Travel

Looking for the perfect wintry getaway? Here are some suggestions.

Winter finally is here. Oh, there are a few bare spots on the trail. OK, sure, we could use a couple more feet of snow. But it's cold outside and there is, indeed, snow on the ground. The mountains are beautiful and the frosty trees glisten as the low-hanging sun makes its way across the southern horizon.

While many of the big tourist venues have shut down for the winter, a few hardy operators make wintertime visitors a priority. That means there are plenty of options for a quick getaway — even on the shortest days of the year.

1. Alyeska Resort: From Anchorage, a trip to Alyeska qualifies as the quickest getaway, since it's just 35 miles away. I like the mid-week "Stay and Ski Free" special, available Sunday-Thursday nights. Stay for as little as $139 per night and get two free lift tickets. That's a great deal. Of course, there's also the pool, the spa and several restaurants at the hotel and in the neighborhood.

2. Land's End Resort in Homer: Keep driving south, past Alyeska all the way to the end of the Homer Spit. Land's End has a nice deal in the winter (until May 17). Stay overnight for as little as $139 per couple. The price includes dinner for two. You can make it a two-night stay (from $204 per couple), but you only get one dinner per person with the package at the Chart Room restaurant. Taxes and gratuities are extra.

3. Talkeetna Roadhouse: Sure, you can drive north to Talkeetna and book a room at the iconic Talkeetna Roadhouse. Trisha Costello, the hostess, runs a cozy inn and operates an incredible restaurant. The staff also bakes a different bread each day — which they list on the website. The rates are very reasonable: you can get a bunk in the hostel room for as little as $23.10 per night. You get to share a bathroom with your fellow travelers.

For some real fun, get the "Talkeetna Pie Making" package from the Alaska Railroad. It includes a ride on the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage (northbound on Saturdays and select mid-week dates throughout the winter), plus a pie-making class in the kitchen. Accommodations are included (in one of the more traditional rooms). Cost is $255 per person.

When you're in Talkeetna, be sure and enjoy a craft beer from the nearby Denali Brewery. It's right across the street from the Roadhouse. If the weather is good, like it is right now, take a flightseeing trip around Denali.

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4. The Lodge at Black Rapids: Built near the original site of the Black Rapids Roadhouse, the lodge is on the Richardson Highway between Glennallen and Fairbanks. Hosts Mike and Annie Hopper built the lodge over the course of several years, while also improving the "old" lodge down by the highway. The two-story timber-frame home is filled with artistic touches, fine finishes and comfy rooms. The views overlooking the frozen river valley are incredible. Annie has some binoculars so you can get a good look at the area across the river. Like any good roadhouse, the meals are delicious. It's not uncommon for neighbors to come by with their instruments. Annie is quick to pull out her guitar and play along.

Check with the lodge for snowmachine packages, dogsledding adventures or cross-country skiing. Rooms are $220 per night, although there are several fold-out couches on the lower level with "high-end Italian mattresses" for $99 per night.

5. Alaska Railroad: You can take the whole day to get to Fairbanks on the Alaska Railroad's Aurora Train. Those of you who want to bake pies can get off at Talkeetna. But for the rest of the scenic adventure, please remain in your seats! The engineer slows down going over the Hurricane Bridge and comes to a full stop at "Kodachrome Corner" so everyone can get a beautiful photo of Denali right out the window! The train has a bar car and some snacks available. You're welcome to bring your own food on board, but not your own booze. Have your camera handy for the many beautiful landscapes along the way, including the Nenana River valley as you ride past the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve. The one-way fare between Anchorage and Fairbanks is $195.

It's technically possible for you to spend the night in Fairbanks and ride back on the train for another 12-hour trip. But I recommend that you hang out in Fairbanks for a few days, then take a plane back to Anchorage. It's just a one-hour flight.

6. Chena Hot Springs: Rent a car and drive the 60 miles from Fairbanks to Chena Hot Springs Resort. Bernie and Connie Karl have transformed this local treasure into an alternative-energy showpiece. Bernie loves to talk about harnessing the geothermal energy to power the greenhouses, the heat and hot water and even the refrigeration necessary to maintain the ice hotel year round. Technically it's an "ice museum" but it is, indeed, furnished with a few beds. But everything inside is beautifully carved out of ice. You can even order an "appletini" served in an ice glass.

In addition to soaking in the hot springs (inside or outside), you can book a tour up to a mountaintop yurt to see the northern lights. Or, you can ride on a dog sled. Skis, snowshoes and ice skates are available for rent. Guests also can go flightseeing or take a snowmachine tour. Alaska residents get a 50 percent discount off published room rates (from $105 per night, plus tax).

7. Coldfoot, Alaska: If you're serious about seeing the northern lights, consider a trip up the Dalton Highway to Coldfoot. I recommend taking a tour, which includes transportation on a sturdy motorcoach. Northern Alaska Tour Co. offers tours up the "Haul Road" and over the Yukon River, past the Arctic Circle up to Coldfoot. The accommodations are nothing special — they've renovated a former pipeline camp and split it into single and double rooms. After driving north from Fairbanks, you have time to grab some dinner at the cafe and then take a little nap before it's time to head out and see the lights.

The Coldfoot Cafe is a working truck stop, so there are lights on all night long — and the truckers to and from the North Slope come through around the clock. To get away from the noise and light, you'll take a ride about 14 miles away to Wiseman. There, in a trapper's cabin, you can enjoy some hot tea while local experts will help you set up your camera to capture the aurora borealis. Be sure to bring a tripod, since you'll need to set your camera for a long exposure.

8. Winterlake Lodge: Last weekend I ran into Kirsten Dixon of Winterlake Lodge. This is a tiny lodge that offers luxurious touches in the middle of the wilderness. Kirsten is a world-renowned chef and author. She and her husband Carl also own Tutka Bay Lodge across the bay from Homer. But they love spending their winters out at Winterlake, located at Mile 198 on the Iditarod Trail. In fact, the lodge is a checkpoint for mushers and the trail runs right past the lodge.

Winterlake's winter season starts in January. All guests fly out with Rust's Flying Service from Lake Hood on ski planes. All meals are included, as well as daily cooking classes. The meals, by the way, are incredible. Kirsten and her daughter Mandy are accomplished chefs and use the freshest local ingredients to craft imaginative and original menus.

Sled dog tours (including driving the team), cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmachine tours also are available. Yoga classes also are included.

Accommodations are in private cabins, while meals are served in the main lodge. Rates vary for a three-night package, but a sample itinerary on the website is $5,015 per person. Special weeklong ski packages also are available, including helicopter transport to the nearby Tordrillo Mountains.

These are just a few ideas to get you out the door. Alaska is a great big place — fun to explore all winter long!

Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. You can follow him on Twitter (@alaskatravelGRM) and alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.

Scott McMurren

Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. Subscribe to his e-newsletter at alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.

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