Anyone who has been around the state in their Alaska winter car rentals knows that the Alaskan landscape is absolutely incredible. It has a haunting kind of beauty that stays with you for life, even long after you’ve left.

The glaciers, undeniably, are a major contributor to that everlasting feeling of beauty. If you’ve never seen a glacier before, you’re in for a treat. You’ll never forget the first time you view one, and chances are, you’ll want to go back for more.

But how can you see Alaska’s glaciers? By foot, by Alaska winter car rentals, or by boat! The way you choose to get there is entirely up to you and your preferences, but there are plenty of options. You can go solo or in a guided tour, of which there are plenty. Here are just a few.

See the glaciers from the air

Seeing the glaciers by air offers a truly unique experience. While you won’t be able to get up close and personal with the calving, you’ll get a better idea of the sheer size of these edifices. The glaciers are, after all, enormous. And seeing them by foot or boat doesn’t quite offer the same indication of their size.

Piedmont glaciers are the best ones to see by air. These can be found in Southeast Alaska and offer a fan-like spray of rock and ice across the base of the mountain range. By plane, you’ll be able to see the full extent of the formation.

By land

While you certainly can’t take your Alaska winter car rentals up on the glaciers, you can still see them by motor on land. ATV tours offer you the chance to glide over the glaciers and to see them intimately.

Of course, you can also hike the glaciers as well. You’ll never see anything quite like them or have a hike that is nearly as beautiful. Make sure to bundle up and bring a guide. It’s best to never hike the glaciers alone. But since you’re unfamiliar with the terrain, guided hiking tours are really your best bet for seeing the ice caves and glaciers.

By water

One of our favorite ways to see the glaciers is by water. There are several cruise options that go along the shoreline to let passengers see tidewater glaciers. You’ll be able to actually witness as parts of the glacier break off and drift into the ocean. The cracking of the glacier is loud enough to hear and is a sound that you’ll definitely remember forever.

Another benefit of seeing the glacier by kayak or cruise is the number of marine animals you’ll catch sight of. Sea otters, harbor seals, marine birds, even a whale or two if you’re lucky! These beautiful creatures truly round out the trip.

Combining Alaskan favorites

If you want to take part in one of Alaska’s traditional pastimes when seeing the glaciers, then the dogsled tour is the one for you. However, you’ll have to wait until the spring for this one. The dogsled tour only runs in the summer. But it’s worth the wait! And you may want to book early. You’ll often have a chance to see moose, Dall sheep, black bears, and mountain goats while sledding up to see Colony Glacier.

As mentioned, it’s best to book ahead. There is a range of tour options, and with early booking you’ll have the full range to choose from on your specified dates. This definitely isn’t one you’ll want to miss!

Book your Alaska winter car rentals from Avis today to ensure you have transportation when you want to see our great state’s glaciers!

The holiday season is here! It’s one of the best times of the year in Alaska. Between the hunts, the snow sports, the stunning vistas, and now – getting to enjoy all of this with good holiday food and family! There’s plenty going on across the state for Thanksgiving, and after that, Christmas. All you need is your Alaska car rentals and you’ll be set!

Great Alaska Shootout

What are the holidays without a little sport? Of course, most people will be watching football but there’s also the Great Alaska Shootout which is always worth it to see. The Shootout is hosted by the University of Alaska Anchorage over Thanksgiving week. The week is all about showing off college basketball stars, as they compete with one another in one of America’s longest-running college basketball tournaments.

And like most college sports, the energy is always high! It’s a great atmosphere and some amazing athletics will be shown off.

Tree Lighting Ceremony

The Tree Lighting Ceremony is a tradition that many American towns have. It’s always a beautiful, magical night that can get the whole family interested. This year, the Anchorage Tree Lighting Ceremony takes place on Friday, November 25 in Town Square Park.

Make sure to back plenty of blankets in your Alaska car rentals, though! It might be a chilly one. And hot cocoa never hurts! Kids will also love to see Santa and his reindeer there to celebrate the ceremony.

Reserve a table

Whether you’re a local or just visiting, it can be nice to take a break from chores for the holidays. Why not reserve a table for a restaurant Thanksgiving instead of cooking? There are plenty of places across Anchorage that are hosting a Thanksgiving dinner. You’ll definitely want to make reservations though!

Some of these include Anchorage Marriott Downtown, Embassy Suites, Hotel Captain Cook, Sheraton Anchorage, Lakefront Anchorage, and Westmark Anchorage. Grab a couple of Alaska car rentals and the whole family, and give everyone a break for the holidays!

Uniquely Alaskan Thanksgiving

If you will be making your Thanksgiving dinner, why not have it in a uniquely Alaskan way? While many Alaskans do still celebrate with turkey, many others choose another bird for the day. Because of populous wildlife, Alaskans have options for their meal. Ptarmigan and goose, for instance, are popular choices for Thanksgiving and holiday dinners.

