Of all the animals in Alaska (moose, wolves, caribou, and more), bears still tend to be the most sought after by wildlife enthusiasts hoping to catch a glimpse of one in their natural habitat. Here are some facts about bear viewing in Alaska that can help you plan your dream vacation.
Exploring Kachemak Bay’s rocky shores and tidepools is a singular experience when visiting Stillpoint Lodge. This part of the coastline is known as the intertidal, the zone of shore between high and low tides. And it is a world of extremes. As the tide comes and goes, the intertidal is sometimes drowned by the sea, sometimes parched. When exposed to the air, it can be baked by the sun or gripped by freezing temperatures. Sometimes it’s throttled by waves, other times slapped by the wind.
Each year we look forward to the first taste of fresh fish, a fish pulled right from the sea. The best food on Earth, I might add. All winter long, we eat salmon, halibut, cod, and other Alaskan seafood and meats out of our freezer. It is delicious and of course nutritious, but by spring, we are eager for fresh seafood and to feel the tug of a fish at the end of our line. And we’re lucky, because we live on Kachemak Bay, a 40-mile-long arm of the Gulf of Alaska that scientists think might be one of the most biologically productive ecosystems in the world.
Alaskans aren’t known for their fashion, unless you think about the gorgeous fur parkas that are part of traditional dress for numerous groups of Native peoples here—they’re known as atigi in Iñupiaq—or beautiful and practical mukluks, boots that keep your feet warm and dry in the winter while being light and flexible. In the area near Stillpoint Lodge, it is hard to tell the difference between some of the wealthy individuals that have million-dollar homes in the area from the coffee shop owner. Well worn jeans, quick dry pants, hiking or rubber boots, layered shirts, puffer jackets, vests and ball caps are the fashion of choice.
Alaska lures visitors with its stunning scenery and opulent wildlife. Visitors come to experience the state’s blue glaciers and tall peaks, its wild coastline, and fish-filled rivers and ocean. But, Alaska’s varied communities have a lot to offer too. An excursion into Homer from Stillpoint Lodge can provide you with a glimpse into the lives of Alaskans and the workings of one of the state’s most important maritime communities.
Fat Bear Week just came to an end in Alaska. It's an annual celebration of the fattest brown bears in Katmai National Park and Preserve, a gloriously remote swath of mountains and salmon-filled rivers where there are more bears than people. Each summer, brown bears crowd into the region's frothy streams to claw salmon out of the eddies and waterfalls in order to pack on the pounds to sustain themselves for a long winter of hibernation. Many gather at the famed Brooks River falls where they compete for fishing spots while sockeye salmon leap through rushing water to upstream spawning grounds.
It is a little-known fact that, from time to time, an orca might swim up to a recreational boat, roll over so that the whale’s white undersides are facing the sky, and use the boat’s hull to get a good belly scratch. Biology textbooks won’t tell you about this sort of thing. But in Kachemak Bay, you might just be lucky enough to witness this phenomenon for yourself. When an orca needs a good belly scratch, and you’re on the boat that’s going to scratch that itch, you are lucky indeed.
From lakeside hikes to fishing expeditions, Alaska is full of new adventures and scenes to explore! But further, it is a magical place for a child's imagination. Read about why Alaska is the perfect getaway for the whole family.
By Susan B. Barnes
For AFAR Magazine and Travel Guide
Many cruises may be on hold, but from train journeys to cycling trips, beautiful lodges to intimate expedition vessels, there are still ample ways to explore the Last Frontier this year.
More than half of Alaska’s visitors typically arrive aboard cruise ships. But this year, that won’t be the case with the majority of Alaska cruising effectively off the table due to the Canadian government’s cruising ban that lasts through February 2022.
For travelers who are eager to make the journey north this summer in search of sweeping mountain views, varied wildlife, and nature-filled serenity, there are still many enriching ways to experience Alaska, including on trains, bicycles, in lodges, and even on smaller cruise ships.
“Alaska is open for business,” Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy enthusiastically declared during a March 22 press conference. Those five words are music to outdoor enthusiasts’ ears, not to mention to the Alaskans who depend upon tourism for their livelihoods, many of whom are eager to welcome visitors back.
Prepandemic, an estimated 2.25 million visitors traveled to Alaska between May and September 2019, but it is likely that Alaska’s visitation numbers will remain drastically lower this year compared to those 2019 figures due to the falloff in cruise visitors and those still staying closer to home because of the pandemic.
That is not to say, however, that interest in traveling to Alaska is waning. It is among the top five states Americans want to visit, according to a February 2021 survey of 4,500 U.S. travelers conducted by travel research firm MMGY Travel Intelligence. (The other four states that topped the list were Hawaii, Florida, California, and Colorado).
Airlines have answered travelers’ renewed interest in Alaska by adding flights to meet the recent uptick in demand. Last month, Delta Air Lines added new flights to Anchorage and Fairbanks from across the United States, and Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and United Airlines have all followed suit with added service to Alaska as well.
When travel reopened to Alaska last year in the midst of the pandemic, the state required all inbound travelers to either produce a negative COVID-19 test result procured within 72 hours of departure for Alaska or take a test upon arrival and quarantine (at travelers’ expense) until a negative test result was reported. COVID testing is no longer required for entry into Alaska, but a negative test result prior to arrival in Alaska is still strongly encouraged by Alaska state authorities. Travelers should always check with local public health officials for any requirements or recommendations that could be in place at the community level as well.
In addition, the state advises that all visitors follow the CDC’s recommendations for traveling safely, including wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.
For those who are ready to experience Alaska, we have compiled some truly unique ways to do so, with an emphasis on outfits that support local communities and are dedicated to greener travel initiatives.
Hosted by Linda Cooper, Season Two takes you on an epic journey to the world's most exciting "Bucket List Destinations". The World Awaits... So what's on your bucket list?
It's a good idea to be prepared for any vacation, but especially a luxury Alaska vacation filled with daily excursions into nature. Alaska is a state filled with awe-inspiring wilderness and adventure that you'll want to be dressed and prepared for so you won't miss a minute.
That being said, you'll want to bring some of the following essential items before you head off to one of America's most extreme, but extremely wonderful, climates.
Join Mark Edward Harris and special guest Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Nick Ut for the ultimate Alaska photography workshop hosted by Midnight Son Tours and Stillpoint Lodge.
This Destination Alaska workshop explores how to create fine art travel photography – images that go far beyond the “I was here” photograph. Photographers will learn how to create beautiful landscape and wildlife images, as well as powerful environmental portraits and photo essays – pictures that tell a story – in America’s 49th state.
"The trip of a lifetime!"- that's how many of our guests describe this day of adventure. For most, the trip is perfectly timed get back to their cabin for a quick hot shower and still make it to happy hour... which everyone soon learns is a not-to-be-missed daily event... and they can't wait to tell the other guests and staff about their amazing day.
The midnight sunset is an unforgettable part of the Alaska dream vacation... Many people have a hard time imagining what it will be like to have 24 of daylight.
Please take a moment to enjoy this time-lapse video shot in June 2016 from the Daybreeze Cabin at Stillpoint Lodge in Halibut Cove, Alaska... You can see a boat full of guests returning from a sunset whale watching cruise with Captian JT Thurston. These days are long and full of activity.
THE CALL OF THE WILD
Alaska's Stillpoint Lodge: A Lodge for Adventurers
Is there anything sweeter than male bonding rituals, kayaking among icebergs, spectacular whale watching and bear viewing that feels like you’re in a National Geographic film? After a week at Stillpoint Lodge, it’s hard to recall a more adventurous, memorable travel experience.
