Unforgettable Alaskan Adventure: Honeymoon in the Wilderness
- Kelly Pillsbury
- Jan 26
- 14 min read
Updated: Jan 26
You heard that right, last year we escaped to the wilds of Alaska to celebrate our marriage and explore places that neither of us had adventured to before. And boy, was it WILD!
Why Alaska?
That’s the question that keeps getting asked since Alaska is not your typical honeymoon destination. First and foremost, it’s someplace that we both had towards the top of our Top Ten Dream Destinations and neither one of had been there before which was important. Those that know us well, know that we are mountain people who love going into the forest to explore its rivers, lakes, and waterfalls. He loves to fish; I love to hike and we both love being in the woods, so Alaska came as no surprise. Another factor in choosing Alaska is that where we live, the summers average over 100º so the thought of going someplace tropical that would be hot and muggy, wasn’t appealing. We knew that we’d want to escape the heat by that point, and what better place to do it.
With destination in hand, we set out to plan our dream trip by contacting my friend Lisa Koenen of Full Circle Travel. She sent us a few different package options and we chose to go with Alaska Rail Vacations “Best of Alaska Rail & Glaciers - First Time Favorites” with two additional nights and an additional excursion. We decided on this package because it allows you to explore different parts of the state, see and do as much as possible with excursion options for every type of Alaskan adventure you can possibly imagine, and we had both heard great things about the rail system and how cool it is to travel through the wilds of Alaska via train.
Once we had decided on all our options, Lisa took it from there. She took care of all the details booking our hotels, excursions, train rides and additional days. Lisa truly went above and beyond in making sure we had the best rooms with the best views, that our assigned seats on the trains were the best of the best and even put every single detail of our itinerary into her custom app, which made our trip completely stress free! I 100% recommend her for all your travel needs and will definitely be using her for our next big trip.
Overall Thoughts and Impressions:
First and foremost, I needed to manage my own expectations about what Alaska had to offer, and what I was going to be able to see in just one week. I grew up exploring the mountains and Giant Redwoods of Northern California, have spent time in the Rockies and been to both Yosemite and Yellowstone multiple times. I have some of the most unique, amazing places on earth, including a National Park, practically in my backyard. Due to my previous experiences I expected Alaska to be so much more than any of those phenomenal places. These high expectations left me greatly underwhelmed at the scenery the first few days. Not that I didn’t appreciate Alaska’s beauty, but in my mind, I had hyped it up to be so much more. For example, I didn’t expect the Anchorage coastline to mimic that of the small town I grew up in. I also didn’t think that the Spruce trees would be so dang small compared to the Spruce and Pine that grow in the Pacific Northwest.
All of that changed the more time that we spent there and the more I realized that what makes Alaska truly unique, is its vastness and the fact that it is frozen most of the year. This makes life in Alaska hard. Not just for humans, but for the animals and plants that survive there too.
As for how vast Alaska is, there is so much wilderness that you could spent months exploring it, and not even scratch the surface. Our entire week was jam packed with excursions that took us out into the wild, and we only experienced a tiny part of what Alaska has to offer. Overall, we fell deeply in love with Alaska and can’t wait to go back and see even more of what makes Alaska truly unique.
The Details:
Now that we’ve got the why and how out of the way, let’s dive into what we did and what makes Alaska so unique.
Arrival 11pm on Sunday: It was light outside, which was a trip. I had completely forgotten that Alaska only gets a few hours of darkness during the summer so was surprised that the sun was still out. Another thing that surprised me was that he anchorage airport was still poppin at 11pm, which made it super easy to get an Uber even that late at night. The Lakefront hotel, which was our home while in Anchorage, is situated on Spenard Lake, the largest float plane airport in the world. It’s a small lake but has some great views.
The best part of arriving in Anchorage when we did, was watching the sunset over Lake Spenard from our room. Needless to say, the first official night of our Honeymoon was nothing less than dreamy and oh so romantic.
