Alaska TravelGram

PODCAST: Live from Seattle

scott — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:54:42 +0000

Dig the photo: Jason Hoover really captures the spirit of Seattle, huh? Listen to the podcast of our weekly radio show on KUDO 1080 AM in Anchorage (NOTE: DEAD AIR for first 2:45). We interviewed Michael Rogers with Seattle Food Tours about his walking tours through Pike Place Market. Also, in the studio, Jen Aist talks with Erin Kirkland about taking young kids hiking and camping all year long!

GCI: Back to school wireless specials

scott — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:10:10 +0000

Back to school: Get any texting phone FREE, plus free unlimited nationwide texting for three months. You have to sign up for a tw0-year contract with a texting package to qualify–but this is a great deal.

Fan of the smart phone (my phone is m-u-c-h smarter than me). Choose from several travel essentials like Blackberry phones–and the phone is FREE, as long as you get a two-year contract, plus a smartphone package (typically about $30 per month on top of your plan cost).

Other GCI travel essentials on my radar:

a. XTREME Mobility. Cannot say enough about this handy device: it’s essentially a 3G cell phone that slips into your USB slot. That way, you can grab the fast signal right out of the air–without depending on intermittent hot spots when you’re traveling!

b. MI-FI. This is great technology. It essentially makes your laptop into a wi-fi router. You can enable up to five devices–and connect within 32 feet of your Mi-Fi. It’s fast, secure–and it’s available for just $20 per month. The device itself is $100, with a two-year contract.

Rent a ride from Avis–then buy one

scott — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:30:50 +0000

I’m a big fan of Avis here in Alaska. I’ve rented from them in Kodiak, Kenai, Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka–all over. Except Petersburg. Still haven’t gotten down there.

But this spring, I went ahead and bought one of their cars. A nice, red, 2007 Toyota Camry (above). This fall, they’ve got a good portion of their fleet for sale, including their H-O-T anniversary cars–Camaros, Bugs and Minis. Check ‘em out.

In Anchorage:
2010 VW Beetle: Wow factor, including flower vase on the dash. Low miles. $19, 475.
2010 Mini Cooper: Super-low miles. FUN! $22,685
2010 Camaro: Only 5K miles: $28, 675. Wow!

Special car sales in Fairbanks, Kodiak, Juneau, Sitka..and here in Anchorage.

Here are some of my favorites:

2009 Toyota Corolla (blue): 37,600 mi. $13,690
2009 Toyota Camry (white): 37,000 mi. $15,790
2008 Toyota RAV4 (red): 37,000 mi. $19,390
2008 Toyota Sienna 4WD minivan (white): 34,000 mi. $20,490

Check the website for more details, including a full inventory of available cars: www.avisalaska.com

Nerd’s Eye View on the ground in Alaska!

scott — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:04:43 +0000

That’s right. Pam Mandel, travel blogger extraordinaire, is in Alaska this week taking in the highlights. Kennicott. Kantishna. The Anchorage Museum. The Alaska Railroad. So–where else could I take her aside from Alaska’s culinary peak? That’s right: Moose’s Tooth Pizza and Brewpub. HA! Check out her travel blog, Nerdseyeview.com . A passport. A camera. A ukelele. (Uh-huh…right). And now…a beer! Photos: Above, hoisting the first of several “tasters” in our “beer flight” at Moose’s Tooth. Right: The Anchorage Hilton is a two-bear hotel!

KUDO Podcast: Aug. 31 show

scott — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:50:26 +0000

We were in the studio Thursday at KUDO, AM1080 here in Anchorage. Joining us, Erin Kirkland of AKontheGo.com and Mary Gasperlin of USTravel. Whoa–USTravel has a boatload of prizes to give away at their PFD Travel Extravaganza Sat., Sept. 18 at the Dimond Center. So–listen up!

