While things have changed recently in our lives to make it so that we won’t be able to travel as often as we have in the past, we do want our readers to understand the passion and addiction is nowhere near gone. It’s very much here and alive. I’m guessing it will always be so. So, to make myself feel better about the changes that have come to pass recently, I am posting a list of our top 5 favorite trips of this year so far.

Maui, Hawaii

Sometimes when I have a really crazy day or when BabyTravels is teething and NOT happy, I imagine myself laying on the beach, relaxing on toasty sand, roasting in a warm but not too hot sun. Then when I get nice and warm I take a cool dip in the ocean, emerging myself in the healing saltiness of the sea.  Sigh……

Alaskan Cruise

Have I mentioned how much I freaking love Alaska? Well I do. So much actually, that I have suggested to Reid we sell all of our possessions and become tour bus drivers in Juneau. Or was he the one who suggested that to me? Not quite sure… But either way it is tempting. So beautiful, serene and just real. Kind of how companies are using all natural ingredients right now on their packaging to make people feel good about eating oreos and twinkies- that is what Alaska is. All natural beauty. You can’t fake that folks.

Machu Picchu, Peru

This is Reid’s trip. When I say that Maui, Hawaii is my go-to place when I need break, I ‘m pretty sure this is his. But I can see why it’s breathtaking. Time must have stood still for them while they hiked around these ruins.

Tokyo, Japan

I need to go back there and spend more time. I do. I was hoping this trip would help me feel satisfied with my craving to visit there but it just intensified my feelings. Japan is indescribable. Please promise me you will add it to your list? Please?

Washington, DC

I love Washington, DC so much I truly would marry it if it were legal. There is just an aura there that is so unlike any other city (or is it aroma?). So official and professional, so full of history. Oh how I love it. This time was even better because I was able to take Grandad to the World War II Memorial. That was an amazing experience all on it’s own.

Sunset in the Inside Passage, Alaska

Last week we had the pleasure of forgetting our everyday world and enjoying an honest to goodness vacation. Sure we travel quite often, more so than the average couple with a baby, but I wouldn’t really classify them as vacations. They are still work dealing with all the rental cars, hotels, food, and sightseeing. It’s exhausting. But this time we just enjoyed each other’s company and the beautiful world around us.

It’s true that this wasn’t our first time to Alaska. And it most definitely won’t be our last.  As much as I love Hawaii, I think Alaska may have it beat as our favorite place to visit (I guess it’s only fair I give Hawaii another shot).  Anyways, we boarded our Celebrity Cruise and we were treated…well like celebrities! The staff was the most friendly, the service excellent and have I mentioned the food yet? Pretty much amazing! All my foodie friends are going to die when we post our Eating Around series from this cruise.

Anyways, here are of the highlights from this vacation:

This was our ship, the Celebrity Mercury.

We boarded our ship in Vancouver, BC on Sunday and we were just so excited. The first day of your cruise is the best because the promise of the week ahead of you is the best feeling.

Hubbard Glacier

We had a stateroom with a balcony which is a MUST for an Alaskan cruise. Plus it made a world of a difference having a baby, we could be outside enjoying the scenery while she was napping. If we hadn’t had a balcony we would have missed this beautiful glacier. The hubbard glacier is huge- six miles wide! It was the highlight of the trip for me. Absolutely breathtaking.

Delicious treats onboard Celebrity Mercury.

Suffice it to say we stuffed our faces silly on this cruise. As you should on any cruise. However we came back and had each only gained 3 or 4 pounds. My last cruise was a 3 day cruise and I gained 5 pounds. I guess I held back a little this time! We enjoyed world class dining aboard our cruise. A post about that will come later.

Mount Roberts Tram, Juneau, AK

One of our port cities was Juneau. We opted to take the tram up to Mount Roberts to see the view of the city and watch a movie about the Tlingit people. The movie was amazing but unfortunately the view not as great, since it was extremely cloudy. It was still very much beautiful.

Creek Street, Ketchikan, AK

We didn’t do any shore excursions because we had BabyTravels with us and played things by ear. We were very laid back which made all the difference. When we got off the ship in Ketchikan (which turned out to be my favorite port) we walked a couple of blocks to Creek Street. An area that is connected entirely by boardwalks.

Hilarye and BabyTravels

This is BabyTravels and me on formal night. Everyone onboard was in love with her, especially the crew. We had to allow at least 20 minutes extra for anywhere we went because people would stop us to talk and play.

