Travel in Winter? Sure! The landscape is brilliant, and many cultural events provide entertainment when you have a rosy glow from sun and snow! Plan now for the Iditarod – we are counting the days and hoping for a good snowpack for the race. The history of the Iditarod is told well in a book, The Cruelest Miles, and you can get the 2023 details when you visit the event site. Here’s the thing: planning ahead is imperative if you want a place to get some sleep. Anchorage fills up, and posts along the trail through Alaska do too. Try the ‘inspected and approved’ B&Bs of Alaska for clean, safe, pleasant places where you will be well taken care of. Want to know what more there is to do at this time of year? Check Winter Events for ideas!
There are great places to eat in Anchorage – every visitor must go to Mooses Tooth for amazing pizza and the micro-brewery favorites. They have a sister restaurant with a different menu, called Bear Tooth. Restaurants are not all downtown: try Pangea for some amazing entrees! And Southside Bistro in south Anchorage (that will mean all of about six miles driving) is top shelf (and near several B&Bs that are inspected & approved.)
Anchorage has a trademark: the drive-through coffee kiosks. Try them all – drive up, get a fresh cuppa at whatever strength you like – you may never settle for a nation-wide-label coffee shop again. Just try to count all the coffee kiosks you see in a square mile.
You won’t lack for things to do, and you will want a nice place for the night. Some B&Bs feature fireplaces and hot tubs along with hospitality, privacy, and peacefulness. With the ‘inspected & approved’ label you get the assurance of professional business practices, licensing, permitting, and insurance that might otherwise be hit or miss. And you will get innkeepers who know the city and the state so when you want a recommendation, you have your own expert.
Want to make a choice based on particular amenities? Or by geographic areas so that you are staying near your old roommate, cousin, or friends?
When you are ready to tour the state, we can guide you to good B&Bs outside of Anchorage – just ask!
Mary M Rydesky, AABBA Board, is one of the Innkeepers with Anchorage Alaska Bed & Breakfast Association. She operates Jarvi Homestay.