Our drive from Homer to Anchorage afforded us one last “off the beaten path” stop in Hope. I actually learned about this town because friends of ours had been in Alaska just weeks before we had landed. They had posted great pictures of their adventures and had discovered Hope. Since we are also about discovery, we thought we’d give it a look-see.

A winding road called Hope Highway off of the Seward Highway takes you sixteen miles to a very small town that rests on the Turnagain Arm. Population in Hope is less than 200 people. Hard to imagine when my children have more people in their grades than live in this little sliver of heaven.

We hit Hope in the early afternoon, which was our lunchtime. So first stop was the Creekbend Cafe for some lunch. Shane had his first reindeer sausage sandwich. And I was craving some fresh fish and chips. Mission accomplished.

We visited the historic museum. The first goldrush happened in Hope – even before the Klondike Stampede or the rushing of the beaches in Nome or before Anchorage was even founded.

The quaint downtown is just that – whimsical and picturesque. Log cabins dot the unpaved roadways. Small buildings house a bookstore, a gift shop or one of the few restaurants and/or pubs. The area is best known for its hiking and biking and for its quiet, off-the-grid location.

When you stand on the beach, you can see across the Turnagain Arm to the road to Anchorage. Shane thought this might be a good place for him to set up a ferry business in the summer from Anchorage to Hope for those that want an adventure but have access to a city without the drive. Though I will say, the drive, in and of itself, is part of the experience. But I guess while Shane is ferrying people, I will be sipping coffee at the cafe while writing my next novel so I’m not totally opposed to this business idea. 😉 ~Gina