Day 1: The Adventure Begins
Day 1: The Adventure Begins
Due to our late arrival into Anchorage the night before we had decided while planning this trip to have our first day free to explore Anchorage. After having breakfast at our hotel on the deck of The Fancy Moose which has a fantastic view of Spenard Lake, we grabbed an Uber and headed downtown. We spent the first half of our day wondering around downtown Anchorage, checking out the shops and admiring what a clean city it.
On the recommendation of a friend, we grabbed lunch at the 49th State Brewery. Despite the popularity of 49th State Brewery, we were able to get a table right away on the back deck overlooking the Anchorage waterfront. I had The King Crabby Grilled Cheese and Jeff had the BrewPub Reuben which were both delicious and had us leaving there stuffed!
Next up, we decided to hit the Coastal Trail which wasn’t far from 49th State. Admittedly we didn’t go far, the tide was so far out that all you could see were mudflats which left us a little underwhelmed since it reminded us of the small coastal town we had grown up in. Still looking for adventure and some killer Alaska views, we Ubered from downtown to Earthquake Park where we saw the same mudflats, only in a much denser, forested area which was right up our alley.
We ended the day pretty much where we started it, back on the deck of The Fancy Moose, which started to become a trend due to its convenience, excellent eats, and view of the Lake.
Day 2: Fishing Deep in the Alaska Wilderness
After having caught up on some sleep the night before, we embarked on today’s adventure, which was a Fly-In Guided Fishing Trip. First off was a 30-minute Seaplane ride via Rust’s Flying Service to the McDougall Lodge, a remote fishing lodge on the Yetna River. The seaplane ride was super cool. The flight is at a low enough elevation that we got to see a lot from the air, including a moose and her baby which you can see if you look closely at the picture below. The pilot was extremely knowledgeable about the Alaskan landscape and pointed out to us the lack of roads, power lines and other stateside amenities.
The first thing I noticed upon landing on the Yetna River, is that the river was completely murky, grey and you couldn’t see into it. Again, I was disappointed by my expectation of what I thought the rivers of Alaska would look like. I was expecting crystal clear waters where you’d see schools of Salmon just waiting to jump onto the boat. The reality is that the Yetna is murky due to the Glacier silt that is brought into the river by the melting glaciers which makes the rivers of Alaska truly unique.
Once at the fishing lodge, we were connected with our guide, along with a father-son duo who would also be on our boat as we set out to fish for Silver Salmon. The first half of our day was a total bust with barely any bites and only two fish caught between the 4 of us who were fishing which lead to further disappointment.
All of that changed after lunch and we were shown how to “floss” on the banks of the river. Once we started flossing, the fish kept biting and all in all, Jeff and I caught a total of 7 Salmon within just a few hours with me getting Big Fish of the day! Once I had limited out for the day, I decided to leave the fishing to the guys, take my boots off and take advantage of the beautiful grounds of the lodge that just happened to have the softest grass I’ve ever felt. I did some yoga, meditated, and took in every bit of the scenery, and fresh Alaskan air that I could. By the time we caught our seaplane back to the Lakefront, Jeff was all fished out, and I was on cloud nine having spent the most glorious day on the banks of the Yetna.
Overall making this an excursion that I would highly recommend and would most definitely do again.
Day 3: 26 Glacier Cruise
Day 3 had us up early once again and boarding the Alaska Railroad for Whittier where we would embark on the 26 Glacier Cruise to explore 150 miles of the Prince William Sound. This particular excursion won a Trip Advisor Travel’s Choice Award for 2023, and was voted “Best Tour Experience” and for good reason. This no seasickness guaranteed cruise is an absolute must for all Alaska adventurers.
But let’s back up to the journey to get to the cruise. The Alaska Railroad is a treat in and of itself and shouldn’t be overlooked. First off, the windows on the train are HUGE, and some of the trains have domed windows (the train South from Anchorage does not) making it possible to see as much of the Alaska wilderness as possible. From the seat of our train traveling south, we were able to see the Turnagain Arm with it's scenic mountain views, a moose, a bear and several eagles. Added bonus, the seats are wide and comfortable, making the Alaska Railroad a truly pleasurable way to travel.
Once in Whittier, we boarded a catamaran to cruise through the crystal blue waters of the Prince William Sound down into Blackstone Bay, through the Esther Passage and into College Fjord to see some of the biggest, and most impressive Glaciers in the world all while learning about the sites from a National Parks Ranger.
