SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Maria Benner checks out a new restaurant in McCarthy: The Great St. Elias Station.

On the final night of our latest trip to our cabin in McCarthy, we decided to check out the area’s newest spot for food and drinks: The Great St. Elias Station, which opened at the end of July. The property features several high-end cabins and a main hall where guests can gather for conversation and meals.

We made a date night of it, beginning with pre-dinner drinks at The Potato. The place was bustling with visitors celebrating epic adventures and locals catching up with one another. From there, we rode our bikes a short distance toward Kennicott before ducking onto the Wagon Trail, which parallels the road. We soon reached a clearly marked turnoff for The Great St. Elias Station.

The Station sits near the terminus of the Kennicott Glacier, in an area locals call “the Toe.” The views of Mount Blackburn, Donoho Peak, Gates Glacier, Root Glacier and the Stairway Icefall are absolutely stunning. It’s not a million-dollar view, it’s a billion-dollar view with today’s inflation.

The main hall makes the most of the setting, with enormous windows and a spacious deck offering an unobstructed panorama. Because it was a beautiful sunny evening, we chose to dine al fresco.

The menu is limited and appears to change as items sell out. An Instagram post that morning featured a brisket plate, veggie kebabs and two kinds of burgers. By the time we arrived around 7 p.m., the Adventure Burger and Classic Burger remained, along with three dessert options.

We chose the Adventure Burger: two brisket patties topped with goat cheese, lettuce, roasted red pepper and special sauce on a brioche bun, served with coleslaw and steak fries. It was delicious, and plenty for the two of us to share. The drinks menu is robust, with craft beer on draft and by the bottle, high-end wines and mixed drinks. The Station has a full liquor license.

As we were leaving, we stopped to chat with an employee who commented that there’s no such thing as date night in McCarthy, because you always run into someone you know and end up talking to them. So true, as we enjoyed the company of a local newlywed couple who invited us to join them at their table.

On the bike ride home, we stopped for a nightcap at the Golden Saloon and talked with more locals on the deck. By the time we reached our cabin, the night was no longer young, and we needed to rest up for an early start back to Anchorage.

I think date night in McCarthy may have to become a new last-night-at-the-cabin tradition.

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It was a rainy day when we lined up for the Whittier Tunnel yesterday.

Waiting on the other side was the m/v Bravest, with more than 250 new friends–all ready to explore the glaciers in Prince William Sound.

Phillips Cruises has operated daily cruises into College Fjord for decades–and they have the itinerary fine-tuned for those who want to see more glaciers–faster! 

Along the way, travelers get a peek at the abundant wildlife in Prince William Sound: sea lions, seals, puffins, kittiwakes, bears, eagles…maybe even a whale (we didn’t see any)

Nobody gets seasick on Bravest. It’s guaranteed. As we’re pulling out of Whittier, the staff comes through and delivers some yummy smoked salmon chowder. If you want more, there’s a bar in the back of the boat with more snacks an drinks.

Bravest skims along the water at about 30 knots, which means we approad “Egg Rock” in short order. That’s where you’re likely to see some sea lions hauled out on the rocks. These critters are big–but it’s hard to get a picture with my phone! 

Next stop was a fish bay in Lake Bay, near the southern tip of Esther Island. It’s interesting to see the pens where they keep the fish. But it’s more interesting to see the other critters hoping to grab a stray fish or two….or three. Sea lions. Birds. Bears….we saw them all!

After watching all the critters, the captain turned north to cut through Esther Passage and into College Fjord.

The ice opened up nicely for us. It’s a 30-mile trip up College Fjord to see the massive Harvard Glacier, so he put the hammer down. The rooster tail on Bravest is impressive.

The water was as smooth as glass, which made for some nice photos. As we approached the top of College Fjord with the giant Harvard Glacier, the ship kept bumping into more and more ice…which made for some interesting noises throughout the cruise! 

As the ice got thicker, we could spot more harbor seals on the mini-icebergs. But all eyes were on the face of the glacier to see any big chunks that might calve off and hit the water with a big SPLASH! 

