Summary

Thus came to an end our amazing Alaska vacation. This was a life project, which took almost 2 years to plan and prepare. We had very high expectations, but I must say it was all we expected and much, much more. Terrific scenery, unbelievable wildlife, lucky break with the weather – it all came together splendidly. This is a vacation we will cherish for the rest of our life. 

Like many other travelers, we planned it as a 'once in a life time' trip, but we fell in love with Alaska, and we definitely see ourselves coming back again, one day.

While we enjoyed of all our experiences in Alaska, there are few which stood out and can be considered our favorites. Naturally this list is highly subjective, as our experience was impacted by elements such as weather, wildlife activity, our moods and expectations - all of them can't be controlled or reproduced. Still, for what it's worth, here is our 'Alaska Top List':

Wildlife – our time with the bears in Silver Salmon Creek Lodge stands on a level of its own above everything else we saw or did. But other than that, our most magical time was during the Gustavus whale watching tour.
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Tidewater glacier – out of the 4 we saw up close (Leconte. John Hopkins, Reid and Aialik) – Leconte was the most impressive, perhaps because it was our first, but probably also because of the small boat experience, and the sheer sensation of isolation and wilderness.

Land glacier – Exit glacier was beautiful, but our hike on the Matanuska glacier was really out of this world.

Scenic drive – by far the best drive for us was along the Glenn Highway, from Palmer to Glacier View and back. The Denali park road also gets high marks on our list.

Best lodging – we didn't go for exclusivity or extra comfort in this trip, but all the lodging we experienced were adequate and more than that. I think we loved Sheep Mountain Lodge the most because of the beautiful settings. Nord Haven Motel was definitely the best value for us.

Restaurants – again, on this trip we went for the practical and not for the culinary highlights. The best meals we had were definitely those in the lodges in Gustavus in Silver Salmon Creek. From the restaurants we tried, I think we enjoyed the food at Denali Salmon Bake the most, but the 49^th State Brewery had the best atmosphere and overall dining experience.

This is it, I hope you found this blog enjoyable and helpful. Looking forward to your comments, I will be glad to answer any questions and provide any tips.