Highlights of this adventure, besides the beauty of the Alaska wilderness and the Glaciers themselves included seeing otters, sea lions, and eagles, viewing several waterfalls, and watching a huge piece of the Harvard Glacier break off into the water. Added bonus was being able to the Glacier fall on video. Being able to explore this part of Alaska had me longing for more as it’s sites and beauty, are truly unmatched. You better believe our next trip to Alaska will have us spending much more time in the Whittier area.
Day 4: Girdwood, Alyeska Peak and Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
On our fourth day, we were headed back south, this time on a shuttle bus via Salmon Berry Tours down the Seward Hwy, to explore the charming town of Girdwood and Alyeska Peak. There we visited the Alyeska Ski Resort, Girdwood Brewery and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
The Alyeska Ski Resort is Alaska’s only ski resort and boasts over 1,600 skiable acres and has one of the longest ski seasons in the country. During the summer months, those ski runs become hiking and mountain bike trails with views spanning the Chugach National Forest, Turnagain Arm and Chugach Mountains. On this particular summer day, it was overcast and cloudy, yet we took the Gondola from the Alyeska Resort to the top of Alyeska Mountain to see what we could see. Even with the cloudy conditions, the views were pretty dang spectacular, I can only imagine what can be seen on a clear day. Because we were on a guided tour, we had limited time to spend on the mountain exploring the trails but did have about an hour to stretch our legs and take in the views. You could even say Jeff hiked!
Next stop was the Girdwood Brewery, where we grabbed lunch from The Hungry Deckhand Food Truck which has massive, and I mean massive sandwiches. They are basically the quesa barria of sandwiches because they use a grilled cheese sandwich at the “bread” that your main sandwich is wedged between. Super bomb diggity and left us both full well past dinner time. From the Brewery itself, Jeff ordered a flight of beers which he enjoyed, and I had the on tap Kombucha which was delicious and may have been one of the best ‘buchas I’ve ever had. Overall, the vibe, availability of great eats, and bubbly beverages made the Girdwood Brewery a place I could see myself spending endless hours hanging out at.
With full bellies, we headed over to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center which prides itself as being a sanctuary dedicated to conserving Alaska’s wildlife through conservation, education, research, and quality animal care. It has over 200 acres of spacious habit that are designed to feel like home for the animals who live there.
Here we were able to see Brown Bears, Black Bears, Bison, Moose, Elk, Eagle, Wolves, Coyotes, Reindeer, Lynx, Foxes and so much more. Although I’m not a huge fan of seeing animals in “cages” I do appreciate a good wildlife conservatory where the sick and orphaned are given a home. I also like learning about each animal’s story and what brought them to the Conservatory. I truly believe, that through education and awareness, we can help preserve nature and allow the wildlife to thrive.
Day 5: Train to Denali
Day 5 had us once again boarding the Alaska Railroad, this time traveling north to Denali with Gold Star Service. The 7.5-hour long train ride takes you through some of the wildest places in Alaska and as much as I was looking forward to a nap on the train, I was too enthralled by the views to close my eyes for even a minute. Our travel agent Lisa really hooked us up with the seat choices for this ride. We were in the front two seats of the Gold Star train which meant not only did we have massive domed windows to our side, but we had two huge windows in front of us too. Also included in the Gold Star Service, is upgraded dining in the dining room with your choice of meals. The food was good as far as transportation food goes being much better than airplane food and comparable to what you might find at a cruise ship’s buffet.
Once in Denali we jumped on a shuttle to our new home for two nights, The Grande Denali Lodge which is nestled atop Sugarloaf Mountain not far from the Denali Railroad station, which just happens to be at the entrance to Denali Park. If spectacular views are what you’re looking for, then The Grande Denali is where you want to be! From the grounds of the Grande Denali, you get panoramic views of both the Denali Wilderness and Nenana River Canyon.
Because the Grande Denali is nestled on the top of a mountain, it is incredibly secluded limiting your options for food and beverage. Not to fret though, the hotel does have a small coffee shop, lounge, restaurant, and shuttle that runs hourly to “downtown Denali” and the Denali National Park entrance.
