Now that we’ve shared some pre-wedding moments, here’s a look at our ten-day honeymoon in Alaska. Our goal was to show America’s largest state through our own eyes — and, admittedly, to highlight the quirky ways we Petersiks like to enjoy ourselves on the road (case in point: the ring photo we snapped on an Alaskan hike during our one-week anniversary).
Why Alaska? It’s not the obvious honeymoon choice for most people, but it fit our plans perfectly. We wanted to bring Burger, our chihuahua, so domestic travel made sense, and we also wanted a destination new to both of us. We’d already been to Hawaii recently, so Alaska became the natural alternative. The long summer daylight — more than 19 hours in July — gave us comfortable 60–70°F days, while nearby glaciers and icefields meant we could experience very different landscapes within short drives. Here we are posing in front of an outdoor clock at 11 p.m. to show how bright it still was (we’re yawning to prove it was late).
We travel fairly relaxed, so we landed in Anchorage with a hotel booked, a rental car reserved, a chihuahua in a bag, and a flexible itinerary. Our first day was spent wandering downtown and getting a feel for the city. Alaska is ultimately about wild places, though, so we didn’t linger in the urban center. We did, however, indulge in some touristy souvenir silliness — I attempted a moose look and Sherry channeled a polar bear.
We also couldn’t resist acting like bear victims for a laugh — a snapshot that had us giggling all the way home.
The next few days were a scenic road trip along Highway 1. We love road trips, and traveling by car let us stop often for waterfalls, glacial views, snow-capped peaks and wildlife sightings. We pulled over for dall sheep clinging to cliffs, and even stuck our toes in melting glacier water — painfully cold, but memorable.
Our first major stop was Alyeska Resort. This was the one day we dressed up — someone had gifted us a couples hot stone massage for our wedding, and Alyeska felt like the perfect spot. Though it’s a ski resort, in July Alyeska sits amid lush rainforest terrain. One moment we were hiking through damp greenery…
…and the next we were riding the tram through clouds to a mountain-top lunch with snowy peaks all around.
After a night at one of the nicest hotels we’ve stayed in, we continued toward Seward. We stopped often en route — including a close-up view of a living glacier and a hike that was cut short because of a recent bear sighting (on our wedding day, of all days).
Back near Anchorage we kept enjoying the outdoors. One day we rented bikes and rode 14 miles on a paved coastal trail. Naturally, Burger came along in a “kid caboose” we rented for him. Yes, we got some curious looks from passersby, but Burger loved the ride and even seemed annoyed when we stopped to rest.
To cap the trip, we booked a private seaplane tour. Our hotel sat beside Lake Hood, the world’s busiest seaplane base, so flying out of the lake felt natural. Burger stayed at the hotel while we spent two unforgettable hours soaring over vast wilderness toward an active volcano. We snapped countless photos, listened to the pilot’s commentary through headphones, and spotted wildlife from above — moose, seals and even a mother bear with her cubs. The landscape shifted from verdant green to icy glaciers as we climbed higher.
We even landed on a remote lake and explored a tiny wildflower-covered island before heading back — a perfect blend of rugged adventure and peaceful moments.
That was our first trip as a married couple: equal parts outdoors, relaxation and a little silly fun along the way. We’d love to hear where you honeymooned or where you dream of going someday, and if you have Alaska stories, we’re all ears.
See more photos from our Alaskan honeymoon in our Flickr album — try viewing with captions so you know what’s happening in each shot.