• Alaska, finally!

    ByKristin family, summer, vacation

    We finally made it. I say that because we originally booked an Alaskan cruise in 2020. We all know how that went, or, rather, didn’t go. We rebooked in 2021, but negative COVID tests were still required to fly into Canada and board cruise ships … and one of my kids tested positive for COVID the night before we were scheduled to leave. So we waited a few days then went to Wisconsin Dells instead. 

    Then we planned other cruises with friends, celebrated our high school graduate, went on mission trips … and Alaska had to wait. 

    But now here we are, finally. 

    We love to travel with our moms and family friends, but for reasons I’m not even entirely sure about, the trip felt like it was meant for the five of us. That doesn’t mean it was all roses and everyone got along all the time, but I’m so glad we did this trip in this season of life. 

    This trip was a big one with 13 nights away from home in three hotels each for a night, seven nights on the Ovation of the Seas, two nights in a cabin, and the last night on an airplane. 

    We packed seven suitcases for five of us, and I wish we’d packed less. But I did three loads of laundry after we got off the cruise ship. 

    Ketchikan

    We gained another hour to get on Alaskan time, and then went on our first excursion. We canoed around Harriett Hunt Lake in the Tongass National Forest. After a nature walk, we had yummy local snacks such as clam chowder, berry jam, salmon dip, and hot chocolate. 

    Greg, Cate, and Ben got back on the ship for lunch while Rachel and I shared a crab roll from a local food truck. Then we snacked and shopped at Ward’s Cove, which had a great store for cruise tourists. 

    We ended the port stop with the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. Showcasing a competition between a couple of two-man teams, it was entertaining and interactive.

    Icy Strait Point

    This port is near Hoonah, and it’s owned and developed by the native people. It’s authentic and takes into account the salmon cannery history. We rode a new gondola to the top of the mountain. It was a cloudy day, so views were limited, but it was still pretty. We also went on a walk to a pond and meadow. On the way down, the boss of the gondola hitched a ride with us, and we got to chat with him, which was fun. 

    After lunch and exploring, we boarded a whale-watching boat and saw 18 humpback whales bubble feeding and 4 others breaching. Several in my crew consider the whale watching their favorite excursion. 

    We beat the crowds and took the shuttle into downtown in the morning. We walked to the Sitka National Historical Park, which took us by a marina and beautiful, rocky shoreline. Then we shopped and snacked downtown before heading back to the cruise port. 

    Our excursion took us to the Fortress of the Bear, which is a non-profit facility that cares for orphaned bears. We got to see Alaskan coastal brown bears and black bears. 

    This was maybe my favorite day, thanks to siblings’ moods toward each other, the weather, and the whole experience. Cate and I decided we could vacation here for a few days, and we talked about “The Proposal,” even though the majority of the movie wasn’t actually filmed there. But nobody there has tiny dogs because eagles are a real threat to them! 

    Skagway

    Further north, this port looked different than the others with more dramatic mountains and views. 

    We had a tour that took us to learn about and meet sled dogs and through the White Pass to Fraser, British Columbia, Canada. We rode up on a bus and down on a scenic train. So beautiful! 

    We had lunch at the Salty Siren near the port. I continued my streak of seafood at least once every day! 

    Seward to Anchorage

    We got off the ship in Seward, which is a couple of hours from Anchorage. We took a tour that was also our transport. Along the way we stopped at so many great places, including Lowell Point, Exit Glacier overlook, The Inn at Whittier for lunch, Portage Valley, Byron Glacier trailhead, and Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Center.

    Our guide was excellent, and this was a great way to learn the area and get to where we needed to go. We stayed at the Hyatt Place in Anchorage that night and had dinner The Bear Paw Bar & Grill because it was in walking distance, but it also turned out to be delicious! 

    I did three loads of laundry at the hotel, and Rachel swam. Honestly, I wish we’d packed less. We took a total of seven suitcases, but I think we could have done five with no issues if I trusted the laundry situation!

    Palmer

    Just outside of Anchorage, the boys fished on Knik River from the late morning into the afternoon, so the girls and I had our own fun. We went to the Reindeer Farm, lunched at Turkey Red, and got dessert at Vagabond Blues. 

    Then we drove up toward Hatcher Pass before picking up the boys and heading to Denali National Park. We stayed just outside of the park in a cute cabin at Denali Grizzly Bear Resort for two nights. 

    Denali National Park 

    Our first day at Denali National Park was really fun! It’s so remote that it’s not like Yellowstone or even Glacier with all the people in the summer. Plus we had beautiful weather. 

    We visited the working dogs that rangers use to patrol the park, especially in the winter when so many parts aren’t accessible by roads. Then we did a tour of the background just outside of the park with Denali ATV Adventures. We had a six-seater ATV for just our crew and then two guides in their own ATV and another couple in theirs. It was basically like a private tour, and so fun! 

