2002 to 2009
Best of the Best ~ Canada & Alaska
A compilation of our favorite places
Like many of you, we tend to travel on our stomachs, so naturally our Best Of list has to start off with Food.
Restaurants:
Mexican food, particularly the guacamole - La Cabana Restaurant on East 4th Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska;
Fast Eddy’s in Tok, Alaska; great food and plenty of it, breakfast, lunch, or dinner; we especially recommend the hamburgers;
The Homestyle Cafe in Cheticamp, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, winner, hands down, for best fish and chips in Canada;
Captain Jacks on Prince Edward Island, up near Cavendish, for fish and chips.
Specialty items:
Syrup: MacNeils Cape Breton Highland Syrup, from South West Margaree in Nova Scotia. Bought three bottles, should have gotten a case.
Fresh Produce: Log Cabin Produce Stand outside Armstrong, British Columbia (they had cool goats, too);
Honey: Go to the welcome center in Falher, Alberta; next door is a place to buy the best honey in Canada (self-proclaimed, but true).
Bakeries:
Double G Services at the north end of Muncho Lake, British Columbia;
The Old World Bakery at the ferry crossing at Balfour, British Columbia;
The Tintina Bakery, about 15 miles south of Dawson City, Yukon Territory.
Campgrounds
Strawberry Flats Campground at Muncho Lake, British Columbia;
Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland; we highly recommend campsite #5 in the Lomond campground, and #6 out at Green Point. The most incredible views anywhere out over the water;
Prettiest location & overall best campground – Graves Island Provincial Park south of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Roads – some of our favorites; we’ve noted the unpaved ones
Denali Highway going east from Denali National Park, Alaska - unpaved;
The section of the Richardson Highway from Glennallen to Valdez, Alaska - paved;
Alberta Provincial Hwy 22 heading north to Calgary - paved;
Rte 31A between New Denver and Kaslo, in southern British Columbia - paved;
The road to Stewart, British Columbia off the Cassiar Highway - paved;
The road to Prince Rupert, British Columbia at the westend of Highway 16 - paved;
All the roads around Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia - paved;
South Canol Road – Lapie Valley area, Yukon Territory – unpaved – our favorite of them all;
The Dempster highway from near Dawson City up to Fort MacPherson, Yukon Territory and Northwest Territory - unpaved.
Great Sights and Things to Do:
Wildflowers: Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia;
Gardens: Many places; best of the best was the city park in Halifax, Nova Scotia; and of course the famous Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia;
Parade: The Magrath Town Celebration, Magrath, Alberta;
Music Event: Annual Red Rock Blues and Folk music festival in Red Rock, Ontario;
Town Fair (very tiny category) – Haines, Alaska;
Best ferry boat ride to anywhere: Chenega Ferry to Cordova, Prince William Sound, Alaska (this is a big new boat that cruises at 40 knots - too cool).
Best bookstores:
Twice Sold Tales used bookstore in Calgary, Alberta;
Gullivers New/Used Books in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Best tourist information centers:
Watson Lake Visitor Center in Yukon Territory;
Coming into Nova Scotia on Highway 2 from New Brunswick; those bagpipers at the Welcome Center just make you feel at home;
Best book on places to see: “Yukon’s Wildlife Viewing Guide” put out by the Territory, and free at visitor centres in Yukon Territory.