When you decide to take a trip, what are the steps you usually take to pull everything together? Where do you begin??? First, I’m guessing you decide that you need an adventure…a vacation. Then you would go about the process of deciding where you should go. Obviously, there are so many factors that go into planning: solo trip, travel with your partner or maybe the whole family, maybe it’s a girl’s trip, or are you just heading home to spend time with those you hold dear. How long do you plan on being gone? These are all the basics - what you start with. From there, you will find so many twists and turns to consider…
In the past few years, I discovered that I love to put together customized adventures, and especially to cater it to the participants of each trip. It becomes an obsession, to create something magical that will speak to everyone involved - from the lodging to the transportation, the food to the stops along the way. Everything weaves together to create a special memory.
With this last trip to Alaska, I had originally planned for it to be a group trip, and I had so much fun picturing and planning the adventure. If you’re curious about how it came together, here’s my process:
PURPOSE
This trip began with a purpose: see/photograph the Northern Lights. That was pretty easy to identify, since it’s an amazing experience and is something on so many bucket lists. Once you have the purpose identified, it’s easy to work through the next steps.
WHO
Who is taking this trip? Originally, it was going to be a group photography tour. There would be one other guide with me (for photography instruction) and up to four participants.
WHEN
You can potentially see the Northern Lights whenever the sky is dark enough, and the lights push through to be seen in our atmosphere. I had only tried to see Lady Aurora dance in the coldest times of the year, so I thought it would be fun to try the fall - where we wouldn’t have to bundle up quite so much and there would be a better chance to explore the area. Also, I had read that there is an even better chance for spectacular light show during the Autumn Equinox. So, I decided to plan the trip for September 23-26th.
WHERE TO GO
Anywhere under the “Aurora Oval” has the best chances to see the lights dance across the sky. Since I was hoping to take people with me to for this experience, I figured it would be best to go somewhere I had been before. That made it easy: Fairbanks, Alaska!
WHERE TO STAY
To me, the lodging plays such an important part of the trip. It sets the vibe. Yes, it would be easy to just book a few hotel rooms at Pikes Waterfront Lodge. I’d stayed there before and knew how cozy the accommodations are, and that they provide a fabulous breakfast, and that there is a steam room and sauna on site. But that didn’t quite feel like the right vibe for a group tour. So, I explored the AirBnB options. I found a few really amazing rentals with room for us each to have our space, along with providing areas for us to come together as a group. Some even touted Northern Lights viewing potential from the house! But I couldn’t book anything until I knew who would be joining me (male/female, married couples, etc.).
As August drew to a close, and I didn’t have anyone signed up to join me in Alaska, I knew I had to make some decisions. Do I still go by myself? Where will I stay? What does this trip look like, now? After a couple weeks of deliberation, I decided that yes, I needed to keep this promise to myself to chase the Aurora in September.
Assuming I would be traveling alone, I found the most adorable cabin in North Pole, AK. It was out in the country, with minimal light pollution. There were two bedrooms, a tiny kitchen, shower, laundry facilities and a large front porch - it looked perfect! I decided it would be a peaceful escape, if nothing else.
Even better, though - after I booked my flights and the cabin, a friend decided to join me! Next step, create the vibe…the flow…how do I want this trip to be remembered? I hoped it would be a magical experience, as she had never been to Alaska and never seen the Norther Lights. Day trips to fit in, too (because it’s not just about staying up all night!): drive out to Chena Resort to tour the Ice Museum and soak in the hot springs, drive out to Denali National Park & Preserve to (hopefully) see Mount McKinley - just enough exploring in different directions to really get a feel for the area.
When we arrived in Fairbanks, we picked up the rental car then stopped at the grocery store. The plan was to buy food for breakfast and snacks and then we would eat out for lunch/dinner. That first night, though, we didn’t plan to leave the cabin once we got there. So, a pot of soup would be warm and hearty as well as being something we could reheat later in the night if we were still hungry.
They say that if you stay in Fairbanks for at least 3 nights then you will have a 90% chance of seeing the Northern Lights. We were even luckier than that - we saw the Aurora every night we were there…each night better than the previous! This bucket list wish, for my friend, was definitely checked off. And I was able to keep a promise I made to myself, to see the Northern Lights around the Equinox. Both day trips we made played out perfectly, with amazing fall weather. And a side trip to Santa Claus Haus (in North Pole, AK) added a bit of unexpected whimsey. I love it when I am able to take adventures like this.
Which memory should I make next….??? And who wants to go with me?!
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