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Weekly UpdatesFor most of the Northern Hemisphere, vacations occur in the summer. People head for the beach, hit the national parks, visit family and--as Alaskans know all too well--travel north to The Last Frontier to revel at (and in) one of the the truly wild places on the planet. Unlike southern neighbors, summer--for many Alaskans--is a time of intense work, whether it be in the tourism, fishing, construction, and/or other service-trade related industries that comprise a healthy portion of the state's economy. Now that doesn't mean Alaskans don't play in the summer. What's the point of living here if you're not off on some adventure from time to time? But most Alaskans are hard-pressed to leave the state during the summer months. But, when the days get short and the temperatures drop, some Alaskans take their cues from the natural world by either hibernating like the bears, migrating south like the birds, or leaving their local hunting grounds to go a little further afoot to find winter fun and adventure.
IN-STATE WINTER FUN
With more than 1,000 acres of terrain, plenty of snow, and the reputation of being one of the top 2,5 ski resorts in North America (according to Skiing Magazine), Alyeska Ski Resort is the state's very own heavyweight when it comes to instate winter getaways.
"Whether you're looking for a full-blown vacation, an extended weekend, or a night away--there's nothing like Alyeska," said the resort's Ski and Golf General Manager Larry Daniels. "From Thanksgiving on, our weekends are basically booked. And a lot of those bookings are coming from Alaskans. You can call on Wednesday and there will be some rooms left and by Friday, we're full up-that's definitely in-state business. The resort attracts Alaskans from all corners of the state."
Along with the world-class lodgings and restaurants, a new spa, and a wide array of ski trails that cater to anyone's ability from beginners to experts, the Alyeska Resort hosts dozens of events throughout the winter months.
"We have a big New Year's bash every year comprised of several party options," Daniels said. "We have our Sitzmark party that is quite informal, highly sought after, and always sells out. And then there's the party at the Seventh Glacier on top of the tram that only has space for 12,5 people, and the big gala event-dinner and dancing--at the hotel.
"New Year's Eve is special here," he added. "It starts with a big fireworks show, then a torchlight parade where our ski-racing customers and staff ski down the mountain with torches. It's a great show and there are literally thousands of people watching from the base of the mountain."
This year, Alyeska will once again host the U.S. Alpine Ski Championship--the event that largely determines who will comprise the U.S. Olympic Ski Team. "We hosted this event in 2003 and I was told by the coordinator that it was the largest attendance (at that time) of any U.S. national ski championship that they had seen. I would imagine this event will once again draw people from all parts of the state," said Daniels.
While events are important to the resort, spring break is still a serious contender when it comes to sheer numbers.
"The hotel's highest occupancy for the entire year takes place in the month of March," explained Daniels. "It's our busiest time of the year."
March, of course, is also a busy month for the City of Anchorage as it plays host to the start of the world-famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
"Alaskans are huge fans of mushing," said Anchorage and Convention Visitors Bureau Public Relations Manager Laura Tanis. "People come from all over the state--and the world--to watch the start of this spectacular event.
"In general, Anchorage attracts Alaskans from other communities during the winter months for a variety of events," Tanis continued. "We have big-draw events like the Iditarod and Tour of Anchorage (a cross-country marathon race), but in general Anchorage is a very active community with lots of winter sports that has a wide appeal to Alaskans at large. There is so much to do in the winter in the city."
Further north, Fairbanks-a municipality that has been heavily promoting its winter activities for years both instate and beyond--also attracts Alaskans from outside its city limits.
"For Alaskans, Fairbanks is a great choice for a winter getaway. We don't hibernate, but celebrate winter--both indoors and outdoors. From mild to wild, there's an event or activity to match every interest," said Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau Advertising and Public Relations Manager Karen Lundquist.
"As far as in-state vacations, visitors come to Fairbanks to go to the hot springs, participate in competitive sports such as curling, dog mushing, wrestling and cross-country skiing, and go to the World Ice Art Championship," she said.
"March attracts a lot of visitors from rural Alaska with annual Alaska Native organization events, potlatch and conventions, and the Open North American Sled Dog Championships," adds Lundquist. "I would also suspect that a number of people head north for the GCI Arctic Man Ski & Sno-Go Classic from Southcentral."
HIBERNATION OR MIGRATION?
While many Alaskans look forward to the comparatively quiet months of winter (as opposed to the sometimes frantic pace of the Alaska summer) and choose to hibernate, many residents imitate the birds and migrate to warmer climates--some for a few days and others for the entire winter.
There's no hard data on how many Alaskans have second homes or time shares in Hawaii or Mexico (two of the top hot spots for Alaskans looking for warmth during the winter months), but according to Anchorage-based Hawaiian Vacations Marketing Director Blake Arrington--Alaskans are heading to the other non-contiguous state in the U.S.-in droves.
"About half of our business is vacation packages and the rest is just airfare," said Arrington from his office that employs 25 year-round employees. "The trend of owning a time share is definitely increasing, but it's hard to track. What we do know is that there is high repeat visitation among Alaskans to Hawaii--much more so than people from other places."
The data states that Alaskans stay an average of about 11 days in Hawaii while residents of the West Coast average length of stay is about five days, explained Arrington. "But many Alaskans stay longer than the average reported stay."
In its 25th year of operation, Hawaiian Vacations offers year-round direct service to Hawaii from the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. This spring, the Alaskan-based business expects Hawaiian Airlines (the only airline they charter with) to add more planes to its fleet.
"We know that there's a demand for more flights and when Hawaiian Airlines adds the new planes we can expand our existing routes and add new ones--hopefully by spring break," Arrington said. "Hawaii is only 5 1/2 hours away from Anchorage and people take advantage of that. It's nice to be able to take a break from winter."
For Cyndi's Cruise and Travel Owner Cyndi Isaac, her client's winter travel plans include all types of migration patterns.
"Hawaii and Mexico are definitely the top destinations," said Isaac from her office in Juneau that employs five full-time employees. "Many of our clients like to stick with Alaska Airlines and their partners to travel, but--in the winter--people are looking for warm and sunny places-and deals."
"One of the trends that we've been seeing is people booking more cruises," added Isaac. "But we've also had a lot of activity for European vacations as well. Europe is a good value in the winter, it's the off-season and you can get discounted fares for air and hotels."
So, no matter what you choose--hibernation, migration, and/or expanding your local stomping grounds to explore new terrain--the Alaska winter is back in all its glory. Bundle up (or shed those layers if you're heading south)--and enjoy.
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