Q: I am flying to Anchorage and renting a car, so I'm going to cities I can drive to. I want to take a Zodiac inflatable boat trip in Kenai but don't know who does this kind of small boat trip. —Pav

A: Pav, thanks for your question. Good choice on flying into Anchorage then renting a car. One of the places you can drive with a car (but not access by train) is Cooper Landing, in the middle of the Kenai Peninsula. It's right on the Kenai River. You can take float trips or fishing drift trips down the Kenai. The river is a gorgeous turquouise blue color.

My recommendation for the right operator to use for either the float or fishing trip would be Alaska Wildland Adventures. They are considered one of the top ecotourism operators in the world--out of thousands of companies. In addition to being able to take you down the river, they also have some great riverside cabins you can rent. Don't know what your budget is, but if it's ample, you might also consider doing a combination raft trip / wilderness lodge stay with them. They offer a trip where you can float the Kenai River all the way down to Skilak Lake, where they have a remote cabin with no neighbors for miles in any direction.

One thing to note is that we use Zodiacs in Alaska mostly on the ocean, because it's easy to throw a small outboard engine on them. When it comes to floating rivers, most places use other types of inflatables, including self-bailing rafts. Pretty much everyone provides the rubber boots and other specialized gear you would need.