We're off to Southeast Alaska - Follow on our epic adventure!
Months of planning and we're heading to Ketchikan, Juneau and Haines. Get ready for wildlife and amazing stories!
Well, I want to talk about out trip over the next two weeks instead of what’s happening in the world. It’s a little bit of disassociating and a little bit of allowing myself some hope and distraction. When I think about what’s happening both at home and on the other side of the world it’s just straight up jarring. Do you ever feel like you don’t know what to do because you’re just one person and all you have at your disposal is a newsletter and the ability to donate to who you hope are the right people? That’s where I’m at, so until I can figure out more, I’m focusing on family and my work.
With that, I know that the weight of the world looms heavy on many of us. I personally struggle with trying to live a normal life and give my kids a normal day to day when I know what’s in the news. It’s hard to both know what to do and to not be drawn into the darkness. Right now, having community that you connect with, ideally in person if possible, is a great way to stay grounded and moving forward. And that’s also how you can find community action to be a part of. Enough about this for now though, I have fun and exciting distractions to share that I think are great for when YOU are looking for a moment of escape or when you’re planning your travels in the future.
Here’s what’s new on the websites this week. I had lofty goals of writing a lot more about our recent trip to Oahu and Kauai, but I also have been getting ready for our two week trip to Alaska (more on that below), managing some stuff with our old apartment in Savannah, and being a dad with kids on summer break. I’m okay not getting everything written or done that I wanted, but also I love when I have lots of progress on thing that drives me forward.
2TravelDads.com - Even though Florida is not at the top of a lot of people’s travel lists right now (because our political scene is horrifying), I still wanted to publish a really solid Florida Road Trip plan from North to South. I really do deeply love our hometown and all the cool trips we get to take, so this comprehensive travel plan is great for experiencing the diversity that Florida has to offer (including a little bit of theme parks).
MyAlaskaTrip.com - While I haven’t published anything new here this week, I have been digging deep into Southeast Alaska for our current trip. I counted and I’ve actually done the pre-work for 25 different articles that will follow our time in Ketchikan, Juneau and Haines over the next two weeks. And I still have four articles to finish from our spring visit to Fairbanks. I need to focus! In the meantime, if you need a good Alaska summer travel plan, check out this awesome itinerary!
MyAlohaTrip.com - I decided this week that I would try to work on more features from Oahu. Honolulu is such an easy destination for people because it’s a city with a beach. Done. But Honolulu actually has some important historic sites and unique public spaces that can take a standard Hawaii trip and turn it into just a bit more. Queen Emma’s Summer Palace is one of those spots that’s worth a visit, for both history and getting to see some beautiful Native Hawaiian feather-work. Another great place to visit is the Koko Crater Botanical Garden. This is totally obscure but totally awesome. Did you know that there is an insane plumeria grove just outside of Honolulu? It’s beautiful and smells like nothing else.
TheKeysExplored.com - We’ve been very fortunate to get to work with lots of great people in the Florida Keys over the years, and this week I got to complete pieces on two of our solid partners who really embrace both the welcoming vibe of the Keys and value us as LGBTQ creators. First, Island to Island Charters in Key West is awesome. Captain Ally runs her small business with the mindset of JOY and bring all of her guests the experiences the are focused on joy. I love her. Next is out of character for me, but I really loved my time there: the Ocean Spa at Faro Blanco. Over the years and even through changing hands the Faro Blanco Resort in Marathon has been a support in our projects, and they are the kindest people. This spring they opened a spa at the property and it’s subtle, quiet and the perfect break to the busy travel we have in the Keys. Lastly, I got some comments about writing too much of the hotels that are for partying or just Key West, so I completed a piece on the Ocean Pointe Resort in Key Largo. It’s all condos and really peaceful, so you know who you are with your sassy pants commentary. Enjoy this pick for a nice Florida Keys stay.
MaineExplored.com - I write about Maine so that 1.) I can be helpful because it’s a complex place to visit and 2.) I have reason to go trapsing about the state with my bestie/assistant. We’ve had lots of fun trips exploring her home state, and we have another BIG one coming up to dig into Bar Harbor and the Highlands. Can’t wait! In the meantime, here’s what’s new for YOUR vacation planning to Maine -
Marshal Point Lighthouse aka the Forrest Gump Lighthouse - it’s cute and the area is really picturesque
the Drift Oceanside Inn in Camden - they’re just completing a renovation of the ALL WATERFRONT cabins, they’re LGBTQ allies, and this is my favorite place to wake up in MidCoast Maine.
