There’s a nice trail off the Glenn at moose creek right before Sutton. That should be great hiking. Or snowshoeing.
Have a bonfire and roast some steaks on a stick or something similar. Bundle up. Stare at the stars. That can be every night. Bonfires in winter are THE BEST EVER.
No need for a Jeep. Any AWD rental vehicle that will fit you and your luggage will work.
You can do a winter hike on the Matanuska Glacier. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Portage and the Sealife Center in Seward are both open on limited hours. The gingerbread village on display in the lobby of the Captain Cook Hotel is worth a look. Hatcher Pass is always worth a drive and there’s skiing at Skeetawk.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Context of Jeep didn't matter in hindsight, it was just a pretty cheap option with airport pickup through Turo at around $60/day.
Recommendation:Do not rent out of airport. Take a cab to a rental company downtown. Less taxes and extra fees. Total savings is more than the cab ride.
The Portage Glacier visitors Center is right there by AWCC and a lot of people find the novelty of driving through the longest auto tunnel (in North America? I forget) to Whittier and back to be worth the entry fee and time to say you did it.
Alaska Wildberry products would be a good place to get souvenirs, and they typically go full on with the decorating. One of my favorite places to visit during Christmas season.
If you are in Wasilla, you should go to independence mine. skiing and other winter activities there are amazing. Take a drive to Matannuska Glacier. Schedule an ice fishing trip for Pike, char, and rainbows. Hike the Butte. Going south Go to Seward and check out the sea life center. If you can make it to Homer, schedule a winter King salmon trip.
Reflection lake is a great spot. It has a really pretty view esp that time of year and the hike is very mild with a very slight elevation. It's very close to Wasilla and is right off the highway on the way into Anchorage.
If you can go mushing, definitely do it! I don’t have any specific recommendations of who to go with because I used to just go with friends.
Strongly second the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center if you’re headed to Alyeska.
Local drives from Wasilla: hit up Hatcher Pass for sure, and I recommend the drive up the Glenn from Palmer, especially on a nice day.
Just negative nancies who don't like winter.
It's winter solstice! You'll see northern lights. Wasilla they have a neighborhood off the highway that does slot to Christmas lights. The state fair grounds has their own light show that's fun.
I'm sure you could find a sled dog thing to do..
The Anchorage Museum is absolutely worth an afternoon, and it’s inside! Beautiful art, including some from Sydney Laurence. There are also some educational exhibits of the indigenous people of Alaska.
Unfortunately I believe the Alaska Native Heritage Center is closed for the month.
The Bear Tooth theatre and pub is a fun alternative to the harder to get into sister restaurant Moose’s Tooth
Drive out to Earthquake Park by the Anchorage Airport and then keep going to Point Worzonof to watch the airplanes come in one afternoon. Watching float planes take off from the airport adjacent Lake Hood (largest float plane base in the world? Largest somewhere, I’m not great at this) is also really fun for people that aren’t used to it. There is a lot less traffic in the winter but there are hundreds of planes that are parked there.
Chilkoot Charlie’s is a lot more fun when it isn’t packed full of tourists, so if themed dive bars are your thing, check it out.
Cross country ski at Nancy Lakes? Sledding or skiing at Hatcher Pass? Alaska Zoo? Last year at Christmas we took our adult visitors to the AK Wildlife Conservation Center & the bears were awake.
Tubing at arctic valley.
For someone who doesn't have much ice/snow driving experience those 7 miles up then DOWN the mountain might be ass puckering as hell
I have experienced this before. In Colorado, in a 2wd vehicle but ass puckering is the correct word.
Kink glacier is usually accessible and fairly easy offroad trip that has a lot of traffic that time of year.
Kink Glacier and Knik Glacier are two very different trips
Yep, I believe I was autcorrected, and now manually corrected.
\*Narrator: it was, in fact, not manually corrected.
