The Kenai’s 3-Day Romantic Road Trip Perfect For A Valentines Day Getaway

PC: Google Maps

Congrats – you’ve officially made it through the first month of 2017! Now it’s time to reward yourself for all that endless hard work by taking an extended weekend escape through some of The Kenai‘s most spectacular towns and small businesses. Just encase you’re stuck working a dreaded five day work week, we kicked off this epic romantic adventure with a relaxing dinner and a million dollar view – just to assure that you completely unwind before diving into all the weekend fun. The entire trip takes six hours and includes three overnight stays at some of the most charming hospitality accommodations on The Kenai. So get ready to eat to your hearts content, sleep peacefully and spend your days playing in the most awe-inspiring paradise in the Last Frontier. Be prepared to make The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground your new favorite vacation destination.

PC: Courtney Stanley

Day One:

Five Star Dinner at Seven Glaciers Restaurant at Alyeska Resort – Girdwood. Watch as skiers and snowboarders fly down the slopes underneath you as you devour gourmet cuisine and casually sip on fine wine. Time it right and you’ll be able to enjoy a sky-high sunset that will electrify your entire world.

PC: Yelp – Mel W.

Chase The Northern Lights – Kenai Lake. Head south on the Seward Highway to The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground. Once you arrive in Cooper Landing, you’ll be immediately blown away by the scenic beauty that surrounds you. Take an evening stroll underneath the stars at Kenai Lake and look up – you just might spot the miraculous Aurora Borealis dancing overtop of you.

PC: Michael DeYoung Photography

Hot Tub & Riverfront View at Eagle Landing Resort – Cooper Landing. This charming riverfront spread is surprisingly open all year long, which is such a tremendous treat for visitors to the area. Book a cabin and spend the night soaking in the peace and quiet the surrounds you with the company of your sweetheart by your side.

PC: Facebook – Kelly Snow at Eagle Landing Resort

Day Two:
Scenic Pullout at Russian River Confluence – Cooper Landing. Sleep in or get up early and seize the day. Don’t leave Cooper Landing without stopping at the Russian River Confluence to soak in the magical wintertime views of the Kenai River.

PC: Courtney Stanley

Coffee Date at Veronica’s Café – Kenai. Head to the historic fishing town of Kenai to grab a delicious breakfast pastry and hot cup of coffee to enjoy with your sweetheart. If you’re feeling like getting some fresh air, head down to the beach and take a wintertime stroll while soaking in views of Cook Inlet and Mt. Redoubt in the distance.

PC: Facebook – Veronica’s Café by Mike Haggerty

Local Lunch at Duck Inn – Soldotna. Grab a burger or a hot sandwich in the casual local hot spot. While you’re at it, enjoy a game or pool while sipping on a draft beer.

PC: Facebook – The Duck Inn, Soldotna

Sweet Shopping Fun at Alaska Berries – Soldotna. The northernmost winery in North America offers so many delightful things that you’re guaranteed to love. Enjoy shopping for wines, jams, syrups, vinegar’s, vinaigrette’s and much more!

PC: Facebook – Alaska Berries

Romantic Dinner at Mykel’s Restaurant – Soldotna. This local spot always does Valentine’s Day right. Get ready to dine on incredible food that you’ll be itching to rave about to all of your friends and family. King crab, steak, chicken, salmon, lamb and so much more.

PC: Facebook – Mykel’s Restaurant

Night Cap at Bridge Lounge – Soldotna. Finish the night off by heading to this wonderful atmosphere where you can enjoy a drink and good conversation with your special someone.

PC: Facebook – Bridge Lounge

Cozy Fireside Cabin at Escape For Two – Soldotna. Just a few minutes outside of Soldotna heading towards Kasilof, turn on Tote Road and it’ll lead you to this idyllic little staycation that is the perfect place for you and your honey to enjoy a nice night together.

PC: Facebook – Escape For Two

Or… A Winter Wonderland Riverfront Retreat at Gallery Lodge – Kasilof. Head a little further down the road going south on the Sterling Highway and you’ll stumble upon this magnificent lodging option that will transport you and your sweetheart right into a winter wonderland paradise.

PC: Facebook – Gallery Lodge Kasilof AK

Day Three:

Homestyle Breakfast at Rocky’s Café – Kasilof. You’ll love all the local paintings on the walls and artwork displays in this cozy café. The gift shop is also quite impressive. For breakfast, fill up on all the classic favorites that you’ve loved since childhood.

