Now that we’ve shared a few pre-wedding details, here’s a look at our ten-day honeymoon in Alaska. We hoped to show a slice of America’s largest state through our eyes, but to be honest, it mostly highlights the quirky ways we Petersiks like to entertain ourselves when we travel (case in point: the ring photo we took on an Alaskan hike during our one-week anniversary).
First, the obvious question: why Alaska? It doesn’t fit most people’s mental picture of a “dream honeymoon,” but for us it made perfect sense. Two main reasons nudged us north: we wanted to bring Burger, our chihuahua, because domestic travel would be easier with him along, and we wanted to go somewhere new to both of us. With Hawaii recently crossed off the list, Alaska was the most interesting non-contiguous option left. We were drawn to its adventure, the unusual climates, and the long summer days—roughly 19-plus hours of daylight—meaning comfortable July temperatures in the 60s and 70s, while glaciers and ice fields were an uphill drive away. One night we even posed in front of an outdoor clock at 11 p.m. to show how light it still was; we were yawning to prove it was late.
We’re low-key, plan-as-we-go travelers, so we flew into Anchorage with a hotel and a rental car reserved, Burger snug in his travel bag, and an open schedule. Our first day was spent wandering downtown to get a feel for the city, but Alaska is really about wilderness and wide-open spaces, so we didn’t linger in the urban core. We did, however, succumb to a bit of souvenir-induced silliness—moose antlers and polar bear props brought out our newlywed goofiness and left us laughing.
From Anchorage we began an unforgettable road trip along the scenic Highway 1. We prefer road travel to cruising for this sort of trip, and the drive did not disappoint. Glacial waterfalls, snow-covered peaks, bright skies, and frequent wildlife sightings had us pulling over constantly to take pictures. We saw Dall sheep perched on jagged cliffs just yards from the road and dipped our toes into melting glacier water—shockingly cold but worth the experience.
Our first notable stop was Alyeska Resort. For one day we got a little fancy: a couple’s hot stone massage was waiting for us as a wedding gift. Alyeska felt like a world of its own, a mountain resort that sits amid lush rainforest valleys. One minute we were hiking through damp, green forest; the next we were riding a tram through cloud and mist up to a peak where we ate lunch with snow-capped views.
After a night at the resort—truly one of the nicest hotels we’ve stayed in—we drove toward Seward. The route offered more chances to admire glaciers up close and to attempt hikes that were sometimes cut short by recent wildlife activity, including a bear sighting that made us especially glad to be together on our wedding day.
Back in Anchorage we still made the most of the outdoors. We rented bikes and rode a 14-mile paved coastal trail, complete with a “kid caboose” so Burger could join the adventure. Yes, we got our share of curious looks from passersby who’d never seen a tiny dog in a bike trailer, but Burger loved the ride—he even protested when we stopped pedaling.
To end the trip with a memorable flourish, we booked a private seaplane tour. Our hotel backed onto Lake Hood, the world’s busiest seaplane base, so taking off from a lake and landing back with a splash felt quintessentially Alaskan. Burger stayed at the hotel for that excursion while we soared over vast green valleys that gradually gave way to icy, glacial expanses. From the air we photographed moose, seals, and even a mother bear with cubs. We landed on a remote lake, explored a tiny island carpeted with wildflowers, and soaked in the rugged yet delicate beauty of the landscape before returning to town.
That’s a look back at our first vacation as a married couple—equal parts adventure, relaxation, and laughter. We love hearing about other people’s honeymoon destinations and dream trips, so if you have a favorite honeymoon memory or a must-see Alaska spot, we’d love to hear about it.
For more photos from our Alaskan honeymoon, check our photo collection to see the full story in images and captions.