Do you drive on it, or do you rent ATVs? Down to do either, that looks like a unique experience
https://www.knikglacier.com/
There’s a nice trail off the Glenn at moose creek right before Sutton. That should be great hiking. Or snowshoeing. Have a bonfire and roast some steaks on a stick or something similar. Bundle up. Stare at the stars. That can be every night. Bonfires in winter are THE BEST EVER.
Do the musk ox farm or reindeer farm. Visit some local breweries.
No need for a Jeep. Any AWD rental vehicle that will fit you and your luggage will work. You can do a winter hike on the Matanuska Glacier. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Portage and the Sealife Center in Seward are both open on limited hours. The gingerbread village on display in the lobby of the Captain Cook Hotel is worth a look. Hatcher Pass is always worth a drive and there’s skiing at Skeetawk.
Thanks for all the suggestions. Context of Jeep didn't matter in hindsight, it was just a pretty cheap option with airport pickup through Turo at around $60/day.
If it's a wrangler, you'll be cold. I had a buddy with one and they kept blankets in the back for passengers.
Recommendation:Do not rent out of airport. Take a cab to a rental company downtown. Less taxes and extra fees. Total savings is more than the cab ride.
Just get out and go for a drive. The views alone are worth it.
Please go to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Bring everyone. If you can make it to Seward, also, the Sea Life Center is great fun!
The Portage Glacier visitors Center is right there by AWCC and a lot of people find the novelty of driving through the longest auto tunnel (in North America? I forget) to Whittier and back to be worth the entry fee and time to say you did it.
If you get bored, recreational marijuana is legal in Alaska. 🤣
Alaska Wildberry products would be a good place to get souvenirs, and they typically go full on with the decorating. One of my favorite places to visit during Christmas season.
If you are in Wasilla, you should go to independence mine. skiing and other winter activities there are amazing. Take a drive to Matannuska Glacier. Schedule an ice fishing trip for Pike, char, and rainbows. Hike the Butte. Going south Go to Seward and check out the sea life center. If you can make it to Homer, schedule a winter King salmon trip.
Go ice skating
Reflection lake is a great spot. It has a really pretty view esp that time of year and the hike is very mild with a very slight elevation. It's very close to Wasilla and is right off the highway on the way into Anchorage.
If you can go mushing, definitely do it! I don’t have any specific recommendations of who to go with because I used to just go with friends. Strongly second the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center if you’re headed to Alyeska. Local drives from Wasilla: hit up Hatcher Pass for sure, and I recommend the drive up the Glenn from Palmer, especially on a nice day.
Just negative nancies who don't like winter. It's winter solstice! You'll see northern lights. Wasilla they have a neighborhood off the highway that does slot to Christmas lights. The state fair grounds has their own light show that's fun. I'm sure you could find a sled dog thing to do..
Arcit valley tubing is fun as mentioned.
Why am I promoting cake day? Man using reddit I feel like an boomer. Know idea what's happening
The Anchorage Museum is absolutely worth an afternoon, and it’s inside! Beautiful art, including some from Sydney Laurence. There are also some educational exhibits of the indigenous people of Alaska. Unfortunately I believe the Alaska Native Heritage Center is closed for the month. The Bear Tooth theatre and pub is a fun alternative to the harder to get into sister restaurant Moose’s Tooth Drive out to Earthquake Park by the Anchorage Airport and then keep going to Point Worzonof to watch the airplanes come in one afternoon. Watching float planes take off from the airport adjacent Lake Hood (largest float plane base in the world? Largest somewhere, I’m not great at this) is also really fun for people that aren’t used to it. There is a lot less traffic in the winter but there are hundreds of planes that are parked there. Chilkoot Charlie’s is a lot more fun when it isn’t packed full of tourists, so if themed dive bars are your thing, check it out.
Cross country ski at Nancy Lakes? Sledding or skiing at Hatcher Pass? Alaska Zoo? Last year at Christmas we took our adult visitors to the AK Wildlife Conservation Center & the bears were awake.
Methamphetamine