Things to do in Alaska in Winter
A Winter Wonderland Escape: From San Francisco to the Kenai Peninsula
This past winter, in November and again in January, we welcomed a couple from San Francisco to Eagle Eye Vacation Rentals. Seeking a change of pace and a break from the busy urban lifestyle, they ventured north to experience the charm of an old-school Alaskan winter. But what can we do when we visit Alaska in the winter, they wondered. Things to do in Alaska in winter are numerous including fishing, snow machine tours, viewing the Northern Lights, snowshoeing, skiing, visiting area museums, and more. Our guests had their sights set on fishing, being outdoors, and gathering with family.
As it turned out, they were no strangers to cold climates, having spent their younger years in northern regions. Their transition to the Alaskan winter lifestyle was seamless, and they quickly found our property to be a perfect fit for their needs. Inspired by the serene beauty of the landscape, they began planning a magical holiday gathering. Soon enough, they had orchestrated a family reunion, inviting loved ones to join them for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration over the holidays.
They rented all of our Kenai River vacation rentals (Eagle’s Nest, Bear’s Den, and Moose Cabin) and had our whole riverfront compound to themselves for two weeks, including our cherished pavilion with the Kenai River’s best firepit. They were determined to create an unforgettable winter wonderland for their extended family and our lodging on the river was at the heart of that. Together, they celebrated Christmas and rang in the New Year in a setting that was both breathtaking and heartwarming. It was the kind of memory-making event that many of us dream about but don’t often have the chance to experience.
This couple is fortunate to be able to work remotely, so they were able to stay for a while. Beyond work and their family time for the holidays, they also made time to explore the Kenai Peninsula! From Anchorage to Homer, they toured many of the region’s highlights, embracing the Alaskan lifestyle one adventure at a time. While they only scratched the surface of what Alaska has to offer, the parts they did experience left a lasting impression. Each photo captured told a story, and each moment seemed to bring a renewed sense of wonder.
Here’s a glimpse of their journey through some of their favorite moments. We hope it inspires others to embrace the magic of The Greatland and all the things to do in Alaska in winter.
With the freedom of remote work and reliable internet at their disposal, this couple traded the hustle and bustle of city life for the tranquility of the Kenai Peninsula—complete with Northern Lights dancing above and four feet of snow blanketing the ground. Talk about a dramatic change in scenery! As their journey came to an end, it was clear this trip had made a profound impact. Smiles filled their days here, and tears marked their reluctant departure back to San Francisco. Their Alaskan adventure was not just a vacation—it was a transformative experience that reconnected them with nature, family, and a simpler way of life.
At the beginning of a brand new cabin build like this it is, to say the least, harsh and frantic. In 2022, the month of October came in like a storm. Literally, early snow storms and very cold weather! But plans for the construction and build were laid. The cement had to be poured immediately, or even previously if I could have performed magic. The excavation started and the snow was falling by the time it was actually ready to pour the insulated cement foundation walls. The snow kept coming—it was a chore to keep it out of the crawl space and the building footprint. By the time I was able to mount the sub-floor onto the foundation there was two feet of snow and the ground was frozen solid. Putting the exterior and interior walls up to get the rafters and roof on top was really tough. Sub-zero temperatures every day met with seemingly endless shoveling was the standard. Shoveling the snow off the floor before we could land a nail into the walls and framing to advance the progress to covering it up. What a huge amount of cold work and muscle aches. This probably sounds like I’m complaining, because I am. It was incredibly hard to build during the winter of 2022 in Alaska! 
A place to enjoy a wonderful meal, drink for your thirst and laugh about the days gone by and yet to come. Even a place to sing and voice your musical fulfillment and have some fun playing cards and board games. Maybe even get married or have a party or group meeting. It was all about building something special all could gather in.
endeavor for the two of us. Now after every year of our ownership of this “Little Piece Of Heaven”, we have built on the land many structures to enhance the Kenai River icon. This river is the main reason to enjoy this land in so many ways. The fishing is one those many reasons we love this property. Not every fisherman an
d fisher-women fish the same style and have the same abilities. That is exactly why we are developing our property for all ages and all stages of abilities to sport fish. With our new aluminum day light platforms, it makes it easy for all with a high level of safety.
our land the last several years and see the unprotected banks wash away from the fishing traffic from our guests, we were saddened. It took another needed big decision to justly make the move to take good care of our land and restore the beauty of the natural river bank before it was destroyed. That is why we dug deep into our pocket-book and rolled up
our sleeves to re-create the natural enhancement to save our land from invasive erosion. It took a couple of hard years to plan and work the land to make it right with our government bureaucracies and natural habitat. We were totally successful in the this hardship and ordeal. Now we have super Salmon,Trout and Dollie fishing and a sa
nctuary that keeps the small one and two year salmon fry safe to grow into the fish we love to catch from our safe Daylight platforms.
and much more success in catching fish. It was worth every bit of our efforts to accomplish this addition. There is more room for the fire pit seating and enjoyment with marshmallows and picnics. Many just love viewing the river taking a chair to sit right on these platforms on the river front. And along with different abilities to fish with all the different folks, everyone has a good time.
Alaska Wildlife just passing through our “Little Piece of Heaven” is very exciting as we are able to recognize and name our neighbors that live in the area. Through out the year many of the animals and birds that frequent the property seem not to fear us. They give birth to their young, thrive, nest and play on this property safely.
h snow on the ground from the day before. First thing in the morning under a blue sky, I was looking from our gorgeous view windows in the warmth of our Eagle’s Eye Vacation Rentals’ cabin. I wondered to myself who would want to walk through the property so early in the dark hours of morning as I gazed down onto the Kenai River. The foot prints looked like human boot markings from afar. I wanted to look closer so I grabbed the nearby binoculars to see better. To my surprise, those tracks were not human, but super-large grizzly bear tracks instead.
f sight. My first thought question was what is a huge bear doing here at this time of the year when it should be hibernating? And then the thought passed through my head that this was a very dangerous bear hunting for food. When you live in Alaska, we must not forget to look both ways and listen intentionally to the sounds around us.
frozen salmon carcasses. He was very successful that chilly morning. This is not a normal Alaska wildlife sighting by any means, you will probably never see a bear on our 
If you have spent any time with us, you know that we have more than one amazing Kenai River Cabin centrally located on the Kenai Peninsula. You can take a short drive and experience some of Alaska’s best saltwater fishing or sightseeing with a local charter that practices social distancing. You can fish or raft the Kenai River with guides committed to your safety and protection for those looking for freshwater experiences. For the land dwellers, there are plenty of opportunities to sight-see without getting caught in crowds. Even our property gives you a chance to catch, clean, and cook a fresh salmon right next to where you reeled it in. With almost 150 feet of a private bank along the world-famous Kenai River and three fishing stations, there is plenty of room to enjoy Alaska’s offerings safely on your 2021 Alaska trip.