Our first night at the Grande Denali, we decided to hang at the Lodge, enjoying the grounds of the property with its walking trails through the woods and seriously gorgeous views. We also took advantage of the Alpenglow Restaurant on the property and had a fantastic meal out on the back deck which overlooks the Nenana River.
Day 6: Self Guided Jeep Excursion through the Denali Forest
If you're looking for an exciting off-road adventure through the Denali Wilderness, than you may want to pass on this excursion. If you are looking to drive your own Jeep down the Denali Highway, see some amazing views while learning everything there is to know about this part of Alaska, then Denali Jeep Tours is the trip for you.
A little backstory about this tour and how the Denali Highway went from being a 4-wheelers dream, to a gravel road better maintained than most of the roads in California. The Denali Highway is maintained by the residents, which are few and far between. These are the bravest of the brave, living in a truly remote area that freezes over 7 months of the year and is several miles from the nearest grocery store. So much so, that one of the homesteaders that lives off the highway, is featured in a popular Discovery Channel TV series. I guess those Discovery Channel dollars have made the road a little less 4X4 and a lot more leisurely drive.
With that being said, we were a bit under whelmed as we were expecting to do a little 4-wheeling that Jeep we were driving. That's not to say that we didn't enjoy ourselves, it just was not what we were expecting. Some highlights of the excursion were seeing multiple bald eagles in flight, eating wild blueberries on the Alaskan Tundra, and seeing Mt. Denali once again amongst other limitless views.
Our tour guides were not only friendly, but also incredibly knowledgeable about the area. One thing that really stood out to me, was the effect that the Spruce Bark Beetle has had on the Denali forest. This tiny beetle in huge numbers, has destroyed a great deal of the Spruce trees, leaving them dead and dry. Also, Bob Ross once lived in Denali and started his painting career there. I mentioned earlier in this post that the trees in Alaska are small compared to those in the Pacific Northwest due to the fact that their roots can't grow deep because of the harsh weather. Knowing this explains why Bob always painted "happy little trees."
Overall, the Denali Jeep Tours was well worth the cost despite not being what we expected.
Day 7: HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFFE
Day 7 just happened to be Jeff's birthday, and the one day that we didn't have any plans in the morning. We decided to change that and do something exciting: Zipling through the Denali forest! Denali Zipline Tours did not disappoint. The tour begins with a three-mile ATV ride through the scenic Alaskan wildnerness which more closely fit what we had been hoping for the day before. Once at our destination, we geared up and started the real thrill. Denali Ziplines takes you on 6 skybridges and 7 thrilling ziplines which had us screaming and smiling from ear to ear with each one.
After zipling through the forest, it was off to the train station at the entrance to Denali National Park. We found ourselves there early enough that we were able to check out the visitor center which I totally geeked out at. It was seriously one of the coolest visitor centers I've ever experienced.
From there it was aboard the Alaska Railroad and on to Fairbanks where we would spend the night before catching an early morning flight back home. Once again we experienced Gold Star service due to Lisa Koenen's diligent work at Full Circle Travel. Not only did we receive Gold Star service, but she was able to secure us a seat at the very front of the train for the second time.
The ride from Denali to Fairbanks was nothing less than spectacular as we wound through the mountains, along and over the Nenali River and continued to spot the wildlife such as bears and moose.
Once in Fairbanks, we checked in to the cutest little boutique hotel, Pike's Waterfront Lodge nestled on the Chena River. Fairbanks is known for it's views of the Northern Lights and Pike's seems to be the premier destination for viewing. It boasts exquisite gardens, a steam room, sauna, library, a domed amphitheater with aurora themed video and a museum art collection. We arrived pretty late at night, and had to check out by 5 to catch our flight, which left me wanting more.
Overall, even though we had brief times of feeling underwhelmed, we had an amazing time that we'll never forget. Alaska stole a piece of our hearts and left us wanting more. You better believe, it's one state that we're looking forward to visiting again someday and exploring more of what it has to offer.
Love this! What a beautiful adventure! Thank you for sharing ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️