Spring Fling

With winter over about six months ago and summer still months away, it is a good time to start planning a spring fling, to break up the monotony and get you ready for those summer activities.

Take a three-day weekend and explore the area. It doesn't have to cost a ton of money or require lots of planning to get away for a couple days and get your batteries refreshed.

This winter, the Alaska Railroad is offering two winter packages that, while they are a bit spendy, they offer the chance to see a lot of Alaska in one trip. They are great ideas for first-time Alaska visitors, or for residents who want to get away for a weekend.

The first is the "Aurora Borealis" package, in which you leave Anchorage and wind your way through Denali Park, all the way to Fairbanks.

You spend the night at River's Edge Resort in Fairbanks and included in the $25 per person price is a flight from Fairbanks to Anchorage as part of the return.

If you want an extended trip and are willing to spend a few more dollars, the "Chena Hot Springs Getaway" may be more to your liking.

It comes at a price -- $349 to be exact -- but the three-day trip is cheap when you take into consideration what you get.

Included in the price is the railroad trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks, two nights lodging at the Chena Hot Springs Resort and a flight back home to Anchorage.

But you don't have to spend a lot or travel around the state to get a break this spring. Try one of the public-use cabins offered by the Alaska State Parks.

Public-use cabins offer a cheap way for you and the family to spend some quality time planning those summer activities from the cozy interior of a remote cabin, warmed by a wood stove with the beauty of Alaska's winter seen from the windows.

There are several cabins in the Nancy Lake area -- many of which are only 1/4 to 1/2-mile off the road -- as well as at Byers Lake, near Trapper Creek. There are also cabins located in Chugach State Park, which is close to home.

The cabins in the Nancy Lake and Byers Lake areas go for $35 a night, and most sleep six to eight people. You must make reservations at one of the Alaska State Parks offices.

The only drawback is that you'll probably have to go in the middle of the week, as most weekends have already been snatched up by other campers.

Reservations can be made sup to ix months in advance, and you can stay in them for up to seven days in most cases.

For more information about the cabins, you can check out the Web site www.dnr.state.ak/parks/directory.htm and follow the "cabins" links.

If camping isn't your game, but you still want to get away, there are a number of area bed and breakfasts that offer charming settings away from the hustle and bustle, and many offer competitive rates this time of year.

Call around for packages that may include other sightseeing options.