Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula in Seven Days

Day 1 Anchorage

Start your day with breakfast at The Pantry at The Hotel Captain Cook, in the heart of downtown. From here, it's just a short stroll to the Sunshine Plaza for an historical view of the 1964 earthquake, or see it firsthand at Earthquake Park. After that, drive up to Flattop at the base of the Chugach mountains, which is one of the city's popular day hikes. Or, you could stroll a peaceful, wooded trail in Bicentennial Park. Have lunch on the huge outdoor deck at The Fancy Moose, overlooking Lake Spenard, the world's busiest floatplane lake. Visit the Alaska Zoo, and see some Alaska wildlife up close. Have dinner at Simon and Seafort's (the crab artichoke dip is to die for) for the most spectacular sunset view you could ever imagine. This sunset will last for hours (you ARE in Alaska...).

Day 2 Anchorage

After a hearty breakfast at The Ptarmigan Grill, start your day on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail with views of Cook Inlet and six mountain ranges. Rent some bicycles, or take a leisurely stroll along the trail. Now you could head up to Hillside, and have lunch at O'Malley's on the Green, with a breathtaking view over the Anchorage Bowl.

Then drive toward Turnagain Arm to Potter Marsh, home to more than 130 species of waterfowl. Enjoy hiking another trail; Anchorage has more trails than nearly any other city in the lower 48. After you've worked up a huge appetite, head downtown to Club Paris, an Anchorage institution. Here, you can enjoy a 4" thick filet mignon, which you'll enjoy with all the locals; this isn't a tourist restaurant. All of the restaurants I'm recommending are favored by locals; after being a resident for eight years I know the best places....

Day 3 Anchorage - Seward

Are you ready for some real adventure?? First, have breakfast at the Snow City Cafe, then head south via the Seward Highway, a National Scenic Byway and All-American Road to Seward. It is not uncommon to see Dall sheep, beluga whales and bald eagles from the Highway. Allow plenty of time for the drive -- both to take in the sights, and to allow for heavy summer traffic.

Once in Seward, visit the Alaska SeaLife Center and Exit Glacier, one of Alaska's most accessible glaciers. Take a boat tour of the Kenai Fjords National Park to see a variety of sea life such as otters, sea lions and puffins. An absolute MUST is the Exit Glacier Salmon Bake for lunch - for true, fresh Alaskan seafood, you can't miss this place! For dinner, I highly recommend Resurrection Roadhouse - their salmon is incredible. They also serve breakfast, which shouldn't be missed before you leave in the morning!

Day 4 Seward - Soldotna - Kenai

Drive through the Chugach National Forest west to Soldotna, famous for Kenai River King salmon, and the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, home to moose and other wildlife. Visit nearby Kenai, rich in history and culture, and tour the Holy Assumption Russian Orthodox Church, a National Historic Landmark. You'd probably prefer to stay overnight in Soldotna, before heading south to Homer. Keep your eye open for a salmon bake, as they're the best option for local dining. There aren't any really bad restaurants in town, and Soldotna is large enough that it even has a couple of chain fast food restaurants.

Day 5 Soldotna - Homer

Take a morning drive south along the bluffs of Cook Inlet, where sightings of beluga whales and seals are common. At the end of the road you'll reach Homer, a bustling artist community and the Halibut Capital of the world. Take an afternoon to explore Homer's historic harbor walk and eclectic art galleries. You could also take a water taxi to Halibut Cove, a quiet paradise tucked away in Kachemak Bay State Park. For dinner, head to Fat Olive's for a true oven-fired pizza that won't soon be forgotten. Fat Olives is filled with beautiful local artwork.

Day 6 Homer - Girdwood

Before you leave in the morning, make sure you eat breakfast at Fresh Sourdough Express - it's awesome! Now, head back up the highway to Girdwood.

Now that you're in the Portage and Girdwood area, take a boat tour to get up close and personal with Portage Glacier. Visit the Begich-Boggs Center and sign up for an ice worm safari. Most definitely you must visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center for wildlife viewing. Here, you can see muskox, moose, black and grizzly bears, and red fox to name a few. Eat lunch in Girdwood, at Jack Sprat's - beautiful view and fantastic food. Ride the enclosed aerial tram up Mt. Alyeska for spectacular views. There's also a world class restaurant at the top, where you definitely want to have dinner, called Seven Glaciers. It has a panoramic view of Turnagain Arm, and seven hanging glaciers; hence its name. The food there is world class, so make reservations for the experience of a lifetime.

Day 7 Girdwood - Whittier -Anchorage

Whittier is the western gateway to Prince William Sound. It lies about 60 miles southeast of Anchorage via the Seward highway, a side road through the Portage Valley, and the longest highway tunnel in North America (2.5 miles). Once you're in Whittier, you could either take a six hour glacier cruise, or you might want to go halibut fishing on a charter boat. They will clean your halibut for you, and even ship it flash frozen, packed in dry ice, to your home. What a souvenir!

The Whittier/Portage Valley turnoff from the Seward Highway is about 12 miles past the Girdwood turnoff. The tunnel road is new since 2000; previously, to get to Whittier, you had to take the train, which was its own adventure. Now, a new tunnel is open to cars. You will stop at a toll booth ($15 RT). The attendant will give you an information brochure and answer any questions you may have. Passage through the one-lane tunnel is controlled by traffic lights. The tunnel opens once once per hour in each direction and generally stays open for about 15 minutes in either direction. You can still get to Whittier by train, but you will have to start in Anchorage now.

Once you've left Whittier, return to Anchorage for your last evening before your flight home. I'd recommend dinner at Turnagain House, for one last evening of fine dining Alaskan style, combined with a spectacular view of Turnagain. Watch for the bore tide...

I hope you've enjoyed your virtual tour of Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula in seven days. Hope to see you soon!