Okay. It’s a small thing, but I’m a bigger man for it. Mm-hmm. Era Alaska’s cookies. They are back on the Dash-8 flights. I flew to Kenai the other day. These tasty treats are individually wrapped for your comfort and protection! ONE per traveler, puh-leeze. I asked for three of course (for the children). HA!

Once in Kenai, I got one of Avis’s VW Bugs to drive around. Such a MANLY car–wouldn’t you agree. There’s even a little vase for some flowers attached to the dash. I am not making this up. Manly, I tell you!! HA!

So, fly on Era’s Dash-8 flights all around Southcentral Alaska and gorge yourself on those cookies. I did.

a. Victoria Clipper: 2-for-1
b. Argosy Cruises: 2-for-1
c. Kenmore Air: 2-for-1
d. Museum of Flight: 2-for-1
e. Seattle Art Museum: 2-for-1
e. Tillicum Village: 2-for-1
f. Spring Hill Suites (Pike Street): 2-for-1
g. Experimental Music Project (EMP): 2-for-1
….and much more. More than 100 offers, with more than $6,000 in 2-for-1 travel deals. Scoop up your copy TODAY and save $25 off the normal purchase price of $79.95. Check the site–and follow instructions!

The rules and restrictions on these fares vary, but I pulled dates in August and September. Some require travel on just Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Others are valid just through the end of September.

Call USTravel for complete details: (907)561-2434 or toll-free: (800) 544-2217. May of these great deals MUST be purchased NO LATER than tomorrow, July 29, 2010. I wouldn’t wait. If you see your city–grab this deal. Check with USTravel today.

10. Anchorage-New York. The city so nice, they named it twice: $480 rt all-in. Hartford also is on sale.

9. Anchorage-Wash., DC : $385 rt all-in

8. Anchorage-Orlando: $479rt all-in. Ft. Myers, Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale also on sale (cheaper than Miami!).

7. Anchorage-Charlotte, NC $447rt all-in. W-a-y cheaper than Atlanta.

6. Anchorage-Memphis $459rt all-in

5. Anchorage-Las Vegas $449rt all-in . Still too high–but this is a step in the right direction!

4. Anchorage-Billings $409rt all-in. Also, great deals to Bozeman.

3. Anchorage-L.A. $404rt all-in. San Francisco, San Diego–they’re all on sale.

2. Anchorage-Minneapolis: $345rt all in (Frontier Air). Act fast on this one!

and the number-one domestic air fare deal-o-the-day:

1. Anchorage-Denver $285rt all-in (Frontier Airlines nonstop)

You can count on great deals to most destinations (but not all) in the Lower 48. Frontier Airlines also is offering several great deals from Fairbanks, using their Fairbanks-Denver nonstop. Call now: (907)561-2434.

…all the live-long day. And it’s high time for some high adventure close to home. Ride the rails from Anchorage down Turnagain Arm. I never get tired of that drive–but it’s even more fun when you can relax and watch the scenery instead of trying to pass that RV on that blind curve at 75 miles an hour! HA! J-u-s-t kidding (sort of).

Once you get to Portage, about 50 miles from Anchorage, the railroad leaves the road system, up to Moose Pass. Ride up to Spencer Lake, then get off the train. This is a great hiking area! This special Alaska Railroad package includes a hearty Alaska lunch. Then, take a canoe ride up toward the face of Spencer Glacier. Or, choose a float down the Placer River.

Either option offers a great day trip into the wilderness–and fun on the water. What are you waiting for? Summer’s finally here–get out and DO something.

I’ll see you on the incredible Alaska Railroad! Oh–if you still want to race the Alaska State Troopers on the highway, meet the train in Portage. The cost is $169 roundtrip from Anchorage, or $129 from Portage (or Whittier).

Call now for reservations (800)544-0552. And we’ll see YOU on the Alaska Railroad!

Had a great visit over the July 4 weekend. Above, even the kids race to get those fresh fish to your table–whether in bare feet or Xtratuffs (HA! This was a “pink salmon relay race” we attended)!! Lots of salmon, bears and a fairamount of water sports! Plan now for the big fishing events between now and Sept. 5. Let’s review:

a. The Halibut Derby is on through Sept. 5. There are weekly prizes, plus a grand prize of $15,000 cash. Get your ticket ($10/day, $50/season) at the Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn. We like that place. It’s where we stayed on our recent visit.

b. Silver Salmon Derby. Wow. Another $15,000 first-prize, plus weekly prizes. This derby kicks off on July 24–so go get your gear and plan your trip to Valdez!

c. Women’s Derby. This is the 6th annual Women’s Silver Salmon Derby–and it’s just for one day: Sat., Aug 14, 2010. The registration is $50, in addition to your regular derby ticket. But there are lots of extra bells and whistles that come along with the fee. Of course, i wouldn’t know…since I don’t qualify. HA!  Check it out HERE.

In between your fishing dates, make plans to see the Whitney Museum, on the Prince William Sound Community College Campus. This is an incredible collection gathered over decades when the Whitney’s had a store and trading post out on the highway. There are furs, artifacts, carvings, mounted wildlife models–and much more. We basically got talked into visiting — and it was worth the trip. Learn more HERE.

