Alaska Pre-Cruise/Alyeska/Homer/Seward

Mother/Daughter Alaska pre-cruise June 27th to July 3rd

After a fantastic time in Denali National Park we are off to Alyeska Resort which is the gateway to the Chugach Mountains, offering a peek into the vastness and wild nature of this breathtaking mountain range. Home to numerous wildlife and flora species, Alyeska seamlessly entwines luxuryaccommodations with convenient access to nature.

In the Winter, Alyeska Resort is truly a playground for all levels of skiers and riders. Offering 1,610 skiable acres, 76 named trails and over 669″ of snow annually, Alyeska lives up to its reputation of ‘steep and deep’. Whether you are just starting out in the sport or looking to challenge yourself, you can find it here.

After a one night stay at this wonderful resort we were off to Homer Alaska with a stop at Ninilchik to view the “Our Lord Russian Orthodox Church” and cemetery.

Built in 1901, the historic bluff-top structure sports five golden onion-domes and commands an unbelievable view of Cook Inlet and the volcanoes on the west side of the inlet. Adjoining it is a Russian Orthodox cemetery.

Ninilchik, whose name means "peaceful settlement by a river", is located on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula, about 40 miles south of Soldotna.

While at this stop we were lucky to see an Eagles nest right next to the cemetery. Our friend Robin shared his professional shots of the Eagle in flight.

Homer Alaska is a small city on Kachemak Bay, on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. A focal point is the Homer Spit, a long strip of land with shops, art galleries, seafood restaurants and beaches. Fishing boats dock at its harbor. Galleries also cluster on Pioneer Avenue, near the Pratt Museum, which shows local art and artifacts, including a pioneer cabin. The Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center has wildlife exhibits.

On our boat tour through Kachemak Bay/Kenai In the Bay. Marine mammals such as sea otters, humpback whales and harbor seals forage amid common murres, horned puffins and tufted puffins. Pigeon guillemots nest along the rocky shores, and fjords host flocks of sea ducks in winter.

This family just caught fresh salmon. These kids are trained early on how to filet fish in this case salmon. Just incredible!!!

When in Homer one can NOT miss out on the “Salty Dog Saloon” Such a fun place to be. Make sure to bring cash. No credit card is accepted here.

After our two nights in Homer we are on our way to Seward. On the way we stopped at the The Pratt Museum which is a regional natural history museum located in Homer, Alaska, with exhibits exploring life around Kachemak Bay in South Central Alaska. The museum's mission is to preserve "the stories of the Kachemak Bay region", through "collections, exhibits, and programs in culture, science, and art.

We also stopped at Norman Lowell Gallery which is located on the bluffs overlooking the Anchor River south of the rural community of Anchor Point. The 10,000-square-foot Norman Lowell Gallery of Alaska stands on the original homestead property of the Norman Lowell family. These are some of my favorites at the Gallery.

In Seward Alaska we were able to board our Cruise ship, have lunch then enjoy the Alaska Sealife center.

Mom definitely loved the “touch basin” :)

Mount Marathon Race had his first runner come through the finish line when we came out of the Alaska Sealife centre.

Up to 30,000 people descend on Seward to watch the mayhem and celebrate Independence Day. The grueling course climbs 3,022 feet above sea level, followed by a fast and dangerous descent. The 3.1-mile race has an average slope of 34 degrees and is 60 degrees at its steepest.

The winner of the Race hugging his Mom.

This concluded our Pre-Cruise Adventure where Viking Cruise line takes over our Tour. We had to say Good bye to Angie and Debbie. Both were absolutely fantastic and we all learned a lot as we were driving through some breathtaking scenery. Throughout our Pre-cruise adventure we formed wonderful friendships within this good looking group. :)

Thank you Robin for this fantastic picture. More to come as we cruise in Inside Passage from Seward Alaska to Vancouver Canada.