Óbidos, Portugal was a delight. I arrived with zero expectations and left singing its praises.

The city is compact, with cobbled streets and charming shop fronts to wander into. Much smaller than Sintra, Óbidos (pronounced “oh-bee-dosh”) allegedly has about 3,000 permanent residents. It’s also an official UNESCO City of Literature, one of only 63 in the world. I did nothing remotely literary while I was there but it’s nice to know that’s the vibe. 

We only spent a couple of hours in Óbidos but our short stay cemented it as an eternally pleasant place in my mind. Odd, perhaps, because the main activity tapped into one of my top fears: heights.

Walking the Óbidos city wall

There’s a ledge running around the inside perimeter of the city walls, which form a 1.5km loop. The stairs are wide enough, but have no handrail or barrier. If heights don’t faze you this may sound fine but I assure you it is actually very scary. 

The ledge, which I suppose you could generously call a walkway, is about three feet wide. Some sections have a modest barrier at the edge, but most of it is wide open—a sheer drop of 30 feet over the edge. 

I got the impression that it was once possible to walk the entire loop. When we were there, an iron gate blocked the way not quite halfway around. There’s a staircase leading back down to the city level, so you can make your way through town back to where you started.

We entered the city through the main gate (Porta da Vila), turned left, and climbed the staircase there to follow the western side of the wall. The second option is to turn right through the gate and climb the stairs for the eastern side of the wall. I believe that direction will take you to the other side of the gate, and you can descend from there.

Is walking the Óbidos wall worth it?  

I’m here to report that the wall is absolutely worth it, even for someone with a fear of heights who was terrified the whole time and may have said she “didn’t like it.” 

The views are stunning. You can see all of Óbidos at once, as well as the rolling countryside that surrounds it. The town is so pleasant with its white walls, orange roofs, creeping foliage, and old stone buildings.

My tactic was to hug the wall side, take small but confident steps, and focus on my breathing. That, and stay away from my husband and his friend just in case they tried to pull any funny business. 

What else is there to do in Óbidos? 

They didn’t make Óbidos a literary city for nothing. As part of a revitalization project in 2012, the city began to repurpose existing spaces: a church, old fire department, and wine cellar are now all bookstores. Then came The Literary Man, the world’s largest book hotel, housed in a former convent. Throw in an annual literary festival and writers’ residencies, and you have a thriving literary scene. 

As a lifelong book lover, I obviously went into every single bookstore and the library, right? I soaked up all that literary goodness and that’s why I hold Óbidos in such high esteem? Right??

Sigh. I wish that were true, but after the wall we walked past said bookstores, got soft serve ice cream cones, and joined the rest of our party at an outdoor café.  

The café was right next to the Igreja de Santa Maria, a church renowned for its beautiful tiled murals. We did not go in; my Óbidos experience was limited to the wall walk and sampling the local vinho verde. 

Obviously, I need to go back to Óbidos. 

Getting to Óbidos

Driving is arguably the most convenient way to get yourself to Óbidos. If you’re coming from Lisbon, it’ll take about an hour and ten minutes by car. 

We drove from Nazaré, a destination made famous by its enormous surfable waves. Óbidos is about thirty minutes south of Nazaré and twenty minutes east from the pretty coastal town of Peniche. 

The center of Óbidos is car-free, so you’ll need to park in one of the paid lots on the southeastern edge of the city. We didn’t have any trouble getting a spot. 

Óbidos has a train station, but it’s serviced by regional trains that don’t come as frequently and stop often. It takes roughly two hours to catch the train from Lisbon. 

You can also take an express bus to Óbidos from Lisbon’s Campo Grande terminal. It takes about an hour and will deposit you right outside of the city walls. 

I’ve been unsuccessful in creating a capsule wardrobe in my regular life, but as a frequent flier I’ve got my airplane travel outfit down to a science. 

Of course, you should wear whatever you want for your airplane travel outift, whether it’s pajamas or a three-piece suit. I personally dress for comfort, a variety of conditions, and to feel reasonably pulled together.

The majority of the links below are not affiliate links—I genuinely wear and like these items—but I’ve called out any that are! I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on these links. 

My go-to airplane travel outfit

You’ll see me in the same outfit whether I’m flying to Australia in summer or New York City in winter; the season doesn’t change on the plane. I also tend to wear this no matter how long the flight.

Wide-legged pants

I don’t want my leg skin touching the seat so you’ll never catch me in shorts on a plane. If I’m wearing jeans, it means it’s a short flight and I was having trouble getting my carry-on to close. Maybe, maybe if I’m feeling tropical, I’ll wear this dress. But 98% of the time, it’s pants.

My airplane pant choice has evolved from leggings to joggers to wide-leg pants. For the last year, these Aerie pants have been my go-to flight pants. They’re comfortable, lightweight, and look tidy.

 I’m 5’9” and a size 10, and take these in a L tall—they are probably half an inch too long but I’d prefer too long to too short. Also! You should never, ever pay regular price at Aerie. They are in a perpetual state of sales.

I really wanted to be a Spanx AirEssentials wearer but their regular pants are awkwardly short and their long pants are way too long. Plus, $118 when not on sale? Get outta town.

A plain cropped t-shirt

I reach for a basic tee in white or grey when heading to the airport. I bought three from Old Navy for $6 apiece when I was going through a cropped t-shirt phase. They’re truthfully not my favorite—I wish they were a little softer—but I keep wearing them so they obviously do the job. 

The shirts I have are no longer on the site, but these vintage cropped tees are similar (and look softer). 