PC: Courtney Stanley

Peaceful Relaxing Stroll For Two – Clam Gulch Recreational Area. After breakfast, walk it off in Clam Gulch and have a fun morning watching eagles soar in the distance while beach combing.

PC: Courtney Stanley

Mountainside Burger Lunch at Freddie’s Roadhouse – Ninilchik. Head up into the Caribou Hills and enjoy epic mountain views while chowing down on a yummy home-style burger, just how mama used to make it.

PC: Facebook – Freddie’s Roadhouse

Wine Tasting at Bear Creek Winery – Homer. It doesn’t get more romantic than tasting award-winning wine in the ‘halibut fishing capital of the world’. You’ll love the genuine service that you’ll find here along with all the wildly unique fruit wines. That Blueberry Zin is calling our names!

PC: Facebook – Bear Creek Winery and Lodging

Hot Tub & Million Dollar View at Land’s End Resort – Homer. Charming rooms at the end of the Homer Spit with the most epic panoramic view overlooking the world-renowned Kachemak Bay State Park.

PC: Land’s End Resort

Enjoy A Couple’s Massage at Renewal Spa – Homer. Because there is no greater way to end a fun-filled romantic weekend road trip than by soaking in a long sensual massage hand-in-hand with your special someone.

Facebook – Land’s End Resort

Love the idea of a weekend getaway, but aren’t traveling through these regions on The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground? Don’t worry – we’re here to help! Reach out to us and let us know if you need any help planning the perfect Kenai Peninsula road trip adventure.

13 Great Spots To Walk In And Wet A Line

Photo by Robert Levy, Flickr.

Summer solstice has came and went and August is the time of the season to wet lines and soak up the warmest weather of the year. While some might think that the best fishing spots on the river and the salt require a boat and plenty of money for gas, we are here to prove that misconception all wrong. These walk-in fishing spots are easily accessible, they offer spectacular scenery and best of all – all they require is for you to show up with a rod in hand. Low maintenance and easy on the wallet, for those of you that love catching deliciously wild Alaska seafood – it doesn’t get much better than these hot spots and best kept secrets on The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground.

Flickr – Maria Fletcher-Stark

1 – Homer Lagoon

Flickr – Isaac Wedin

2 – Bings Landing on the Kenai River

Flickr – Travis

3 – Russian River Confluence in Cooper Landing

Flickr – Ian Collins

4 – Soldotna Creek Park on the Kenai River

Facebook – Soldotna Creek Park

5 – Anchor River in Anchor Point

Photo Credit – Pixabay

6 – Seward Beach

Flickr – madeleine deaton

7 – Centennial Campground in Soldotna

Facebook – Centennial Campground

8 – Crooked Creek at the Kasilof River Confluence

Facebook – Crooked Creek Guide Service, Cabins and RV Community

9 – Mouth of the Kenai River at Kenai Beach

Flickr – Kim F

10 –  Mouth of the Kasilof River at Kasilof Beach

Photo Credit – Joseph Robertia, Redoubt Reporter

11 – Resurrection Creek in Hope

Flickr – Philip Morton

12 – Kenai Lake in Cooper Landing

Photo Credit – Courtney Stanley

13 – Deep Creek and the Ninilchik River

Photo Credit – YouTube

While these spots are all phenomenal in their own ways, keep in mind there are tons more great spots to walk-in and wet a line all throughout The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground. But we figured that this will give you a good introduction for now. For the fly fishers in the crowd THIS article is a great read and documents some great spots to walk-in and wet a line. If you’d like any more tips for great spots or need help finding any of the above that we’ve listed, feel free to give us a call or shoot us an email and we will help in anyway that we can!

Springtime KEEN-EYE Candy

Lowell Point Beach in Seward, Alaska. Photo from Kristie Stockton.

March Madness on The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground means something a whole lot more beautiful than what you’d find on the basketball court. As winter faded away and officially turned to spring and we moved our clocks forward an hour, we made sure to capture the magical moments that happened in our very own backyard.

Photo from Alyeska Resort.

Feast your eyes on some gorgeous eye candy that was captured throughout the month of March that will have you falling in love with the Kenai Peninsula all over again.

Photo from Elsie I-Hsin Lin at Exit Glacier in Seward, Alaska. ‎

We’ll kick things off with this beautiful sunrise in Soldotna, Alaska with  Mt. Redoubt glowing in the distance.

