6-Day / 5-Night “Soft-Core” Winter Itinerary

🩵 Intro: “The most romantic season in the most romantic place” = late-winter Alaska – 16 h daylight, zero mozzies, ice + shopping + huskies + aurora in one suitcase. 🧊 Day 1 Matanuska Glacier Hike – Anchorage “The ONE thing you must do near Anchorage” – 2.5 h drive + 2 h on-ice = postcard factory. Booking: text Matanuska Glacier Winter Tours – 10/11/13/14 h slots, $150 pp incl. crampons. Horror story: I forgot waterproof gloves → touched ice → fingers went numb in 3 min. Pack ski-gloves or regret life. Shoot: 11 a.m. slot = sun hits ice wall = cobalt blue explosion 📸 🛍️ Day 2 5th Avenue Mall – Anchorage Evening flight to Fairbanks = sleep-in + tax-free shopping ✈️ Mall: 5th Avenue – NO sales tax = instant 8-10 % discount vs Lower 48. Brands: Lululemon, North Face, Victoria’s Secret, Sephora – winter leggings/thermal sets on sale. Tip: buy UV 400 goggles here (lost suitcase saga) → you’ll need them on glacier tomorrow. 🦮 Day 3 Dog Sledding – Fairbanks Cuteness overload: huskies chunkier & fluffier than Instagram. Operator: Firewalkers Alaskan Malamute Kennel – pre-book by text, $95 pp, 2-mile self-drive loop. Pre-ride: 15 min cuddle-time – some pups are shy = earn their trust with neck scratches. Warmth: sled provides wool blanket → body toasty, face = frozen → pull scarf over nose or become ice-sculpture. Shot: GoPro chest-mount = paws + snow spray in your face 📸 ♨️ Day 4 Chena Hot Springs – Fairbanks Local favourite – 1 h drive, $20 day-pass, open till 22 h. Pack list: towel, swimsuit, flip-flops (locker floor = ice rink), 25 ¢ locker coin, phone waterproof pouch. Steam magic: −20 °C outside = eyelash frost + steam halo = fairy-tale selfie ✨ Cons: change-rooms tiny & crowded, sulphur smell = rotten-egg burps – bring hair-tie. Shoot: back-shot arms-out = steam crown; 50 mm f/1.8 blurs background bathers. 🌌 Night 4 Aurora Hunt – Fairbanks Christmas Day special: Murphy Dome + Cleary Summit chase, $99 pp. Reality: clouds 1, aurora 0 – camera caught faint green, eyes = nada. Prep: download Aurora Tracker app – check KP + cloud cover before you nap. Tip: red head-lamp = night-vision friendly, phone torch 1-bar = face-light for portraits. Dress: white puffer = reflects green glow = human glow-stick 📸 🍖 Day 5 Big Daddy’s BBQ + Ice-Fishing Brunch: Big Daddy’s BBQ – beef brisket 14-h smoke, pepper bark, falls apart = nap-inducing. PM: Alaska Guided Luxury Ice-Fishing – heated tent, drill 4 holes, sip cocoa, wait… Catch rate: 6 people, 3 trout in 3 h 😪 (fish on hunger-strike). Silver lining: recliner chairs + propane heater = glamping with a rod. Dinner: The Pump House – skip over-priced salmon, eat chowder only + leave. Late-night fix: The Crepery – Nutella-banana crepe = happy ending 👍 🧳 Universal Winter Pack White/down puffer – reflects steam & aurora Micro-spike boots – parking lots = ice rinks Portable tripod – 400 g, fits backpack side UV 400 goggles – snow glare = sunburn on eyeballs Portable battery – cold drains phone 2× faster 💸 5-Day Spend (per person, duo share) Flights (ANC-FAI) ........ $120 Car (5 d SUV) ............ $200 Gas ...................... $80 Hotels (4 n mix) ......... $320 Activities total ......... $330 Food + snacks ........... $160 TOTAL ≈ $1,210 – cheaper than a NYC long-weekend + you get glacier + huskies + aurora. ✅ TL;DR 5 days = glacier blue, husky cuddles, steam halos, aurora attempts, brisket food-coma. Pack spikes, spare batteries, stretchy pants – Alaska will refund you in memories money can’t buy. #US #Palmer #Alaska