    After the ATV tour, we happened upon a golf course down the road. Ben really wanted to say he played golf in Alaska, so he and Greg squeezed in some holes at Black Diamond Golf Course. While the girls and I were having a snack on the porch there, a worker asked us if we’d been to the petting zoo. My immediate response was, “Right here?” Yep. Right behind the restaurant and clubhouse was a petting zoo with goats, miniature horses and cows, rabbits, and sheep. So random, but Rachel especially had the best time! 

    That night we went to the Cabin Nite Dinner Theatre at Denali Park Village, which was across the street from our cabin. The ribs, salmon, family-style sides, and berry cobbler were so good! And the show about Denali and what brought people there was funny and entertaining. 

    The next day in Denali, we took a bus 43 miles into the park, which is farther than possible in a private vehicle. I wish we had more time to explore, especially once we got to East Fork riverbed, but we had a plane to catch. 

    Sort of. We stopped at Wasilla on our way back to Anchorage to watch the World Cup game at Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill. We flew out at 10:45 pm Alaska time and remain confused about what day it is!

    Logistic Recommendations

    • I’ve probably told you before, but if you’re flying out of the Nashville airport early in the morning, stay at the hotel there. Yes, it’ll feel like a splurge, but it’s worth it. 
    • A cruise is the way to see Alaska’s coast because those towns are beautiful but isolated. But then you should definitely spend a few extra days in the interior exploring other areas. I used a travel agent for the cruise booking, but then I booked our cruise excursions and extra land-based days myself. I enjoy planning trips, though. If you don’t, my girls at Kingdom Seekers Travel can help you with all the things. 
    • Get a credit card with good travel perks. I recommend both the Southwest credit card if you fly with even a little frequency and the Capital One Venture card. These help cut the costs in various ways! 
    • I also like to book hotels and rental cars through Expedia because that builds OneKey Cash (aka discounts) and allows me to get cash back through Rakuten. 

    More travel advice

    Need inspiration?

    *****

    Even though they don’t do the beauty justice, I took a bunch of pictures! You can see most of them on Facebook or Instagram.

    God authors the stories on our porches and wherever we go. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to receive #PorchStories emails with resources and stories like this about every other week.

  • How to take the trip

    ByKristin road trips, vacation

    I’m pretty much always thinking about my next trip! Be it a weekend getaway or a family vacation, I’ve always got ideas of where I want to go next. The rest of my family always has suggestions too. Yes, take the (next) trip!

    I was in my 40s when I came to terms with the fact beach vacations aren’t my favorite. I like so many things about a beach vacation: tropical weather, sunshine, seafood, and the views and sounds of the ocean. While I do love vacations that include water, I especially love vacations that allow me to see various spots and sights on the same trip – think road trip or cruise!

    Where to go?

    The destinations are endless, but I’d start with this question. Consider how long you want to be gone, how you’re going to get there, where you’ll stay, and what activities come with a certain destination. 

    Here are some of our past trips that are definitely worth sharing: 

    West road trips

    Northward

    Tropical locations

    Who can help?

    I love planning trips, but I also love having help plan them! Here are some great resources I recommend:

    What to take with you?

    Obviously, what’s in your suitcase depends on where you’re going, but here are some things I love to have along the way, regardless of where I am.

    • Line-a-day journal – Document everyday life whether you’re at home or on the road.
    • Reusable shopping bags – I like these because they squish up, making them easy to pack. They are great for hauling around snacks, dirty clothes, or anything else!
    • Capital One Venture credit card – This is a great card to use for travel expenses because the rewards points are good and allow you to “erase” travel purchases. You can also book hotels and other travel reservations directly through the Capital One website and get special deals. When we signed up for TSA Pre-Check, the fee was reimbursed when we used this card. (Also, sign up for TSA Pre-Check if you’re ever going to fly!)
    • Crossbody bag – I have loved this Lululemon one for a while, but I found an even better and cheaper one on Amazon. Truly, hooray for liking the off-brand one better! 
    • Bigger sling bag – I also like traveling with my Kavu sling bag. It can hold quite a few things and is easy to carry while on the go. 

    Where do you want to go next? What are you taking with you?

  • Exploring Wyoming & Montana

    ByKristin road trips, vacation

    It’s hard to recap a beautiful 11-day trip to three national parks, but, of course, I’m going to try! 

    Let’s start at the beginning: We flew into Salt Lake City on July 22 and drove to the Grand Tetons. Along the way, we had a delicious dinner at Union Grill in Ogden, Utah, and then shopped for some groceries and a $17 Igloo cooler at Walmart in Ogden that had a beautiful view from the parking lot. 