No day in Alaska (where the state sport is dog mushing) is complete without a snowy dog walk in the woods. Although, this guy might be a little too small to compete with the real mushing dogs. 😉

Skilak Lake in Cooper Landing, Alaska is beautiful this time of year. And due to some pretty comfortable temperatures, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the lake has already broken up completely. Great for anyone wanting to get out for a day on the water enjoying some Rainbow Trout fishing.

Cunningham Park in Kenai, Alaska is a beautiful place to take a walk and soak in the warm sunshine and beautiful blue skies.

As we headed out for a day of exploring on the Kenai River, we couldn’t help but to stop and take a photo of the stunning spring view from Bings Landing in Sterling, Alaska. Check out those beautiful mountain beaks in the distance! Such a gorgeous contrast against the strikingly beautiful blue water of the Kenai River.

A hike in the woods that leads to a lush overlook of thick forest and Tustemena Lake in the distance… always a win!

A sunset is no ordinary sunset when you take it in from Captain Cook State Recreation Area in Nikiski, Alaska. It’s like a whole bag of skittles in the sky! 😉

Sometimes “easy like Sunday morning” means taking a peaceful walk into the woods with a warm cup of coffee. Always a joyous journey on a beautiful spring day.

Taking in an icy sunrise with a beautiful horse pasture in the distance is quite simply, what dreams are made of.

Because winter wonderland just feels like home (said every Alaskan, ever). ❤

Swiftwater Park in Soldotna, Alaska offers breathtaking views all year long. Bonus fact: in the winter, you can usually have the whole place to yourself. EPIC.

When the drive to work makes you pull over and have a photo-shoot, you know you live in the BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD. But um, we aren’t biased at all. 😉

And when a sunset gives you goose-bumps and makes your heart dance with so much pure joy, you also know that you live in THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD. Like this one taken at the beginning of the month on Kasilof Beach.

A day spent taking in the mountain views from the beach in Ninilchik, Alaska is always a good day. Especially when the sun is shining bright!

In addition to the beautiful beach, endless ocean and epic mountain peaks, the up close and personal Bald Eagle viewing is also a sight to behold when visiting Ninilchik.

And here’s the shot a little closer up. This Bald Eagle sure is a beauty! And by the looks of where it’s sitting, it looks like quite the dare devil. 😉 Or maybe just a smart fisherman!

The Kasilof River is such a special place to visit. During the wintertime when the snow still lines the banks, it’s like viewing something right out of a postcard. Simply incredible.

And move down a few miles to the mouth of the Kasilof River draining into the Pacific Ocean, this is a spectacular place to enjoy some soft sand and take in (yet another) epic sunset on The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground.

Watching both the mountains and the sun reflect onto the beautiful water via drift boat in the middle of Skilak Lake is always an enthralling experience.

And it’s only fitting that after spending over 12 hours on the glistening Skilak Lake that we stay long enough to catch a sunset, Alaska’s Playground style.

The launch to Tustemena Lake (or to float the Kasilof River) is a fabulous place to listen to wolves howl and to watch moose roam. It’s also a great place to have a campfire, go for a hike and enjoy being away from the crowds.

A sunset down Cannery Beach Road in Kenai is quite simply – what dreams are made of. ❤

Fishing the Kenai River near the Russian River confluence is way more fun without the crowds and with beautiful snow-capped mountains.

The Kenai River in Cooper Landing is STUNNING.

There is no place like Homer. These views could suck you in for days.

It was a magical night with calm, cool weather to watch boats in the bay as they got ready for the 2016 Winter King Tournament on 3.19.16.

And a sunset over Wasabi’s restaurant was sure to leave a lasting mark.

Swanson River Landing was beginning a serious breakup during late March. Soon enough we will be launching our kayaks for an epic float!

Fish Lake is a beautiful place fully submerge yourself in nature and not hear a single sound other than birds chirping and the occasional wolf howling.

Remember, you have 365 changes to catch a sunrise and a sunset in each year. Get out there and make every day count. This beautiful sunrise was captured at Arc Lake in Soldotna, Alaska on March 9th.

And on that note… We wish you love, safety and happiness with each and every day. Fall head over heels in love with The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground and never regret a second of this beautiful life!

Disclosure: With the exception of the first 3 photos featured above, all photos featured in this blog are copyright of Loomis Sage Marketing.

