Review # 12 for 2026 and my 1000th review!…read more We booked the 2 hour summer Matanuska Glacier hike during our trip to Alaska and we loved it from start to finish! We had a group of 4 adults plus a 14 month old. Booking was super easy, you just texted the phone number and pay on site. I see now that they have an online book system. I think when we did the tour last year it was $150/adult and $30/child. Make sure you program your GPS properly as the signal out there is not reliable. You drive down a drink road and check in at one building, then continue to drive to another building for the hike. There are bathrooms at both building for you to use. Our guide was super chill and easy to talk to. Just dress properly and they provide the gear needed. You are given helmets and crampons to walk in the snow/ice. Also, if you have a baby, they are SUPER child friendly!! We were a bit concerned as we did not bring our hiking backpack for our little guy as we already brought so much for the trip. We decided to just gamble with this hike. They had hiking backpacks galore for the little ones!!! There were so many!! And they were completely free to use during the hike also!! There were different sizes, different colors, different weights!! It would be our little guys first time in one so we did not know how he would like it. He started off hating being put in it... then when my husband stood up with him in it and started walking, he loved it!! It was a lifesaver for this hike!! At 14 months old, our little guy didn't understand how to walk in the ice and all, although they did have kids crampons, he was just too small to fit them at that time, but our guide tried to help us fit it on his show as much as he could. The hike was gorgeous!! Hiking on a glacier was definitely on my bucket list! Some people complain about having a guide and paying them and all, but me personally as someone not used to that type of environment; I felt much more safe on the hike with a guide. I do not know anything about this type of environment and the hidden dangers in the ice and snow! There were many highlights on our trip and this was definitely one of them. Would I do this again? I definitely would!! This activity was pretty affordable as far as Alaska activities are concerned. The hike was so beautiful!! The water is soooo blue. Also, now that my boy is getting older and with how much he loves the outdoors, this is something my husband and I will have to do again if we find ourselves out back in Alaska. Hopefully we will be back again soon! I recommend everyone going to Alaska to book a Matanuska Glacier hike with them!!

I used to go camping with my family in front of the glacier, but now this company is extorting…read moreeveryone by blocking the only entrance. It's disgusting to make people pay an exorbitant amount to see a natural phenomenon, which is on PUBLIC land.

I had a fantastic rafting experience with the NOVA guides…read more Prior to driving by the sign on the road that says "NOVA rafting," I was lamenting about how I didn't think I was going to be able to raft due to my tight schedule while visiting Alaska. I drove by the sign and thought "I will just pop down there and see if they have any space." Lo and behold, that had some space on the trip that was starting ten minutes after I got there. They got me signed up and off we went! Adam did a great job driving our bus and photographing us along the way, Gavin kept us well entertained and got us excited on the bus, Coffee (manager) gave us a very informative safety speech, and my rafts personal guide, Maria (from Louisiana), was awesome. I felt safe and had a wonderful time with her guiding our raft. Getting a gla-cial (facial from the glacier water) was a top experience of my trip. I also thought the tour and photos were appropriately priced. Overall, a great experience and worth the money and I'm so happy I did it.

Amazing! That's the one word I would use to describe this company. The quality of guides this…read morecompany has sets the bar very high. Shoutout to David (for glacier trekking) and Jon (for whitewater rafting) for making the respective excursions memorable! Let me start with the glacier trekking. My buddy and I did the adventure trek.This was perhaps one of the most unique excisions over ever been on. The fact that you're exploring a glacier (the matanuska glacier) by walking on it and through it leaves you with a sense of wonder. It seriously feels like a whole new world that's not in earth. Our guide , David, took us to see a lot of features of the glacier and we got to see glacier crevasses and glacial pools. So beautiful and majestic. This left an imprint of Alaskan glacial beauty and I'll be sure to never forget. He even created a spout on the glacier so we can taste the freshness of glacier water! We felt completely safe with his knowledge of the glacier and he made sure to answer any questions we may have had. Thanks David! The next excursion was to whitewater rafting down the Matanuska River. For the second excursion, we did the lions head rafting tour. Let me start out by saying that it was utterly fun and unforgettable. Going through class 3 and 4 rapids is sure to excite any thrill seeker. The guide definitely makes this trip exciting especially since they are integral to your safety as well as fun. Jon made sure that we were all engaged and having a great time! Thanks Jon! I cannot recommend this company enough. Definitely do multiple activities (you'll get a discount for booking more than one)! This was the end cap for my Alaskan adventure as it was drawing to a close. I couldn't have chosen better adventures to end on! Keep it up Nova!

This place is SPECIAL! The accommodations are amazing and the service is something very unique…read more From the coffee, to the breakfast and the fresh linens. All the details have been covered and it's truly a one of a kind experience. You can't understand until you stay here and experience it for yourself. Thank you to the wonderful Alpenglow staff for making this a vacation to always remember.