Cozy outer layer

I like a pullover hoodie for my outer layer on planes. I have this Vuori hoodie in blue (and did not pay full price for it). It’s soft but I don’t like the zip-up as much as I thought I would. For the last year I’ve been wearing this Marine Layer hoodie (size L). On its first outing I ate the mid-flight snack of a too-hot pizza pocket in the dark, and didn’t realize until we landed HOURS LATER that I’d dripped cheese and tomato sauce all over my sweatshirt. I smelled like old pizza all the way from LA to Atlanta. Devastating.

The stain did come out though, so the hoodie is still part of the uniform.

Supportive wireless bra 

A comfortable bra is CRITICAL, especially on long-haul flights. You will never catch me in an underwire! I was influenced by Emily In Your Phone to try a BOGO deal on EBY bras and I see why she’s a devotee. The wireless bralette is comfy and surprisingly supportive, though they do have the stupid pad inserts (WHY). I’m going to try the sheer version next, which does not. 

I had to size up; my regular bra size is 34DDD and the EBY size chart suggested a SDD. It was too tight so I exchanged it for a MDD, which was perfect. The exchange process was very easy!

Cotton underwear

I talked about bras so I feel like I should mention underwear. This one’s all you, wear your comfiest, most breathable pair of cotton undies. I also bring a small packing cube in my personal item with a spare pair of underwear and socks just in case. On the rare occasions we have lounge access when returning from Australia, I might take a shower in the lounge and it’s nice to have a fresh pair.  

Compression socks

I wear regular socks on the plane (again, personal preference) then switch to knee-high compression socks (affiliate link) for anything over four hours. I was shocked at how inflated my feet and toes started getting after long flights, but didn’t get serious about compression socks until I broke my ankle and had to fly soon after.

Step-in tennis shoes

Much like skin touching airplane seats, I do not want my toes exposed on an airplane. I can’t explain it, I just don’t. However, I will take my shoes off when I’m sitting, especially on a long flight. So I want something that slips on and off easily, plus won’t make me trip when I’m walking to my gate (look, not all of us are naturally graceful people). 

And yes, I hear how the above description makes me sound like a lady on an 80s infomercial.

That brings me to Kiziks, shoes you can step into (referral link—get $20 off & I’ll also get $20). I have the Milan pair in merlot, which no longer seem to exist. Truthfully, I go back and forth on how much I like the look of them—I wish they were a little sleeker and more water-resistant—but the comfort and convenience is undeniable. No more contorting myself to lace up my shoes in an airplane seat, and I’m able to walk in them for miles at our destination.  

Changing into your airplane travel outfit while in flight

My husband changes from regular shorts to comfy shorts on the plane, but I prefer to put on one outfit and ride it all the way home. Bundling myself and my clean clothes into that tiny, inexplicably wet plane bathroom would just make me feel more dirty. 

For long flights I try to get dressed at the last possible second. In my head that keeps my clothes as fresh as possible, but once you’ve been in an outfit for 10+ hours “freshness” is a lost cause. 

And that’s it! Having a go-to airplane travel outfit makes packing for a trip that much easier, because I never have to think about what I’m going to wear. 

Do you have an airplane travel outfit? Or a good rec for a soft t-shirt? Suggest away!

I started properly researching Sintra from our hotel room in Lisbon, the night before we planned to visit. Every post I read warned of crowds, traffic, and hard-to-snag timed entry spots. This wasn’t shaping up to be the easy day trip to Sintra I’d envisioned.

Book early, the internet said. Plan in advance.

Whoops. 

My research almost put me off of this day trip altogether. Sure, a town full of castles sounded cool, but not if we were going to spend the whole day battling other tourists as we criss-crossed the city to meet timed entry requirements. 

Once I let go of my desire to see EVERYTHING in the most efficient way possible, it didn’t seem so daunting. Here’s how we had an easy day in Sintra, without getting stuck on logistics or obsessed with ticking everything off the list (no small feat for a maximizer like me).

What is Sintra?

Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site roughly 30 minutes from Lisbon, making it a popular day trip. Up in the mountains, its cool temperatures and stunning scenery have attracted Portuguese royalty for centuries. Sintra has five palaces and castles, along with several elaborate residences. 

It is quite frankly overwhelming and I wasn’t sure what to prioritize.

Some, like the marquee attraction of Pena Palace, require a timed entry ticket. Others, like the National Palace of Sintra, have no time restrictions.

It’s a real choose your own adventure: save money by buying a combined ticket to different monuments, or visit only the gardens of one and the palace of another. Oh, and then there’s places like Quinta da Regaleira, which aren’t part of the “Parques de Sintra” so you’ll have to buy tickets separately. But it’s timed entry only, so make sure to line it up with the other places you’re going to see!

Confused? I sure was. 

In the end we landed on three attractions: the Moorish Castle, the National Palace of Sintra, and Quinta da Regaleira.

Transportation for a day trip to Sintra

Everything I read said not to drive to Sintra, and I’ll echo that sentiment. Parking is nonexistent, so you’d need to park outside of town and take an Uber, Bolt, or bus in. We heard that rideshares within Sintra can have a long wait, and traffic can be bad especially as the day goes on. Avoid that if you can and take a train or rideshare to and from the city instead.

To get there from Lisbon, you can catch a train (35-40 minutes, roughly €6 one-way) or take an Uber/Bolt (25 min, €15). We took an Uber straight to the Moorish Castle, followed the path downhill, explored the attractions in town, then walked to the train station and trained it back to Lisbon. 

The town itself is very walkable. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can follow an uphill trail from town past the Moorish Castle to Pena Palace; allow 45 min to an hour. It’s steep! I enjoyed walking down but wouldn’t have been in a hurry to go up. 

The tourist bus 434 runs functions as a hop-on hop-off loop around Sintra, covering “all palaces and castles,” including the farther-afield Montserrate. A 24-hour pass is €10.96. I cannot speak to the bus system as we didn’t use it; everything we wanted to see was accessible on foot so we skipped it. 