April Fools Day Fun Facts

Photo Credit: Patrick Davis

TGIF! So, if you’re thinking that an “April Fools Day Fact” sounds a bit like an oxymoron, don’t worry – we hear you loud and clear. But hey, we were trying to be catchy and relevant as we ring in the first day of April 2016 on this beautiful Friday morning. So cut us some slack, will ya? 😉

Photo from Donna Shreck

The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground is where anyone goes that wants to see majestic mountains, glorious glaciers and an endless amount of wildlife. In addition to being (hands down) one of the most beautiful places in the entire world, we wanted to share some cool facts with you all to give you a little history about the 25,600 square miles that make up the Kenai Peninsula.

Photo Credit: Daryll Vispo shared from Alaska Magazine

#1 – Of the 25,600 square miles that make up the Kenai Peninsula, only about 15,600 of that is actually land. The rest… you guessed it – splish spash!

Photo shared from The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground Facebook page

#2 – The highest point on The Kenai is Truuli Peak. At 6,612 feet above sea level, Truuli is the highest peak in the Kenai Mountain Range, situated to the southeast of the eastern end of Tustumena Lake.

Photo from http://www.peakbagger.com

#3 – The WORLD record king salmon was pulled from the Kenai River in 1985 weighing in at 97.25 pounds.

Photo from http://www.drifterslodge.com

#4 – The estimated size of the Alaska state record halibut was from the Cook Inlet in 1989 weighing in at 466 pounds.

Photo from http://www.cookinletcharters.com

#5 – Oil was first discovered in Alaska in 1957 at the Swanson River.

Photo from http://www.fotocommunity.de

#6 – The average number of square miles per person on The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground is 0.3. Compare that to New York which has 0.003 square miles per person.

Photo from Ray Bulson

#7 – The town of Kenai is the largest city on the peninsula and the sixth largest in the entire State of Alaska.

Photo from Daniel Weber (Flickr)

#8 – Homer is the 14th largest city in the entire State of Alaska.

Photo from Keith Cuddeback (Flickr)

#9 – Soldotna is the 15th largest city in the entire State of Alaska.

Photo from Visit Soldotna Facebook page

#10 – The first cannery was built on the Kenai Peninsula in 1882. Talk about the trail blazers!

Photo from Ian Stotesbury

Do you have any fun facts about the Kenai Peninsula that you’d like to add to the list? Share in the comments area below!

Seeing Green This St. Patrick’s Day

Photo from Alaska Wildland Adventures on the Kenai River.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day friends and fans of The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground! In honor of this lucky holiday, we are sharing ten gorgeous photos from the epic Kenai Peninsula that will leave you seeing green and falling in love.

“Bear Backpack!” Photo from Kathleen Turner.

#1. Zipling, Alaska’s Playground Style.

Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures in Seward, Alaska.

#2. When the phrase “take a hike” is always welcomed, you know you’re on The Kenai.

Hideout Trail. Photo shared from http://www.trover.com.

#3. When tundra and mountain biking collide, any outdoor enthusiast can agree that it feels a bit like you’ve discovered heaven on earth.

More pics here: http://www.mtbproject.com/photo/5576552/rolling-across-the-tundra

#4. Wildlife viewing isn’t just for the birds. The sea lions are always welcome. Especially when they are this stinkin’ cute. ❤

Photo from http://www.kodiakislandadventures.com.

#5. And on the topic of cuteness, does it get much better than this adventurous brut? We think not. Mom’s do it all, even if that means becoming the designated flotation device. #respect 😉

Photo from Jon Langeland in Katmai National Park.

#6. Seeing green from ear to ear means taking an aerial photograph overlooking The Kenai, Alaska’s Playground via flightseeing tour. EPIC.

Photo shared from http://www.earthporm.com.

#7: A glacier surrounded by remote wilderness is our favorite kind of Alaskan party.

Photo shared from en.wikipedia.org.

#8. Mountains, just mountains. In all their glory. They say these things (just looking at them) are what get many hooked on Alaska. We can’t disagree.

Photo from http://www.northtoalaska.com.

#9. The Aurora Borealis dancing freely in the nighttime sky. Always a “pinch me” moment.

Photo Credit: Ron Neibrugge with http://www.wildnatureimages.com. Taken in Seward, AK.

#10. Fish on! It’s hard to have a list about the Kenai Peninsula without including everyone’s favorite pastime. This is a great activity for enjoying long days with loved ones on Alaska’s Playground.

Photo shared from http://www.alaskariverscompany.com.

Are you seeing green already? We know, we are too! Who would have ever thought that seeing green would feel this good. 😉 Wishing you all the Luck o’ the Irish this St. Patrick’s Day. Be safe out there and have a wonderful day!

Photo from renderedgemedia.com.