Midsummer travel is always a balancing act: one wrong step and you could end up at the back of a long line. That doesn't mean you shouldn't get out there and do it, though! It's worth it! Here are a few pointers:
1. Take an extra day. We recently attended a lovely wedding in Malibu, complete with Sunday afternoon traffic along the Pacific Coast Highway. The next day, though, we had the chance to visit the Getty Museum, which sits atop the Hollywood hills on a 750-acre plot of expensive property. Although admission to the Getty Center in free, there is a $15 charge to park your car. It's worth it! Ride the tram up the hill to the museum. I've never seen so much marble in my life. The structure, the gardens, the views--it's all as impressive as the incredible collections housed inside. Although I can only handle museums for about two hours, it is easy to spend more time checking out the permanent exhibits of impressionist paintings, sculpture and photography. Check the website for details on the rotating exhibits.
2. Speaking of Los Angeles, consider one of the other airports besides LAX. It's not that LAX is impossible to navigate. But once you fly into Long Beach or Burbank, you realize how pleasant it is to fly through a smaller facility. JetBlue's seasonal nonstops from Alaska into Long Beach have been handy. Whether it's the security line, luggage issues or the sheer number of steps from check-in to the gate, the "suburban" airports can save you a lot of time.
3. Avoid checked luggage at all costs. This is more difficult if you want to bring back presents of wine or olive oil. And it requires a reset of some travel habits. But the payoff is great: less time at the airport. If you aren't checking bags and you print your boarding pass at home -- or at the airport kiosk -- then you can proceed directly to security and then on to the plane. It's liberating! True confession: Now I spend a little more time doing laundry at the hotel.
4. Smartphones are indispensable. But bring your charger -- and have it handy. Part web browser, part GPS, part mind-numbing game console. That's what your smartphone is today, and you need it if you're traveling. The weakest link appears to be battery life, especially after a long flight. This is even more the case when you're flying Alaska Airlines. Through Sept. 30, 2011, Alaska offers free online connectivity, sponsored by Bank of America. It's all a plot to get you to sign up for their Visa card and earn more Alaska Airlines miles. But it's worth it -- we all need another way to waste time in the air. And it's free!
5. Airports are expensive. Whether you're eating, drinking or renting a car or a taxi -- airports push the limit on how much to charge. No price, it appears, is too high. The only cost-effective way to get off the property is via public transit. In Seattle, Portland and San Francisco, that's no problem: just take the train into town. From there, you typically can rent a car for about half the price. In Portland, for example, we typically rent from the Enterprise office on NE 102nd Ave. near Glisan St. It's a 12-minute ride on the "MAX" light rail. In case you haven't noticed--it's more expensive to rent cars these days. The off-airport option is a cost-effective hedge. In Seattle, I take Sound Transit's light rail all the way into the Westlake station downtown. From there, the Enterprise office is a four-minute walk. Remember, though, almost all car rental firms, including Hertz and Avis, offer much lower rates off-airport.
6. Eat to live. With the new light rail from the Seattle airport, it's easy to get downtown and walk around--to the Pike Place Market or to Nordstrom's. It's a longer walk to SAFECO field or the waterfront--but it's still an easy stroll. You're going to get hungry, though. Choose from a dizzying variety of eateries in the market or the surrounding neighborhoods. In fact, I often go to the Whole Foods Market on Westlake Blvd. (just down from the Enterprise office!) for lunch or dinner. They have great make-your-own salads, as well as a couple of in-house restaurants. Spur Gastropub is my new favorite restaurant in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood. We discovered it on a Seattle Food Tour of Belltown, which is adjacent to the Pike Place Market. Located at 113 Blanchard St., the chefs, Brian McCracken and Dana Tough, put together some incredible dishes which honestly are more like works of art. But once you put them in your mouth, you will swoon! We split the eight-course tasting menu, which featured black cod, tuna andFoie Gras -- it was incredible. You can select the tasting menu with paired wines for an additional fee, or just choose from their good selection of wines by-the-glass.
True confession: it was a good feeling to bask in some real summertime weather along the West Coast. Pleasant temperatures in the 80s were a welcome diversion from our decidedly chilly, damp Alaska August. But I've got my hat and gloves on -- and am looking forward to some fall-time adventures in the Last Frontier!
Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based travel marketing consultant who has lived in Alaska for three decades, spending much of that time traveling the far-flung corners of the state. Visit his website at www.alaskatravelgram.com.