Category: alaska

After the museum, we headed to Fairbanks to visit Pioneer Park, which commemorates Alaskan history with the original homes from the founding of the city. There are museums there, a theater, and an art gallery. The Harding Car is what brought President Harding to Alaska. I liked the Gold Rush Town the best, since you can go inside the shops and some are museums. Judge James Wickersham’s house is there, and you can speak with him while he is drinking his coffee. There are other people dressed up that can tell you some Alaskan history. There is a native village that you can explore. One of the only wooden steam boats left, SS Nenana, is in on display.

The art gallery that is located in the Centennial Center for the Arts displays the work of Alaskan artists. I was drawn to the wax works of Nancy Burnham, especially her corset series where she also used porcupine quills. The quills represent the pain associated with wearing a corset. Her abstract paintings contain beautiful colors. The art work is priced very reasonably as well. The trip to Pioneer Park was fun, and full of Alaskan history. There are so many things to see that I can’t see anyone in a group vetoing a visit there.

For dinner, I am happy we made a reservation at Silver Gulch, America’s most northern most brewery. This place was packed so it felt nice to be seated right away. I had the most delicious coconut chicken salad. I had a raspberry ale that was really good. There are burgers and other types of bar food- I went with the healthiest option that I could. I definitely recommend you eat there when visiting Fairbanks. After returning to Chena, it was back to the hot springs until they kicked me out!

Around midnight, I went outside to watch the Northern Lights, which was of the most magical experiences of my life. Words cannot describe how beautiful the lights are, and the way they dance across the sky. A simple explanation of why we can see the lights is because of the electrical discharge created by solar wind collisions with reactive atoms clinging to the Earth. The discharge from the solar wind reacts with oxygen causing the neon green glow.

 

I was able to see the green auroras; I know the other colors are possible to see during different seasons and times of night. I did not have a great camera, but used my phone to snap some photos, and what came out reminds me of Van Gogh’s Starry Night. I brought a chair outside and blankets, in addition to the layers I was wearing since it was cold. Something warm to drink is recommended as well. I feel gratitude to have been able to experience this natural phenomenon; it was definitely a bucket list item for me!

The next day I had some time before checking out, so I took a last soak in the springs, and walked around the resort, taking in how beautiful it is. There are reindeer, goats, donkeys, and horses on the grounds. You can also go on a sled ride with the dogs. You can tour the kennels and the green house. Older objects like cars and tractors are used as flower pots. There are also some neat sculptures as well. I was drawn to the dragon.

The springs are in a remote spot so internet was not available unless you purchased wifi, which was only accessible in a few buildings. The rooms contained no televisions so you really felt disconnected from the world. Sometimes we all need to get away, take a break from social media, and take in some natural beauty.

After that it was back on the road to Juneau! Again it was a long, beautiful drive on the Alaska Highway. It was sunny so I felt like the landscape looked even more amazing! We stopped at Beaver Junction again, where we spent the night, and left early in the morning. Later we took another break, and ended up finding Village Bakery, a great place to have a snack at in Haines Junction. I had never tried sunflower milk…pretty interesting taste. We got to Haines (in Alaska) again, and had a little time before we caught the ferry to Juneau. The Chilkoot River view in Haines was beautiful. We drove along the trail, and took in some fantastic views! When in Juneau, I had to try the dumplings at Pel’menis-delicious!

The next day was my last day in Alaska so I had to finish my things to do in Juneau list. I had breakfast at Gonzos, which has the most amazing waffles! After that it was a hike up Mt Roberts. It is a 2.5 mile hike uphill so once we got to the top, we celebrated with a beer at the restaurant.

The gift shop was a great place to get last minute souvenirs. I took the shuttle down since I had enough exercise. On the way back to the car, I stopped at a local brewery Barnaby where I tried another kind of spruce beer (I stuck with the theme). One more stop involved buying rain boots at Shoefly before we headed back to my sister’s place. I got to see the colored homes up close-beautiful!

Afterwards, my sister took me to the Shrine of St Therese, in honor of the Carmelite French nun. I wouldn’t think to find her shrine in Alaska but it is a peaceful place. She was renowned for her simplicity and practicality of faith, and as a result she became one of the most popular saints. It is a place of retreat, and you can stay in the lodgings there if you need a place to pray. The Shrine is a restful and relaxing place to end the day. It’s a hidden gem I recommend visiting if you are in Juneau.

