notorious statistics, which gets plastered all over the internet and cheap swag sold at the gift sh...| Valerie & Valise
If you've seen the movie Cars, you probably remember well the scene that shows how the major interstate cuts directly through the countryside with no thought of the fascinating sights and experiences along the way... sure, America's Interstates are the fastest way to drive between points A and B – but will you really miss everything interesting along the way? From sculptures and towers to museums and collections, you don't need to drive I-80 straight through unless you want to...| Valerie & Valise
I've been blogging for over a decade now, and focusing on Alaska for more than half that time. After so many years of exploring this great state, you might think I've seen and done it all. And sure, I've seen and done a lot, but there are always new experiences to be had – and new places to go, in a place so big! One such example is the Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge on Fox Island, which I had only previously visited as a kid on a dinner cruise from Seward...| Valerie & Valise
There are some months that I just don't hear many questions about visiting Alaska – and November is one of them. It's not that there's nothing to do in the winter (there's lots in both Anchorage and Fairbanks!) or that you can't see the aurora (you absolutely can!) – it's more that people maybe just think about visiting in the heart of winter (December & January) or in the late winter (February & March). All this to say, if you're planning to visit Alaska in November, you're in for a tre...| Valerie & Valise
Every time I look for a place to stay in Anchorage, I'm shocked. There are lots of great hotels, but by gosh, the prices are jaw-dropping. Alaska is, on the whole, an expensive destination, but hotels in Anchorage especially have gotten exorbitant. Or is it extortionate? Yeah, yeah, supply and demand, I know...| Valerie & Valise
How many times have you thought about exploring or visiting a destination in the region where you live, but never planned a trip? It's so easy to overlook the amazing places 'right in your backyard!' Such is the same for me with the region of Eklutna; I grew up in the neighboring valley of Eagle River, but hardly ever visited Eklutna. In fact, my only childhood memory was of attempting a hike there in high school, and being sorely defeated by the steep slopes of the mountain trail...| Valerie & Valise