What a fun little local getaway! Mandy is a joy to work with too! Upon arrival, Mandy met us to…read morewelcome us to the location and give us a brief, but thorough tour of the grounds. All spaces were clean and easy to get to. We stayed in one of the Forrest Tents that is a short walk away, but still felt completely isolated from other tents. Breakfast is served (with French press coffee) every morning and it's DELICIOUS! Freshly made breakfast casserole and homemade granola with yogurt! There's a sign up sheet for the hot tub. The hot tub is great for relaxing with a great view. The showers are HOT HOT HOT! There's an outhouse - flushing toilets a short walk away too.

Highly recommend MICA's Advanced Trek to someone who wants to hike on the glacier for a closer look…read moreand experience some ice climbing. Our guide Quinn is passionate, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. We really like him and it was fun and exciting going on the tour following his lead! My friend and I (both female in our late 30s) went on the Advanced Trek in late-June. It was a sunny day, around low to mid-60 degree Fahrenheit on the glacier. The entire tour including the gear-up time was about 6.5 hours. We arrived 30 minutes prior to the start time to check in (sign the waivers and pay the glacier access fee). The participants to guide ratio was 3:1 in our group, allowing us to move efficiently and have all our questions and needs taken care of throughout the tour. Before heading to the field, Quinn brought us to the gear room and thoroughly walked us through the gears: microspikes, crampons, harness, and helmet... etc. Next we took a 10-minute car ride to the glacier trailhead. We first hiked for about 2 miles on the moraine which didn't feel like a long walk probably due to our quick pace. During the time on the ice we saw a beautiful blue glacier lake, walked on a shallow glacier stream, climbed an ice slope about 3 or 4-story high, and hung on a slope to see a moulin (vertical well-like shaft) from above. It was incredibly fun to get the close look and feel of the glacier! There were also snack breaks when Quinn was building the rope system and stairs. Kudos to him for working so hard while we were on breaks. During our time in Alaska, we had seen glaciers from an overlook on a trail and from a cruise in Seward, and they were both really great experience. However, going out and actually stepping on the glacier is another level and a very unique, memorable experience. I recommend doing it if you feel adventurous and have the energy to explore in the wild!

We had a fantastic time camping on the glacier (the only place in the world where one can do that)…read more Everyone we encountered at Mica Guides was friendly, knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile to make our experience great. I was fearful about the ride on the tiny helicopter, but it was smooth and quick. The pilot is obviously very good at his vocation and was patient with us. Our guides spoiled us with cocktails, dinner and breakfast in the morning, and gave us fuzzy blankets to wander around in when it got very chilly. The tent is still a tent, but they did put a nice bed with a real mattress in there. We made s'mores and had great conversations during the evening time. The glacier itself is magical. We loved exploring on it and learning more about its history and its geology. I highly recommend glacier camping with MICA.

Had an extra day before my business mtg in Anchorage and drove up to Glacier View AK. (Map shows…read moreSutton AK). Booked an ATV tour online. Very friendly guide, Tom, took a small group of us through trails to the top of one of the mountains. Trip lasted 3 hours and the scenery we drove through was amazing. Spotted several moose crossing our trail and had incredible views of the Matanuska Glacier. If you're not up to handling an ATV by yourself, you can ride in their off-road vehicle that seats up to six. ATV can be a little strenuous, and maybe a bit challenging if you having been off-road before. Highly recommend the goggles they offer (along with a helmet for ATV), and next time I'll bring a bandana to keep the dust off my face. I looked like the high plains drifter after a day is horse ride. Didn't get a chance to do ziplining, but that view is also outstanding. This place is 90 miles or so from the Anchorage airport. Waze stopped 30 miles short, but Google maps found it. Cell coverage fades as you get closer, so just stay on Glenn highway until you see the ATV, Zipline, and Pizza signs

We had a lovely stay at the Glacier View cabin! Colleen was very warm and welcoming. Such a quaint…read morecabin on beautifully kept grounds. The view did not disappoint. The inside of the cabin was super clean and well kept - very cozy as well.

This place is like a slice of heaven literally in the middle of nowhere…read more Keep going west bound on glenn highway , around 10 miles ahead of Matanuska glacier there is a sign to the side road that leads to the cottages, The cottages overlook the Matanuska glacier(see photos). We were sipping on some tea sitting on the porch after the tiring day while staring at that magnificent glacier. The cottages themselves are also pretty awesome. Clean, comfy, cosy...everything you expect out of a cottage in the woods and more. The views from the porch and the windows are astounding. Also we didn't expect high speed wifi in this oblivion but there it was. All in all beautiful cozy little place in the lap of nature....Very highly recommended.

