What's New

Climate information shouldn't be showing up in the "What's New" section, but there's no doubt that Alaska is getting much warmer. Although it appears a 5-year warm spell may have broken, the long-term warming trend is evident and now is taken seriously by almost everyone, even politically conservative Alaskans. For visitors, global warming means more sunny days, more forest-fire smoke, and shorter, less predictable winters, among other things, but I'm not sure how you can make adjustments for that, since the weather in any particular year could be warm or cold.

Foreign travelers should prepare for more complicated procedures and delays setting up a visit and entering the United States. Visas now take weeks or months to obtain rather than the days that used to be required. In addition, U.S. citizens will be required to show a passport to reenter the country even from Canada and Mexico. Rules have changed as well for taking Alaska Native arts and crafts home. It has become essentially impossible to export items made from marine mammals unless they are antique. On the plus side, the government has relaxed draconian rules that used to discriminate against HIV/AIDS sufferers visiting the United States.

As I write this, the economy is strong, fuel prices are high, and visitor numbers are rising. Prices at hotels and for services and air tickets in Alaska have taken a significant jump over the last year, so much so that I've changed the categories for what I call an "expensive" hotel, a "moderate" one, and so on. A room for $135 to $174 might not be moderate other places, but that's the going rate in Alaska.

I've included a couple of fly-in wilderness lodges, including a new addition, Winter Lake Lodge (tel. 907/274-2710; www.withinthewild.com), which is northwest of Anchorage. I had a chance to visit over the winter and couldn't believe the quality of the food and service.

Touring Alaska's back roads became a bit more difficult with a change in policies at two car rental agencies in Anchorage. I can no longer recommend any Anchorage agencies that allow their vehicles to be used on gravel roads.

The Southeast

The proliferation of large cruise ships continues to grow well beyond the carrying capacity of the small-town ports the ships call on. Towns are now receiving more than 10,000 visitors in a day from cruise ships. The towns worst affected are Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. In Skagway, less than 1,000 year-round residents get more than 900,000 visitors a summer. In sections on each place, I've given tips for avoiding the crowds where possible.

Alaskans remain hospitable to cruise visitors, but a backlash against the companies reached the ballot box in the form of a petition initiative late in 2006. Voters fed up with perceived abuses by the cruise industry approved new taxes, environmental regulations, and consumer disclosures on the cruise lines despite a massive media campaign in opposition funded by an industry association. For the visitor, the changes should be largely invisible except for one benefit: Cruise lines will be forced to disclose their commissions on shore tours. Business people in coastal communities have complained these charges can be as much as 50% of what the customer pays. Now clients will know and, perhaps, consider booking directly.

In Ketchikan, where the airport is on Gravina Island, across the water from town, the airport shuttle stopped operating. Most visitors will take a taxi to the airport ferry and then walk from the dock up to the terminal. But you can still take a water taxi that links the airport to downtown -- in fact, that's currently one of the most economical options. A luxurious new inn opened in Ketchikan, on the waterfront, with its own beach: the Black Bear Inn (tel. 907/225-4343; www.stayinalaska.com). The restaurant at the New York Hotel went out of business and now a coffee shop is expected to go in its place.

In Wrangell, the dining scene has improved a bit with a serviceable restaurant in the Stikine Inn (tel. 888/874-3388 or 907/874-3388; www.stikineinn.com); the hotel itself has improved all over under new ownership. There's a great new B&B in town, too, Zimovia Bed & Breakfast (tel. 866/946-6842; www.zimoviabnb.com).

In Sitka, the Native corporation has opened a good Tlingit-themed hotel, Shee Atika Totem Square Inn (tel. 866/300-1353 or 907/747-3693; www.totemsquareinn.com).

The Wickerham House State Historic Site in Juneau is reopening after several years of renovation. A new activity is offered on Douglas Island, a zip-line course that offers guests the chance to zoom through the treetops like Spiderman, by Alaska Zipline Adventures (tel. 907/790-2547; www.alaskazip.com). The Goldbelt Native Corporation has sold off most of its tourism businesses; generally, they've been picked up by others, but the popular Tracy Arm tours now are offered only by a much smaller company, Adventure Bound Alaska (tel. 800/228-3875 or 907/463-2509; www.adventureboundalaska.com).

I have some new favorite restaurants in Juneau from a large crop of entries in the last year, including: Zyphyr, at 200 Seward St. (tel. 907/780-2221) serving Mediterranean cuisine in a beautiful dining room, and Wild Spice, right across the street (tel. 907/523-0344; www.thewildspice.com), where you can get Mongolian barbecue or many other international flavors.

