t.o & fro's Top 5 Things to do in Alaska

Hi, my name's Mar and I write over at t.o. & fro, a blog all about my life as an environmental educator, travel addict, animal lover, photography junkie and my hockey-playing hubby's #1 fan. A huge thank you to Jess for letting me take over today!

I started blogging as a way to keep in touch with family when an unexpected move took us from the sunny south to the land of the midnight sun for the 2010-2011 hockey season. We loved Alaska so much that we ended up staying for 3 years! But, all good things must come to an end, and now we're back at home in Toronto living the city life, but still often long to be surrounded by the ocean and mountains.

I'm a total Alaska pusher, so today I thought I'd share with you t.o. & fro's top 5 things to do in Alaska.

Iditarod

If you're brave enough to visit in the winter (trust me, it's not that bad), then I suggest you do so at the beginning of March so that you can see the ceremonial start of the Iditarod in Anchorage. The race begins in Anchorage, each year on the first Saturday in March and ends when the last musher reaches Nome, around 9 to 12 days later. What started in 1973 as an event to test the best sled dog mushers and teams.  Since then, it has evolved into a highly competitive and popular race and is considered the "last great race on Earth".

The Alaska Zoo
Maybe I'm bias because some of my best memories are from this place, but if you ever find yourself in Anchorage, please stop by and say hello to all of my friends at the Zoo. Home to arctic, subarctic and like-climate species, the Alaska Zoo provides a home for injured and orphaned animals that wouldn't otherwise survive in the wild. Their goal is to inspire conservation of these species through education and community enrichment. While summer is a great time to visit, this place is beautiful in winter. Some of my faves include, but are definitely not limited to, musk ox, red fox, great horned owl, wolves and polar bears.

Alaska SeaLife Center Take a day trip to Seward, 2.5 hours south of Anchorage and make sure to check out the Alaska SeaLife Center. The Alaska SeaLife Center generates and shares scientific knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s marine ecosystems.  Alaska’s only public aquarium and ocean wildlife rescue center is home to many species of fish, seals, sea lions and marine birds. 

Prince William Sound Discovered in 1778 by Captain James Cook, Prince William Sound is ringed by the steep and glaciated Chugach Mountains, part of the nation's second largest and northernmost national forest, Chugach National Forest. Commercially important for fishing and oil industries, the sound is also prized for its abundance of marine and coastal life, from seals to porpoises, to bears and bald eagles, from spruce and hemlock rain forests to glacier-studded landscapes. You can't pass through Prince William Sound without being in complete awe.

Denali National Park

DNP is much much more than just home to the tallest peak in North America. At six million acres of wild land, the park is bisected by just one ribbon of road that allows travelers to enjoy the view as the relatively low-elevation taiga forest gives way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains. Located 4 hours north of Anchorage,  wild animals large and small roam unfenced lands, living as they have for ages.  Solitude, tranquility and wilderness await in Denali National Park.

Like I said, I'm a total Alaska pusher. And if I could give one piece of advice to anyone thinking of visiting Alaska, it would be to just do it. Trust me, you won't regret it. And hopefully the photos I've shared today show you why.

Thanks again to Jess for letting me to take over and relive some fond memories. Hop on over to t.o. & fro to say hello. And if you have any questions about Alaska, my hockey-life, or anything else, please ask!

Find me here: Blog  |  Bloglovin  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Pinterest All photos copyright of t.o. & fro 2010-2014. This post appeared first on Stamp in My Passport.