This is a travel guide for those of you planning to visit the great state of Alaska in the summer. Alaska is a huge state, so I am writing about my favorite place - the Kenai Peninsula, which is located just South of Anchorage. Directions are pretty easy - get on the Seward Highway South and start driving - there is only one road, so your chances of getting lost are pretty slim.

Just South of Anchorage, you will come to Potter's Marsh, on the left side of the road. There is a nice parking area, and a wooden walkway for you to go out into the Marsh.  When the salmon are running,  you can watch them spawn in shallow pools below the walkway (just look for all the people looking down...you'll know that they are there. :) There are great birds that breed in that marsh - including Arctic Terns and enough Arctic Waterfowl to make a birdwatcher's dream come true! 

On the right side of the highway is a body of water called the Cook Inlet, which you drive along for quite some time. Keep an eye out for beluga wales and bald eagles!  On the left side of the highway are mountains of the Chugach National Forest with LOTS of hiking trails ... keep looking UP for Dall sheep and Mountain Goats!

About 40 miles South of Anchorage is the town of Girdwood, which is a ski resort in the winter. It's a great little hippie town, with a hotel called Alyseka. The hotel is a great place to stay, and it even has a tram that you can ride to the top of Mt Alyeska - the views are spectacular from the top!  Highly reccomended.  (For you women ... this is your last chance to use an indoor bathroom for many miles, take advantage of it while you can! :) 

After many miles of driving through beautiful mountainous landscapes, the road will fork.. You can continue on to the Seward Highway to Moose Pass and Seward, OR you can make a right onto the Sterling Highway to Cooper Landing, Kenai, and Homer. 

If you take the right, the next quaint town is Cooper Landing, situated in a beautiful mountain valley. The Kenai River flows through the town, which is a beautiful color of blue (from glacial silt). Make sure to stop at the local stores to see an authentic Alaskan general store - a place where you can buy food, hardware, get a coffee, take a shower, do your laundry, rent movies, get propane ... yes, everything in one spot!  Just South of Cooper Landing is the Russian River, with world-famous salmon fishing. When the fish are running, there is true combat fishing here... people stand shoulder to shoulder in the river to get their fish.

About an hour South of Cooper Landing is the town of Soldotna .. the Kenai River runs through the town, and it is another good place to fish. It's also the place to stop to get gas (cheapest prices on the Peninsula) and to stock up on any snacks you might want....If you take a right on the Kenai Spur Highway, you will drive 10 miles into the town of Kenai. (Birdwatchers - keep an eye out for Sandhill Cranes in this area).

About 40 miles South from Soldotna, is the town of Ninilchik. I highly recommend stopping here! From the highway, make a right onto the beach access road ... from there, you will see the original town of Ninilchik, which was set up as a community for Russian fur trappers and their Alaskan Native wives in the 1800s. On the hill, overlooking the town is a beautiful, historic Russian Orthodox Church with an adjoining graveyard. Just remember to be respectful - it is still in use. At the beach, on a clear day, you can see 4 ACTIVE Volcanoes just across the inlet. (from left to right - Augustine - Iliamna - Redoubt - Spur).  Agustine just blew in 2005. In June, you can fish for huge King Salmon in the River, and during low tides (once a month) you can go digging for razor clams on the beach. It is dirty, but a lot of fun.  If you are camping, Ninilchik has 3 excellent State Park campgrounds - not expensive and well maintained. Make sure to stop at the Ninilchik General Store - on the highway - they have excellent ice cream!! 

About 20 miles South of Ninilchik is the little community of Anchor Point - again - you can take a right onto the beach access road for some excellent views -- and, you will be at the furthest west highway point in North America. Also, great salmon fishing here.

And, then, you can continue down to the End of the Road, Homer, Alaska. Homer is a great, eclectic artist community / hippie town / commercial fishing hub. It has a neat geological feature - called The Spit, which is a 5-mile long sand bar, with a road in the middle and shops & campgrounds on either side.  Lots of great food, fishing, and nice people throughout the town. It's also home to some great music, so check out the night life .. and, make sure to stop into the Salty Dog Saloon on the Spit - I promise that you have never seen anything like it!!