Mat-Su Valley Blog

The Palmer Midsummer Garden & Arts Faire truly celebrates all things Alaska this weekend in downtown Palmer. The faire is one of Palmer's best annual events, with activities taking place throughout the downtown area. This year the Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce is hosting the event. The event...

Visitors to Independence Mine can explore more than ever before thanks to new private and customizable tours being offered by Salmon Berry Tours, the park's concessionaire this summer. Salmon Berry Tours currently has three buildings open to the public - there is no cost (other than parking) to...

A hidden gem in the Valley's trail system is also one of it's newest - Settlers Bay Coastal Park, just eight miles from Wasilla. The 295-acre Settlers Bay Coastal Park features something for nearly every outdoor recreationalist - hiking trails, mountain biking, views of the Chugach Mountains and the...

After a delay to start the summer, one of Palmer’s best small-town traditions is back – Friday Fling. Starting tomorrow (June 19), downtown Palmer is the place to be every Friday through September 11. The event has added four more weeks to its schedule to make up for the delay and to extend into the...

Independence Mine in Hatcher Pass is opening June 18, and it will be a whole new experience for visitors to one of Southcentral Alaska's most popular destinations. Salmon Berry Travel and Tours, a leading Alaska-owned tour operator based in Anchorage, was awarded the contract to operate the...

The Mat-Su Valley is filled with adventures around every turn in the road, but how much do you know about the area? Here are five facts that may come as a surprise to many. Size The Mat-Su Borough encompasses 25,000 square miles, all the way north to Denali State Park along the Glenn Highway, and...

Right beside one of the busiest highways in Alaska, the Glenn Highway, you'll find peace and serenity at Reflections Lake, which is one of the Mat-Su Valley's hidden gems. The lake is located at the Knik River Access ramp just north of Palmer on the Glenn Highway. Despite it being right beside the...

We are staring at June 1 next week, and already, weekend plans are filling up throughout the entire summer. This year more than ever before, it's important to get out and support local tourism businesses who are facing uncertain futures. Whether you take a flightseeing trip or just stop in at a...

The annual Memorial Day celebration will take place Monday at the Veterans Wall of Honor, with a few changes in face of the Covid-19 pandemic. The event takes place at 1 p.m., and there will be bleacher seating available for people since the governor's announcement of a complete reopening of the...

One of the biggest Mother's Day traditions in the Mat-Su Valley is the opening of the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer. This year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the farm is closed, but thanks to technology, the traditional will stay alive. This Sunday, the Musk Ox Farm is hosting it's traditional event,...