    We had a great first day in the Tetons. We took the shuttle across Jenny Lake and hiked to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. We had a picnic lunch at String Lake, where we regretted we weren’t prepared to swim. We drove down the road and briefly explored Menors Ferry. Then we came back to Teton Village, where we stayed on Rachel Way, and rode the aerial tram to the top of Rendezvous Mountain, where we had delicious waffles — one mixed berry cobbler and one peanut butter and bacon! Then had dinner at the Mangy Moose in Teton Village. 

    Day 3 – Tetons & Yellowstone

    We started Day #3 with a 13-mile scenic boat tour on the Snake River with Dave Hansen Whitewater and Scenic River Trips. Then we had lunch at Snake River Brewing while we were in Jackson, WY. We finished up our self-guided tour of the Tetons with stops at Mormon Row, Snake River Overlook, and Oxbow Bend. 

    Such beautiful views! And good information, thanks to GuideAlong, which I highly recommend for guided driving tours. Download driving tours that work even in national parks that don’t have good cell service.

    We left the Tetons that afternoon and headed into Yellowstone National Park! We headed north from the Tetons, came into the south entrance of Yellowstone, and stopped to see Lewis Canyon before we came to our townhouse in West Yellowstone. We had dinner at a pizza place that didn’t have a wait and huckleberry ice cream from City Creamery.

    Day 4 – Yellowstone

    Day 4 was another good day … and we finished with 17,000+ steps! 

    We started with the roadside Gibbon Falls and Beryl Springs, then hiked about a mile around the Artists Paintpots, and walked more around the Porcelain Basin Trail at Norris Geyser Basin. 

    Then we went off-road into the backcountry with a “secret” hike to Little Gibbon Falls. I really loved it, but my kids had lots of nervous feelings about it because we only saw six other people the whole 1.4 miles. It was lovely and felt adventurous. 

    We met up with my Uncle Rick and Mom in Mammoth for a picnic lunch, a history tour courtesy former park ranger Uncle Rick, some hot springs site seeing, and the Roosevelt Arch. We also saw our first wildlife that wasn’t birds — two separate elk. Mom joined us for the rest of our trip. 

    For dinner, we came back to The Buffalo Bar in West Yellowstone and then finished the night with more huckleberry ice cream from City Creamery.

    Day 5 – Yellowstone

    We had another good day in Yellowstone. Day 5 was filled with lots of hydrothermal sites and 15,000+ steps. 

    We drove along Firehole Canyon Scenic Drive, walked around the Midway Geyser Basin, and then hiked to see an even grander view of Grand Prismatic. Then we spent longer than I expected at Old Faithful, where we saw the geyser erupt close up and from a distance. We also walked around Geyser Hill, had a picnic lunch, looked inside Old Faithful Inn, and did some souvenir shopping. 

    We had some “rest time” today back at our West Yellowstone townhouse and then went to Canyon Street Grill and, yes, of course, had ice cream at City Creamery. Then we played our new Trekking the National Parks board game. 

    Day 6 – Yellowstone

    Day 6 of our vacation took us to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Yellowstone Lake. Such beautiful drives and sites! 

    We started with the North Rim Scenic Drive, including Brink of the Lower Falls hike and Lookout Point. We meandered around the interesting Canyon Village Education Center and then visited Artist Point on the canyon’s south rim. 

    We lunched at a picnic table at Bridge Bay Marina, where we also saw five elk playing in Yellowstone Lake. Then we stopped at Fishing Bridge and hiked on Pelican Creek Nature Trail, which lead us to a sandy lake beach. Ben and Rachel played in the water there — something they’ve been wanting to do. These were definitely lesser-known locations, but I really loved this part of the park. 

    Driving through Hayden Valley twice was also enjoyable — such pretty landscape! We did see a few bison. Dinner was back in West Yellowstone again, this time at Beartooth Barbecue, which was so yummy! And, yes, we followed that with ice cream from City Creamery. 

    Day 7 — Yellowstone & Livingston, MT

    Our last day in Yellowstone was another good, full one. 

    We saw Tower Fall, two grizzly bears on our way to Lamar Valley, lots of bison and some pronghorn in Lamar Valley, and a black bear after Lamar Valley. We had lunch at Beartooth Cafe in Cooke City before experiencing the 68-mile Beartooth Highway. We had the best huckleberry milkshakes at Whistle Stop Cafe in Columbus, MT, on the way to visit my aunt and uncle in Livingston, MT. So much beautiful scenery and finally the animals for which we’d been watching!

    Day 8 — Travel through Montana 

    Another travel day, but of course there are pretty views in all directions. We left Livingston, MT this morning to head north to Glacier National Park. 

