Alaska & Ukon Recon - Where To Toss The Bags

Where To Toss The Bags

Major carriers connect to Anchorage as well as Alaska Airlines. The highways leading to Denali, Fairbanks, Tok and Glennallen are well-maintained hard-tops with excellent signage. The Top of the World Highway (not open during winter months) from Tok to Dawson City can be dicey – drive cautiously and you’ll be just fine.

During the short Alaska and Yukon tourism season from May to August, many of the hotels get completely booked months or even a year in advance. Don’t depend upon finding decent accommodations without advance reservations.

I highly recommend the lodges where we stayed during our trip. We also dined at each of their restaurants and came away quite satisfied at the selection of Alaskan seafood and traditional offerings. I include other recommended restaurants for some areas:

• Anchorage: Comfort Inn Ship Creek (www.comfortinnanchorage.com). Don’t miss the fantastic Ginger restaurant downtown on 5th Avenue.
• Denali: McKinley Chalet (www.denaliparkresorts.com/lodging-food/mckinley-chalet-resort.cfm) and the Denali Grizzly Bear Resort (www.denaligrizzlybear.com).
• Fairbanks: Pike’s Waterfront Lodge (www.pikeslodge.com). Nice dinners at the Pump House and Silver Gulch Brewery; grab lunch one day at Soapy Smith’s Diner downtown.
• Tok: Golden Bear Motel (http://alaskagoldenbear.homestead.com)
• Dawson City: Triple J Hotel (www.triplejhotel.com).
• Glennallen: Caribou Hotel (www.caribouhotel.com).