Holiday air travel triggers headaches. Here are options for exploring Alaska’s winter wonderland instead.

It was a very difficult time for airlines and airlines.

Between blizzards, freezing rain, flight cancellations, lost bags and flyers, it’s fair to say the Grinch stole Christmas for many travelers this year.

So what did I say when a friend of mine called last week and asked if he should stick with his plans to visit the Lower 48?

“Run,” I said.

When I saw the mess at Sea-Tac, I encouraged him to reschedule and enjoy a relaxing vacation here in Alaska.

The two treated themselves to a day at the Alaska Resort’s new Nordic Spa.

“The hydrotherapy package is definitely a very popular option at the spa,” said Miranda Fafard, the resort’s director of marketing. “The price is $119 per person, and you get hot, cold, and hot tubs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.,” she said.

If you need some extra help relaxing after leaving your airline plans, book a massage. But you better plan ahead for that. “Massage appointments are filling up,” Fafard said. With floor-to-ceiling windows on the mountain, there are also yoga classes, which Fafard calls “yoga with a view.”

Staying here in Alaska is a better idea than flying into Seattle, Portland, or any Lower 48 gateway. Let the airports and airlines clean up their collective messes for the next week or two.

The white snow is a different feeling than the sandy beach, that’s for sure. But stack up and check out some of the adventures north of Anchorage.

In Talkeetna, Iditarod champion Dallas Seavey offers tours where you can pet your own dog team. After learning about dog sledding, you can drive a dog team for 45 minutes on Sevey’s private trail. Take a moment at the end to meet some of the Iditarod champion sled dogs and play with the dogs.

Talkeetna has an extensive trail system around town. The Talkeetna Gear Shop next to the airport rents fat bikes, skis or snowshoes so you can get out and explore the country.

Alaska Wilderness Guides offers daily trips from Talketna on snowmobiles to large yurts with views of Denali. There, Iditarod musher Rick Casillo will meet you at the yurt to give you a primer on dog teaming. Then you can try in one of the groups. hold up! Not all tours offer the snowmobiling option, but all include a chance to see the dogs!

Alaska Wilderness Guides offers daily snowmobile trips from Girdwood to Spencer Glacier. All your gear is included, so you stay warm and dry.

If you want a true winter adventure, why not take the Alaska Railroad’s weekly Aurora Winter Train to Fairbanks? The northbound train departs every Saturday morning. After an overnight stay in Fairbanks, the train returns each Sunday morning. The 12-hour ride is great fun, but on the way back I’d rather risk a trip to the airport than spend another full day on the railroad.

You can bring your own snacks on the train for the journey. The train stops from time to time, either to drop off passengers or take in a particularly spectacular vista.

The biggest attraction in Fairbanks is seeing the Aurora Borealis. There are several ways to do this. If you’re staying in town, check out one of the night tours that take you where you think you’ll see the lights.

Aaron Lojewski of Fairbanks Aurora Tours took some amazing pictures and posted them on his Instagram page. Lojewski favors van movement because sometimes the best viewing spots are cloudy.

North Alaska Tour Company offers a selection of aurora viewing tours. One goes north each night to Joy, about 90 minutes north of Fairbanks. Grab a hot cup of coffee in a warm place while waiting for the northern lights to come out.

In northern Alaska, the Dalton Highway offers more extensive travel to Coldfoot in the foothills of the Brooks Range. Although the company offers a one-day fly/drive package, serious aurora hunters should budget for two days to see the lights if it’s cloudy.

Browse Fairbanks for a long list of other activities in the area. Choose from many dog-friendly tours, hikes with reindeer, ice fishing, skiing, snow machine tours and even some curling.

In February, Fairbanks hosts the annual Ice Sculpting Championships. And all winter you can see snowmen at work at Chena Hot Springs, 60 miles outside of Fairbanks. It can be cold in the car – but if you want to warm up, the water is nice and warm. Near the hot spring pools is an ice museum, run by husband-wife championship ice skating team Steve and Heather Brice. They will carve you a glass of ice. In this way, you can sit at the ice bar and have a cocktail in the ice museum.

Exploring Alaska’s winter wonderland is fun. But hey — I’ve been on two trips and all the planes go through Seattle. So, along with many other travelers, I am waiting and watching for air operations to become more reliable.