No visit to Valdez is complete without getting out on the water–whether it’s fishing, a cruise to the glacier or a paddle in an ocean kayak! For glacier cruises, look no further than Stan Stephens Glacier Cruises. Choose from a cruise to both Mears and Columbia Glacier–or to just Columbia Glacier. On the kayak front, we cruised with Pangaea Advenutres out to the Shoup Glacier. FUN! Nearby Anadyr Adventures offers  a unique freshwater adventure to Valdez Glacier.

Fly, drive or sail to Valdez. If you’re coming from Fairbanks, Valdez is a straight shot down the Richardson Highway. From Anchorage,you can take a quick 50-minute flight on Era Alaska. Or,  you can drive up and over the mountains to Glennallen, then back down to Valdez. Or, you can sail across Prince William Sound on the Alaska Marine Highway to/from Whittier. Great fun. Great sailing!

Learn more about your adventure to Valdez!  Let’s go fishing!

Call (907)561-2434 in Anchorage, or (800)544-2217 toll-free. Airlines? Well, Delta started it, but Alaska has matched many of the rates. That’s what airlines do. Twenty-one day advance purchase. Cheapest days to fly? Tue/Wed/Sat/ . Blackout dates.  Really, tho’. Don’t dawdle.

Do it. Now.

Anchorage-Minneapolis: $304 roundtrip all-in
Anchorage-Denver $376rt all-in
Anchorage-Portland $400rt all-in
Anchorage-L.A. $404rt all-in
Anchorage-Sioux Falls, SD $440rt all-in
Anchorage-Wash., DC: $385rt all-in
Anchorage-NYC: $394rt all-in
Anchorage-Hartford, CT: $415rt all-in
Anchorage-New Orleans $445rt all-in
Anchorage-Charlotte, NC $443rt all-in
Anchorage-Fayetville, NC $454 rt all-in
Anchorage-Ft. Myers, FL $475rt all-in AWESOME
Anchorage-Orlando, FL $475rt all-in AWESOME!!
Anchorage-Tampa, FL $475rt all-in AWESOME
Anchorage-Daytona Beach, FL $475rt all-in
Anchorage-Jacksonville, FL $475rt all-in
Anchorage-Ft. Lauderdale, FL $505rt all-in
Anchorage-San Antonio, TX $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Austin, TX $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Burlington, VT $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Albany, NY $456rt all-in
Anchorage-Binghamton, NY $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Wilkes-Barre, PA $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Rochester, NY $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Huntsville, AL $469rt all-in
Anchorage-Memphis, TN $450rt all-in
Anchorage-Charleston, WV $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Buffalo, NY $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Nashville, TN $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Pittsburgh $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Akron/Canton, OH $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Cincinnati, OH $453rt all-in
Anchorage-Dayton, OH $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Portland, ME $475rt all-in
Anchorage-Boston, MA $475rt all-in
Anchorage-Norfolk, VA $470rt all-in
Anchorage-Oklahoma City, OK $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Tulsa $453rt all-in
Anchorage-El Paso, TX $453rt all-in
Anchorage, Wichita, KS $450rt all-in
Anchorage-Kansas City, MO $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Des Moines, IA $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Indianapolis $455rt all-in
Anchorage–Ft. Wayne, IN $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Lansing, MI $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Grand Rapids, MI $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Traverse City, MI $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Peoria, IL $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Green Bay, WI $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Cedar Rapids, IA $455rt all-in
Anchorage-Milwaukee $453rt all-in

Check with USTravel for your city: (907)561-2434 in Anchorage. CLICK HERE for a complete list of locations, contact numbers, etc. There is a GOB of late-season deals now available.

Internationally renowned designers have worked with scientists to create 15 life-size dinosaurs, including the terror of the ancient terrain, Tyrannosaurus-rex! Be amazed and thrilled as the greatest creatures ever to walk the earth return before your eyes.

When you book your Era ticket online, use the discount code DINO1 to get your 25 percent discount. This discount is valid only for inbound travel to Anchorage to see the event, Aug. 19-22, 2010.

Save $20 on the Seattle TourSaver. Reg. $79.95, now $59.95 (purch. by July 16). This is the book with more than $6,000 in Seattle 2-for-1 deals, including:
a. 2-for-1 Argosy Cruises
b. 2-for-1 Victoria Clipper
c. 2-for-1 Kenmore Air
d. 2-for-1 Gray Line Hop-on/Hop-off double-decker bus
e. 2-for-1 Seattle Aquarium
f. 2-for-1 Seattle Art Museum
g. 2-for-1 Homewood Suites/Pike St.
h. 2-for-1 Future of Flight Museum/Boeing Factory Tour
i. 2-for-1 Museum of Flight
You get the idea: everything you want to do in Seattle is 2-for-1with the Seattle TourSaver. Don’t miss this deal– $20 off theSeattle TourSaver! Big shout-out to Jason Hoover for this lovely shot of the Seattle skyline. Check out Jason’s dramatic images on the cover of the Seattle TourSaver–or at his site! HA!