The captain stayed as long as he could at the face of the glacier, until it was time to buzz back to Whittier.

The last stop was the giant kittiwake rookery directly across from the Whittier Harbor. Thousands of kittiwakes make their nests directly on a rock face–which provides good protection from foxes and other predators.

Don’t miss a cruise this summer with Phillips Cruises. Bring your raincoat. Bring your hat and gloves. I was surprised at how warm it was–and there was no icy wind coming from the glacier. But there could have been!! 

The post 26 Glaciers Cruise: Ice is nice appeared first on Alaska Travelgram.

“Kia Orana” is the traditional greeting in the Cook Islands…like “Aloha” in Hawaii. Take advantage of springtime savings to fly from Anchorage to the Cook Islands.

From Anchorage, the thru-fare starts at $890 roundtrip, a 35 percent discount (USE DISCOUNT CODE HACOOK35). SAME PRICE from Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau. That’s a “Main Cabin” price on Alaska Airlines to Honolulu (via the West Coast), then nonstop on Hawaiian.

Travel via the West Coast on the outbound flight. The return flight offers a nice connection to the nonstop Honolulu-Anchorage flight.

YOU CAN fly via the nonstop ANC-HNL on your outbound flight. But you have to spend the night in Honolulu…and it costs a little more.

BOOK between now and AUGUST 11. Travel Sept. 1-Nov. 1, 2026. There’s just ONE FLIGHT PER WEEK from Honolulu to Rarotonga….so plan accordingly (south from Honolulu on Fridays, returning on Saturdays).

Stay for a week–or two! Rarotonga is small–it’s less than 25 miles around the island. The shoreline is dotted with beaches, parks and resorts.

No building is taller than a coconut tree, so the island is strictly low-key. Spend a few days there, then fly to another island: Aitutaki. There’s a reef, a beautiful lagoon and several glorious places to stay.

LEARN MORE at the Cook Islands websit

Check the Cook Islands website for a wide variety of accommodations, including:

• Sunset Resort 
• Lagoon Breeze Villas
• Palm Grove
• Black Pearl Beachside Apartments
• Castaway Resort
• Sea Change Villas
• Muri Beachcomber

The post Fall sale to the Cook Islands  appeared first on Alaska Travelgram.

The Highliner Suites Hotel is now open on E. 15th Avenue in Anchorage. I stopped in for a tour with Michael Baccari, a member of the development team.

“I’ve basically been living here for the last 20 days,” he said.

In fact, the ground floor still is under construction. There will be six full-size family suites with a separate bedroom, full kitchen and room for four people.

Most rooms on the other two floors are fully-finished and ready for guests. In fact, the Highliner Suites is sold out for the next couple of days.

The hotel’s renovation was extensive. Everything in the rooms is brand new: the beds, the carpet, the appliances, the coffee makers (Keurig), the power strips (plenty, including USB-A and USB-C), the TVs and everything in the bathrooms.

Free parking. Free wi-fi. Practical workspace. 24-hour front desk.

When I stopped by yesterday, they were doing some painting on the deck. These folks are working hard on this place–and it shows.

I did a quick scan for rooms in August and early September on the hotel’s website. The least-expensive rooms start at $240 per night–but not until September. Mid-August rates run between $265 and $375 per night, depending on the room type.

CLICK HERE to book online or call 907-313-4934. Tell ’em I sent you.

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CONGRATULATIONS are in order out in McCarthy, in the middle of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The “Great St. Elias Station” is now open just outside the town of McCarthy, on the way to the Kennicott Historical District. It’s located right on the edge of the Kennicott Glacier.

WHO: This all-new outpost, three years in the making, was developed by some of the folks who built the ultra-remote Ultima Thule Lodge deep in the park. Co-owner Ellie Gray grew up at Ultima Thule, where her family has hosted guests since the 1980s.

WHAT: There are 10 private cabins and “The Hall”, a restaurant/bar. “The Hall is the heart of the property, serving as a basecamp for our overnight guests and a welcoming table for the community,” said Co-Owner Ellie Gray.