Can you tell we had an amazing time? It was hard to leave. Alaska is a place I will visit over and over again. There is something so pure about it’s beauty and so refreshing. It’s awe inspiring. In fact, words cannot even describe it. You’ll just have to expirience it for yourself and I really hope that you do. Have you booked your cruise yet?

* Celebrity Cruises hosted us on their cruise. However all reviews of the ship remain unbiased towards that.

1. Sweet Potato French Fries, Squatters, Downtown SLC. Squatters Pub and Brewery is by far my favorite restaurant in all of Salt Lake City and trust me there are quite a few good ones to choose from. I have never had one thing from their menu that I haven’t enjoyed. I’m not a drinker but if you are you will enjoy a variety of choices brewed right under their own roof. But what I enjoy the most is their perfectly crunchy sweet potato french fries… but I’ll skip the fry sauce.

2. Reindeer Sausage, Anchorage, Alaska. On Sunday mornings in the heart of Anchorage they have a market downtown with fresh produce, Alaskan souvenirs, and various other food vendors. Among those vendors they sell Reindeer Sausage that is savory and delicious. Reid loved his so much he wants to go back just for more.

3. Cheap(er) Buffets in Las Vegas. What would a visit to Las Vegas be without a trip to the buffet? The buffets on the strip are rather costly but you can get the same quality buffet at much less cost if you step away from the strip for awhile and visit one of the Station Casinos located all around Las Vegas and Henderson. My favorite is Sunset Station Casino.

And there you have it. My three best travel secrets. If you happen to agree with any of these or disagree would love to hear your feedback.

I tag:

Jaime at seatofourpants.com

Matt of nomadicmatt.com

Maribeth at bonjourcolorado.com

Erica at travelblissful.com

Kara from thevacationgals.com

Normally when we visit a new city I tend to get a little antsy. There are so many sites I want to see, places I want to experience, etc. And worst of all there is so little time. I try to set a schedule to cram it all in but it never really works out. Reid has the opposite approach, where he likes to go with the flow and explore and just let the experiences present themselves. Normally I get a little upset, but because of his mindset we have been able to experience some pretty amazing sites on our various travels.

One of these times manifested itself in Alaska on the highway from Seward to Anchorage. He saw a sign for some fort or something and took a turn off the highway. I was nervous and definitely resisted. But then we turned the corner and we saw the most breathtaking view (pictured above). Reid immediately pulled the car over and rushed for his camera. I sat in the car pouting for a minute, but then I opened my eyes and was stunned. There was no one else around. It was quiet and although it was May the air was crisp and cool, enough to give you a good chill. I stepped out of the car and walked to the water’s edge. It was so quiet you could hear the ice move and it was the most beautiful sound. I took a deep breath of the salty but clean air and wished the moment would last forever.

Sometimes not having a plan is the best plan of all. And that is the lesson that has stuck with me.

1.      Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
This spectacular, paved, multi-use trail hugs the Anchorage coastline of Cook Inlet from Second Avenue in downtown Anchorage all the way to south Anchorage’s Kincaid Park, located 11 sprawling miles away. Whether walking, running, biking, or blading, keep an eye out for dramatic views of Knik Arm, Cook Inlet, six mountain ranges surrounding Anchorage and the beauty of Sleeping Lady mountain across the water, Earthquake Park and Point Woronzof. Wildlife viewing is abundant with many birds, small mammals, beluga whales, moose and even an occasional bear sighting.
Cost – FREE

2.      Anchorage Market and Festival
Held in downtown Anchorage every Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer, this open air market mixes one-of-a-kind arts, crafts and giant Alaska grown vegetables with live music, street performers and a selection of local and international food.
Admission – FREE

3.      Wild Salmon on Parade
Wild salmon take to the streets each summer from June through late August, when 20 wacky salmon sculptures “swim” through downtown during Wild Salmon on Parade. These aren’t your ordinary chum – the four-foot statues are original, whimsical designs by Alaska artists. Established in 2003 and modeled after Cows on Parade in Chicago, Wild Salmon on Parade is a fun way to raise awareness and appreciation for salmon habitat, history and its physical properties. As the summer ends and the salmon run slows, the sculptures are auctioned off for charity at the annual Fish Fry & Buy.
Cost – FREE

4.      First Friday Art Walk
Art enthusiasts can gallery hop and view local Alaska artwork at many of Anchorage’s finest showrooms, coffee shops and eateries the first Friday of each month. This after-five affair is a great way to mingle with locals and meet Anchorage artists. A complete list of participating businesses is found in the free “Anchorage Press” paper.
Cost – FREE