Glacier Bay National Park and the nearby town of Gustavus will be easier to reach thanks to a new passenger ferry offered by the park concessionaire, Glacier Bay Lodge and Tours (tel. 888-BAY-TOUR; www.visitglacierbay.com), connecting Juneau's Auke Bay harbor directly to Bartlett Cove three times a week. The boat will also be offering whale-watching tours. Given the frequent changes in this business, however, it's wise to call ahead for the latest information.

Alaska Discovery, the eco-tour guide operation, has dropped many of its lower-cost or day-trip offerings; at Glacier Bay, the wonderful Bartlett Cove sea kayaking outings now are led by Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks, based in Gustavus (tel. 907/697-2257; www.glacierbayseakayaks.com).

The lineup of restaurants in Skagway always changes fast. Most recently, Sabrosa's closed and a good Thai place opened, Starfire, at 4th Avenue between Spring Street and Broadway (tel. 907/983-3663).

Anchorage & Environs

The area's biggest travel news was the acquisition, late in 2006, of Alyeska Resort in Girdwood (tel. 800/880-3880 or 907/754-1111; www.alyeskaresort.com) by a wealthy skiing enthusiast who plans to remake it with new facilities and expanded family skiing terrain. Among the announced plans is the complete demolition and reconstruction of the grim day-skiing building. The beautiful hotel has been renamed, simply, Hotel Alyeska. None of these exciting plans have come to fruition as of this writing, but some should be in place for the 2008-2009 ski season.

A couple of local celebrity chefs opened a fun new restaurant, City Diner, at 3000 Minnesota Dr. (tel. 907/277-CITY), with chrome decor right out of a movie. Another favorite closed its doors, the socially-conscious Noble's Diner.

Kenai Peninsula & Prince William Sound

The critical transportation link to Prince William Sound communities, the Alaska Marine Highway System (tel. 800/642-0066; www.ferryalaska.com) has improved substantially with the operation of the fast ferry Chenega. Besides cutting running times in half, the ferry now provides much more frequent service to Cordova, making that fascinating community more convenient for visitors. The Chenega has been around for a couple of years, but at first the agency didn't establish a reliable pattern of operation.

There's a good new place to stay in Hope, for those visitors who make the detour to that sleepy wayside: Bowman's Bear Creek Lodge (tel. 907/782-3141; www.bowmansbearcreeklodge.com). I've also added a wonderful inn on the Seward Highway, Inn at Tern Lake (tel. 907/288-3667; www.ternlakeinn.com).

In Seward, I recommend a new operator for guided sea kayaking and rentals, Kayak Adventures Worldwide (tel. 907/224-3960; www.kayakak.com). Also, be sure to see the new salmon exhibit at the Alaska SeaLife Center (tel. 888/378-2525 or 907/224-6300; www.alaskasealife.org), where live salmon in each stage of life are visible at any time you visit. I found a terrific family restaurant in Seward, Christo's Palace, at 133 4th Ave. (tel. 907/224-5255).

Near Cooper Landing, we finally made it to Kenai Backcountry Lodge (tel. 800/478-4100 or 907/783-2928; www.alaskawildland.com), on Skilak Lake, and can report it is a terrific place for a natural outdoor vacation.

In Valdez, construction at the Solomon Gulch Hatchery, on Dayville Road (tel. 907/835-1329), is expected to be complete for the 2008 season, allowing the fun self-guided tours to resume after a long hiatus. Mike's Palace Ristorante, 201 N. Harbor Dr. (tel. 907/835-2365) has reopened. It's a good pizzeria and Greek restaurant.

Denali National Park

The reconstruction of the Eielson Visitor Center, the destination of many Denali shuttle bus rides, is expected to be complete in 2008. These projects often are delayed, however, so I've included information for planning shuttle bus rides for either eventuality -- that the work is complete, or that it is not.

The Interior

A new community museum opened in Fairbanks. The volunteer-operated Historic Hall at 825 First Ave. shows off the town's past in photographs and such.

The Bush

In Kodiak, a new Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is under construction near the ferry terminal at Mission Road and Center Avenue (tel. 888/408-3514 or 907/487-2600; http://kodiak.fws.gov). The building isn't done yet, but is expected to be open for the 2008 season. At 8,000 square feet, it will be Kodiak's biggest indoor attraction. I recommend a new bed-and-breakfast that has some of the qualities of a good wilderness lodge: Eider House Bed & Breakfast (tel. 907/487-4315; www.eiderhouse.com).