Overall, Sintra was much more navigable than I expected, if you don’t mind getting your steps in. 

What to see during a day trip to Sintra

Let’s start with the main options for a day trip to Sintra. These are the attractions you’ll see listed on the Parques de Sintra websites, plus the popular privately-managed Quinta da Regaleira. I’ve linked the websites where you can buy tickets online, and there are also ticket offices and electronic points of sale on site.

You can get a 5-10% discount when buying a ticket for more than one monument at the same time through Parques de Sintra:

• 5% for 2 locations
• 6% for 3 locations
• 7% for 4 locations
• 8% for 5 locations
• 10% for 6 (!!!) locations

I love a discount as much as the next person, but it’s not enough savings to stress over if you don’t want to lock yourself in by purchasing in advance.

All information is accurate as of 2026, and prices shown are for adult tickets. However, always check opening hours and prices as details may change without notice.

We didn’t go to all of these spots; I’ll detail the places we visited in the next section. We also visited in late April, and while timed entry tickets were slim pickings the day before, they were still available. The further into the European summer you are, the less likely that will be.

Park and National Palace of Pena

Palace opening times: 9:30am-6:30pm
Park opening times: 9:00am-7:00am
Timed entry: yes
Palace ticket (includes park): €20 
Park ticket only: €12

Commissioned by Ferdinand II, the “King-Artist” (that’s a self-assigned moniker if I’ve ever heard one), Pena is the colorful palace synonymous with Sintra. It’s right at the top of the hill and can be seen as you’re approaching the town. Pena is said to have been the inspiration for Disney’s muse Neuschwanstein Castle. I’d bet that it’s the most popular destination for a day trip to Sintra, but we skipped it (more on why later).  

Note that the Chalet and Garden of the Countess of Edla is on the palace grounds, and included in the palace entry ticket. 

The Moorish Castle

Opening times: 9:30am-6:00pm
Timed entry: no
Castle ticket: €12

Founded under Islamic rule over 1000 years ago, the castle is just below Pena Palace overlooking the city of Sintra. It has two rings of walls, one of which has a parapet walk. Absolutely incredible views of Sintra and beyond, but a bit unnerving for those with a mild fear of heights. 

There’s a short signposted trail between Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle, which takes less than 10 minutes. You can also follow the 1.2km trail from the castle into town or vice versa.

National Palace of Sintra 

Opening times: 9:30am-6:30pm
Timed entry: no
Castle ticket: €13

The National Palace is right in the heart of Sintra, recognizable by two huge white cones that jut into the sky. I was thrilled to walk into the palace kitchen and realize we were standing in the cones, which are actually chimneys. Every room in the palace bowled me over, especially what I called ‘the tile room.’ You’ll know it when you see it. 

Quinta da Regaleira

Opening times: 10:00am-7:30pm
Timed entry: Yes 
Entry ticket: €20 

Built at the end of the 19th century, this estate isn’t as old as Sintra’s other structures but it’s compelling. The extensive gardens have a fairytale feel to them and the gothic palace reminded me of Disney’s Haunted Mansion, though the interior was underwhelming. The big draw here is the mysterious nine-level Initiation Well. It’s 88 feet deep, damp and eerie with strong secret society vibes. 

You can walk here from the center of town in 10-15 minutes, but be aware that the entrance is at the top of a steep driveway that curves around the property. You’ll exit at the bottom. 

Villa Sassetti

Opening times: 10:00am-6:00pm
Timed entry: no
Free access to the gardens and the hiking trail

Villa Sassetti’s standout feature is its Mediterranean-inspired circular three-story tower, which can be seen in the hills from town, and from above at the Moorish Castle. It’s a ten minute walk from the center of town, and it’s free to wander the gardens though you can’t enter the building itself. 

Outside of Sintra

Several attractions are outside of Sintra itself. We didn’t venture this far in our day trip to Sintra, but these would be great additions to a longer itinerary. 

Park and Palace of Monserrate

8km west of Sintra
Opening times: 9:00am-7:00pm
Timed entry: No
Entry ticket: €12

This stunning residence and gardens has passed through many hands since it was built in 1540. The roofs are undergoing restoration work until Q1 2027, so you’ll have to wait until afterwards to see it in all its glory. 

National Palace and Gardens of Queluz

16km southeast of Sintra
Opening times: 9:00am-6:00pm
Timed entry: No
Palace and gardens ticket: €13

Another former party destination for the Portuguese Royal Family, the photos remind me of Austria’s Schönbrunn Palace. It’s also home to the headquarters to the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art, so if you’re into horse art, this one’s for you.

Our day trip to Sintra itinerary

Here’s where we landed with our day, with approximate time stamps to help you plan your day in Sintra. Jared and I don’t tend to linger in places so you may want to allow longer at the attractions!

You’ll also notice that we skipped Pena Palace. The only available time slots were for the afternoon, which would have meant backtracking up the mountain, so we decided to skip it. Based on what I’ve read about the interior I don’t regret it, but if we’d been able to get a slot in the morning we probably would have checked it out.  

We could have bought a garden-only ticket for Pena but in the interest of time, decided not to. I was so enamored with the Moorish Castle I didn’t regret this either, but to each their own! 

Day trip to Sintra from Lisbon 

9:30am-10:00am: Uber from hotel (Sete Rios area) to Moorish Castle
10:00am-10:20am: Trail to Pena Palace to take pictures of the outside
10:20am-11:15am: Trail to Moorish Castle, explore Moorish Castle 
11:15am-11:40am: Trail from Moorish Castle to town, water stop
11:40am-11:50am: Walk to National Palace
11:50am-12:15pm: Explore National Palace 
12:15pm-12:50pm: Lunch at Villa Craft Beer & Bread
12:50pm-1:10pm: Walk to Quinta da Regaleira (our entry time block was 1:00-1:30pm)
1:10pm-1:50pm: Explore Quinta da Regaleira
1:50pm-2:15pm: Walk to train station
2:15pm-2:48pm: Train to Lisbon (33 min to Sete Rios on the Oriente-Sintra Line)

Takeaways from our day trip to Sintra

I really loved the Moorish Castle and every single room in the National Palace, and would recommend both wholeheartedly. We were really happy with our decision to take an Uber there and the train back; it allowed us to stay flexible throughout the day and on our own time.

