Next time the summer heat of Texas finds you sweltering in a hot car in Houston traffic, close your eyes and imagine stepping into a glacier-fed river. Waves lap against your waders as you carefully search for footholds amongst the smoothly worn river rocks while the gentle current beckons you deeper. The relief of your cold plunge is immediate, and you feel completely invigorated.
Now, open your eyes and find yourself transported to the banks of the Kenai River on the peninsula of the same name in the middle of Alaska's playground. You hold a fishing rod, and your family surrounds you. You peer beneath the surface of the milky turquoise water to see shadows of salmon gliding by below. The Reds are running. In the distance are the snow-capped peaks from which these waters sprang, and there are more evergreen trees than in the Sam Houston National Forest.
Beauty and mild temperatures abound. After fishing, maybe you'll go hiking or rafting, ever watchful for moose or bear. Then again, the ocean is within a day's drive, where in Seward, you can find whale-watching tours amongst the icebergs or halibut fishing and souvenir shopping out of Homer. The possibilities and daylight are endless.
Yes, we Texans pride ourselves on the size of our state, but let me assure you, Alaska is on a whole different scale. You can fit Texas into Alaska not once but twice. It is a wonderful place to disconnect from the world and reconnect with family and friends. My family has a fish camp on the Kenai River in Soldotna, yet I still have not seen all the Kenai Peninsula has to offer. So, if you want to visit, and you should, let me suggest you take some expert advice to help you make the most of your time there.
Alaska Wildland Adventures operates three lodges in the area and recommends that travelers give themselves at least a week to enjoy a well-rounded selection of the favorite sights and activities on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula.
"We've created shorter, seamless programs that provide an excellent taste of the Kenai in just five vacation days." During a recent conversation, Amy LaHaie, General Manager of Administration and Programming, said, "Most visitors wish to participate in at least one day of water-based activity, be it a guided rafting or fishing trip. Many guests also want to include an Alaska seacoast experience to see glaciers, whales, and other marine wildlife for at least one day, and we're able to accommodate that on most of our trips and lodge stays."
You can get direct flights from Houston to Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, AK (airport code: ANC), but if you don't have family to pick you up, I'd recommend letting someone else take over from there. Rental cars are tough to come by in the 49th state.
"Our Lodge-to-Lodge Vacation packages allow travelers the flexibility to choose their desired travel length and top-choice activities (such as guided fishing, hiking, kayaking, whale watching, and more), and our team of expert planners will arrange all the logistics, such as the ground transportation in between locations, all meals, accommodations, baggage handling and beyond," said LaHaie.
Alaska Wildland Adventures has three lodges on the peninsula from which you can mix and match itineraries. Their Kenai Riverside Lodge is an idyllic location to base fishing, rafting, and hiking adventures. The Kenai Backcountry Lodge is a raft-in-only property on Skilak Lake, deep inside the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. It utilizes hydro and solar power to provide creature comforts while in the heart of the wilderness. And their seacoast property, Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge, is the only lodge within the 700,000-acre Kenai Fjords National Park. It offers travelers the fantastic opportunity to whale watch and get up close to tidal glaciers aboard customized touring vessels.
All three Alaska Wildland Adventures properties offer private guest cabins. Depending on the location, guests can enjoy riverside, forest, lakeside, or lagoon views. Their approach is small group, big experience travel.
"High-quality experiences are our forte, but we want our visitors to go home with memories of incredible wildlife encounters and nature treks rather than remarking on the thread count of our linens." LaHaie says, "Guest cabins are well-appointed throughout our grounds – each featuring at least two beds, en suite bathroom/shower, and private entrance and porch – and guests convene in the main lodge for gourmet-inspired meals and to share stories of the day's adventures."
Our family gatherings at Poacher's Cover, where there are lots of campfires but no spa days, usually take place in late July to coincide with the main sockeye (or red) salmon run. However, the tourist season really runs from mid-June through early August. During this time, there are always fish to catch and sights to see, with nature always sitting center stage.
For anglers hoping to catch Alaskan salmon, there are two runs of sockeye salmon on the Kenai River, usually occurring in mid-June and then again in mid-July through early August. August is a prime month for fishermen targeting the hard-fighting silver salmon. In addition to their Kenai River fishing trips, Alaskan Wildland Adventures can coordinate custom fishing packages that include angling adventures in Resurrection Bay, near Seward, for king salmon and halibut, depending on the season.
The Kenai Peninsula is rich in diverse wildlife. In addition to fish, moose, black bears, and occasionally brown bears can be seen. The first time I took my daughters to Alaska, we saw a mother grizzly with three young cubs while driving from Anchorage to Soldotna. On a deep bend in the river that runs next to the road, the mama bear's little ones frolicked on the remains of a large down that had washed into the water. As we watched from a safe distance on the river's opposite bank, the playfulness of the cubs was quite the juxtaposition of their mother's lumbering power.
Along with a diverse number of birds, owls, and ducks, the Alaska Wildland's Kenai Backcountry Lodge on Skilak Lake is home to all five species of loons. Travelers who visit our Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge can expect to see humpback or orca whales, Dall's porpoise, Steller sea lions, sea otters, puffins, and other coastal birds. Though no one can guarantee seeing wildlife on trips, LaHaie says they put guests in the best possible locations to witness wildlife in their natural environment – and from a safe and respectful distance.
"Whether our guests are on an all-inclusive tour with us or staying as a more independent lodge guest, we do our best to empower our travelers to choose their own adventure each day," says LaHaie. "At the end of active days in nature, our guests can enjoy wood-fired saunas, beachfront bonfires, or rocking chairs looking over a serene lagoon. When paired with a locally sourced craft beer or fine glass of wine from our lodge lounges, there are ample opportunities to relax, even in the wilds of Alaska."
And it offers a welcome break from the intense summer heat of Texas.
Alaska Wildland Adventures specializes in inclusive pricing, bundling accommodations, meals, and activities together. Depending on the adventure selected, the average trip price ranges from $700-1000 per person daily.
Say you saw them in Conroe City Lifestyle!
About 10% of Alaska Wildland Adventures guests are from Texas each year. So, as a shout-out to our Lone Star state, the fine folks there are offering City Lifestyle readers a special 10% off any Alaska Wildland Adventures lodge stay or vacation package for the remainder of the 2024 season. (This offer is Good for new, direct bookings only and is based on availability.) www.alaskawildland.com
“We want our visitors to go home with memories of incredible wildlife encounters."
"We do our best to empower our travelers to choose their own daily adventure.”