Alaska TravelGram

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo!

The Great Alaskan TourSaver is a great stand-alone deal. Usually, the book sells for $99.95 and includes more than $25,000 in travel deals from around the state. Here’s the kicker: everything is 2-for-1. Everything. Cruises. Flightseeing. Lodges. Wilderness Adventures. Fishing. The works.

Well, we’ve teamed up with some other travel bloggers for a Christmastime fundraiser. Go to this page for a list of prizes (including the Great Alaskan TourSaver). Pick the prizes you want to win. Then go to the First Giving page and make a donation. For every $10 you give, you get a chance to win one of the prizes (add a note when you’re giving the money re: WHICH prize you’d like to win.) Heifer International gets the money. I wrote earlier about my story with Heifer and our family. It’s a cool organization with a great mission.

So–here’s a partial list of 2-for-1 deals in the book. Remember–there are 135 deals all around the state, including:

a. Fishing in Juneau, Kodiak, Seward, along the Kenai River and near the Susitna River.(2-for-1)

b. Flightseeing in Denali, with glacier landing. (2-for-1)

c. 7-day/6-night wilderness adventure in Lake Clark National Park (2-for-1)

d. Wilderness fishing lodges throughout southcentral Alaska. (2-for-1)

e. Glacier/wilderness cruises in Kenai Fjords National Park. (2-for-1)

f. Rail Tours on the famous Alaska Railroad! (2-for-1)

g. Accommodations in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Seward, Denali National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Kenai, Juneau, Wrangell, Skagway, Valdez and more.(2-for-1)

h. Air fare on Era Aviation between Anchorage and Fairbanks. (2-for-1)

i. Admission to the Anchorage Museum, the Alaska Native Heritage Center, the Alaska SeaLife Center, the Alaska Aviation Heritage Center–and more.

j. RV rentals! (2-for-1)

As part of this special Heifer International fundraiser, we’re including a free copy of the Seattle TourSaver with the prize. There are about 100 2-for-1 offers worth more than $5,000. Check it out.

Now–go buy your raffle tickets. You get one for every $10 you donate. Thanks for playing, good luck–and Merry Christmas.

Subscriber Johnny R. sent in this photo from Ketchikan. Johnny is a pilot, a commercial fisherman, a certified Geek, husband, father and all-around troublemaker down there in Ketchikan. It’s always great to hear from him–and this photo is fabulous I hope it inspires you to visit Alaska next summer!

Check out the Holiday Fundraiser for Heifer.org that we’re supporting:

My dad’s wife turned me on to Heifer International about six years ago. Their mission, which began in the 1940s after WWII, is to  provide families a source of food rather than short-term relief. Today, millions of families in 128 countries have been given the gifts of self-reliance and hope.

Here in the McMurren household, our Christmas tradition is to offer a gift in my dad’s name–such as chicks, a beehive, a goat or even a water buffalo. They do the same. We’ve found the kids love to go through the catalog to pick out an animal for Grandpa and Nana. “Let’s get them a pig this year,” said Drew, our oldest. 

On the flip side, my dad calls me up (or the kids) and asks “Do you want a sheep for Christmas this year?” 

“Yeah!!” is the resounding chorus.

Here at the Alaska Travelgram, our family is teaming up with a bunch of other travel bloggers for a Heifer Holiday Fundraiser called “Passports with Purpose”. It’s cool. Here’s how it works:

a. We’ve rounded up some great prizes, including a free copy of the Great Alaskan TourSaver for 2009. For this fundraiser, we’re bundling it with a free copy of the all-new Seattle TourSaver for 2009. The combined value is $180. But there are a g-o-b of other prizes. We’ll post a list after Dec. 1.

b. Once you’ve selected your prize – or prizes – go to First Giving to make your raffle donation. For each ten dollar ($10.00) donation you make, you’ll be entered into the raffle for the prize(s) you’ve selected. WARNING: Be sure to enter your email address and the prize you want to win in the comments field. Otherwise, Heifer gets your money–but you don’t win anything. Yikes!

c. Neither Alaska Travelgram nor Passports with Purpose will share your email with anyone aside from letting you know you’ve won a prize.

d. WInners will be chosen on Dec. 30. You’ll be notified by email. Learn more about Passports with Purpose.

Good luck. Remember–the more tickets you buy, the better your chances! Or as my wife would say: “The more you spend, the more you save!” Something like that.

Anchorage-Fairbanks daytrip from Alaska Travelgram on Vimeo.