Our snack break at Villa Craft Beer & Bread was a perfect stop. It’s just on the outside of the main touristy area, a short walk from the palace. Jared got a decent stout and I had an excellent flat white from the in-house coffee shop, Loja 5. The food portions are generous! We had a ham and cheese sandwich (€3) and vegetable bruschetta (€3.50) that was more like a flatbread pizza. Both delicious and large. 

I was less enthusiastic about Quinta da Regaleira. The initiation well was the main draw for me, and it was pretty impressive. We had to line up for about 5 minutes to get in and make our way down the winding walls.

The grounds were beautiful, but by that point in the day I was slowing down and the crowds were building. Looking back, if I had to drop one spot from our itinerary it would be this one. With that said, if we’d skipped it I’d be sitting here writing about how disappointed to have missed the well.

Go with the flow for an easy day trip to Sintra

My advice is not to overthink it! We almost talked ourselves out of a day trip to Sintra because of our lack of planning, but that would have been a big miss. I don’t regret skipping Pena and I’m glad we chose just three attractions to visit. If we’d tried to squeeze in more, it would have become overwhelming.

Sintra is a beautiful spot, an easy day trip from Lisbon, and worth visiting even if you only have a day to check it out!

Pin this for your trip to Sintra!

I’m not a medical professional, but I am someone who broke her ankle, flew to Greece, and had no regrets (except for breaking it in the first place). 

The broken ankle backstory

How I broke my ankle

I broke the bottom of my fibula surfing in St. Augustine, Florida, five weeks before a long-planned trip to Greece. You can read the whole story here. 

I was very lucky and did not need surgery. The fracture was nondisplaced, which meant the two pieces of bone were in the right position for healing. I was in a splint and crutches for just under a week before transitioning to a boot and crutches. 

I had another x-ray two weeks before our 10-hour flight from Atlanta to Athens to confirm that the ligaments hadn’t pulled the bone out of place. When my orthopedist saw that the bones were still in the right position, he confidently told me to start weight bearing in the boot and get rid of the crutches before going to Greece. 

My five-week ankle mobility progression

Once I was cleared to walk in the boot, it took a week of practicing around the house to get down to one crutch, then to stop using them altogether. By the time the trip rolled around I was walking unimpeded in the boot, with my doctor’s blessing to start transitioning carefully out of the boot around six weeks, towards the end of our trip. 

Deciding to go ahead with the trip

We almost called off the trip, and if I hadn’t been able to ditch the crutches I think we would have. Of course you can still travel with crutches, but it would have been challenging given the uneven ground, inclines, steep staircases, and ferries we had ahead of us. 

We had already cancelled a trip to Boston for the week after I broke my ankle—the thought of navigating Boston’s streets on crutches, not to mention the airport and my luggage, was unappealing. 

Weight bearing in the boot made all the difference. It meant I didn’t have to worry about my ankle swelling in the cast when we flew, and that I could get around reasonably well once we were there. It was the right decision, but if I’d been on crutches staying home would have been the right call for us. 

Before flying with a broken ankle

Make any necessary accommodations with your airline

We flew Delta, and you can request airport assistance through the app or in the My Trips section of the website. My options were either requesting wheelchair service to the gate, the airplane’s entrance, or all the way to my seat. I originally had planned for assistance to the gate, but cancelled it once I knew I was comfortable walking reasonable distances in the boot. 

Also—tip your wheelchair assistants, especially if they’re helping with bulky luggage or crutches!

And speaking of crutches, you should be able to ask a flight attendant to store them for you on the plane, but it won’t hurt to check with the airline in advance. 

If you’re planning to travel with a knee scooter,check with your airline about storage. You may need to check it just before you get on the plane. I had a basic knee scooter that was great for getting around the apartment, but it would not have stood a chance on Greek Island terrain. Test your scooter out before you commit to bringing it with you, especially if it’s not a heavy-duty one!

Explore your seating options when flying with a broken ankle

Flying with a broken bone is not fun, especially when you’re talking about long-haul flights. There’s an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, or dvt, which can lead to a pulmonary embolism. Usually passengers can get up and move around throughout the flight to stimulate blood flow and reduce this risk, but with a broken lower limb that becomes more challenging. 

Even before the fractured bone, we’d already jumped on a first class upgrade offer for our return leg from Athens to Atlanta, so that was a huge relief. After the incident, I was prepared to splash out for first class on the way there, but there were no additional seats available in first class. I even called Delta to see if there were any special seating arrangements where I could prop up my leg, but no dice. I made do with limited legroom and it was honestly better than I thought. 

Remember that with a broken bone you’re barred from emergency exit seats — normal seat only. Do your best to get an aisle seat!

Talk to your doctor about a split cast

If you’re in a plaster cast your doctor may recommend a cast split—they’ll cut it to allow for tissue swelling over the duration of the flight. I’m not sure how this works with a fibreglass cast, or what you’re supposed to do once you land. Again, this is a conversation to have with your doctor and not the internet. 

Purchase in-flight accessories as needed

I bought a few things that really helped for the economy flight to Greece:

• Compression socks: combat swelling in the lower leg 
• Foot hammock: I hate not having a footrest and this was awesome. It might have been annoying for the person in front of me but they didn’t complain so I’d do it again in a second. 
• Baby aspirin: my doctor suggested I take low-dose aspirin (81mg) to reduce the risk of blood clots, but he didn’t seem too worried either way. 

