Staycation Directory

Posts Tagged ‘winter vacation’

The best way to see ALASKA is on the Railroad!
Travelers and tourist from all around the world swear by it.

It may be cold outside, but the trains are comfy and warm inside! You’ll know from the very moment you climb aboard the Alaska Railroad you’re riding on the best train in the world.

Alaska Railroad Depot Address
411 W. 1st Ave., Anchorage, AK
Tel: 907/265-2494

StaycationDirectory

Staycation Definition and History
A staycation (also spelled stay-cation, stacation, or staykation) is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions. Staycations have achieved high popularity in the US during the financial crisis of 2007–2009 in which unemployment levels and gas prices were high.Staycations also became a popular phenomenon in the UK in 2009 as a weak pound made overseas holidays significantly more expensive.The term was added to the 2009 version of the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Common activities of a staycation include use of the backyard pool, visits to local parks and museums, and attendance at local festivals. Some staycationers also like to follow a set of rules, such as setting a start and end date, planning ahead, and avoiding routine, with the goal of creating the feel of a traditional vacation.
Benefits of a staycation
Staycations are far less costly than a vacation involving traveling. There are no lodging costs and travel expenses are minimal. Costs may include transportation for local trips, dining, and local attractions. “The American Automobile Association said the average North American vacation will cost $244 per day for two people for lodging and meals… Add some kids and airfare, and a 10-day vacation could top $10,000″. Staycations do not have the stress associated with travel, such as packing, long drives, or waits at airports. Staycations may be of economic benefit to some local businesses, who get customers from the area providing them with business. In 2008, the tourism bureaus of many U.S. cities also began promoting staycations for their residents to help replace the tourism dollars lost from a drop in out-of-town visitors.

If you’ve missed seeing Arctic wildlife on your Alaskan adventure, you’ll find it at this small zoo, where all the animals have names. You’ll see moose, caribou, sheep, wolves, musk oxen, mountain goats and several different types of bears, including polar, grizzly and black bears.

If you are traveling with children or just taking the kids out on a staycation for a fun filled day the Alaska Zoo is perfect. They have all kind of activities from Sing-a-longs for Kids, to Storytime for Kids! You can even take your valentines.
Find the perfect gift for your valentine at the Alaska Zoo’s Craft Fair! Visit our Gateway Building at the new zoo entrance and shop from booths displaying unique craft items. Admission to the fair is free, standard admission rates to the zoo still apply. Contact Eileen Floyd at efloyd@alaskazoo.org for more information.

StaycationDirectory

Staycation Definition and History
A staycation (also spelled stay-cation, stacation, or staykation) is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions. Staycations have achieved high popularity in the US during the financial crisis of 2007–2009 in which unemployment levels and gas prices were high.Staycations also became a popular phenomenon in the UK in 2009 as a weak pound made overseas holidays significantly more expensive.The term was added to the 2009 version of the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Common activities of a staycation include use of the backyard pool, visits to local parks and museums, and attendance at local festivals. Some staycationers also like to follow a set of rules, such as setting a start and end date, planning ahead, and avoiding routine, with the goal of creating the feel of a traditional vacation.
Benefits of a staycation
Staycations are far less costly than a vacation involving traveling. There are no lodging costs and travel expenses are minimal. Costs may include transportation for local trips, dining, and local attractions. “The American Automobile Association said the average North American vacation will cost $244 per day for two people for lodging and meals… Add some kids and airfare, and a 10-day vacation could top $10,000″. Staycations do not have the stress associated with travel, such as packing, long drives, or waits at airports. Staycations may be of economic benefit to some local businesses, who get customers from the area providing them with business. In 2008, the tourism bureaus of many U.S. cities also began promoting staycations for their residents to help replace the tourism dollars lost from a drop in out-of-town visitors.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center, a renowned cultural center and museum in Anchorage, is an exciting place where all people can come to expand their understanding of Alaska’s first people. Here we share the rich heritage of Alaska’s eleven cultural groups drawing upon the lifeways of long ago, the wisdom of our elders, and the traditions that endure. Our cultural center and museum is located in Northeast Anchorage, Alaska is designed to enhance self-esteem among Native people and to encourage cross-cultural exchanges among all people.


Next time you take you family out either on a vacation or a staycation, the Alaska native Heritage is a most see.

StaycationDirectory

Staycation Definition and History
A staycation (also spelled stay-cation, stacation, or staykation) is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions. Staycations have achieved high popularity in the US during the financial crisis of 2007–2009 in which unemployment levels and gas prices were high.Staycations also became a popular phenomenon in the UK in 2009 as a weak pound made overseas holidays significantly more expensive.The term was added to the 2009 version of the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Common activities of a staycation include use of the backyard pool, visits to local parks and museums, and attendance at local festivals. Some staycationers also like to follow a set of rules, such as setting a start and end date, planning ahead, and avoiding routine, with the goal of creating the feel of a traditional vacation.
Benefits of a staycation
Staycations are far less costly than a vacation involving traveling. There are no lodging costs and travel expenses are minimal. Costs may include transportation for local trips, dining, and local attractions. “The American Automobile Association said the average North American vacation will cost $244 per day for two people for lodging and meals… Add some kids and airfare, and a 10-day vacation could top $10,000″. Staycations do not have the stress associated with travel, such as packing, long drives, or waits at airports. Staycations may be of economic benefit to some local businesses, who get customers from the area providing them with business. In 2008, the tourism bureaus of many U.S. cities also began promoting staycations for their residents to help replace the tourism dollars lost from a drop in out-of-town visitors.