Talkeetna: Quaint, quirky…quool(?)

scott — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:29:51 +0000

Trisha Costello over at the Talkeetna Roadhouse is a great ambassador for for the community. So, you owe it to her to scoop up one of her delicious cinnamon rolls next time you’re there (it takes two hands, thank you!). Below are highlights of her report:

First, for all you local folks (all of Alaska, of course, is local!) I thought I’d pass along the following information on daily activities that will be soon closing up shop for the summer.

1. Talkeetna Lakes Hike, daily at 6pm, led by the folks at Alaska Nature Guides.

2. Jet boat rides by Mahay’s Riverboat Service departing daily at 8:45, 9:30, Noon, 2:30, 3:15 and 6:30.

3. Daily movie… The Don Sheldon Story video screens at the Sheldon Community Arts Hangar (behind Post Office) at 2pm.

4. Ranger programs by the Denali National Park Talkeetna rangers are held at the Talkeenta Historical Museum (behind the Roadhouse) daily at 10:30am and 1pm. (No program on the 3rd and they wrap up on the 5th)

5. Raft trips depart from Talkeetna throughout the day: 8, 8:30, 11, Noon, 2:30, 5:30. Talkeetna River Guides has daily trips.

6. Kayak Trips on Byers Lake in Denali State Park happen daily at 8:15am, 11:45am, 3:15pm and 6:45pm. Reserve with the folks at Denali Southside River Guides.

7. Horseback Riding with D&S Trailrides located at the end of Main Street. Rides go daily at 10am, Noon, 2pm and 5pm.

(Don’t forget flightseeing. AWESOME. We flew last month with Talkeetna Air Taxi!

Live Music in Talkeetna…

Here’s the rundown for this next week+ of live music. Seems that a handful of our local musicians have been able to stay active with steady gigs. To my ears they are all sounding GREAT, too!

Fairview Inn

September 4: Weepin’ Willies

September 5: Rickshaw & the Transporters, 10pm

September 6: Bathtub Gin, 7pm

September 10: Hamma Jang, 10pm

September 11: Lulu Small, 10pm

September 12: Steve Durr, 9pm

Mountain High Pizza Pie (Best pizza ever!!)

September 4: Doug & Carl, 2pm

September 5: Steve Durr, 5pm

Roadhouse Summer Schedule…’til Sept. 19

Rooms, Bunks & Cabins nightly; Bakery open daily 6am ’til 9pm; Breakfast daily 7am – 2pm.

Year Round (AWESOME) Bread Schedule

Monday: Squaw Bread

Tuesday: French

Wednesday: Honey Whole Wheat

Thursday: Onion Dill Rye

Friday: Potato Bread

Saturday: Oatmeal Beer Bread

Sunday: Struan

We will have a Cleaning Day on September 20th and will not be open that day or that evening. Feel free to stop by…you will be handed a scrub brush, though! We will move into our winter hours beginning Tuesday, September 21st.

THANKS, Trisha! Follow Talkeetna Roadhouse on Facebook.

Guaranteed: Polar Bear Sightings

scott — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:00:30 +0000

Yup–you’re gonna see ‘em. They’re all over on Alaska’s North Slope. This month only, though! Join the 2010 WARBELOW’S POLAR BEAR TOUR —Only in September.

In Fairbanks, fly a B-1900 up to Kaktovik on a polar bear adventure! Enjoy safely viewing and photographing polar bears, a majestic, yet threatened species, in this rare and special wildlife encounter, while the bears rest on sand spits and feast on whale meat. Included is a walking tour of the Inupiat Eskimo whaling village of Kaktovik with an Eskimo tour guide, which is located along the coast of the Arctic Ocean on Barter Island. Kaktovik is the only village within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Price: $2,299 per person (Alaska residents and military personnel qualify for a 10 percent discount).

Tour includes: Round-trip airfare from Fairbanks, transfers, meals, guides and ground transportation. Sighting guaranteed or a full refund. Overnight stay in Kaktovik included.

ACT NOW: Departures on Sept. 4, Sept. 18 and Sept. 25, 2010

Space is very limited. For more information visit www.warbelows.com or call (800)478-0812. To book your tour call Mike Morgan at (907) 460-5151.

