Kris Capps - Frommers Alaska

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Front cover photo: Two bull moose size each other up in brilliant fall colors with Mount McKinley towering in the background in Denali National Park Leo Keeler / Alamy Images.

Back cover photo: Left: Female Brown Bear with cub Thomas Sbampato / Picture Press / Alamy Images. Middle: Historic Creek Street, famous from the days of the Alaskan Gold Rush, Ketchikan Don Klumpp / Alamy Images. Right: Tufted puffin ( Lunda cirrhata ), standing on rock, USA, Alaska Blickwinkel / Alamy Images..

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About the Authors

Kris Capps is a longtime Alaska journalist who has traveled extensively throughout the state. She spends most of her time in Interior Alaska and currently lives right outside Denali National Park with her teenage daughter; this has been her home for 20 years. She writes a weekly newspaper column about the Denali area for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and is the author of award-winning guidebooks including the Denali Road Guide and Denali Walks.

Mike Dunham moved to Quinhagak, Alaska, on the Bering Sea, with his parents in 1955, when he was 4 years old. He has since lived and worked in Mountain Village, Togiak, Afognak, Homer, Haines, Kodiak, Kenai, Seward and Cordovabut mostly in Anchorage, where he is the Arts and Entertainment editor for the Anchorage Daily News. He has won numerous regional and national awards for articles on travel, art, education, food, history and humor, as well as for his work in radio. Outside Alaska he has written for publications ranging from Orion magazine to Opera News. He is among the editors of the University of Alaska's recent "Grammar of Central Alaskan Yupik, an Eskimoan Language" and suspects that he is the only non-Alaska Native in the world who has to divulge on his tax returns how much money he makes as an Eskimo dancer.

Dave Kiffer is a fourth generation Ketchikan resident on both sides of his family. A professional jazz musician with degrees in Journalism and Creative Writing, he has worked for newspapers and public radio in several states. He currently runs Historic Ketchikan, a non-profit that promotes economic development through historic preservation and heritage tourism. In addition to serving as the current Ketchikan Gateway Borough Mayor, Dave teaches music and writes humor and Alaska history columns for sitnews.us. His wife, Charlotte Glover, is a Youth Services librarian for the Ketchikan Public Library who has done travel research for "Alaska Best Places" and "Frommer's Alaska" for many years and contributes regularly to TripAdvisor. Their son Liam is 10 years old and is on track to win the 5K in the 2020 Olympics.

How to Contact Us

In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful placeshotels, restaurants, shops, and more. Were sure youll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, wed love to know that, too. Please write to:

Frommers Alaska, 13th Edition

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774

Advisory & Disclaimer

Travel information can change quickly and unexpectedly, and we strongly advise you to confirm important details locally before traveling, including information on visas, health and safety, traffic and transport, accommodations, shopping, and eating out. We also encourage you to stay alert while traveling and to remain aware of your surroundings. Avoid civil disturbances, and keep a close eye on cameras, purses, wallets, and other valuables.

While we have endeavored to ensure that the information contained within this guide is accurate and up-to-date at the time of publication, we make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. We accept no responsibility or liability for any inaccuracy or errors or omissions, or for any inconvenience, loss, damage, costs, or expenses of any nature whatsoever incurred or suffered by anyone as a result of any advice or information contained in this guide.

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Frommers Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations

Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).

In addition to the star-rating system, we also use six feature icons that point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for: