Lions, tigers and bears, nope just Girdwood and inclusivity !
Girdwood
Last but not least, we drove from Seward to Girdwood. Altogether, it was about an hour and a half drive. On our way, we stopped at the Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Center, which was worth the stop. We showed up an hour before they closed, (not recommended), I’d say anticipate spending a half day there, it’s BIG. You can either walk or drive the dirt road from animal enclosure to animal enclosure. The enclosures themselves were huge, unlike a typical zoo. Sometimes it was hard to see the animals because there was so much space.
Ya’ll, they had real reindeer. No Rudolf and they don’t fly! I want to know who gave the go ahead to put this wicked lie out there, just leads to total devastation. With the snowy mountains behind them, they were ready for their photo shoot. They just needed a fat guy in a red suit. Since we were on a time crunch, we ended up having to skip a bunch of animals.
The adult black bears had a massive enclosure, with this raised metal boardwalk that was wheelchair accessible, went through the enclosure. The bears were napping right near the boardwalk. A few giant crows and a bald eagle stopped by to say hi.
Our last stop, The Alyeska Resort, was ten minutes down the road from the Conservation Center. When you first walk towards the resort, there is a warning sign instructing you to not pet the bears. I mean duh. But it means someone has in the past. In the winter the resort turns into a big ski resort.
Sorry grumpy puppy
When checking in, you enter the lobby and up above they have a giant stuffed polar bear, which you definitely cannot pet, mainly due to height restraints. They also have a variety of native artwork; some are for sale.
After spending the morning traveling, we worked up an appetite. They had a number of restaurant selections, but we ultimately chose to try Sakura Asian Bistro, I sat at the sushi bar because all of the other tables were too tall for my chair.
The next day, we rode up the Aerial Tram to the top of the mountain. You could also hike up the trail, but it’s very possible you’ll run into a bear. At the top of Aerial Tram, it was 75 and sunny! The view took my breath away. The top was paved and they even had a ramp, so I got to wheel around on top of the mountain, (that never happens!), they also had a gift shop that I had to check out! I’m a sucker for magnets. Then after, you could wheel all around it on this deck. We went inside to eat at the Aurora Grille for food and views. They served cafeteria-like food at the top of the mountain.
On our final day we went to the Nordic Spa! I got a massage which was the BEST massage ever! They had many small pools outside that contained both hot and cold water. My feet are cold enough as is, so I opted for the warm pools before helping myself to some lunch. It was so relaxing there. It was a perfect end to our trip.
In the early morning, we drove to Anchorage Airport, where we watched the sunrise in Anchorage for the last time in Alaska. Before I knew it, it was time to fly home. Until next time, Alaska!
