If you’re taking a trip to Ketchikan, Alaska, you’ll probably want to be able to use your cell phone. Before you come to visit, you’ll also probably want to make sure that you’ll have service, unless you would prefer to not have service, which I respect but cannot relate to. My girlfriend hates traveling and …
If you’re coming up to Juneau, Alaska, either on a cruise or flying in for a few days, it’s important to be prepared for the weather conditions. Before I get into specifics, I’ll give the standard disclaimer that I give tourists, friends from out of town, and my own nieces when they come to visit. …
If you’re planning a trip to Southeast Alaska, there are several big decisions that you’ll want to make before you come up here. Probably the most important of those decisions and perhaps the first you’ll have to make is whether to take a cruise or visit on land. Which of these is the better choice? …
With warnings all over the country about gang activity, names like Bloods, Crips, and MS-13 appearing on the news, you may be wondering if Alaska has gangs and whether you as a tourist might be at risk. That might sound kind of silly to some people, but it’s a legitimate concern. I was in the …
Have you ever heard of a Billiken? You may have, as they are not uniquely Alaskan, even though they do have a long history up here. Billikens have been integrated into Alaskan culture for well over 50 years and I’ve carried on on my keychain for years. If you’re from the lower 48 you may …
Every state in America has its own list of words or terms that are only used in that state and Alaska is no exception. One term that only exists in Alaska and you may not be familiar with is “Cheechako,” the opposite of the term “sourdough” that I recently wrote about. What Is A Cheechako? …
Have you heard the term Alaskan sourdough? No, it’s not a type of bread. Well, it probably is, I’m sure someone makes a product called Alaskan sourdough bread. I’m not familiar with every product made in the state. In Jack London’s novel “White Fang,” the narrator describes a group of men in Fort Yukon who …
There are a lot of questions that we as Alaskans get regularly since a lot of people are curious about our state and its people. We’re asked all sorts of questions about us as Alaskans on websites like Reddit and Quora. One of my favorites to answer is “Do Alaskans feel American?” I wish I …
If you aren’t an Alaskan, you might not have heard of “termination dust”. Even if you’re from Alaska like me, you might not have heard it until you became an adult. A few years back, a friend of mine was out of town and sent me a text message asking if I could see any …
One of the many things that Alaska is known for is our amazing assortment of wildlife throughout the state. There are thousands of different species up here, including 112 types of mammals and (something I didn’t know until someone mentioned it to me last week) over 500 species of birds. If you enjoy eating meat …