5.      Music in the Park
Music in the Park is a favorite among both visitors and residents. Local musical acts perform at Peratrovich Park, located right downtown in front of the Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at noon throughout the summer.
Cost – FREE

6.      Anchorage Downtown Walking Tour
Visitors can explore Anchorage by foot and see how it has grown from the tent-lined streets of its early years to a cosmopolitan city complete with unique attractions, shops, galleries and historical treasures. Start at the Anchorage Log Cabin Visitors Information Center on the corner of Fourth Avenue and F Street to pick up a map of this three-hour walking tour.
Cost – FREE

7.      Salmon Viewing at Ship Creek
Ship Creek runs through the Port of Anchorage to the ocean waters of Cook Inlet. A favorite local Fishing Spot set against the backdrop of the Anchorage Skyline. Sedge flats and ocean fed waters provide strong salmon runs, as well as a habitat for migratory shore birds.
Cost – FREE

8.      Alyeska Roundhouse Museum
Located just south of Anchorage, visitors can hike up Mount Alyeska and visit the historic roundhouse museum. Take in the history of the small community of Girdwood and find out why Alyeska is called the perfect mountain. Hikers get a free ride down via the Alyeska Tramway.
Cost – FREE

9.      Alaska Public Lands Building
Located in downtown Anchorage, the Alaska Public Lands Building is a great information center with wonderful data and maps about Alaska’s national and state parks, as well as museum displays, and informational videos.
Cost – FREE

10.  Bird Viewing at Potter’s Marsh
Located in south Anchorage along the scenic Seward Highway, bird watchers can stroll along a 1,150-foot wooden boardwalk that stretches into the 2,300-acre Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge. This is where more than 220 bird species are discovered. During the late spring and early fall, the wetlands are a great spot for viewing red-necked phalaropes, horned and red-necked grebes, northern pintails, Canada geese, canvasback ducks and northern harriers. And keep an eye out for moose in the marsh.
Cost – Free

11.  Alaska Trooper Museum
Visitors can learn all about the history of law enforcement in the last frontier at this interesting museum. The museum features a fully restored Hudson Hornet automobile among other memorabilia.
Admission – FREE

12.  Geocaching
If visitors have their own GPS device, they can pick up a geocaching guide from the Anchorage Log Cabin Visitors Information Center and go on a high tech treasure hunt.
Cost – FREE

13.  Frisbee Golf
A popular late-night activity is a round of Frisbee golf under the endless midnight sun. Anchorage has four scenic courses. Players often see wildlife wandering around the baskets!
Cost – FREE

14.  Oscar Anderson House Museum
Built in 1915, the Oscar Anderson House Museum is an original Anchorage town-site house and one of the first wood structures built in the city. The 45-minute guided tour provides a great explanation of Anchorage’s short history and life before statehood. The house contains many of the Anderson family’s original belongings, including a working 1909 player piano around which the structure was built.
Admission – $3

15.  Crow Creek Mine
Nestled in the Chugach Mountains in the Girdwood Valley, historic Crow Creek Mine offers a unique blend of historical buildings, antiques, rare mining equipment, beautiful gardens, wildlife viewing and hiking trails as well as access to explore the mine’s original claims. Visitors can learn to pan for their own gold and give it a try along Crow Creek.
Admission – $5

16.  Flattop Mountain Trail
The most hiked trail in Anchorage, Flattop Mountain is great for hikers of all abilities and offers stunning views of the city and surrounding mountain ranges. Located up the hillside from Anchorage, there is ample parking at the trailhead and a shuttle that runs by request from downtown Anchorage (for an extra cost).
Cost for parking – $5

17.  Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center
The Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center features exquisite artwork by Alaskans, exceptional historical artifacts and traveling exhibits from around the world. In May 2009, visitors and locals will get a first look at the museum expansion project that began in 2006: Alaska’s home for the Smithsonian Institution, new galleries, new shop and café and a planetarium. The Anchorage Museum is a favorite of residents and out-of-state visitors, so this is a highly anticipated opening.
Admission – $8

18.  Alaska Botanical Gardens
With more than 1,100 species of hardy perennials, and 150 native plant species, the Alaska Botanical Garden is the place to experience the abundance of the summer sub-arctic growing season and to learn about flora native to Southcentral Alaska.
Admission – $5

