Letters: Keep first-time travel to Alaska simple, head to Anchorage

Regarding “Alaska: Reality Is Not a Show,” Aug. 31, by Christopher Reynolds: For a much more affordable and simpler visit to Alaska, I’d recommend first-timers fly to Anchorage, stay in one of the many charming bed and breakfasts there, perhaps rent a car a few days to drive to Girdwood or even Seward. Anchorage, the most populous city, is a breeze to navigate and surprisingly walkable. It is full of charm and character, has amazing museums and very friendly, hardy locals.

I would suggest visiting during the summer solstice in June. Perfect weather and the sight of the midnight sun is a must. The Alaskan cuisine is sourdough-heavy and salmon-rich, as one might imagine.

Forgive my impertinence, but the great effort and expense for older travelers in particular to see bears fish is probably not the best use of their energy. Besides, the many nature TV shows on these beasts have better camera lenses and get much closer.

Kyle Kimbrell

Playa del Rey

Regarding “Learning to Share,” the Aug. 24 stories on the sharing economy by Catharine Hamm: I would caution readers to thoroughly investigate their Airbnb listings before booking.

My husband and I have had three experiences within the past two years in the San Francisco area. The first involved a cat somehow peeing in my suitcase; the second in downtown San Francisco should have warned us about the “annoying staircase.” “Exhausting” would have been more to the point. Hauling travel items up three sets of very steep stairs wasn’t pleasant, and old windows in our room couldn’t keep out the traffic noise on a very busy street.

However, the third in Monterey had a wonderful room, a lovely Asian breakfast and two free tickets to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. If one is looking for adventure in travel, Airbnb is quite the Wild West, but as in all things, buyer beware.

Louise Haglind

Signal Hill

Thank you for the Aug. 24 Weekend Escape article on Mammoth Lakes (“Off Dusty Trail, Into a Soft Bed,” by Mike Morris). My four brothers and I started skiing at Mammoth Mountain as children and each year, upon return, were amazed and thrilled with the changes that the inventive and forward-thinking owner, Dave McCoy, had made to the mountain and its slopes.

It took a while though for the town to evolve, and that is what kept the out-of-staters away, but it finally “grew up” and has much to offer.

The most exciting recent development is the opening of Mammoth Rock ‘N’ Bowl, a state-of-the-art facility that has the ambience of a town hall filled with best friends. Both locals and weekenders have many options to entertain themselves, including bowling, honing their golf skills on one of the golf simulators or playing darts, table tennis or foosball. The facility also has two restaurants, a full bar and an impressive wine list.

My favorite activity, though, is sitting on the upper deck with a draft beer and enjoying the grand view of the Sherwin Range. This isn’t your grandpa’s bowling alley; make it a must-see on the next trip to Mammoth.

Shari O’Connell

Santa Monica

The “Nice-Weather Risks” in the Aug. 31 Need to Know column says one should use a hands-free device if one must talk on the phone in the car. Studies have indicated it is the lack of full attention that causes vehicle collisions, so hands-free devices won’t prevent such incidents. If one must talk on a phone, then one must stop driving, park in a safe place and then safely communicate by phone without risk of damaged vehicles, injuries or deaths.

Lawrence Berk

Ventura