Your definitive Alaska Snapchat checklist

10/27/2016 Back To Blog The MatSu Valley in Alaska

Snapchat is one of the newest social media platforms to take the world by storm. As more than 60 percent of Americans between ages 13 and 38 are on Snapchat, chances are someone in your travel group may be documenting the vacation on this smartphone app. It involves sharing short videos and pictures paired with “filters,” and shares directly with a selection of friends as well as your own Snapchat “story” for other Snapchat friends to watch. If you’re “snapping” this trip, here’s a checklist of can’t-miss subject matter your friends will be expecting from any Alaska adventure.

  • A photo of one of the taxidermy animals in the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the perfect way to let your friends know you’ve just touched down in the 49th state, more specifically, in Alaska’s largest city. You can choose from an assortment of Alaska wildlife such as a polar bear, musk ox and even an albino beaver.
  • Use a geofilter! After you take a picture, swipe through the location-specific geofilters and choose one to show everyone where you are. The filter at Hatcher Pass, a fantastic destination for skiing, snowshoeing, hiking and epic photo opportunities, is one of the rarest geofilters in Snapchat’s collection.
  • Alaska is known for its extended daylight hours during the summer, so snap a picture of the infamous midnight sun and include the timestamp filter so your friends at home can see that, yes, the sun is still up in the sky at 11 p.m.
  • A moose – bonus points if the moose has calves. Safety note: moose should always be snapped from a healthy distance, or from inside of your transportation means, whether it’s a rental car, motorcoach or train.
  • A photo from the end of an afternoon hike with the altitude filter. Show your friends how many feet above sea level you’ve climbed today. It’s okay if you were helped by a drive to the trailhead – they’ll never know!
  • A 360-degree landscape video snap. With the video feature, you can take your normal panorama photo to the next level and show everyone the entire view.

The essence of Snapchat is to capture spontaneous, in-the-moment pictures and videos so remember to have fun with it and don’t forget about playing with the silly filters. It’s just one more way to document your vacation of a lifetime.