Similarly, Alaskans also include things like octopus, reindeer, whale, moose, and even salmon! Nigliq (a white fronted goose found in Alaska) soup is another interesting dish that goes nicely with turkey. It’s quite delicious and makes a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner.

But what would Thanksgiving be without the cranberry sauce! Don’t settle for store-bought canned cranberries. Alaska produces some of the best high bush cranberries in the country. We’re proud of our berries, and wouldn’t want anyone to experience an Alaskan Thanksgiving without them!

If you can’t find berries in the markets, you may still be able to pick them. They can be found until early fall, so if you’re swift there may be some on the trees still. Fresh and delicious!

Always something to do

In Alaska, there’s always something to keep you and the family entertained. After all, the winter months are great for sport and activity in Alaska! As long as you have your Alaska car rentals, the opportunities are endless. Get out and about to ski! Or maybe you want to give dog sledding a try. Either way, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reconnect with your loved ones and take some time to relax and enjoy yourself.

Avoid stress! Reserve your Alaska car rentals early to beat the crowd.

Winter is nearly upon us. In Alaska winter means lots of snow, ice, and, unfortunately, vehicle collisions. However, you can reduce your risk of collision by following safe driving habits in your Alaska winter SUV rentals. We’ve outlined some tips below for you to enjoy winter without harm.

Know where you’re going

In the winter, it’s more important than ever to know your route in advance. When the roads are icy, it is incredibly dangerous to have to stop or turn at the drop of a hat. Map your route. Know alternative routes, just in case of diversion.

Of course, you don’t need to memorize your route. You can still use a GPS, but having a rough idea of where you have to turn and go will help reduce the need for last minute moves.

Take time to brake

Most people know this already, but a reminder never hurts! Take time to brake. This goes back to knowing your route and paying attention to what’s around you. Brake slowly and firmly. It is dangerous to you and the vehicles around you to stop your Alaska winter SUV rentals at the last minute.

In reality, it’s best to avoid braking whenever possible. Brake only when necessary to reduce chances of collision.

Increase your following distance

Generally following distances are at around 3-4 seconds. However, in the winter with ice, snow, and other distractions it’s smart to increase this to 8-10 seconds. This also allows you time to stop if someone in front of you is forced to hit the brakes.

Always, always, always signal

It is important to communicate with other drivers when you’re on icy roads. Always, always, always use your turn signal. This includes both turning and switching lanes. It’s important to warn other drivers to your intentions. After all, you don’t know if the driver behind you may be planning on switching lanes behind you as well without signals. Be responsible, and take the steps you can to avoid collision. You can’t control the actions of other drivers, but you can make sure you are free of blame and in control of your own Alaska winter SUV rentals.

Don’t speed on hills

You may find yourself in a mountainous area of Alaska. If this is the case that’s okay! But make sure you’re overtaking the hills properly on snowy roads.

First thing is not to speed up them. Take them slow and steady. You don’t know what’s coming from the other side, and you don’t want to lose control on an incline.

Second, make sure to keep going. Don’t brake or slow down. Maintain a steady pace up the hill. The ice will reduce your traction and make sliding backwards a real possibility.

Of course, this is the same for going down hills. You want to make sure to maintain a steady pace, rather than just letting your car doing the work as you may do in the warmer months. Always try your best to be in control of your speed.

Know your speed

It’s okay to drive a little slower in the winter. Of course, you want to go with the flow of the traffic and most Alaska drivers will practice appropriate winter speeds. But if not, it’s okay to slow down and take it at a pace at which you feel comfortable.

Similarly, accelerate and decelerate with care. Slamming on the gas can be just as dangerous as slamming the brake. Slow, steady acceleration and deceleration is the key.

Finally, the best way to stay safe is with reliable, efficient Alaska winter SUV rentals. Avis can help you out with that! Reserve your Alaska winter SUV rentals today.

You can have spooky good fun in Alaska around the Halloween season. There’s plenty going on to entertain the whole family and get you into the mood for trick or treating on October 31. With your Alaska car rentals, you can pop around and get the kids excited about the upcoming holiday.

The Ooky Spooky Light Show

Throughout October, you’ll have a chance to experience the Thomas Planetarium in Anchorage with a spooky twist. Visuals dance across a screen while classic Halloween music plays in the background to offer you a little thrill. For $6 and museum admission, you’ll have be able to have a fun little Halloween treat from Tuesday to Sunday starting at 4:30 pm.

Zombie Half Marathon and Kids Zombie 2.5k

Here’s your chance to show off your best zombie costume! Dress up in your scaries, brain-hungry zombie outfit and head to the Coastal and Chester Creek trails on October 14 to compete in the half marathon.

The race begins at 9 am from Goose Lake Park and noon for the Kids Zombie race from Kincaid Park Chalet. Price of admission in the races is $45 for members and $50 for non-members. Make sure to pack some sweaters in your Alaska car rentals – races run rain or shine!

