50 ways Alaska tops bucket list of travel for 2009

To help celebrate Alaska’s 50th anniversary of statehood in 2009, two Alaska outfitters, Denali Park Resorts and Glacier Bay Lodge & Tours, have compiled a list of 50 fun things to do in our nation’s largest state. For hard-core outdoors fanatics or those looking for a relaxing way to take in the culture and history of Alaska, Alaska has a little something for everyone.

1.            Celebrate Alaska’s 50^th birthday with Denali Park Resort’s “Statehood Special,” which offers a second night for only $50 if you stay on a Thursday or Friday. And if you’re celebrating your 50^th birthday in 2009, you get the second night FREE! (www.denaliparkresorts.com/specials/index.cfm)

2.            Take advantage of the Sourdough Special –throughout the entire 2009 season (May 12-Sept. 20), all four lodges at Denali Park Resorts are offering a 50 percent discount for Alaska residents. Rooms start at $136.96 (www.denaliparkresorts.com/specials/index.cfm)

3.            Ride down the Stampede Trail, the same rugged trail that Chris McCandless traveled through in the 2007 motion picture Into the Wild, adapted from Jon Krakauer’s best-selling non-fiction book

4.            Climb North America’s highest peak – At 20,320 feet, Mt. McKinley is the centerpiece of Denali and offers a challenging adventure. Test your mountaineering skills—just make sure to go in the warmer months!

5.            Get a permit from the National Park Service and go backcountry hiking or backbacking

6.            Take in the theater – Cabin Nite Dinner Theater, a Yukon Gold Rush musical (meal included) (www.denaliparkresorts.com/activities/index.cfm)

7.            Go for a ride on the Nenana or Alsek in a white water river raft

8.            Experience four-star dining – Denali Park Resorts has a strong emphasis on sustainable cuisine, showcasing locally produced and eco-friendly ingredients including fireweed syrup-glazed duck and cardamom-crusted Alaska caribou (http://www.denaliparkresorts.com/lodging-food/index.cfm)

9.            Catch Gold Fever – visit a historical re-creation of a turn-of-the-century Gold Mining Camp and try your luck as a prospector

10.          View the Northern Lights – in person or on the screen. Late August to early September is perfect to view the aurora borealis (the McKinley Chalet Resort will give you a wake-up call during prime viewing) or catch a daytime showing at the Northern Lights Theater

11.          Go deep into the heart of the park through a new tour called the Kantishna Experience where an NPS ranger and bus takes you to Fannie Quigley’s famous cabin 90 miles in the park. (www.denaliparkresorts.com/tours/kantishna.cfm)

12.          Fill ‘er up at Fanny’s Family Flapjack Feed, a popular all-you-can-eat themed breakfast in an authentic, log-paneled roadhouse at the McKinley Chalet Resort

13.          Click away in a guided Photo Safari

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