Anchorage

Alaska 2005 Trip

Anchorage

I stayed one night at the Caribou Inn. It was way too noisy for me - it's on a busy corner downtown and there were loud trucks and motorcycles going by til late at night. I don't know how anyone can get a good nights sleep. On the other hand, I was talking with a couple when I was in Seward who liked it and stayed there all the time.

I was supposed to stay at the Caribou Inn the night before I left, but I canceled that reservation and reserved a room at the Susitna Place B&B. It's a few blocks from downtown and much quieter and nicer. Some rooms are in the basement and have no views, while others have great views of the Cook Inlet and the mountains. But regardless of which room you have, there is a living room and deck that have great views. It was sunny and nice the afternoon I was there and it was just great to be sitting out in the sun taking in the view. (They had seen whales earlier in the day but I didn't see any.) The picture below was taken from the deck at sunset.

There is the Anchorage Market street fair in the summer at 3rd and E on the weekends. Tons of stuff for sale - nice craft items to junky tourist stuff.

About 25 miles north of Anchorage, as you're heading to Palmer/Wasilla, there is a one mile trail to Thunderbird Falls (pictured above). It is a pretty and easy hike, although very buggy. I also wandered though the Eagle River area. Eagle River is a suburb of Anchorage, although not like any suburbs that I'm used to. Yes, as you exit the highway, there is a Wal-Mart, but you don't have to go very far to feel like you're in the middle of nowhere. I was trying to get to the Eagle River Nature Center, but I don't know if I took a wrong turn or just didn't go far enough, but I ended up turning around and going back to the highway.

Like my last trip, I went to New Sagaya's Market and Snow City Cafe. Snow City Cafe remains one of my favorite places to eat in Alaska, and would be great for a mixed vegetarian/ omnivore/ picky group, since you can get the standard bacon with your eggs, or tofu, or veggie sausage, or caribou sausage, etc. And when the menu says, BIG pancakes, they aren't kidding - they are the size of a dinner plate. My only wish is that they are open later, they are only open for breakfast and lunch. (I think they are sometimes open later for special events.)

Pictures taken in/near Anchorage.

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