Visit Alaska: Eklutna Lake

If you're visiting Anchorage, I highly recommend a stop at Eklutna Lake, which is just about an hour away by car. 

It was absolutely breathtaking (my youngest said it's one of the most amazing places he's ever been to).

There is a self-pay parking station where you pay a fee to park.  It's just $5 - don't be like that guy who said "I don't need to pay, I'll only be here for 5 minutes."  He ended up staying for at least 20, but even if it was just for 5 minutes, pay the fee.  There is a reason behind the fee - maintenance of facilities, trails, etc.  Entitled people, especially entitled tourists, is why opportunities get taken away.

But I digress . . . 

It was overcast the day we went, so we didn't get to see much of the turquoise waters, but it was still stunning.  The glacier flour / mud can get pretty unstable - one of my shoes sunk in pretty deep, and we all had a lot of mud to scrape off our shoes before getting back into our rental car. 

You can take the scenic drive along the lake, go on hikes, camp, and even canoe and fish on the lake.

You have to see it in person.  It is absolutely breathtaking. 

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Visit Alaska: Begich, Boggs Visitor Center

Because the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel allows you to travel through only during specific times, we had some time to kill before we waited in line, so we went to the nearby Begich, Boggs Visitor Center. 

We often stop at Visitor Centers while we travel on long road trips just to use the restroom and see if there are any magnets or keychains we can buy for our collection.  We also like to see if there are any cool exhibits, and the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center had many cool things to see - it's one of the the biggest and nicest Visitor Centers we've visited yet!  

There were so many exhibits, interactive stations, and even a theater!

It was like a mini museum!

I highly recommend a stop if you're in the area.  We learned a lot in the short time we were there!

Begich, Boggs Visitor Center
Portage Lake Loop

Girdwood, AK 99587

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Visit Anchorage: Concoction Breads and Provisions

We went to the Spenard Farmers Market to see what kinds of vendors there were, hoping to find something to eat.  There weren't too many, but thankfully we found Concoction Breads and Provisions.  

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll

Matchadoodle

Strawberry Sprinkle

The kids loved the treats.  I tried the Cinnamon Roll, and it was yummy!

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Visit Anchorage: Summit Spice & Tea Co.

On our last day in Alaska, we went to Summit Spice & Tea Company to get some omiyage.

Not only do they have an amazing selections of spices and teas, but their selection of Alaskan-made goods is quite impressive. 

Not only did I buy teas, but I also bought cookies, chocolates, smoked salmon, tin fish, baking mixes, and more - all made in Alaska.

They also have a curated selection of non-Alaskan made goods.

Summit Spice & Tea Co. was the best spot to shop for omiyage!

Summit Spice & Tea Co.

3030 Denali St #2

Anchorage, AK 99503

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Visit Alaska: Extreme Fun Center

We were near Wasilla, so we decided to stop at Extreme Fun Center.

It's a huge center, with an arcade, bumper cars, mini bowling, rock climbing, and so much more. 

We were there solely for the arcade. 

The arcade is huge, with all sorts of games that kept the kids busy for nearly two hours. 

What I really loved at Extreme Fun Center that I never saw in any other arcade - someone cleaning the game controls, buttons, etc. throughout the day.

I really appreciated how they take cleanliness seriously.
 
Extreme Fun Center

3501 E Old Matanuska Rd

Wasilla, AK 99654
 

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Visit Anchorage: Akutaq at Blackbull Native Store

I saw a thread on Reddit that you can find akutaq, a type of Native Yup'ik "ice cream," at Blackbull Native Store.  

Traditionally made with animal fat (from caribou, reindeer, etc.), fish, and berries, modern versions are made with Crisco, sugar, and berries.

At Blackbull Native Store they offered a huge variety of flavors.  

The employee said to try the "OG" flavor, which was made with salmonberries. 

It was slightly sweet, slightly tart.  It was nice to try a native type of dish.   

The store also offers teas, goods, and other types of foods.

Definitely check out Blackbull Native Store to try some akutaq!


Blackbull Native Store

501 W International Airport Rd Unit 30
Anchorage, AK 99518

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Visit Anchorage: WooHoo! Ice Cream

After a disappointing dinner near our hotel and not wanting to patronize the restaurant longer than we needed to by ordering dessert, we headed to WooHoo! Ice Cream to lift our spirits and satisfy our sweet tooth. 

It's a small shop with a limited number of flavors,

Cookies & Cream

Nutella

I had the Cookies & Cream, and I loved how it was loaded with cookie pieces.  It was rich, creamy, and just what I was looking for.

WooHoo! was a great place to visit, with a friendly employee, and the customers were friendly too!  

WooHoo! Ice Cream
5881 Arctic Boulevard

Anchorage, AK, 99518

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Visit Anchorage: South Restaurant + Coffeehouse

Our hotel provided a free breakfast buffet, but on our last day in Anchorage, I suggested we go out for brunch, so we went to South Restaurant + Coffeehouse. 

We dined in the restaurant side, and ordered:

Vegas, Baby! Omelet

This omelet consisted of honey-cured bacon, roasted garlic, red onion, tomato, avocado, pepperjack, ranchero sour cream, and pico de gallo.

Sourdough Pancakes with Side Bacon

Sourdough is very significant to Alaska's history, so we had to try the Sourdough Pancakes.  You could definitely taste the tang in the pancakes. 

Death by Bacon

I love bacon, so this sandwich was the obvious choice.  It had simple, quality ingredients that made it delish - egg, bacon, arugula, cheddar, and maple bacon aioli.

Chorizo Burrito

You can add ranchero, salsa verde, or both for extra. 

Service was a bit on the slow side because there was a huge mishap with a table next to us, and a lot of attention was being spent on them, but the food was good.

After we ate, I went over to the coffeehouse side to pick up some sweet treats to go.

Walnut Brownie

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

McNeill Bar

Oatmeal Scotchie

Turtle Bar

The fresh baked treats were great!

South Restaurant + Coffeehouse
11124 Old Seward Hwy

Anchorage, AK 99515

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Visit Anchorage: Taco King

We like to try local / regional fast food spots whenever we travel, just to see what kind of specialties they offer.  One that I saw mentioned in Reddit was Taco King.  

Grilled Chicken King Burrito

King Fries

Fries were loaded with refried beans, carne asada, cheese, chipotle ranch dressing, and guacamole.  

Grilled Quesadilla

Bunuelos

Churros

The family liked the churros, but I loved the bunuelos.  They were so crispy, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, and drizzled with honey.

Taco King was a great spot for tasty, quick eats!

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