    We happened upon the only pitstop for many miles — Trixi’s in Ovando, MT. It was exactly what you’d think a Montana saloon would be: casino games, bar, pool table, and animal heads and beer brands as decorations. I felt like Rip and Jimmy could have walked in at any moment. And my burger and fries were delicious. I loved the whole experience! 

    After checking into our cabin and the kids checking out the hot tub, we went to see the Hungry Horse Dam. Dinner was at Paul Bunyan Bar & Grill — and it was good. 

    Day 9 — Glacier

    We had a great first full day in Glacier. We started with eventually finding a parking spot for the Trail of the Cedars and then explored Sacred Dancing Cascade, a pretty waterfall in the shallow McDonald Creek. We also saw McDonald Falls just down the road. 

    We had our picnic lunch near the Lake McDonald Lodge. Then we did a little souvenir shopping before going on our whitewater rafting trip 9 miles down the middle fork of the Flathead Creek. Great Northern Resort provided a great, family-friendly rafting trip that was perfect for my kids’ first experience. 

    Instead of going back out for dinner, we did carry-out from Glacier Taphouse & Pizza and everything we had was so yummy! Huckleberry pie from The Huckleberry Patch was the much-awaited dessert. 

    Day 10 — Glacier

    Our last day of vacation included nearly 17,000 steps and three of my family members jumping off a rocky cliff. 

    We started by driving on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The scenery was gorgeous! We stopped at Logan’s Pass, where we hiked to the Hidden Lake Overlook. The boardwalk and steps were deceiving and it was a harder-than-expected, 2.8-mile trail, but I’m glad we did it anyway. 

    Then we drove to Jackson Glacier Overlook and to Sun Point, where we did a short hike to a beautiful view of St. Mary Lake. We had our picnic lunch at Sun Point and then took the shuttle a little bit west to the St. Mary Falls hike. The trail is hauntingly beautiful with lots of burned trees with newer wildflower and bush growth on the way to a gorgeous waterfall and glacier-blue water. This is where Greg, Ben, and Rachel jumped off the rocky cliff into the St. Mary River. 

    We headed back to West Glacier to get cleaned up and regroup before dinner at Monaco Steakhouse & Sports Grill in Columbia Falls, MT. Then we tried to fit all the pants and sweatshirts we didn’t use back into the suitcases – and finished the huckleberry pie!

    Day 11 – Travel home

    We flew home from Missoula, which offered better flight times and prices than the closer Kalispell. We returned a very dirty Armada to Avis and had a smooth trip home by flying through Chicago to Nashville, where we were reunited with our minivan. 

    Reflections 

    In the airport, I asked my family some post-trip questions inspired by author Laura Tremaine to capture their thoughts. 

    What was your favorite thing we did on this trip?

    • Greg — Driving through Lamar Valley and Beartooth Highway
    • Kristin — Jenny Lake hikes, “secret” hike in Yellowstone & rafting 
    • Cate (16) — Hot springs on Yellowstone & rafting 
    • Ben (13) — Jumping off the cliff at St Mary Falls
    • Rachel (7) — Swimming in the hot tub at Glacier rental 
    • (But after we gave initial answers we kept saying other things …)

    What was the best thing we ate?

    • G — Snake River Brewing
    • K — Huckleberry ice cream in waffle cone from City Creamery 
    • C — Glacier Taphouse Pizza & Huckleberry Lemonade
    • B — Canyon Street Grill in West Yellowstone

    What could we do differently next time?

    • G — Go at a less-crowded time 
    • K — Pack less
    • C — No “secret” hikes
    • B — More steak
    • R — Sleep with mom and dad every night (not just in Glacier …)

    What memory would you like to make next?

    • G — Alaska cruise
    • K — Alaska cruise
    • C — Go to Mexico and go snorkeling
    • B — Go on another Royal Caribbean Cruise
    • R — Go to Disney World or “Big Mickey Boat”

    Resources

    Without a doubt, I recommend you spend money on Dirt in My Shoes itineraries and GuideAlong’s audio driving tours. Both are how I planned this trip to flow in ways that made sense and allowed us to see so many glorious things. My local friends also have a business (Awestruck Family Outfitters) that could plan a fabulous trip for you.

    Another way we make traveling work well is by using our Capital One Venture credit card. There are travel discounts and rewards. We get a higher percentage back in rewards when we make travel-related reservations, can cash rewards in to cover travel purchases, got reimbursed for our TSA Pre-Check application when we used this card as payment, and can book hotels and rental cars with discounted rates directly through the credit card website. Win-win, I tell you. (Learn more here!)

    *****

    Still want to see and know more? I shared more pictures on Facebook, if you want to browse those albums. I also have a highlight on Instagram.