Bird Creek
Look down at Bird Creek below the road (mile 101). This fisherman's paradise, with good parking and observation platforms, is almost perfect for kibitzers and photographers as well. "Sightseers love it," says Anchorage sportsman Ralph Portell, showing off a bright silver salmon. "They lean over the railing and ask what you're catching and what you're using." If you're lucky, you might see a Steller sea lion chase a school of salmon into the mouth of the stream.
Bird Point
Just a bit farther, at Bird Point (mile 96), stop to see belugas, their white bodies easily visible in the dark waters. They frequent Turnagain Arm from early summer through September. Ashore, look for the beaver dam in the green boggy area. Across the highway, Dall sheep graze among the rocks on the slopes above. Bird Point also has views of the tidal bore, a two-to-six-foot (one-to-two-meter) surge that occurs when the tide pushes river water upstream.
Girdwood
The turnoff to Girdwood (mile 90), marked by a field of wildflowers in early summer, is a favorite subject of local artists. In tiny Girdwood itself, a mix of funky cabins and pricey ski chalets, flower gardeners make the most of Alaska's long summer daylight. At the Bake Shop (Olympic Mountain Loop, Olympic Circle boardwalk; 783-2831; www.thebakeshop.com), saucer-size begonias, dahlias, and other blooms on display are nearly as big as the bakery's famous sweet rolls. The expansive gardens of the Hotel Alyeska (1000 Arlberg Ave.; 754-2111 or 800-880-3880; www.alyeskaresort.com; from $289) fascinate visitors like Jeff Nueman of Fort Worth. "The colors, the variety, the patterns of the flowers—we just don't have this in Texas," he says.
Mount Alyeska
Slopes of wildflowers greet visitors at Mount Alyeska. Ride a ski tram to a point 2,300 feet (700 meters) up the mountainside (Arlberg Ave.; 754-2275; www.alyeskaresort.com) for a view that folks up here love to show off to lower-48ers. Hanging glaciers, snowy mountain peaks, and wildlife from tiny marmots to black bears are easy to spot.