Fine print: All polar bear tours must be paid in full at the time of booking. This is a sightings guaranteed tour. 100 percent refund if polar bears are not viewed. Tour is non-refundable for any other reason.

September=Fall Travel Deals

scott — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:37:10 +0000

Some of the best deals of the year roll out during September. As the peak summer travel season ebbs, deals spring up for the fall months–and beyond.

Then there’s the Permanent Fund Dividend deals. USTravel is rolling out some great deals in a one-day extravaganza on Sat., Sept. 18.

Mark the date now–and make plans to stop by the Dimond Center. In addition to one-time-only savings, USTravel is giving away a boatload of travel prizes (literally), including: a Caribbean cruise for two, trips to Hawaii and Puerto Vallarta–and much more.

Some of the standout travel bargains include:

a. Spring Break cruise to Mexico, as little as $545 per person, double.
b. Maui vacation for four: as little as $963 per person (quad) includes air and seven nights condo.
c. Costa Rica escape, $1,620 per person, double includes air and six-day holiday.

Watch the website for more details. you don’t want to miss this event on Sat., Sept. 18. Our friends at USTravel are keeping the BEST deals UNDER WRAPS until the VERY DAY!

Follow USTravel on Facebook and Twitter .

VIDEO: Hot deal roundup on KTVA

scott — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:31:46 +0000

Great hotel and air and train deals for fall travel. Don’t miss it.

To recap:

Anchorage-Denver $335rt
Anchorage-Portland $400rt
Anchorage-San Francisco $377rt
Anchorage-New York $479rt
Anchorage-Washington, DC $441rt

Check with USTravel for best dates and prices: (907)561-2434 or toll-free: (800)544-2217.

Hotels:
Grand Denali, Denali Bluffs: $79 per night
Princess: 2-for-1 rail-n-stay to Talkeetna. 3 days/2 nights at Mt. McKinley Princess, from $135 per person, double
Kennicott Glacier Lodge: $79 per night, per person, double includes breakfast

FALL DEALS ROCK!

VIDEO: Expat’s view of Paris

scott — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:59:28 +0000

Paris is glorious, of course. My friend Karen Fawcett authors the know-all, see-all blog about all things Paris, BonjourParis.com. Every now and again, we can get a “local” to show us around. Terrance is a fellow Expat who knows the ropes. Learn from him!

All A-b-o-a-r-d-!

scott — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:57:03 +0000

In addition to the great Spencer Glacier Whistlestop tours, the Alaska Railroad features some special trains this fall, including:

The Fair Train

This is a great way to travel from Anchorage to see the Alaska State Fair in Palmer August 27, 28, 29 & September 3, 4, 5. The Railroad has a special website with schedules and rates. It’s just a 90-minute ride up to Palmer–and you can miss all the traffic!

The Great Alaskan Beer Train

Caution–this train sells out! Call right away to book this special ride on Oct. 2. (907)265-2494. The Microbrew Express travels 80 miles roundtrip from Anchorage to Portage and features an impressive assortment of the finest local microbrews and incredible scenery of Turnagain Arm. The fare includes roundtrip rail, 6 half pints of the Brewhouse’s best drafts and an array of hors d’oeuvres.

Train departs Anchorage Depot at 4pm and returns at 8:30pm.

Spencer Glacier Whistlestop! Don’t miss your chance this year to hike up to Spencer Glacier from the railroad stop. It’s a great daytrip! Here’s a special link to pay just $129 for this great trip (including the raft trip down the Placer River!).

Era Alaska: fare sales in the air!!

scott — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:43:45 +0000

Okay, Era Alaska is more than just free cookies on the Dash-8 flights. And, oh, by the way, there WERE indeed a couple of flights last week WITHOUT cookies (ACK!). Just a little technical problem with the oven–but it’s ALL FIXED NOW! Good thing, since Era Alaska now has some great fall fares. Check ‘em out!

