Finding a good place to stay when traveling in Alaska can be challenging. With so many people visiting during the short season, the laws of supply and demand mean that prices go up. In fact, in many Alaskan destinations, if you don't book way in advance, you may find yourself with minimal choice of where to stay. You can read more about that in our post about the real cost of traveling to Alaska (it also has more budgeting tips).
And when you're traveling as a family, it can become even more complicated.
Today we want to share with you a recommendation for a great little find in the Kenai Peninsula: Midnight Sun Log Cabins, in Moose Pass, Alaska.
Overall impression
We stayed here for three nights and really enjoyed our stay. The cabin was rustic, in the charming sense of the word. It had everything we needed, as well as plenty of space for the four of us.
The owner, Chris, was amiable, and we enjoyed sharing the cooked breakfast with other guests in his cabin.
Overall, a lovely stay, very unique, and at reasonable rates for the area. One reason for the affordable prices is the distance from town. The other was that we made reservations well in advance. If you're looking to save on accommodation - or other things - when traveling to Alaska, read our guide about the cost of Alaska travel and our budgeting tips.
The location of Midnight Sun Cabins
The cabins are located in Moose Pass, not far from the intersection between Highway 1 and Highway 9. It's about half an hour's drive from there to the town of Seward and just under two hours to Anchorage. The entire area is simply gorgeous. This is what it looks like on the map with the terrain feature switched on -
The location is a crucial issue here, so if you're planning a trip to Seward, you should be aware of what it means. We spent a fun couple of days in town, exploring local attractions such as the Sealife Center, hiking the Exit Glacier area, and exploring the Kenai Fjords National park on a cruise too. You can read here about our list of things to do in Seward and see our report of the Kenai Fjords cruise here.
The thing is, whenever we went over to Seward, we had to drive from Moose Pass into town and back. The drive takes about half an hour in each direction. Which means that to stay here -
- You must have a car.
- Be prepared to make the drive.
We had a rental SUV, and we enjoyed the drive. The road is beautiful, especially closer to Moose Pass, and it looked different at different times of the day, and as the weather changed.
What was our stay like
We arrived at the cabin in the afternoon, after leaving Anchorage in the morning and spending the day at Girdwood. The cabin looked perfect, surrounded by trees, and very welcoming with a lovely porch in the front. We parked the SUV right in front of the cabin, and my boys couldn't wait to get in.
The first floor had a spacious sleeping area with two double beds and a flat-screen TV.
The sleeping area is separated from the dining area and bathroom by a staircase and a thick curtain.
Next to the staircase is this food preparation area, a kitchenette almost, but without a stove or a sink: just a microwave, a mini-fridge, and a kettle for making your morning coffee.
Next, you'll find a small - yet very functional - dining area.
And on the other corner, there was a cozy bathroom with a shower -
And that staircase that we mentioned earlier? The kids climbed up to their little attic -
As you can see, this is a classic rustic cabin. Inside and out. We loved staying here. It was warm most of the time, and there were heaters for when it got a bit chilly.
Breakfast was served in a separate cabin. Our teenaged boys aren't huge breakfast fans, so they had theirs in our cabin, while DH and I went up to the breakfast cabin. We shared a large table with other guests and had a great time getting to know people from different countries, over Chris's fantastic pancakes, toast, and butter.
That's our review of the Midnight Sun Log Cabins. Overall, an excellent option for families that want to visit Seward, have a car, and are willing to drive into town. In return, you'll be staying in a great cabin at an affordable price. If you think this could be a good fit for your family, here's a link to making the reservation via Booking.com.