Our trip to Alaska from June 29 to July 8, 2021. The video begins with our drive from Anchorage to Homer. We then show our cabin and photos of our 3-day stay at the Kilcher Homestead (as seen on Discovery Channel's 'Alaska: The Last Frontier') We met Otto Kilcher first on Kilcher Road. He was as folksy and down-to-earth as you might imagine from their show.
Later we explore the Homer Spit and then go on an exhilarating bush plane flight to Lake Clark National Park and Preserve for coastal brown bear viewing. After take-off from the beach, we fly over Grewink Glacier and the Homer Spit before landing back at Homer Airport.
On our way back toward Anchorage, we stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Then we checked into the gorgeous McKinley Chalet Resort and did some hiking around the property before a wonderful dinner at Karstens Public House. The following day we explored Denali National Park and Preserve onboard a transit bus that allows you to get on and off the buses that run all day. This allowed us to get in some hiking to explore Denali more close up. We finished up with beautiful views of the twin peaks of Mt. McKinley. We are told we are in the 30% club as 70% of people who visit Denali never see the peaks due to frequent clouds and fog.
We finished up our trip to Alaska by visiting the Alaska Zoo. We enjoy the various animals. Alas, the polar bear was not visible during our trip but we were treated to adorable bear cubs playing.
BOOKING ALASKA RENTAL CARS: Many people book trips to Alaska not realizing there are presently no rental cars available (in 2021). We had most everything booked only to find out there were absolutely no rental cars available. Turo.com saved the trip! This site allows individual car owners to rent out their personal vehicles.
BOOKING THE KILCHER HOMESTEAD: The Kilcher family rents out cabins at Airbnb.com. Some family members are always out and about on the property. You will see them doing their work and they will sometimes stop by to chat. The Kilchers are friendly and made our stay very memorable.
00:00 Drive from Anchorage to Homer
00:56 Kilcher Homestead
02:40 Exploring Homer Spit
03:20 Bear viewing flight aboard a bush plane operated by Smokey Bay Air
04:50 Beach landing at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
05:36 First brown bear sightings
07:18 Information about these coastal brown bears
07/46 Grizzly bear safety warning
11:11 Close encounter with coastal brown bear
12:41 Take-off from the beach
14:56 Flyover of Grewink Glacier
15:39 Flyover of Homer Spit
16:30 Landing at Homer Airport
17:52 Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
18:11 Grizzly bear feeding with handlers at Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
19:41 McKinley Chalet Resort check-in and hiking
20:00 Dinner at Karstens Public House
20:47 Denali National Park and Preserve
21:31 Hiking at Denali
22:36 View of twin peaks of Mt. McKinley
22:47 The Alaska Zoo
24:10 Adorable bear cubs playing
