Well it's like this, my DH and I are tired of being the bullseye here in Florida, so we are escaping for two weeks to Alaska! Yippy!!!!!! Actually we are celebrating both our birthdays this month (mine is the big 5-0), as well as, our 13th anniversary with a tour and cruise through the inside passage. Did I say, "Yippy"?

Anyhow, I was wondering if any of you, who have gone before us, have any advise for that part of the country. Or are there any CCers in Anchorage or Vancouver? I love meeting other CCers.

I am so excited for you. We took an inside passage cruise in June. We have cruised several times before, and I think this might have been my favorite. The scenery is amazing! Which ports will you be visiting? That will make it easier to give you suggestions. Again congratulations.

Anchorage(Whittier), Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and then finally Vancouver. I can't wait.

Lucky you! I wish I could come. Cruises are so much fun. Don't pack too many clothes, and don't eat too much.

Ok, there's definitely too much politics on TV right now!

When I saw the subject heading, I was afraid this was going to a big rant about Sarah Palin's pregnant teenage daughter, LOL!

By the way, my parents went on a trip to Alaska a couple of years ago, and my dad loved it and wants to go back.

We spent 2 months there in the summer of 2000 and I can't wait to go back. I am so jealous.

Anchorage is okay, but it's more like any other fair-sized city. It's hard to see alot because everything is so spread out but here goes:

1) Fairbanks - I loved Fairbanks!!
2) Denali National Park and hopefully you can see Mt. McKinley because I didn't see the peak at all in 3 days
3) Skagway and Haines - You can take the ferry between then and it's really cool
4)Kenai Peninsula - the drive is absolutely gorgeous and Homer is just a cool, artsy little town
5) Anchorage - there is 4th Avenue and Earthquake park and the bore tide that comes in every day in Turnagin Arm.


Well, I just read your post again and not all of this will be possible. You will probably stop at Skagway and Sitka and Ketchikan and Juneau which will be cool because we didn't get to see the last 3 places since we couldn't drive there.

If you get the opportunity, fly to Barrow for the day. It's on the northern shore and not many people get to say that they have dipped their feet in the Arctic Ocean. I thought it was really cool.

Be sure to dress warm, even in the summer. The summer I was there, it never got above 60 but it was a cooler than usual summer that year.

Did I say I was jealous? Have a fantastic time!!!

Never been, but high on our list of "things we want to do before we die" is an ALaskan Cruise!!! I envy you!

i lived in anchorage a few years ago, sept is gonna be cold. winter is on its way- i would def. bring a winter coat. get some reindeer sausage! very, very good!

I've lived here in Alaska for about thirty three years now. I don't know how this site works as I am a newbie. If you send me a private message perhaps we could exchange emails and I could give you some tips. I moved up from Florida when I was twenty three. I had one suitcase, twenty dollars and a place to stay. It goes without saying...I love it here.

Oh DebraDough, I will.

If you get to roam around Anchorage, you gotta eat at Gwennie's! We're moving to Nikiski next year after some delays (we planned originally to be there four years ago!). Drive around the Kenai peninsula if you can; it's just gorgeous.

Have fun!

Deanna

Hi,
I grew up in Anchorage, moved away and back twice. Beautiful place, Alaska! Make sure you have lots of film or good rechargable batteries for your camera because you'll no doubt take a gazillion pictures! You'll see so much on your cruise.

There is another CC'er named KoryAK who lives in Anchorage. She owns a cake shop and was very kind to show me around it when I was there this past summer.

While in Anchorage, go to the Alaska Wild Berry Park. It's a total touristy shop and restraunt but they have everything there for souviners. They have live reindeer, a show and you can watch them make candy through the glass windows. Also, downtown Anchorage has tons of tourist shops. You can buy moose and reindeer sausage at almost any tourist shop.

Enjoy!
KimAZ

I can't believe I forgot the Wild Berry!! Yes, go there! Mmmmm, chocolate!

We always stop at Gwennie's on the way out from the airport when we go to Anchorage. The breakfasts are huge, and at least one of us always gets the reindeer sausage.

