Forget the gym membership - in 2020, make it a resolution to explore more.

This is the time of the year when we everyone looks to the future and comes up with new resolutions, with typical favorites involving diets and gym memberships usually falling by the wayside about mid-January. Instead, start planning new adventures in the Mat-Su Valley that are not only fun, but also will form memories you'll treasure for years to come.

Have you walked on a glacier before? It's an amazing experience, and you can do that in the Mat-Su Valley! Matanuska Glacier is the state's largest road-accessible glacier, so make it a point this summer to put on a helmet and crampons and set out for an amazing afternoon. Knik Glacier, just an hour north of Anchorage, is also a great option. Helicopter to the glacier for dog mushing, kayaking and more. It's an unforgettable time.

Want to know what it's like to run the Iditarod? Stop in at a musher's kennel for a dog mushing experience that is both fun and inspirational. Many mushers offer kennel tours throughout the year, and you'll meet the dogs, learn what it takes to be a full-time musher and even get to mush the team yourself. 

Make it a point to explore all the corners of the Mat-Su in 2020. Spend a day in Talkeetna shopping, flightseeing, rafting, boating or just marveling at Denali's 20,310-foot summit from town. Or head to Hatcher Pass for a day of hiking and learning about Independence Mine. Take the Glenn Highway National Scenic Byway north and discover the Athabascan culture in Chickaloon. Take a farm tour in Palmer and learn about the area's agricultural Colony roots. Grab a fishing rod and try to land a salmon, or simply load up the RV and spend some time in Denali State Park. Here's a locals take - Denali State Park offers more solitude and better views of the Alaska Range than the national park does!

Travel and experiences are not only fun, but they recharge your batteries. Take time in 2020 to do something for yourself that you'll never forget - and that begins in the Valley.