Packing your bag

I try to travel carry-on whenever possible so this trip was no different. I was able to pull my own bag, but with crutches that would have been virtually impossible. Jared would most certainly have been saddled with the bag. 

An unexpected bonus—I only packed one of each shoe I wanted to bring, which did free up some space in the suitcase. 

Flying with a broken ankle: on the plane

Pre-boarding

There’s a point during the boarding process when the flight attendants invite anyone who needs extra time to pre-board. If you have limited mobility due to a broken ankle, that is you! I was grateful for the chance to board before the crush of people at the gate and have extra time to put my carry-on in the overhead bins. 

I didn’t have to do anything in particular because my boot was visible, but if you’re worried just check in with an airline representative before boarding begins. 

During the flight

I was able to remove my boot during the flight when I was sitting down. It made for cramped quarters in front of my seat, but was much more comfortable. I also tried to at least stand and move around a bit when things were quiet mid-flight. I suspect the sound of me ripping the velcro straps off every hour was annoying but so is having a broken ankle. Do what you gotta do!

Deplaning with a broken ankle

​There’s not too much to say here; give yourself grace, take your time, and accept offers of help! Oh, and try not to crush anyone’s toes with your boot.

I hope you don’t need this post, but if you do…pin it for later

Why visit Alaska in September

We visited Alaska in September to overlap with my 40th birthday on September 3rd. We hoped for fewer crowds, decent weather, and a chance — however small — to see the northern lights.

September is shoulder season in Alaska, so prices tend to be lower and the busy summer crowds are starting to fade—the best time to avoid people without going full winter. This was particularly true for us in 2021, when cruise ships weren’t fully operational yet. 

It’s also prime time for autumn colors! Denali in September is an absolute paradise for the leaf-peepers out there. Even better, you won’t have to douse yourself in bug spray the way you might at the height of summer, a real selling point for a mosquito magnet like me. 

Of course, there’s a reason September isn’t as popular with visitors as the summer months. The weather is cooler and can be unpredictable (think: rain, and lots of it), and your odds of seeing the aurora are still slim. 

We hedged our bets with the weather by going in the first half of the month. The first several days were bleak and wet, but Alaska in the rain is still a beautiful place. We also got our fair share of sunshine, which we appreciated even more when it did happen. 

And we got extremely lucky and caught a glimpse of the northern lights while in Denali. (It was amazing. I cried.)

And yes—technically this is an 11-day itinerary, but if I had my time again we’d cut out Palmer, making this a true 10 day trip. 

Goals of the trip

Planning this trip was overwhelming. We had an entire itinerary with all accommodation booked, then scrapped it and started over. Then the pandemic hit and we had to rebook everything again for the following year!

 The website Valerie & Valise was incredibly helpful, and we used her ten-day Alaska itinerary as a starting point. I highly recommend her site if you’re spending any time in Alaska! Valerie grew up in Alaska and has a TON of great tips for visiting at any time of year.

I really wanted two things out of this trip: to see Denali National Park and spend some time around Alaskan waters. I also really, really wanted to see the northern lights but knew I couldn’t plan the whole trip around that goal in early September. 

We landed on Kenai Fjords National Park (Seward) for the water adventure, and allocated two nights to Fairbanks, as far north as we could plausibly go in such a short time. I would have loved to go to Katmai National Park to see the grizzly bears, but it just wasn’t on the cards this time around. 

10 Day Driving Itinerary of Alaska: Destinations

• Day 1: Fly into Anchorage
• Day 2: Check out Anchorage
• Day 3: Drive to Seward
• Day 4: Check out Seward
• Day 5: Drive to Palmer (Flex day)
• Day 6: Drive to Denali
• Day 7: Check out Denali National Park
• Day 8: Drive to Fairbanks
• Day 9: Check out Fairbanks
• Day 10: Drive to Anchorage
• Day 11: Fly out of Anchorage

Days 1-3: Anchorage

Where we stayed: Sea Wolf Inn Private Garden Apartment $112/night, we paid $264.85 for 2 nights w/taxes

What we did: We got in late, so picked up our car at the airport and headed for our accommodation to start fresh in the morning. We woke to cool, drizzly weather, but put up our hoods and hit the downtown section of the Tony Knowles coastal trail to get a feel for the area. Anchorage city center is compact and easy to get around. From there we walked along 4th street to see the famed Iditarod statue, sidestepping the piles of dirt from the construction happening at the time.   

We’d heard that you could sometimes see moose in the nature areas behind the airport, so after grabbing a coffee from Midnight Sun Cafe we drove along Northern Lights Boulevard to try our luck.  

And lo and behold, we saw one. I couldn’t believe it—two years hiking in Colorado with nary a moose to be seen, and here we were in Alaska less than 24 hours and one appeared right in front of us. 

On a moose high, we headed out to Flattop Mountain Trail not to hike but to get a bird’s eye views of the city. The clouds had other ideas but it was still a lovely spot with distinct Scotland vibes. 

Where we ate: Anchorage was still recovering from the pandemic when we were there, and most restaurants had erratic opening hours. I tried a few times to get chowder from F Street Station, but every time we went it was closed. We went into 49th State Brewing but it was too crowded for comfort. We picked up groceries at Carr’s and grabbed a pizza from Moose’s Tooth but the real standout were the malasadas at Wiki-Licious, which was right by our Airbnb. HEAVEN.

