Talkeetna is about three hours north of Anchorage, by rail on the Alaska Railroad ( www.alaskarailroad.com). It's to the south east of Denali National Park, a well known place to visit in Alaska. Talkeetna is the staging point for climbers who are tackling Mt McKinley/Mt Denali, and it's rumoured that it was the inspiration for the television series, Northern Exposure. It's a small town, one paved road (Talkeetna Spur Road, the road in to Talkeetna from the highway), but with lots and lots of character. It's at the end of the road too, so you won't pass through Talkeetna on the way to somewhere else; you need to make the effort to go - do it, it's worth it.
Day trippers descend on the town during the day, so it's pretty busy. There is the famous Nagle's Store, where you can get just about any food item, and more. Grab an ice-cream and sit outside and people-watch for a while. Nagle's is across the road from the historic Fairview Inn, where Talkeetna's first bath tub was located. At the end of the main street, there's a short walk to the edge of the Talkeetna River, where you can sit on the trunk of a huge fallen tree and watch the grey, glacial waters flow by and gaze at Mt Kinley.. If you are lucky, you'll have some peaceful moments here by yourself to appreciate this place.
There's restaurants and hotels (including the huge Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge) and lots of B&Bs. Talkeenta is still safe enough for doors to be left open which is a pleasant surprise after living in big cities. The town is surrounded by forest, and has an air about it that there is a lot more to this place than you see at first glance. It would be good to spend a few days here to get to know the locals and experience some of the 'real' Alaska (as opposed to the 'tourist' Alaska).
There is sometimes more plane traffic than car traffic in Talkeetna, and flightseeing around Mt Kinley, while a bit expensive, is a must-do. Truly amazing scenery - don't miss the lodge sitting atop a ridge in these mountains - the only private land which is reached by air taxi which lands on the glacier below. Interesting place for a holiday home!
Fishing is a big past time, as is hiking. One hiking company that comes personally recommended is Denali Trekking Company ( www.denalitrekking.com) which runs three, five and seven day hikes. Wonderful personalised hiking experiences that create eternal memories.
The Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce website is at: http://www.talkeetnachamber.org/ and there are heaps of other sites with information if you do an internet search.
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