alaska, part I

Anders and I just spent the last few weeks in Alaska. We rented a car and drove north to Fairbanks and then south to the Kenai peninsula. Alaska is an incredible state with picturesque scenery around every corner. We loved it! Here are some pictures from our time in the north.

 The day we arrived was clear and sunny and Mt. Mckinley was in full force. This is really rare. Apparently the mountain is so tall that it creates its own weather, which tends to block the view of the top. Our hotel told us that only 30% of guests get to see the mountain. We felt very lucky.

 The mountain at sunrise.

 Anders was born in Fairbanks, so it was important to him to go back and see his very first home town.

 Beer drinking, shuffle board playing at the Pumphouse.

 Anders' very first home!

 We visited the Chena Hot Springs, which is a bit of a tourist trap. However, they have an ice museum, where you can get an apple martini in an ice glass!

 The hot springs were the real reason we went.

 Visiting the bus that Chris McCandless made famous. I have to confess...we didn't hike the 20 miles into mosquito infested back country to find the real bus. This is the Into the Wild bus used in the movie that can be found at the 49th State Brewery in Healy, AK.

The only wildlife we saw at Denali National Park was this roadside moose.

A few of our favorites from north Alaska:

Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge - a beautiful hotel with the best view of Mt. Mckinley. Splurge on the executive suite. The little town of Talkeetna is super cute too.

Pumphouse restaurant - The best restaurant in Fairbanks. Get the seafood risotto!

49th State Brewery - Located in Healy, AK. A really cool brew pub with delicious food and beer, outdoor games and the Into the Wild movie bus.

Chena Hot Springs - I would not recommend staying there, but you can visit for the day and use the hot springs, which are perfect.

Santa Claus House - just outside of Fairbanks in North Pole, AK. You can visit the Santa Claus House, which is a little bit silly, but you can send a postcard from there with the official North Pole postmark (I sent a card to my nieces telling them I checked in on Santa). They also have reindeer onsite.

Pictures from the Kenai up next!