Days 3-5: Seward

Where we stayed: Studio-Alaska’s Point of View-Private & intown $169/night, total w/taxes was $422.90

What we did: Seward is an ideal base for visiting the Kenai peninsula. Our focus was on Kenai Fjords and Resurrection Bay, a spectacular region teeming with wildlife and glaciers. The 2.5 hour drive from Anchorage on the Seward highway along Turnagain Arm was one of the highlights of the trip. We stopped anywhere that looked interesting—a salmon spawning spot (where we sadly only saw one belly-up fish) and a stunning lookout where we saw multiple beluga whales from shore (tip: bring binoculars). 

I was obsessed with planning something for the day of my birthday, because I didn’t want to spend the day going ‘now what should we do?’ so we had booked a 6-hour cruise that departed soon after we arrived in Seward. I wrote about it here, but I had mixed feelings about the experience due to the rough seas. We did see puffins, which I was really excited about, and hearing pieces of Holgate Glacier cleave off and crash into the ocean was something I’ll never forget. 

The helicopter ride

The next day is when things got really good—as a last-minute birthday gift, we booked a 45-minute helicopter ride with Seward Helicopter Tours. The pilot asked what I wanted to see. Bears? Moose? I said bears, since we’d already seen a moose, and off we went. 

We saw several bears, including a mother and her twin cubs loping across the ridgeline, along with mountain goats. We also flew over Harding Icefield and across Bear Glacier, which was incredible from above. I felt like I was in a movie and didn’t have an ounce of regret when we eventually touched back down to earth. 

The next stop was Exit Glacier, a thick mass of ice that spills down from Harding Icefield and is accessible by road. It’s of course not as pristine as the comparatively untouched glaciers we saw from the sky, but it’s impressive. It’s also humbling to see the markers indicating how much the glacier has retreated over time: over 2,300 feet since 2004. The park service constructed viewpoints decades ago that now look out into a glacier-less mudflat. 

We unfortunately didn’t make it out to Homer on Kachemak Bay—the extra drive was a little too far on limited time. 

Where we ate: We ran into similar challenges in Seward with restaurant opening times and crowds, but had a decent birthday dinner at Seward Brewing Company followed by gelato at Sweet Darlings. 

Days 5-6: Free day (Palmer)

Where we stayed: Quaint Comfort in Downtown Palmer $92/night, we paid $78.74 for 1 night w/taxes

What we did: We stopped in Palmer because we thought it would be cool to go to the Alaska State Fair. By the time we got there it didn’t sound that appealing and we needed to find something else to do. 

That something was visiting a musk ox farm. 

I can confidently say I’d never done anything like it before. Musk oxen are hairy creatures from the ice ages that wouldn’t have looked out of place in The Neverending Story. The farm raises musk oxen for their hair (fur?), which is called qiviut and can be spun into yarn that is apparently eight times warmer than sheep’s wool. They seem like friendly little creatures and are clearly loved, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit them. 

Where we ate: Palmer has a ton of breweries with great reviews. We got lunch and a beer at the cozy hole-in-the-wall Palmer Brewery and Cider House.

Days 6 – 8: Denali National Park

Where we stayed: Denali Park Hotel $199/night, we paid $352.60 for a king room, 2 nights w/taxes

What we did: DENALI. Now this was my favorite part of the trip. We lucked out and the fall colors were absolutely stunning. On the way up we stopped in the adorable town of Talkeetna to look at the cute shop fronts and wish we’d stayed there instead of Palmer. 

Denali National Park is named for Denali, the highest mountain in North America at 20,310 feet. We pulled over at every lookout on the way, hoping to be part of the 30% of visitors who see her peak. The clouds parted at one point, revealing a snowy spike that was breathtaking in real life but refused to be captured on an iPhone camera. 

We have an annual National Parks pass, so even though we didn’t arrive until late afternoon, we ducked in for a sneak peek before a full day in the park. Cars can only drive up to mile 15 and visitors can only go further on a designated national park bus, currently running up to a landslide at mile 43. 

Minutes after driving into the park, we noticed one of these green buses pulled over with all of the passengers glued to the far side, looking at something. Obviously, we also pulled over. This doesn’t always pay off, but in this case it did—a moose and her two calves were munching their way through the brush just off the road. 

Denali National Park by transit bus

The next morning we returned to the Denali Bus Depot to catch our own transit bus, which we’d booked in advance. These differ from park-run tour buses, which have a set itinerary and narration from a tour guide. Denali transit buses are theoretically hop-on hop-off, so you can do your own thing, then flag down a passing bus when you’re ready to move on. 

There is a flaw to this system, which I’ll get to in a minute. 

We took the bus all the way to mile 43, planning to hop off at Savage River on the way back to do a hike. The driver was excellent, providing commentary and pointing out wildlife along the way. We saw a grizzly, two bull moose, and caribou as we wound our way through the spectacular wilderness.  

We disembarked at Savage River as planned, a hub for hiking trails. We chose the mildly strenuous four-mile Savage Alpine Trail, and I couldn’t shake my fear that we’d encounter a grizzly. 

We saw a cute gopher and just missed a bobcat, but were otherwise free to enjoy the gorgeous reds, oranges, and yellows of the changing leaves. At the end of the hike we were pleasantly exhausted, looking forward to catching a bus back to the parking lot and going for a beer. 

We started walking down the main road and flagged down the first bus we saw. The driver shook her head at us as she flew past, indicating that the bus was full. 

OK. That was fine. We’d go across the road and see if we could catch the Savage River shuttle. 

Full. 

Another green bus came by, and this one actually stopped. One person got off, and the driver denied us entry. 

Sorry. Full.

The next bus wasn’t for another hour, and we were twelve miles from the park entrance. We did the only thing we could think of, and that was to start walking. Within a few minutes, a car pulled over to offer us a ride. We said yes to the young German nannies without hesitation, and finally got to our car and, soon after, that beer. 

The Northern Lights

I’d been tracking the aurora forecast throughout our trip, but didn’t like our chances. The aurora in September is possible, but not probable. We’d just missed a showing in Anchorage, and the rainy weather hadn’t infused me with hope. 