Cabins feature showers, a writing desk and comfy chair and a nine-foot wide window on to the glacier.
Breakfast is included for overnight guests at “The Hall”. Rates start at $595 per cabin. Use “OPENINGSEASON” to save 10 percent.

WHEN: Now open!

WHERE: Located one mile outside McCarthy, on the way to the Kennicott Historical District.

WHY: This is a new way to access Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Catch a ride up to Kennicott for an iconic Mill Tour, or to start a hike out to the Root Glacier. Go flightseeing–the airport is nearby. Explore the town of McCarthy, including its amazing museum–which highlights the region’s rich mining history.

Learn more (click here)!

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SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Maria Benner recently traveled to Lake Clark National Park. In her first report, she paddled and camped through Twin Lakes with Alaska Alpine Adventures. Her second report focused on Lake Clark Resort in Port Alsworth. In this final installment, she takes to the air with Lake Clark Resort for its Fire and Ice Tour.

In Lake Clark National Park floatplanes are a main mode of transportation. The park covers more than four million acres, with no roads connecting it to the rest of Alaska. Some of its most remarkable lakes, glaciers, wildlife habitat and volcanic landscapes are separated by enormous stretches of wilderness. Lake Clark Resort’s Fire and Ice Tour is designed to make that vast geography accessible in a single day. Instead of looking down at the park through an airplane window and returning to the same runway, we used the floatplane to land and explore. The route is shaped by the conditions, the wildlife and the pilot’s knowledge of the country.

Our first stop was Kijik Lake, where we climbed out on shore for lunch. Our pilot, Glen Alsworth III, who goes by “Sasha”, brought camp chairs and our lunches for a lovely picnic. As we munched on croissant sandwiches, we peppered him with questions about his life in Port Alsworth. Sasha is the great grandson of Babe Alsworth, who founded Lake Clark Resort with his wife Mary. His father, Glen Jr., landed not far from us in a deHavilland Beaver with another group of visitors who were on a similar tour. After checking out a beaver damn, we climbed back onboard to continue the tour.

Clear weather gave us a spectacular look at Mount Iliamna. We flew around the volcano with broad views of its snowy slopes and surrounding glaciers. I had never been that high in a floatplane before as we soared up to 6,000ft altitude.

Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, but our pilot knew where we would have the best chance of seeing bears. He flew us low over the Cook Inlet coast and we spotted one bear after another. I didn’t bother trying to take photos of the bears, because I was having such a good time spotting them. We even saw a blond bear. The plane couldn’t fly too low, because that would disturb the bears, but we were low enough to get a good look at the plump fuzzy creatures. We also got a glimpse of seals before they jumped in the water.

A landing at Hickerson Lake was a nice break for those of us who have to take anti-nausea medication. We landed on intensely blue water with waterfalls cascading down the surrounding mountains. One of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen! Floatplane travel is so different from conventional flightseeing. The airplane allows you to land in impossibly remote landscapes.

The Fire and Ice Tour also includes a stop at Dick Proenneke’s cabin. I was excited to return for a second visit in one week, because I thought of a few things I forgot to look for on my first visit, and wanted to take more photos. My pal Russell the Park Ranger was definitely surprised to see me back so soon. On the way to the cabin we saw several Dall sheep high on a mountain side.

The Fire and Ice Tour is only one of the many guided experiences offered by Lake Clark Resort. Guests can choose from bear-viewing trips to Katmai National Park, tundra wildlife excursions, catch-and-release fishing, hiking, gold-panning, rafting and boat tours on Lake Clark. One of its most ambitious excursions follows the Bering Sea coastline in search of walruses, whales, bears and other wildlife.

The timing of a visit makes a difference. In June and early July, bear-viewing excursions generally focus on coastal areas where brown bears dig for clams and graze on sedges. During July and August, Brooks Falls becomes a popular destination as bears gather for the salmon run. Later in the season, trips may focus on more remote areas of Katmai National Preserve.

The family operation is an important part of the resort’s success. Aircraft provide the physical access, but generations of experience provide the judgment required to operate in a landscape where weather changes quickly and there are few conventional landing sites.