Guided Segway tours of downtown Anchorage Alaska
Come glide with us. Your means of sightseeing should be as unique as your destination. A Guided Segway Tour is a whole new way to appreciate the beauty of Anchorage. As the world’s first and only self-balancing electric transport mechanism, the Segway Human Transporter has set a new standard for sightseeing fun! Experience for yourself why a Segway is the ideal way to tour downtown Anchorage. Fun for individuals, families or groups! If you live in Anchorage, or will be visiting, we invite you to experience the Seqway Human Transporter first hand.

Anchorage History
Anchorage is located in Southcentral Alaska. To the east the Chugach Mountains serve as the backdrop for the city’s magnificent skyline. To the west are the expansive, steel-colored waters of Cook Inlet, named after the explorer Captain James Cook who sailed into the area in 1778. In 1915 row upon row of tents popped up in the Ship Creek area as the construction of Alaska’s railroad got under way. Soon plank sidewalks were added, storefronts went up, and the town grew. Anchorage was incorporated as a city in 1920, with its first bank robbery occurring six months after incorporation. The number of people living in Anchorage by 1929 had grown to 2,736.

Though steadily growing, Anchorage remained a relatively small frontier town until the beginning of World War II. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Anchorage found itself on the front lines of the conflict. Airfields, roads, and other infrastructure were constructed during the war. After WWII, the infrastructure was left behind, creating the framework for Anchorage’s development. During the war, Anchorage’s population exploded from around 8,000 to more than 43,000. Anchorage leaders wrestled with accommodating the influx and worked to improve water, sewer, and utility systems. Another benefit after WWII was the boom of aviation that spread throughout Alaska. Along with the construction of many airfields during the war, the military equipped its pilots with the finest in electronic equipment and devices for flying safely. These enhanced facilities made life easier for the bush pilots who, beginning in the 1920s, had become a critical part of life in Alaska.


In 1951, Anchorage International Airport was completed. With its strategic location, Alaska became the air crossroads of the world after new air routes were introduced between the North Pacific and Asia. The airport was renamed Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in 2000 after Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. Oil was discovered on the Kenai Peninsula in 1957. Seventeen oil companies set up headquarters in Anchorage and spent more than $30 million dollars on exploration.

On Jan. 3, 1959, Congress voted Alaska into statehood.

Anchorage again experienced tremendous change when the earth cracked open on Good Friday, March 27, 1964. The strongest earthquake ever to hit North America, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale, ripped through Anchorage, leaving death, despair, and destruction in its wake. Recovery was phenomenal. In Anchorage’s pioneering style, the city was rebuilt with lightning speed.

In 1968, oil was discovered on the Arctic Slope, north of the Brooks Mountain Range. As lease sales were finalized, the mood was jubilant. There was a lot of oil, but transporting it from the North Slope was a problem. The Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) was proposed in 1969. It met with tremendous opposition from environmentalists and other groups. Also in 1968, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was finalized, bringing the issue of land rights to closure. Twelve native corporations were organized along geographical boundaries. A 13th corporation was formed for those Alaska Natives living outside of the state.

In May of 1972, Congress granted authorization for construction of the oil pipeline. Construction began in 1974, with oil flowing from the North Slope to the ice-free port of Valdez in 1977. Alaska has never been the same since.The price of a home in Anchorage quadrupled. There were no apartments for rent. The city was bursting at the seams. New construction spread like wildfire; new homes were erected, businesses expanded, and Anchorage grew. More attention was given to the development of culture and the arts. The George M. Sullivan Arena, William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center, and Alaska Center for the Performing Arts were built.

Health was also a concern. Anchorage’s hospitals expanded services, bringing the high technology of the fast-moving medical industry to Alaska and dramatically improving the quality of health care.

Today, Anchorage is a thriving city with more than 260,000 residents. In 2002, it was named an All-America City by the National Civic League. Click for More on Anchorage

StaycationDirectory

Staycation Definition and History
A staycation (also spelled stay-cation, stacation, or staykation) is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions. Staycations have achieved high popularity in the US during the financial crisis of 2007–2009 in which unemployment levels and gas prices were high.Staycations also became a popular phenomenon in the UK in 2009 as a weak pound made overseas holidays significantly more expensive.The term was added to the 2009 version of the Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Common activities of a staycation include use of the backyard pool, visits to local parks and museums, and attendance at local festivals. Some staycationers also like to follow a set of rules, such as setting a start and end date, planning ahead, and avoiding routine, with the goal of creating the feel of a traditional vacation.
Benefits of a staycation
Staycations are far less costly than a vacation involving traveling. There are no lodging costs and travel expenses are minimal. Costs may include transportation for local trips, dining, and local attractions. “The American Automobile Association said the average North American vacation will cost $244 per day for two people for lodging and meals… Add some kids and airfare, and a 10-day vacation could top $10,000″. Staycations do not have the stress associated with travel, such as packing, long drives, or waits at airports. Staycations may be of economic benefit to some local businesses, who get customers from the area providing them with business. In 2008, the tourism bureaus of many U.S. cities also began promoting staycations for their residents to help replace the tourism dollars lost from a drop in out-of-town visitors.