That night at 1am, I heard low voices and crunching footsteps outside. I got out of bed and pressed my face to the window, where I was almost certain I saw lights. Jared and I hastily got dressed and put shoes on, just in case. 

Several people milled about, heads tipped back towards the sky where a mysterious green swirl danced in the darkness. The northern lights. It wasn’t the brilliant prism of colors you get in the winter, but it was unmistakeable and tears sprang to my eyes. 

We watched the green lights undulate into different patterns across the sky, fascinated by how dynamic and alive they were. I recognize how cheesy this sounds, but that moment will live in my heart forever. 

Where we ate: We had a very tasty lunch at the Flying Squirrel Cafe on the way out of Talkeetna. Dinner was from Healy Thai Food, a food truck near the hotel. It’s also next to another location for 49th State Brewing, where we had that well-earned beer and appetizers after our longer-than-expected day at the park. 

Days 8-10: Fairbanks 

Where we stayed: Comfy/Private Alaskan Style Cabin #1 $117/night, we paid 283.01 for 2 nights w/taxes.

What we did: We built in a stop to Fairbanks, the gateway to the Arctic, specifically to increase our chances of seeing the northern lights in early September. After seeing them in Denali, the pressure was off and we just enjoyed our last few days in our cozy Alaskan cabin. 

We started at the Fairbanks Visitors Center, where you’ll find the oft-photographed moose antler arch. From there it was up to North Pole (not to be confused with THE North Pole), which capitalizes on its name in an underwhelming way. There’s a giant, nightmare-inducing, frozen-in-time Santa, a small reindeer enclosure, and a very large gift shop bursting at the gills with all things Christmas.  

Since North Pole did not take up as much time as we allotted, we had a free afternoon to spend at Chena River State Recreation Area, where we hiked the Granite Toors two-mile loop trail and I again spent the whole time paranoid about bears that didn’t materialize. 

That night we tried to chase the Northern Lights by driving up to Murphy Dome, a popular viewing spot. It was a rough ride to the top of the dome—we’d done a practice run in the daylight which made it much less stressful. We were one of many cars parked at the top, but it wasn’t to be. There was a faint green glow at the horizon which didn’t eventuate into anything more. 

Where we ate: I am a sucker for a good crepe, which is why we went to The Crepery twice. I nearly cried when they put the crepes in front of me, they were so beautiful. 

Days 10-11: Anchorage 

Where we stayed: Anchorage Grand Hotel $135/night, $151.37 for 1 night w/taxes. We’d originally booked at the Copper Whale Inn but there wasn’t availability when we had to push our trip to the following year. 

What we did: This was a driving day: six hours from Fairbanks back to Anchorage so we could catch our flight the next morning. 

Where we ate: Malasadas. Obviously. 

What to pack for Alaska in September

The weather was cool but not freezing, and wet but not torrential. Overall pleasant and atmospheric but I was never in danger of overheating. We were relatively active and spent plenty of time outside. 

This packing list is hardly ground-breaking, but here’s what I brought (carry-on only) and it served me well: 

• Leggings
• Packable puffy vest (mine is similar to this one, it was a castoff from my MIL that I use far more than I ever thought I would)
• Hiking boots
• Darn Tough socks
• Rain jacket
• Thin fleece or hoodie for layering
• Tank tops or t-shirts as base layer
• Scarf/gloves/earwarmers/beanie
• Flannel button-down
• Sports bras for hiking days
• Sunglasses

Was this the perfect 10-day driving itinerary for Alaska? No, but it was a perfect first trip for us. I hope that we do get back to Alaska one day, but if we don’t, I’ll always feel good about what we experienced. This was truly a bucket list trip, and an exceptional way to spend a milestone birthday.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission for purchases.

I got my first—and hopefully last—broken bone a few weeks ago (get the whole story here), and quickly realized I was going to need some broken ankle recovery supplies to get me through the following weeks. 

I usually waffle on making purchases, investing way too much time in researching which is the Absolute Best version of a thing. I didn’t waste any time buying these broken ankle supplies; if I was going to drop money on this stuff I wanted to get the most use out of it. 

Here are the six broken ankle recovery supplies I bought, listed in order from least to most useful. With that said, I have been using all of these things every day during my rehabilitation.

6. Knee-high socks 

Cost: $2.50 per pair

I have a broken fibula and am in a tall walking boot rather than a cast, which meant I needed some tall socks. I started by digging through my sock basket to unearth a small selection that didn’t really do the trick. One pair was too tight, the other too hot, and none were really tall enough to reach the top of the boot. 

I read a hack to cut the toes off of old socks to give your toes room to breathe, which I thought was a great idea. It wasn’t, not really—the toe section of the boot liner quickly got gross, and the socks rolled back to the ball of my foot. 

I had some luck with a sun sleeve I’ve been carrying around since Korea, but it was just a little too thin. So I started by purchasing these toeless compression socks. These worked for a couple of days, until I realized they were compressing at the toe and causing unnecessary swelling. Plus, they were really hard to put on over a busted ankle joint with floppy ligaments and painful tissue. 

Amazon’s sock options were frankly overwhelming so I turned to my old standby, Target, where knee-high socks were only $2.50 a pair. I bought three pairs, which last six days since you’re only using one at a time. 

These socks were the winners because: 

• they’re cheap
• they’re easy to pull on over an ankle injury
• they don’t pinch my calf at the top 
• they feel nice

5. Extra pillows

Cost: $4 per pillow, $5 for 2-pack of pillowcases

So. Many. Pillows. 

I initially bought 3 extra pillows to keep me comfortable on the six-hour drive from St. Augustine to Atlanta, since I’d be riding in the back seat with a freshly broken ankle. Plus I knew we didn’t have many extra pillows at home. 