When I eventually returned to Anchorage, one of the first things I noticed was the noise. Cars accelerated through intersections. Doors slammed. Construction equipment rumbled in the distance. None of these sounds had seemed unusual before I left. The irony is that my day in Lake Clark depended on the engine of a floatplane. But between takeoffs, there had been long stretches with nothing but water, wind and the occasional sound of wildlife.

The post Fire and Ice–seeing Alaska’s wilds from the air appeared first on Alaska Travelgram.

Are you ready to go on safari next year in Africa? Hey–we’ve got connections in Tanzania. Check out Lendimi African Safaris in Tanzania. Lendimi has hosted many Alaskans on safari throughout the region. Now, Lendimi is hosting FOUR safaris next summer . The itinerary is amazing and features adventures in Tanzania’s national parks to see the amazing wildlife: elephants, rhinos, hippo, lions, zebras, giraffes, baboons, wildebeest and much more. NEW: visit Uganda and go trekking to see mountain gorillas.

CLICK HERE to see the whole itinerary.

Here are the DATES for the 18-day itinerary: May 21, June 10, June 30, & July 21, 2027.

Here’s what’s included:
Accommodation: All Hotels and Lodges accommodation in Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania including Zanzibar
Pick-Up and Drop-Off: All Airport Pick-Up and Drop-Off and Hotel Transfers
Plant a tree: Participate in the community effort of reforestation and learn about Tanzania’s ecology, history and culture
Bottled drinking water: Bottled mineral water of the highest quality
All safari drives: Gorilla Permit, all game drives and Zanzibar excursions
Tour Guide: Professional, Knowledgeable, English-Speaking Guide
In-country flight to Zanzibar, plus Zanzibar to Kigali, Rwanda
Meals: Full Board (3x daily) or Half Board (breakfast and dinner) …. much more

What’s not included:

Airfare to the meeting spot: Kilimanjaro International Airport near Arusha, Tanzania. Return airfare from Kigali, Rwanda.
Visas: Purchase visas on arrival at the airport (At JRO and at Kigali).
Gratuities
Travel insurance. Lendimi maintains emergency medical evacuation insurance from the national parks. But travelers MUST have their own travel and health insurance policies. Mandatory Zanzibar insurance fee: $44 .

Cost: $9,900 per person. See the detailed brochure for terms and conditions, including cancellation and refund policies.

STAY TUNED for more details on these departures. We will have at least one evening get-together to answer questions and help plan your safari!

The post Elephants, gorillas, lions, hippos, zebras…who wants to go on a safari next year? appeared first on Alaska Travelgram.

After years of preparation, the new Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum is OPEN in its new home: 3121 Airport Way. That’s just 3.5 miles from the airport in the old K-Mart building.

The old museum, near Wedgewood Resort by the UAF campus, had room for a little more than 80 cars. The new space will host 110 cars, four airplanes (from the Pioneer Air Museum in Pioneer Park), 120 period-specific wardrobe items, motorcycles and memorabilia.

“People have been trying to get in for the last six weeks,” said museum owner Tim Cerny.

“We got our certificate of occupancy yesterday (Mon., July 13) at 11:00 a.m.,” he said. “We opened the doors at Noon.”

There’s still some work to be done, so the museum is only open between 12:00 Noon and 4:00 p.m., seven days a week.

Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for kids.

“No one will be disappointed,” claimed Cerny.

The post Now Open: Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum in Fairbanks (massive new location near airport) appeared first on Alaska Travelgram.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Maria Benner recently traveled to Lake Clark National Park. In her first report, she detailed a wonderful expedition to Twin Lakes and Dick Proenneke’s wilderness cabin. Here, she shares her experience at Lake Clark Resort, on the shores of Lake Clark.

Most Alaska visitors and even residents never experience Lake Clark National Park. Not because they don’t want to, but because getting there can seem intimidating. After spending six days kayaking and hiking through the wilderness with Alaska Alpine Adventures, I discovered that Lake Clark Resort in Port Alsworth offers a way to experience one of Alaska’s most remote national parks without giving up a comfortable bed, home-cooked meals, or the expertise of local guides.

