11 Things To Do in Alaska

List 11 fun things to see or do in your current or upcoming duty station.

I have found that this is something common with military families--making a list of things to do while you're living where you are. One of the first good pieces of advice I was given when my husband went active duty, is to be a tourist where you are: visit the historical sites and learn as much as you can while you're there.

So, we made a list for North Dakota when we moved there...and two things I didn't get to see were the Northern Lights and moose. But we saw the western North Dakota Badlands of Teddy Roosevelt fame; the Medora Musical; Grand Forks and Fargo; Winnipeg, Manitoba--including the Royal Winnipeg Ballet; the Red River of the North that flows north (yeah, it's weird to stand next to a body of water flowing the wrong direction!). You get the idea.

We made a list for San Antonio as well: The Alamo (and yes, we remember it); the Riverwalk; art museums (the girls & I have visited all of them); my friend Teri and her family. That was pretty much it, I guess. We've enjoyed our time here but are ready to go to less crowded, cooler climates.

That brings me to our upcoming duty station, and my personal list of 11 things for ALASKA! {with updates as of March 5, 2012}

Here they are, in no particular order...

1. I really, really want to see the Northern Lights. I wanted to in ND, but the few days a year they were visible from that location, it was either storming, or cloudy. {Done! January 2012}
   
2. See moose. I've read there are over 1000 resident moose in Anchorage, so I'm sure I'll see them around. {Done! Several times. So awesome!}
   
3. See bears. Yes, I know they are dangerous and you should not leave trash out because they'll dig in it, and that they are scary, but I do want to see them.
   
4. I would love to take a whale-watching trip to see the beluga whales in the wild.
   
5. Mountains. Seeing real mountains with snowcaps. I've been a Midwest girl since 1979 when we moved away from California. I've lived in Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and North Dakota. Hills, yes. Prairie, definitely. But no mountains! {Done! Day #1, actually. July 2011}
   
6. Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center and learn about Alaskan culture. It will be fascinating. For that matter, any museums of any kind while we're there. The geek in me loves this stuff.
   
7. See part of the Iditarod next year, if we can. AWESOMENESS. {Oops! Missed the ceremonial beginning because I thought it was in the afternoon.}
   
8. We won't be up there for the summer solstice this year, but I want to stay up and see the longest day of the year next summer, so far north that the sun will barely set before it rises again. Ditto the winter solstice, where the day is very, very short. I'm sure I won't miss that one...
   
9. See a glacier.
   
10. Pan for gold.
    
11. See the salmon swim.

Of course, we'll have our normal busy lives--school, work, chapel, ministry. But if we can do these things while we're there, it will be fun.