Fur Rondy Carnival

WHERE

Fur Rendezvous Carnival in Downtown Anchorage, Alaska

WHAT WE DID

Went on rides and ate a lot of yummy food at the food carts set up around that area. It's not a huge carnival but it has rides for kids of all ages and we've always found the people running the rides to very nice and helpful.

Fur Rondy Sled Dog Races

WHERE

Downtown Anchorage Alaska

WHEN

It's a 10-day event culminating in the Iditarod Ceremonial start, so usually end of February through the beginning of March.

There's also a lot of Fur Rondy activities going on so there's no shortage of things to do. Food carts, craft booths, the carnival, and other activities. Click here for more information and a schedule.

One of these years we'll make it to the Ceremonial Start too. . .We have been to the official start in Willow, this year it will be held in Fairbanks. It is so much fun I hope if you're in the area you can attend!


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Alaska Public Lands Information Center Junior Rangers

This post's purpose is to let you know about a fun, kid-friendly resource and as a reminder to myself to take advantage of it as well. The Alaska Public Lands Information Center in Anchorage is located at 4th and F downtown. It is a federal building so there will be a security check at the door.

The girls got sworn in as junior rangers after completing a set of activities. The ceremony was so great and they were presented with certificates and badges which were, like, legit. I want one. :)

The center has so many fun things and great resources that it would be too much to list out! I'm really happy we came across it during Fur Rondy (they were passing out flyers) and maybe I can expose it to others as well.

For fun kids activities online click here.
For more information on childrens activities in Anchorage click here.

To explore more click here (trip planning, interactive maps, info on cultural exhibits, movie times, and so much more).

Turnagain Arm Trail: Rainbow Trailhead

This is the Turnagain Arm trail hike from the Rainbow trailhead hiking towards Windy Point. There's a bit of a climb at the very beginning before it levels off into a single track through lush vegetation. There's beautiful peekaboo views of Turnagain Arm through the foliage. It opens up into wider views of the water and surrounding mountains. This is where we turned around, before reaching Windy Point.

The Rainbow trailhead is directly off of the Seward Highway at approximately mile marker 109-ish. There's a parking lot and signage. You also have the option of hiking back towards McHugh Creek from this trailhead.

Shop Anchorage: The Park Boutique

I wanted to add in some of my favorite places to shop and eat, along with new discoveries that may become favorites.

The Park Boutique is located at 1441 W Northern Lights Blvd. The owner Nanette has a perfectly edited store of lux basics. The types of things that can be thrown on easily, are comfortable, and make you look like a million bucks. She also stocks a small amount of fragrance and jewelry (check out the sweet copper necklaces from AKProper!).

You can see more on The Park's Instagram here.

Rendezvous Peak Trail

 Not very many pictures from this outing since we were hit with rain and hail halfway through. The trail on the way up was mostly bare and dry except for one patch of unavoidable mud. A word of warning: the trail gets extremely slick after a rain. It's not very steep but I'd definitely wear sturdy shoes for whatever weather conditions you might encounter.

For more information on Rendezvous Peak click here.

Rendezvous Peak Trail

This was a Hike It Baby hike for families with older children. I took my 7-year-old because I'd never done this hike and was unsure if it was OK for the younger kids.

This is an excellent hike for families. There's a few options at the end to vary the toughness level but almost anyone can enjoy the amazing views at the saddle. The trail was muddy in a few places but easily avoided. The trailhead starts at the Arctic Valley Ski Area and goes to the left up an old military road from the ski lodge(?). Shortly it splits off onto a single track trail and it's a fairly easy hike to the saddle.

For more information on Rendezvous Peak click here.

Potter Marsh and Boardwalk

The first photo is from a pullout on the south end of the marsh. We took the Rabbit Creek/Old Seward Highway exit (coming south) and turned left to take Old Seward Highway to the pullout. It's a really pretty drive! From there we then turned right onto Seward Highway and took the first right to get to the boardwalk parking lot.

One of the boardwalks was closed for repairs, along with the entrance that looks like it would be wheelchair/stroller accessible. It's still fairly stroller-friendly, just be aware that there are five wide, shallow stairs to maneuver at the beginning of the trail.

The boardwalks have benches and free telescopes for viewing. The view of the Turnagain Arm and mountains is worth the stop alone!

For more information on Potter Marsh click here.

Alaska Museum of Science & Nature

I left my camera at home so all I have is a quick snap from the phone of this museum. I know it's not a hike but it is a good place to go if the weather is just too much or you're looking for a change of pace. A lot of the stuff is hands on which is fun for the little ones. Exhibits like dinosaur fossils, a real table of elements, and a geology room make it interesting for adults as well. There's also tables if you want to bring a snack or lunch and "dig pits" for the kids (make sure they're wearing socks!).

For more information on the Alaska Museum of Science & Nature click here.

Powerline Trail

We went hiking with a friend and her baby and we didn't mean to do the Powerline trail but that's where we ended up. : ) We didn't go very far but I definitely want to come back in the summer and explore further down the trail. We saw a few cross-country skiers heading out and it looked like a lot of fun.

The next photos are from the short, mostly-level loop to the overlook from the parking lot.

For more information on the Powerline trail click here.
For more information on Flattop click here.

Flat Top Mountain - Blueberry Loop

Another Hike It Baby hike. We started with a larger group but the steepness plus snow was too much for some hikers. Ice grippers were definitely needed and so was a coat that could stop the wind. We went around Blueberry Loop which once you're past the first steep part is a relatively flat loop that winds around a hill. There were beautiful views of mountains on one side and views of Anchorage on the other.

For more on Blueberry Loop click here.
For more on Hike It Baby click here.