Igor: The Butcher of Salzburg

Do you like a good bit of theatre? Head on out to TBA Theatre Studio to see Igor: The Butcher of Salzburg from October 20 to 31. Age range is recommended for those 10 years old and up, but be prepared to be spooked! The play tells the legend of the Butcher of Salzburg. It combines horror with history in a thrilling way – be sure to get goosebumps!

Kid’s Halloween Train

Take a ride from Anchorage to Indian on the Alaska railroad. Get a glimpse of the Alaskan landscape while showing your costumes, exploring your crafty side, and enjoying scrumptious treats. On-train entertainment includes a raffle, coloring contest, Halloween-themed bingo, balloon animals, magicians, and, of course, crafts!

The train runs on Saturday, October 21 and Saturday, October 28 from 10 am to 12:30 pm and 3 pm to 5:30 pm. Train tickets are $35 per kid aged 2-11 and infants with their own seat, free for infants who will be sitting on their guardian’s lap, and $69 for adults.

Haunted & Enchanted Trails of Goose Lake

On October 27, take your Alaska car rentals down to Goose Lake for a trip around the enchanted and haunted trails to get into the spirit. For those with younger children, we’d recommend the Enchanted Trail, which is for ages 3 and up and runs from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. For children 8 and up, experience the Haunted Trail. Tickets are $5 per person.

The trails are a blast. This eerie Halloween event provides an opportunity to listen to music in a great community around warming barrels with top-quality Alaskan food trucks. Make sure to dress up in your costume to get right into the spirit of the holiday!

Trick or Treat Street

On October 28, bring your Alaska car rentals out to the downtown core in Anchorage for Trick or Treat Street. This offers you an opportunity to take your kids safely trick or treating to a variety of businesses.

Other events include a run at 11 am, costume contests, horse drawn hay rides, face painting, and a chance to win prizes. Try your hand at creepy, crawly cookie decoration at the Hotel Captain Cook.

These events listed are mainly around the Anchorage area but there are plenty of events across the state. Do you know of any in your home town?

Reserve your Alaska car rentals from Avis to make sure you have a vehicle for the big night out!

Our fish populations are one of the most important forms of sustenance, both worldwide and on a state-level. Here in Alaska, we know that without fish, our population would suffer. Whether you’re just visiting or are a regular sports fisher, you’ll likely know that there’s only a certain limit of fish that you can take away with you in your Alaska SUV rentals.

Contrary to what many people think, these limitations and regulations are chosen carefully and scientifically. They’re put in place to protect fish populations by reducing predator species from downsizing others, while also preventing over-fishing of desirable species, like salmon.

Getting a license

Licenses are fairly easy and cheap to attain. Ranging anywhere from $10 to $40 per license, getting a license will ensure you avoid hefty fines that can reach into the thousands.

When you get a license, you learn also about the regulations and limits that you are required to maintain. In doing so, you also agree to adhere to these limits and regulations.

If you’re caught fishing without a license, you’ll end up with a pretty hefty fine and be declared a poacher. This could cause more problems in the future, as it can potentially hinder your obtainment of a fishing license. Your fish will most certainly be confiscated, and depending on the amount of fish you’ve bagged, you could pay thousands of dollars in fines.

Fishing authorities are likely to do spot checks around the busy fishing season. If you’re caught with more than you’re allowed to catch, or without a license, you risk fine. Furthermore, other fishers can report you to the authorities if you appear to be a poacher. At this point, an official will show up on site to perform a check.

Your license card will include your limits. It will declare how many fish you can catch and keep in a single day. It’s smart to keep your license in your wallet rather than in your Alaska SUV rentals in case of a spot check.

Why fees are important

It may seem ridiculous to pay for a license, but in fact, the funds generated from licenses go towards important causes across the state. One of these is researching rockfish, which are difficult to investigate because of their deep habitat. It also goes towards fish conservation and habitat reservation. It also helps to stock fish to ensure fish populations are kept at a reasonable level (which also increases your chances of a catch!).

The program, since its inception, has dramatically helped to reduce damage and harm on fish populations. But there’s also plenty you can do. While regulations around rockfish help maintain their populations, you can do your part to watch out for their protection. Often, Pelagic rockfish are confused as black bass or sea bass and are caught and labeled as such. Double check your labels and your identification. Furthermore, yelloweye rockfish – non-pelagic – are confused as red snapper.

This is important. Rockfish have long lives, but their females don’t begin spawning until 27 years old. Furthermore, they won’t bother with breeding if conditions and resources are poor. This means that their populations are easy to deplete. Help out by properly identifying rockfish, knowing when you release them if you’re an angler, and making sure you’re not driving away in your Alaska SUV rentals with too many of them.

We promote responsible fishing to our Alaska SUV rentals clients because we care about our community, and our land. Alaska is our home, and even if you’re just visiting, Alaska is your home now too.

Reserve your Alaska SUV rentals from Avis to head out on a fishing trip today.