The adventure begins before you even arrive. From Merrill Field in Anchorage, Lake Clark Air carries visitors over glaciers, braided rivers, and between the rugged mountains of Lake Clark Pass before descending into Port Alsworth about an hour later. Founded by the Alsworth family in 1977, Lake Clark Air remains an integral part of the family’s hospitality operation, connecting visitors to both Lake Clark Resort and the surrounding wilderness.

I expected the resort to simply be a comfortable place to recharge after nearly a week in the backcountry. Instead, I found myself slowing down and appreciating the community that has welcomed visitors here for generations. The cabins strike a perfect balance between comfort and wilderness. Mine was roomy, with a full bathroom, hot shower, a kitchenette and picture windows overlooking floating planes docked on Hardenberg Bay. A spacious porch provided an outdoor space for watching activity on the water. Outside, the landscaping was immaculate. Colorful flowers lined the walkways and surrounded the buildings, making the property feel more like a cherished family homestead than a remote wilderness resort.

Family history runs deep at the resort. Long before Lake Clark became a national park, Babe and Mary Alsworth helped establish the community of Port Alsworth, building their family home with lumber milled from local spruce. Today, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren continue welcoming visitors to the same place, making the resort feel less like a business and more like an extension of their home. During my stay, I met family members flying floatplanes, guiding excursions, greeting guests, and keeping the lodge running behind the scenes. That pride was evident in every detail at the resort.

After settling into my cabin, I wandered the grounds, making a point to visit the chicken coop Dick Proenneke built for Babe Alsworth as a thank you for flying supplies to his remote cabin at Twin Lakes. I was glad to see that it is still in use. Hoop houses and gardens overflowed with vegetables and flowers, carefully maintained by resort staff. The kitchen relies on this garden for many ingredients, and the fresh flowers are cut daily to adorn the dining hall.

I borrowed one of the resort’s canoes for an evening paddle across the glassy water on a sunny day. I even took a quick swim in Lake Clark to complete my unofficial trifecta after dipping in Upper and Lower Twin Lakes earlier in the week. The clear turquoise water looked more like the Caribbean than interior Alaska, but towering, snow-covered peaks reminded me that I was still up north.

Meals became another highlight. Breakfasts were hearty enough to fuel a day of exploring, while dinners featured dishes like pork skewers with cilantro rice one evening and perfectly cooked ribeye the next, finished with homemade desserts including blueberry cheesecake and cranberry cake with white chocolate ice cream. Before each meal, a family member says a brief prayer. This small tradition reflects the family’s values and adds to the welcoming atmosphere. Another detail I appreciated was the resort’s sack lunches. Guests place their order during dinner the night before, then pick up a freshly packed lunch at breakfast before heading out on hikes or guided excursions. The giant and delicious Snickerdoodle cookie was the highlight in my sack lunch.

One thing I noticed over conversations in the dining room was how many guests shared the same goal of visiting all eight of Alaska’s national parks. For many, Lake Clark had long seemed like one of the most difficult to reach. Staying at the resort made it surprisingly approachable.

Whether you want to hike to Tanalian Falls, paddle on the lake, visit the National Park Service visitor center, or join one of the resort’s guided excursions into the surrounding wilderness, Lake Clark Resort makes it possible to experience this remarkable place without needing to be an expert backpacker or wilderness traveler.

As my flight lifted off for Anchorage in the evening, I realized I’d experienced two completely different versions of Lake Clark National Park. One challenged me in the wilderness, while the other reminded me that adventure doesn’t always require roughing it.

The post Lake Clark Resort: Gateway to Lake Clark National Park in remote Port Alsworth appeared first on Alaska Travelgram.

Don’t get me wrong: I love to travel.

After decades of take-offs, landings, transfers, delays and last-minute changes, I’ve learned to roll with most of the punches.

But one day in Italy really got to me: strikes, pickpockets, missed connections and language barriers….the works. What’s really remarkable is, despite the crazy things that happened, we had a great time.

A little background: our trip to Italy was r-e-a-l-l-y sweet. We flew in on Alaska Airlines‘ new 787 nonstop flight from Seattle.