I bought three of these pillows and the cheapest pillowcases I could find, and have continued to use these pillows to tuck along my sides at night. I’m a natural side sleeper and the pillows make sleeping on my back much more comfortable while the ankle is healing.  

I chose these pillows because:

• they were cheap
• it was convenient for my mom to pick up the order at Target

4. Platform sneakers

Cost: $29.40 on sale

A walking boot adds several inches of height to the leg with the ankle fracture. This doesn’t have a huge impact when you’re non-weight-bearing, but once you start touching the boot to the ground it can throw off your alignment.

People recommend these shoe levelers, which makes sense if you wear a variety of shoes. However, I work from home and quite frankly have not been going outside much with this injured ankle. I also gravitate towards sandals, at least in the warmer months, which don’t seem compatible with the levelers. (I also bought these platform slippers for crutching around the house. They’re not quite tall enough but they do help.)

I tried platform Supergas but the fit wasn’t quite right so back they went. Then I ordered Seavees because this pattern was on sale for $30 and they’ve been a very close fit for the boot height. The platform is thick, but the real trick is the insert which gives me a vertical boost. 

I like the Seavees because:

• they come in a variety of fun colors & patterns
• they’re comfortable
• the platform is generous – about 1.5″
• the sneaker insert gives that extra boost to match the walking boot
• I’ll keep wearing them after my symptoms subside

3. Shower chair

Cost: $27.69

I am so grateful I didn’t need surgery and can remove my walking boot to shower. I started by trying to balance myself in the tub shower, which was fraught with danger and required some complex twisting maneuvers to get in. 

I thought a shower chair would be handy but underestimated its powers to help with limited mobility. It allows me to get into our main shower, which is a few inches up from the ground—there’s no way I could get in there otherwise. 

It’s also such a relief to sit and not worry about balancing on a wet floor. 

I’m 5’9″ and have the legs set high, which I thought would make it feel less stable but it’s been totally fine. 

I like this chair because:

• it’s adjustable
• it’s sturdy
• it has handles (super helpful for getting in/out)
• it’s fully waterproof (bamboo chairs looked better but reviews suggested they can get moldy)
• it’s inexpensive

2. Knee scooter

Cost: $143.58 (includes $15 off coupon + tax)

This was my biggest purchase and I haven’t regretted it for a second. 

I assumed all lower leg bone fractures would be non-weight-bearing, but that hasn’t been the case. My x-ray showed a non displaced fracture of the distal fibula, so my doctor cleared me almost immediately to be weight bearing as tolerated. He discouraged reliance on a knee scooter because he wanted me to keep my muscles and joints active, but I needed more mobility sooner. 

I considered walkers, arm crutches, and the iWalk hands-free crutch, but went with a knee-scooter because it best fit my needs—I was looking for convenience and the ability to use my hands, and the scooter gave me both of those. 

Our apartment has wide hallways and hardwood floors: perfect for rolling. I try to prioritize my crutches, but the knee scooter opens up so many more options. I worried about using it with a boot. While there was some initial tenderness and a tiny bit of bruising from the top of the boot pressing against my leg, it hasn’t been an issue. 

The scooter would work well for most ankle sprains or breaks involving a below-the-knee boot, cast, splinting, or ankle brace—but as always consult your doctor. I think some higher-up leg injuries, particularly to the tibia, may not be suitable. 

I knew I’d be using the scooter mostly inside, so I didn’t look into the expensive rugged versions with better shock absorption and tighter turning circles. I also knew I wanted a basket and that was 100% the right decision. 

This scooter fits easily in the back of our Subaru Forester but isn’t great on uneven ground. I have taken it on a trip to Trader Joe’s and once to brunch and the movies. Even though I only scooted half a mile, it was hard work staying steady over sidewalk bumps and going uphill. But there’s no way I would have attempted it on crutches, so it got me out of the house when I otherwise wouldn’t have gone. 

I’m planning to sell the scooter when I’ve recovered; they seem to go quickly on Facebook marketplace. 

I chose this knee scooter because:

• the wheels were a step up from the basic version, which I hoped would give a little more shock absorption
• the wire basket was included (I didn’t want a fabric one with a lid)
• it came in green (I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t a factor)
• It had a brake lock, useful for doing things in the kitchen
• Amazon had a $15 off coupon

1. Elevation pillow

Cost: $39.99

If I’m sitting or sleeping, my leg is propped on this elevation pillow. After a couple of days of attempting to elevate on a stack of pillows I was more than ready to drop $40 on this pillow. 

It’s so important to elevate your leg above your heart to keep the blood flowing and avoid a clot in your blood vessels, but stacking pillows to find the right height is tedious. 

The pillow is adjustable, so you can remove the bottom layer for less height. It also has handles, useful for pulling the pillow towards you when you’re getting comfortable. The groove on top is perfect for keeping your leg in place—I’m much more comfortable resting my leg up without the boot on at night because it’s not going anywhere. 

It also comes with a support strip which I use to get the angle just right or lift my heel when it’s pressing down. I didn’t ice much, but it would also make it much easier to position an ice pack. 

This pillow comes in a single- or double-leg version; I can see the benefit of a double if you want your legs on the same level or have two injured limbs. For me the single is perfect. 

Why I love this pillow:

• soft material
• angled front fits well with legs, better than pillows
• stable
• handles to pull it towards you
• cradles injured foot in place

There you have it—the six things I wish I hadn’t had to buy but are making a big difference in my broken ankle recovery. Now if you need me, I’ll be on the couch in my knee-high sock, leg on an elevation pillow, drowning my sorrows in cheese and ice cream because calcium = bone growth. 

You may want to confirm with your doctor but I’m pretty sure that’s how it works.