#3 – Alaska – The 49th State, nah the 50th!

While Alaska was the 49^th state to join the Union, it was my 50^th state to visit!  I was originally supposed to go in July of 2020 with my cousin Rachel.  Well, we all know what happened then, so that trip was cancelled.  Once travel opened back up, there was always a reason not to go.  We had another trip planned, there was not enough PTO left, summer and early fall is the best time to visit, and on and on.  It’s so easy to make excuses and before I knew it, 4 years had passed, and I celebrated my 50^th birthday.  Then, a dear friend received an unexpected health diagnosis, and I thought enough is enough.  I have one life, I work hard, and I am going to live life to the fullest! 

So, I called my travel bestie Lori, and we were off to Alaska for the weekend!  Was it a long trip for the weekend?  Yes.  Was it worth it?  YES!

48 hours – what to do.  After looking at all the hotel options in Anchorage, we decided on a small AirBnB located between the airport and downtown.  While it wasn’t much to look at from the outside, it was roomy, clean and themed correctly!  We started our Saturday with coffee before heading out to explore downtown.  The trolley tour allowed us to explore a lot of the city, learn about its history and 1964 earthquake, and see the main sights.  There are lots of local things to do and we did them!  We found the Balto statue and the Mother Olga statue.  We tried Fireweed donuts and sampled locally made chocolates at Chugach Chocolates.  Everyone was so friendly, and we even got to meet an Iditarod racer and one of his huskies, Strider. 

On Sunday, we decided to explore a little further afield and headed to Girdwood.  From here we took a cruise to the Portage Glacier, which was absolutely incredible!  We saw some ice cleave off the glacier while we were there, and I couldn’t stop yelling, “Iceberg straight ahead!”  Luckily, we had a safe trip and then we headed to the Alaskan Native Heritage Center to learn more about the indigenous people of Alaska.  We learned how they lived, their customs and their traditions.  It was so informative and so important to recognize and honor those whose land it is.

Do I want to go back?  Definitely!  I’m still wanting to take my family on a cruise, but until then, 50^th State Level Achieved!