After we had the chance to regroup in Rome, including a g-r-e-a-t dinner with an old classmate, we wanted to visit Naples for the day.

With high-speed trains throughout the country, the trip to Naples from Rome is less than an hour. That way we could see “The Veiled Christ” in a chapel that we missed last time. We also had time to take a great food tour with our friends at Culinary Backstreets: “The Backstreets of Naples.”

PROBLEM: Two days before leaving, I get a note that there’s a NATIONAL TRAIN STRIKE on the day we want to travel.

Hmm. I canceled the train tickets, applied for a refund and buy two bus tickets.

DAY OF DEPARTURE: We struggle a bit to find out which terminal the bus is leaving from. It’s all the way across town…so we opt to take the metro.

PROBLEM: The Metro is VERY crowded during rush hour…especially approaching the main terminal. As everyone gets off the train, I notice my wallet on the floor. I’ve been pick-pocketed. Lovely.

PROBLEM #2: It appears we’re on the wrong train…going away from our bus station.

Two Italian women on the train consoled us and were very helpful as we gathered our stuff to get back on the right track. Literally. We tried to get us a taxi to the bus station….without any luck. Finally, we took a city bus to our station, only to find out we’d missed the inter-city bus to Naples.

After purchasing a brand new ticket, we were able to ride with another company just a few minutes later.

We arrived a little late for our timed entry to see the Veiled Christ, so we were anxious. Hopefully, we could just grab a cab at the station in Naples.

PROBLEM #3: There were hundreds of people in front of us in the taxi line. Accordingly, we set out on the 1.5-mile trek, hoping to catch a ride along the way.

Good news/bad news: We did, indeed, find a taxi a couple of blocks away. PROBLEM #4: he charged us 15 euros for the one-mile ride. #Ripoff

At the Museo Sansevero, they waved us through without issue. It’s an amazing exhibit in a Masonic Chapel. The Veiled Christ, carved in stone by Giuseppe Sanmartino in 1753. There are many other amazing sculptures in the museum that push the conceptual idea of what can be carved out of stone. Well worth the visit.

After enjoying the exhibit, we made our way outside to find the spot for our food tour meet-up.

PROBLEM #5: It was unclear where to meet up. We walked to the tour company office. Nothing. We searched the email thread to find the rendezvous and sent a note to the company to confirm. They sent us to a bakery about five minutes away.

We arrived at the bakery and ordered the coldest drink available….a lemon ice of some sort. But things didn’t look right. I finally found a phone number for our guide, Sonia. I called her and she picked up.

PROBLEM #6: We were at the wrong location.

Thankfully, the meet-up was about 10 minutes away. Off we went in the mid-afternoon heat. We got there, met Sonia and the other family on the tour and had a great time. GREAT TOUR….I recommend it.

As the tour started to wind down, I was anxious about how to get back to the station and catch the bus.

Thankfully, Sonia needed to ride the Naples subway to get back home, so she walked us through the station, helped us get our tickets and get on the right train.

PROBLEM #7: We got to the subway platform just in time. But the doors were closing. It would be a LONG wait for the next train (and we would miss the bus).

I ran up and forced the door back open, motioning for the others to climb aboard. Do not try this at home.

We arrived at the Naples station (bus and train all wrapped up into one spot). After wandering aimlessly for about 20 minutes, we managed to find a bus that said “Milano”.

“Where is the bus to Rome?” I asked.

“This is the bus to Rome,” he said.

Relieved, we got on the bus and headed back to Rome.

On arrival in Rome (around midnight).

PROBLEM #8: It was not clear how to find a cab to get back to our apartment (about eight miles away). We wandered around to where we thought the cabs should be….I even tried to get an Uber without success.

OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL, disguised as an older Italian lady, commandeered a cab that pulled in to the station and motioned for Christy to get it.

We did. The cab took us back home.

It was, indeed, One Day in Italy. We bounced from one impossible situation to the next, forever grateful for the many fine folks who helped us along the way, the glorious food tour and the amazing museum in Naples.

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