Kodiak-Fairbanks $179 ea way plus tax
Fairbanks-Kotzebue $219 ea way plus tax
Fairbanks-Bethel $209 ea way plus tax
Fairbanks-Cordova $149 ea way plus tax
Anchorage-Fairbanks $99 ea way plus tax
Anchorage-Cordova $89 ea way plus tax
Anchorage-Kodiak $99 ea way plus tax
Anchorage-Bethel $129 ea way plus tax
Anchorage-Barrow $210 ea way plus tax

…and more! You must purchase these tickets no later than Aug. 29, 2010. There is a 14-day advance purchase. Travel through Dec. 15, 2010 only. Check the website today and make your reservations!

Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center!

scott — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:36:13 +0000

I’m a big fan of the live performances at the center. In this photo (by Michael Dinneen), you get an up-close-and-personal view of these expressive dances from all around Alaska.

There are, of course, many sides to the Alaska Native Cultural Center. In addition to the main stage (The Gathering Place), there are working artisans nearby. Visit with them as they sew, carve and craft clothing, baskets, masks and other works before your very eyes. Many of them are for sale–many are used as teaching tools for younger students.

Don’t miss the seven village sites around the lake. Budget at least an hour just for that!

Finally, there are new exhibits in the Hall of Cultures:

Athabascan - Understanding and Adapting to What Life Brings

Yup’ik, Cup’ik - See Connections

Inupiaq, St. Lawrence Island Yupik – Honor Your Elders

Aleut, Alutiiq – Share What You Have

Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian – Know Who You Are

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center this summer. Combine it with a visit to the Anchorage Museum. Ask about the “Culture Pass” when you arrive at the Center.

I love travel contests: Win with US !

scott — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:06:02 +0000

First–congrats to all the readers who entered the “Eat, Pray, Love, Win” Premier contest from USTravel.

I love travel contests, especially when I win. It’s also great to learn about the new destinations and new activities for my friends at USTravel.

So–here’s a new one. Answer a few questions about USTravel‘s new website.

You’ll be entered to win a Viking River Cruise ($7,200 value).

While you’re at it, be sure and visit USTravel’s Facebook page. They’re always loading up fun stuff for travel fans. They’ve got a Twitter feed as well. I know–Totally Techno! HA!

USTravel is my go-to resource or travel around the state (Explore Tours) or around the world! Mary Gasperlin, USTravel‘s change-agent-in-charge (VP, Marketing!), will be our guest on the Alaska Travelgram radio show next week on KUDO 1080AM. Tune in Aug. 31, 2010 between 2-3pm Alaska Daylight Time. Of course, you can tune into the website to hear the show live.

We’ll be talking fare sales, local expertise and why it matters, what a travel agent can do–and all about how you can win that VIKING RIVER CRUISE!

Travel secrets revealed: Yoga

scott — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:43:27 +0000

I’m not kidding. A regular yoga regimen makes me a better traveler. Here at home, Anchorage Yoga is my number-one studio. I’m a big fan of Rick Resnick’s (that’s him on the right in the blue shirt) Bikram-style hot yoga, but I’ve also done several practices with Katey and her “Hot Flow” sessions.

I also practice the Bikram style when I’m traveling. There are studios everywhere: Newport Beach, Barcelona, Paris, Eugene, Redmond…and that’s just the ones I know about! It’s a great way to stay limber while you’re on the road.

Check the website for schedules and prices. There are classes seven days a week! They’re always running specials for first-timers–LIKE YOU!! DO IT!!

Oh, they’re having a special weekend session next month with Lisa Goodwin. “Experience Lisa’s inspirational teaching style as she guides you through a dynamic vinyasa flow of love, breath and fullest expression of each pose. This class will awaken your life force energy and leave you feeling invigorated and alive.” Whoo-boy.

Fri., Sept. 17: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times (part 1)
Sat., Sept. 18: Posture Clinic, followed by Ancient Wisdom (part 2)
Sun., Sept 19: Warm Yoga Flow

Check the website for details. Or, call Katey, Josh or one of the other folks at Anchorage Yoga: (907)562-9642.

Namaste!