Deanna

Judy, are you really from Jacksonville, Florida? That's where I grew up. And the lady who wants to move to Nikiski...that's where I live, technically. I am closer to Kenai than to Nikiski in reality. I guess what comes to my mind is why would anyone want to live in Nikiski? The Kenai Peninsula is indeed beautiful but Nikiski? As far as Gwennies well...I guess it depends on what you want to eat. Me ....I'd rather go to a million other places. And the berry product place....hmmm...their chocolate tastes like parafin and chemicals to me. I have made my own candies made with my own home grown berries and smoked my own fish and made my own sausage for so long that the stuff they sell here reminds me of the many, many tourist deals in Florida...anyone running to buy a Stucky's pecan log. Yuk! Oh well ...I guess if you have no other choices it will do. Oh....and Judy ...I didn't realize that you had posted as much about your trip as you did. I'll get back to you later with some thoughts. Blessings to all of you cake buddies. I am so jazzed with this site. I've been doing this stuff for 43 years and have never been taught how to do any of it. I'm an artist by nauture and just seem to fumble through with books and trial and error. I made my youngest daughter's wedding cake last March and it had 189 gum paste roses on it. I had never made them before but by the time I got done I wasn't half bad. The real trick was getting the fondant over the 18 inch base. That was fun. Anyway....blessings to each of you. I have already learned SO much from this site. It is indeed addictive. Debra

Nikiski isn't tourist central, that's true, but the land that we own there met all the criteria we had. We like it there. We know and like our neighbors and we have a lovely view over our lake. Why did you move there? When we're in Anchorage, we're only there for a few hours at most before heading off to our place, so yeah, we like touristy stuff.

I'm glad you're having fun on CC. There are lots of nice people here.

Deanna

DebraDough & TooMuchCake,

Thank you so much for giving me suggestions for Alaska. I would love to meet both of you ladies but unless you are going to be in Anchorage on September 10th (our free day before the land tour begins), we probably won't get to meet. Thats too bad because I love meeting CCers when I travel.

Deanna, I checked out your cakes, website and blog. You do some pretty amazing work.

Debra, I just noticed you are truly a newbie here. Welcome to CC. You are going to love this place. But you must get some cakes loaded for us to look at. And see, you've already made 2 new friends. One close by and one very very far away, even though we probably crossed paths once or twice here in Jax. I was born and raised on the southside but have lived in Mandarin my whole adult life.

Well 4 more days and we will be in the air on our way!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yippy, can't wait!

Hi Judy and Deanna...I grew up in Riverside. Graduated from Lee in 1971. Small world isn't it? I checked out your photos of your cakes. So cool. As far as Nikiski goes that's where I started when I got here and after a few years it's where I ended up. At the time it was a great place to raise my kids. I plan to sell my home (been here 29 years) in a year or so and then I will relocate someplace else in the State. I haven't decided exactly where yet. Perhaps across the Inlet where the population is about 25 or so. Maybe South across from Homer in a more isolated place. Just haven't decided yet. Where is your land? What street? I probably know your neighbors. There seem to be a million houses on each lake out there and of course there are a million lakes. I think we have more lakes than any other State. Perhaps it's because we are so much bigger than any other State. Well... I'm off to a football game. Have a blessed day and as far as photos go...I haven't ever really taken them. I have a few here and there. I did a fisherman's basket grooms cake a couple of weeks ago and the bride is sending me pictures of it. Maybe I'll post it and the wedding cake I did for her too. Gotta go. Blessings! Debra

EEK! Debra, take cake pics!! We all love seeing other people's work here on CC! I'm a fanatical cake-photo-taker. Post the fishing basket when you get the pics from the bride, okay?

Our land is on Independence on CharVic lake. We are supposed to be getting the road/septic/blahblahblah put in before the end of summer and we're starting to get nervous about whether or not it's going to happen. My only child will be grown and about ready to head off to a 4-year college when we move, so it will mostly be just me and DH.

I've only been to Homer once and it's achingly gorgeous there. The little shops on the Spit had just opened so we walked out past those, and spent time on the beach and driving around in the surrounding hills. What a lovely place.

Deanna

Well Deanna, I am sure Debra and I can help you when your child is heading off to college. We've both been there a while now.

Debra, don't forget to get your daughter's wedding cake on here and the others too.

I'll be arriving in Anchorage in the wee hours on September 10th, if either one of you have a need to travel to Anchorage. Can't wait!

I'm in Anchorage!

I hope you do! I am usually busy as hell but I will stop and talk as much as I can

Personally, I would skip Gwennie's. I don't really like it. For a nice dinner, my fave is the Marx Brothers downtown and for good casual food City Diner (which my shop shares a parking lot with).

Okay, okay, I cave on the Gwennie's idea. Maybe it's the food we're used to where we live now, but we really like Gwennie's. That's why there are other restaurants in Anchorage - something for everyone.

Have fun on your trip! I wish I could go with you!

Deanna

Club Paris gets my vote for the best food in Anchorage. Kory if I get a chance I'm going to stop by your shop today. I'm driving up from Kenai with my boys to do some school clothes shopping. If I don't see you this time I'll try on the next trip up. Everyone have a blessed weekend and stay safe. Debra