Owls Head Lighthouse State Park - leave it to me to find all the best picnic places, and this is one of them and it even includes both a lighthouse and museum.
Meadowmere Resort in Ogunquit - if you’re not familiar with Ogunquit, it’s the gayest and most delightful town in Southern Maine with incredible food, a beautiful beach and this peaceful resort right in the middle of it.
I always feel like I don’t get a lot done but then at the end of the week when I look back I feel pretty good about it all. When it comes to any of the destinations we cover, if you ever have questions or need recommendations, just send me a note. This week I was working with four different people on building out their Peru trips, so if you’re in that sort of boat, let me know!
Big Island Camping Trip - Spring 2026
In case you missed it, I’m planning a group trip to the Big Island of Hawai’i in April of 2026. It’s going to be so much fun visiting my favorite beaches and towns, experiencing Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, stargazing up on Mauna Kea and so much more. If you’re interested in it, please pre-register so I can confirm my trip and start making more detailed plans with people.
I’ve got the itinerary and all the details about this awesome small group experience up on our Hawaii site: Big Island Group Trip. If you want to go but aren’t sure if it’s the right choice for you, check it out just the same and at least save your spot. I’m pretty chill and have a deep love of the Big Island, so I think that on its own is a great reason to come along. If you know that you want to come with me already, lock it in here!
Our Southeast Alaska Itinerary
So have you been to Southeast Alaska before? Did you visit via a cruise ship or intentionally stay in the different towns? I’m really excited for this trip because we get to spend time in some beautiful places really digging into the things I love about Alaska. Tlingit culture is a big theme for our trip with visits to the Saxman Native Village, Totem Heritage Center, Totem Bight State Park, the Jilkaat Kwan Heritage Center and more. Southeast Alaska has such a strong indigenous presence and it 100% influences the sort of visit you have. It’s so special.
And of course we have a lot of wildlife activity to look forward to. Something special about coastal Alaska is the presence of both black and brown bears. I’m a sucker for the Alaskan Brown Bear (grizzly that eats fish, subspecies…) and I’m really hoping to see some during our different activities. Black bears are also amazing to watch, especially with cubs, so I’m hoping to big things while we’re in Ketchikan regarding black bears.
Since so many people visit Southeast Alaska via a cruise ship, it feels like this is going to be a big topic of questions as we proceed on our trip. We’re flying and taking ferries between our destinations, NOT cruise ships. People aren’t locked into taking a cruise to experience places like Ketchikan, Juneau, Petersburg, Haines or Skagway. You can actually visit just like you would visit Vashon Island or the San Juans from the Seattle area. It doesn’t have to be complicated.
Here’s our general itinerary for the next two weeks:
Starting out, we fly to Ketchikan via Seattle and hit the ground running:
- Tour of Ketchikan and Saxman Native Village
- Totem Heritage Center
- hiking and wildlife
- Black Bear Safari (can't wait!)
- Totem Bight State Park
- Zodiac and sea kayaking
- Great Alaskan Lumberjack show and more!
Then we fly up to Juneau for an epic cluster of adventures:
- Seaplane to glacier for pack rafting
- ghost town / mining history
- exploring Juneau on foot
...and then we take the Alaska Marine Highway to Haines! This will be my first time here and interestingly, this is one of the only parts of Southeast Alaska that you can drive to.
- hiking at Chilkoot Lake and wildlife watching
- Southeast Alaska State Fair
- Exploring the Haines Highway and the Jilkaat Kwan Heritage Center
- Bald eagle preserve
- Lots of hiking and walking the town
Then it's back to Juneau, but this time via the Alaska Fjordlines ferry. We'll be doing some salmon fishing here and a little more exploring town, and then sadly it's time to come home.
This has been months in the planning and I'm so excited to write about it all and share it all with YOU!! Please follow along and let us know what questions you have as we share.
That’s all I want to share this week. Planning a big trip like our Southeast Alaska experience is exhausting, and even with the support of our friends that work with the tourism boards, there’s still a lot of work that goes into putting together this sort of adventure. I’m really thrilled to share this whole experience with the kids and I cannot wait to see how they react to kayaking with whales… I won’t have another Substack until August 10, so you’ll just have to wait and see.
Thank you for follow along on our journey, whether you’re here for the travel or the parent-life. I appreciate everyone tuning in and sending their encouraging words. I hope you all stay safe and healthy, that you find a little unsuspecting joy each day, and that we get to cross paths at some point. Have a great week!