Warning this will be a long post…read more.. One word to describe this place is amazing. Our travel agent from Homer booked us Matsukana Lodge because we needed a stop between the long drive from Valdez to Seward. I looked at the website and was impressed by the best site of any B&B we looked at for the whole state (after complimenting Brenda on her website she said her niece who is a Web designer helped her). When we pulled in right after the 100 mile marker we were greeted by the majestic lodge. We were welcomed in by all their dogs which were super friendly and shown to the Glacier Room. The pictures don't do the place justice, the room was huge and beautifully decorated and appointed. We were given complimentary reusable aluminum bottles as well as luggage tags. The private bathroom was huge with a whirlpool bath and a separate shower. It was easily nicer than a $300+ boutique hotel you would get back in California. Not only was our room spectacular, we were told there was a mini gym and pool table in the garage. As we were on vacation I chose not to partake in the gym but the pool table was in an awesome game room above the garage. I absolutely loved the nice touch of Monopoly cards painted into the walls. The tour didn't end their, we were also shown the hot tub with majestic views of the private lake and surrounding mountains. Additionally there was a pool house with a kayak you could use on the lake. Basically I will close by saying Matsukana Lodge is a mini 5-star resort in the middle of rural Alaska. It will blow your mind and make you disappointed at any other B&B you ever go to again. I don't think I'll ever be able to top my one night stay here and look forward to coming back again to stay longer! Pro tip: the 2 downstairs rooms have more privacy but we loved the layout of the Glacier Room. You can't go wrong with any room.

This place is fantastic. I chose this place because I was going to do a glacier hike and this was…read morevery close to where I needed to be. All in all- great decision. Price- not bad at all. I paid $169 per night and the Sheraton in anchorage was also the same rate. Pretty good considering it saved me time for my hike and breakfast was included. Quality- This lodge has a lot of character and personality of the owner. Lots of color and some pretty cool amenities: private bathrooms, jacuzzi and walking access to a nearby river. Quantity- HUGE ROOMS. Atmosphere- very cute. Also three dogs running around provides additional love. I also saw a moose in the backyard. Staff- The ladies are great. They are very warm and did anything they could to accommodate. For instance, I got in super late and they kept the light on for me to make everything easy for when I arrived. If you want to be outdoors in Alaska, but not camp, this is the place. Note: the lodge is located between mile marker 100 and 101.

A couple hours northeast of Anchorage lies a stretch of highway that has become one of our happy…read moreplaces! Majestic Valley Wilderness Lodge has become another reason for this! Nestled in the trees, you turn off the road into a little slice of Eden. The lodge is a spectacular log cabin style building with a huge deck overlooking the valley below - one that houses a spectacular river flowing from the Matanuska glacier. The days included sleeping in very comfortable beds, first in a solo cabin and then in one of the rooms within one of the larger lodges which have a few room inside. The lodge was nicer, but we liked the solo cabin a bit better. The common area in the lodge was nicer however. Very potato/potahto. They have a dining area and a full service restaurant/bar in the main building and it's a delight! Many meals are buffet style, and they have single to order items available as well. The Cioppino one evening was spectacular! In addition to the comfortable beds, they have a massive hot tub available for adults to use, a huge deck off the back of the main building and a rec room type building with a large TV and a big table for meeting up. The small refrigerators are located in the rec building and the lodges. It's enough room for snacks and a night of leftovers. One evening we were all sitting outside of the deck chatting around 10:30/11:00 and because the sun never sets, we saw a lovely rainbow just before heading to bed. Staff are great, there are tons of hiking/walking trails in the area and the place is even graced a couple dogs who love to keep you company! We'll be here again! In their little slice of the wilderness, it's a big piece of heaven!

So everyone has their own criteria to determine what makes a great lodging experience. For me, the…read morepeople and atmosphere get the highest weightings. MVWL had the most helpful and accommodating team I have encountered in recent memory. Cal and Anthony set the high bar for customer service. We also met the owner, and along with Cal and Anthony, we had engaging conversations about the location, Alaska, adventure and travels. Our room in Glacier Hall was basic and functional, but not luxurious. It didn't matter, because the view, lodge and property was so great. Although we didn't take advantage of all the amenities, there were several (hot tub, fire pit, etc.). We stayed on the last night of the summer season (9/14/2022). The Heli-Ski season begins in February, which sounds like a great reason to return. There is also an airstrip adjacent to the property, with several planes based there. Additionally, MVWL is very close to Matanuska Glacier. Thanks again to the team at MVWL. Below is the view from our room and also a few shots from the lodge.

This was the greatest chicken fried steak not even an exaggeration. I was tempted to order the PBJ…read morebut my cheapness got the best of me. Do not leave without a slice of pie. The service is amazing even in a crowded restaurant. Also 25¢ coffee is a nice touch like a soft memory of a time long long gone.

This is a fascinating place. It's in a building all by itself off the Glenn Highway in between the…read moreGlacierview community and Glennallen. It's a combination of a gas station, lodge, and old-fashioned All-American comfort food restaurant. The kind of restaurant where they bring you water when you sit down, pay at the register, and have a candy counter there. I had the chicken fried steak with fries, salad, and garlic toast. Homemade banana cream pie for dessert. It was very good, not outstanding, but for Alaska I'm grateful there is a place. Anyway, I'd recommend this as a roadside diner for breakfast or lunch if you're traveling in the state on the Glenn Hwy.

If you need a peaceful escape or a home base for outdoor adventures, this is the place. They are…read morebeyond friendly, pricing is super reasonable and the rooms are clean. This is not a fancy place, but it is clearly well cared for. The staff are local experts and tell you all the places to go for food and fun.

I have stayed at Nelchina Lodge a few times. Always super welcoming. Very relaxed environment and I…read morewill stay there again in the future