19.  The Bear Tooth Theatre
Named after Bear Tooth Peak in the Alaska Range near Mt. McKinley, the Bear Tooth Theatre is not your ordinary movie house. The concession counter is a full-service kitchen featuring gourmet pizza, burritos, tacos, salads and desserts.  Food is made to order and delivered to you in the theatre (with the help of a glow in the dark number), where every other row of seats has been removed and replaced with table tops. The movie house features second-run contemporary, independent, foreign and classic films.
Admission – $3

20.  Eagle River Nature Center
Traveling north of Anchorage, just 20 minutes from downtown Anchorage is the Eagle River Nature Center, located in a gorgeous glacier-carved valley. The Nature Center is open year round and offers weekly interpretive programs and guided nature walks for summer visitors. Wildlife abounds here including brown and black bears, Dall sheep, moose, lynx, wolverines, eagles and salmon.
Cost – $1 for self-guided walks; $10/per person for 1.5 hour naturalist guided walk

I promise you that visiting Anchorage and Alaska will never disappoint- even on a budget.

*Thanks to The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau for the information. The Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau’s (ACVB) mission is to attract and serve visitors to the Municipality of Anchorage as a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO). ACVB’s marketing functions are funded by one-third of the bed tax collected by lodging associations. One-third goes to the Municipality’s general fund, a contribution established in 1978, and one-third to service the bond debt and operations of the Anchorage Convention Centers. ACVB receives no state or federal funds.

First off, you can look through the slide show (which is actually really cute) or I will just recap some of the places for you. 10 of the 15 places every kid should see are the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, Colonial Williamsburg, Lincoln Memorial, Niagra Falls, Gettysburg, Alamo, Pearl Harbor, Monitcello, and Disneyworld.

I think when you are a kid you enjoy vacations as a family but when you look back at the vacations is when you realize why your parents went through all the trouble and hassle to load up the brats and the picnic basket and put up with all the complaining. The memories and experiences make it worth it. My husband’s family would pack up the van and for months during the summer drive across the country and stop and see anything and everything along the way. When I married him he had been to 49 of the 50 states (we made is 50 this memorial day when we went to Alaska). His family is very close, which I am sure in part stems from these trips and have billions of stories and memories that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Some of my personal favorite vacations from when I was a kid would have to be Disneyland, visiting the Grand Canyon with my grandparents, day trips to San Francisco, visiting Cannon Beach in Oregon, visiting Victoria in Canada and many others. So thank you to my parents for putting up with the kids and taking us on these trips! What are some of your favorite vacations as a kid?

I didn’t really know what to expect when we landed in Anchorage, AK at 12:03 am on Saturday morning.  I guess I half expected to be greeted by a moose or an Eskimo. It took me about two minutes to get over my disappointment when I stepped outside of the airport and could already see the beautiful mountains. To my surprise it wasn’t even dark outside. You could still see light on the horizon and a local informed us that this was the darkest it gets in the summertime and that the sun will rise about 4 am and set about 11 pm.

After a short night’s sleep (we were awaken by the sun-rise) we were both just itching to get outside and enjoy Alaska’s landscape. Honestly we came to Anchorage on a whim because we both had never been and always wanted to go. After doing some quick research via visitors guides we had picked up at the rental car place- we decided to take a 2.5 hour drive to Seward Alaska.  Seward is one of Alaska’s oldest and most scenic communities. Known as the ‘Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park’ Seward is a picturesque town located 126 miles south of Anchorage. – Honestly the drive itself is worth it. For the first part you drive along the coast and then you drive through the mountains- there are ample spots to pull off enjoy the views, take a quick hike, look for Alaskan wildlife and take plenty of gorgeous pictures.

The 2.5 hour drive turned into about a four hour drive because we could just not stop exploring everything the highway had to offer. We finally made it to Seward and grabbed a quick bite to eat from one of the local bakeries, took a walk along the pier and then headed to the Alaska Sea Life Center. I was dying to see a puffin and they had plentiful. It’s a little pricey about $20 dollars a person, but it puts you at ease to know that the money goes to research and rescue efforts of these marine animals. It’s a neat place and we definitely felt we got our money’s worth. They have fish, sea lions, seals, and of course puffins. If you have kids they will love it. On the drive back we made a quick stop to exit glacier, which the lookout is just about ten miles north of Seward. It was fun to see and on the way back down we saw a moose cross the street right in front of us!  It took us just about as much time to get back to Anchorage as it did to get there. Places to look for Beluga whales, Dall Sheep, Black Bears and enjoy the views of the ocean. And this was just the first day!