Sarah C.
Yelp
I am a well-organized person who has planned dozens of trips world wide on my own. When I started researching Alaska I felt overwhelmed with trains, planes, cars and ships. When my travel agent told me that she could get me a trip that did not involve a cruise ship with a local female owned, inclusive focused travel company, I was all in. We went with Salmon Berry Tours and we were not disappointed! Glenda arranged everything for us and did an amazing job. All we had to do was show up.
My family and I, two teens and partner, started our journey in Anchorage where we set up our home base at Copper Whale Inn (see separate rating). Our first excursion was to Matanuska Glacier. Josh and Alex were our guides on this amazing full day journey. Both of these guides have lived in Alaska for 18+ years and they shared their knowledge through storytelling instead of regurgitating boring facts and statistics. They were so engaging that our two teens were detached from their phones the entire time. They took great care of us during our time on the ice, ensuring our safety while helping us create amazing memories. We had a delicious lunch at a lodge overlooking the glacier before heading back to Anchorage. Alex was an excellent driver and the van was immaculate and comfortable. We learned a lot from these guides - they are both amazing humans!
Salmon Berry arranged a bear sightseeing tour for us the following day. We were picked up at the hotel and taken to an airfield to board our floatplane. The flight to Lake Clark was outstanding and we got to see several bears while sitting on a comfortable pontoon boat. This was a highlight adventure for us for sure.
We moved on to Seward via train and thoroughly enjoyed the scenic and informative ride. Once we got to Seward we went on a half day guided tour of this delightful town. We spent a lot of time at Kenai Fjords National Park where we learned all about Exit Glacier. Next was a sled ride with winning iditarod dogs. My kids loved holding the puppies and cuddling with the mushers.
Our next stop was Girdwood and we were delighted when Josh showed up to take us there. The transfer from Seward to Girdwood includes a stop at Exit Glacier for a short, guided nature walk. Josh pointed out wildlife along the way and continued to educate us about Alaska Natives and Alaskan history. Next stop was a wildlife conservation center followed by lunch at a local brewery. Josh managed to take all of our orders and delivered us our delicious food truck meals at our tables. The beer selection was plentiful and the stop was very enjoyable. Our final stop was to Mt. Alyeska where we took a scenic tram ride up the mountain. The rest of the van continued on to Anchorage and we stayed at the Alyeska resort for a couple of nights. While there we enjoyed several hikes, electric bike rides and a walk across aerial bridges.
We realized that we had misplaced our binoculars. Glenda and Josh teamed up and were able to locate our binoculars and get them back to us. It was clear that they made this a priority and we very much appreciated this personal touch. It was nice to know during the entire trip that we had Salmon Berry just a phone call away to help us with anything that might come up. They really delivered.
Our final transfer was from Alyeska back to Anchorage. Michael was our Salmon Berry driver. He communicated with us the day before to arrange a suitable time for departure. We very much appreciated him being proactive and flexible. He also pointed out wildlife along the way and talked to us about the railroad, mud flats, tides, etc. Our final stop was the Alaska Native Heritage Center before spending one more restful night at the Copper Whale Inn.
We cannot thank Salmon Berry enough for creating such an amazing family trip which catered to our specific wants and needs. They took care of everything so we could just enjoy everything that Alaska has to offer. They love their state and they take customer service seriously. Thank you Glenda, Josh, Alex and Michael. We will be back next year!!