I recently spent two weeks down in Anchorage for work, which gave Andy and I the opportunity to take a side trip to Girdwood with Kelly/Madison and Caroline/Marc. Girdwood is a ski-resort community near Cook Inlet about 40 miles south of Anchorage. The trip perfectly coincided with Oktoberfest, which Girdwood was hosting.
Andy, along with Kelly and Madison (duh), drove down to pick me up in Anchorage and we made the beautiful approximately-one-hour drive to Girdwood. The drive is worth it; you spend a majority of the drive along the Seward Highway, voted once as
America’s Most Outstanding Scenic Byway. The Seward Highway sends you along the Turnagain Arm, dotted with rest stops, photo opps, and view points, many with interpretive signs explaining the area. If you have enough time and patience, you can hang out for a bit and see if you catch any wildlife in the inlet or up on the mountains.
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| We even caught a gorgeous rainbow! |
In between enjoying the gorgeous view, we spent the majority of the drive listening to Andy and Madison discuss their up-and-coming experience at Buffalo Wild Wings in Anchorage, a favorite of Andy’s to enjoy whenever we’re in the Anchorage area, as we don’t have a BWW in Fairbanks. The conversation began with the boys discussing how many wings they though they could eat in one sitting, quickly digressing into a group discussion on new sauce ideas to suggest to the restaurant, and ended with Madison and Andy deciding Kelly and I were going to become managers of a Fairbanks BWW franchise so we could make them a lot of money get them free wings. In case you’re interested, Madison and Andy looked it up and determined Kelly and I first needed to be managers of an existing BWW before we could open a franchise of our own. Kelly and I used to have dreams.
Despite having a population of barely 2,000, Girdwood boasts one of the most beautiful and charming hotels you’ll ever find in Alaska (with a
spectacular restaurant to match!).
The Hotel Alyeska began in 1954 as a simple ski area and has grown significantly since then. It brings in skiers of all talents and backgrounds, as the ski area offers a steep terrain, deep snowpack, and plentiful amounts of snow (it receives an average of 650 inches of snow at the summit!). With gorgeous views of the Chugach mountains, it’s no surprise that this destination has grown into a ritzy and attractive vacation spot. The resort offers a
spa,
shops, pool and fitness center, and
numerous dining choices. It is Alaska, however, where no place is safe from outdoor-enthusiasts. The Hotel Alyeska offers hiking and biking trails, scenic tram rides, skiing, and snowshoeing, and can hook you up with glacier hiking, flight seeing adventures, glacier dog-sledding, and ice climbing.
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| Hotel Alyeska |
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| Lobby |
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| Rawr! |
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| Don likes his hotel room |
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| View from our room |
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| Ski map |
My hands down favorite part of the Hotel Alyeska is the
Seven Glaciers Restaurant, a
AAA Four Diamond restaurant worthy of every award it has received. The restaurant places a specific culinary emphasis on locally grown produce, game, and seafood. Check out their
to die for oysters (I ate 11, not even kidding), wagyu New York steak, and the squab (pigeon). Check out their menu
here. The most delightful thing about this restaurant is it sits 2,300 above sea level, and is accessed almost exclusively by the hotel tram, a fun ride to the summit with amazing views of the Chugach Mountains.
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| Tram line from inside the hotel. You can see the restaurant at the top. |
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| Handsome man in his suit waiting for the tram to take off |
One of the most impressive parts of the hotel, despite the view, is the gorgeous bar. Poised perfectly for one of the best views in the place, you can enjoy a couple drinks in a beautiful atmosphere, including a glass of wine from the restaurant’s extensive wine list.
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| Boys |
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| Your future Fairbanks Buffalo Wild Wings managers |
We met Marc and Caroline at the restaurant bar. We got one of the nicest tables in the place with a pretty spectacular view.
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| We went a little crazy with the cheese platter. |
The only downfall to the restaurant is after you’re done eating you have to wait for the tram in the cold. Luckily we didn’t have to wait long, but the temperatures were dropping pretty fast.
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| Caroline’s about to die |
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| We had to huddle together for warmth |
The next day Marc and Caroline headed out for a birthday excursion (Happy Birthday, Marc!); Madison and Andy went on a hike up to the summit, Kelly researched BWW franchise tips, and I went to the Spa! The Spa at Alyeska offers facials, massage, vichy, body treatments, salon services, and private parties. Check out their menu here.
While I was engaging in this delightful-ness, Andy and Madison were off on a hike! They had a great time!
After the massage, Don and I met the rest of the gang at the pool. The Alyeska pool is so much fun – there’s a sauna, a fitness center, large locker room and the coolest jacuzzi ever! It looks over the Alyeska garden area and pond. Very relaxing!
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| Pool |
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| Jacuzzi |
After a quick soak the boys went back to their rooms and took naps. Kelly and I embarked on a little hike around the Alyeska grounds. We chose the Winner Creek Trail. Check out all their trails
here and
here.
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| Tree with a butt |
After our hike we got ready for Oktoberfest! Oktoberfest is the largest beer festival in the world held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It lasts 16 days and includes parades, food, music, folk dancing, and, of course, beer. It occurs on the third Saturday in September. Over time, different cities have replicated the event all over the country, including Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Moscow, Beijing, and Bangalore.
The Alyeska Oktoberfest was being hosted by the hotel in a separate event hall, within walking distance. Along the way Andy tried to feed Kelly mushrooms.
We finally made it! They had great food and beer!
One of Kelly’s favorite bands, Wasteland Hop, was playing for Oktoberfest. They were pretty good! They’re a mix of folk, rock, and hip hop. My favorite band member was the violinist!
The next day we drove back to Anchorage and went to…you guessed it…BUFFALO WILD WINGS. It was a tad out of control. Andy and Madison order 24 wings – 4 snacks of 6 each. Andy got “blazin,” “mango habanero,” “ghost pepper,” and “caribbean jerk.” Here is a before and after:
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| BEFORE |
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| AFTER |
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| The aftermath |
I had to say goodbye to my friends at that point (which I hate). They had to make the long drive back to Fairbanks. I checked into my Anchorage hotel and enjoyed the beautiful view.
Stay tuned for our SPAIN blog posts coming up next!
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