This concludes my adventures in Alaska. I had a great time in this beautiful state! I’ve never experienced such a wild and rugged landscape. You really feel disconnected from the rest of the world. I only had cell reception in Juneau and Fairbanks. Blockbuster Video still has locations there since people have to still rent videos since streaming services are unreliable. Most people take a cruise, but I really enjoyed my road trip to the interior. Seeing the Northern Lights was one of the most incredible things I have ever experienced! As always, thank you for reading, and feel free to message me any feedback. Follow me on Instagram (Wayfaringgal) and like my Facebook page for future updates.

 

The first part of the road trip to Chena Hot Springs (near Fairbanks) involved a ferry ride on the Alaskan Marine Highway system. If you visit Alaska, you will spend some time on the ferries, and have access to incredible sights and views. On the way to the Haines, I saw a lighthouse, glaciers, mountains, and rainbows.

The water was also two different shades of blue, which I had never seen before. Due to some connections, I also got to sit in the captain’s chair, and spend some time with the crew. According to a member of the crew, the water looks like that due to the interaction of sea and river water, which affects the how the sediment interacts with it. If I am wrong, feel free to correct me. The crew was nice and even gave me some coffee, which was much better than what I could get in the ship’s cafe. Knowing people in the right places has its perks.

After we arrived, we had lunch in Haines, and then set off for our road trip to the Alaskan interior on the beautiful Alaska Highway. In order to get to the interior, we had to go through Canada, so it’s a good thing I brought my passport. The Yukon Territory, the westernmost of Canada’s three federal territories, is breathtaking. It is the smallest of the Canadian territories, and only contains one city, Whitehorse, which is also the capital.

The journey took my sister and I through Kluane National Park, which contains Mount Logan, Canada’s highest mountain. In the park I got to see a grizzly bear, but from the safety of my car, of course. The bear was walking on the grass, oblivious to us observing. The great thing about driving is you can stop wherever you want, and take in some amazing sites and views. I had never seen a bear in the wild so that was quite an experience. The park has many sites, and people spend days there exploring the tundra landscape.

We ended up spending the night in Beaver Creek, which didn’t have too many culinary choices, but I did get to try some beer from the Yukon. I had Yukon Red ale and my sister had the Chilkoo, which were alright. I aim to try the beer wherever I go. The next day we were up at the crack of dawn, and on the road again. After what felt like forever, we made it to the North Pole!

I love holidays so I had to stop at the North Pole and visit Santa’s House. This is the city that gets the letters to Santa, and I got to see some of the ones children have sent since a few were on display. The Wayfaring Gals also got a picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The gift shop is full of fun souvenirs; I could have bought way more than I did. Outside there is a giant fiber glass statue of Santa, and a red sled you can take silly photos in. You can also go on a sleigh ride, which would have been great to do if there was snow.

At the North Pole, the street lights are candy cane colored, and the streets have great names like Santa Claus Lane. We also found a really fun house, Screaming Weasel’s, which is a gift shop selling goods from local Alaskan artists. The North Pole was a fun detour, but not much more to do there. I recommend they build a gingerbread house, and keep going with the Christmas theme! Maybe I should run for mayor?

We made it to Chena Hot Springs in the evening, so after dinner we went for a soak. The warmth of the water felt amazing since the weather was pretty cold for August (compared to what I am used to in Chicago). The springs are said to contain minerals that have medicinal value (that is the popular folklore). There might be something to this since I felt better after immersing myself for a couple hours; quite rejuvenated after the long drive. There are indoor pools that pump the spring water into them as well. After some time in the spring water, it felt great to take a break in the jets of the hot tub. Make sure you take water to drink with you, and just sit back and enjoy. At night the sky is full of stars so you can continue enjoying the scenery into the evening hours.

The next day we visited the Aurora Ice Museum, which showcases ice sculptures created by Heather and Steve Brice. The work created by the artists is amazing! There are a knights on a horses, a bar you can drink an Appletini at, and even rooms that contain beds (my favorite was the polar bear bed). I got to go into an igloo, which I have always wanted to do. The globes with objects and beautiful colored lights were a highlight for me (the one with the rose in it reminded me of Beauty and the Beast). There were even musical instruments created with ice. The museum is a fun experience, but it’s so cold you can only spend around 45 minutes in there. Good thing they have thick coats you can put on. I also made sure I put on boots and wore gloves. The warmer you are, the more you will enjoy your experience at the museum! The heat of the springs felt quite well after the ice from the museum.

 

There are still more Alaskan adventures to come. As always, thank you for reading, and feel free to message me any feedback. Follow me on Instagram (Wayfaringgal) and like my Facebook page for future updates.