pseudoswede

We have not purchased anything for our landtour just yet--save for some hotel reservations that can be canceled. Our airfare is flexible (purchased through Princess Cruises). Rebooking to ANC would cost an extra $50-ish per person in fare difference.

GW McLintock

In Seward, there are two big companies for the day cruises: Kenai Fjords Tours, and Major Marine. Major Marine has grown immensely in the last few years. I did a wildlife day cruise back in 2015 and it was fantastic. I don't remember which company it was with, but this seems to be the closest product.

Whittier is also fun, but make sure you time it right with the tunnel. You might not spend as much time in Whittier as you think, since it's very small and compact. Just before the tunnel (heading to Whittier) is Portage Lake and the Byron Glacier Trail which is a pretty easy hike. I did it last July and there was plenty of snow once you got up there, along with great views of the glacier.

-J.

fti

If you don't take a transit bus on Denali the day you arrive in Denali I am not sure why you are even going to Denali.

if it were *me* I world fly into Anchorage and totally skip Denali. The most scenic portion of the train is Anchorage to Seward. You are spending one night in Denali without a car. So you can't drive the first 15 miles of the park road at night. You have to stay somewhere that has transportation to the park and the train is painfully slow. As much as I like Wilderness Express I would never recommend it for the entire stretch Fairbanks to Anchorage.

I think you are doing yourselves a disservice making Seward only a day trip. And this is coming from a guy who loves both Denali and Seward.

pseudoswede

We've decided to skip Denali for this trip. We were able to change our flights to ANC, except we arrive on Sunday around noon now.

With Denali out of our mind, the next highest priority on our trip was to do some kind of hike on a glacier. The rest of my party is wary of using a helicopter or seaplane, so any glacier tour at any port on the cruise is out. A few others do not allow kids under 13, although I have no doubt my 10yo nephew and 12yo Baby Swede would easily be able to keep up.

5/24 - Arrive ANC around noon; get rental car, drive to Seward; do stuff; hotel in/near Seward
5/25 - Maybe do a 6-hour glacier cruise; do other stuff; hotel somewhere
5/26 - Drive to Girdwood (if we're back in Anchorage, train to Girdwood), do a train/kayak/glacier hike/float trip in & around Spencer Glacier; return rental car; hotel in Anchorage
5/27 - Private van to Whittier

Skagway (13.5 hours) - rent a car and drive to Emerald Lake; ziplining
Juneau (10.5 hours) - whale watching and hike to Nugget Falls at Mendenhall Glacier
Ketchikan (8 hours) - some kind of kayaking trip

fti

On the 26th I would drive from Girdwood to Portage and take the train from there to Spencer Glacier. It saves you a lot of time at the end if you don't want to go through the tunnel to Whittier twice, since you will be doing it the next day. When you arrive in Whittier consider doing the Portage Pass hike. Great hike. You can go to the top of the pass or go all the way down to Portage Lake. Trailhead is not far from the cruise terminal.

Another option is:

May 24 arrive Anchorage

May 25 drive to Matanuska Glacier for day hike (2 hour drive one way). The companies do the guided hike and i think at least one does kids.

May 26 Spencer Glacier with train

May 27 early transfer to Whittier and Prince William Sound glacier cruise before you board your cruise ship

pseudoswede

I just booked the train/kayak/glacier hike/float trip excursion for the 26th. It truly combines everything we wanted to do in a 12-hour package. I let the tour operator know of maybe not boarding the train in Anchorage or Girdwood, and they are flexible. The problem is that we have to meet my parents in Anchorage the night of the 26th, and taking a train all the way back to Anchorage after a long day sounds really nice.

Thank you for the Portage Pass hike tip. Maybe we'll check-in at the cruise ship terminal then do the hike after we drop our stuff off in our cabin.

Ilove2fly

Want to spend a few days in Alaska in June. Our thoughts are to spend a couple of days in Barrow for the festival and a few days in Gate Of the Arctic NP. What is the best way to enjoy Gate of the Arctic without doing the 8 hour drive from Fairbanks? Are there shuttles? Local flights? Tours? I noticed that there hotels/B&B outside of he NP, is there much else in the area?

Suggestion on other location or NP are welcome.

jerry a. laska

Gates of the Arctic isn't your normal NP; there are no roads or trails in Gates of the Arctic; no developments within the park; no shuttles like Denali. There are air carriers providing somewhat regular service to thevillages and flightseeing operators and outfitters that provide overflights, day trips, and overnight trips.
This page from the NPS should be a good starting point:
https://www.nps.gov/gaar/planyourvisit/index.htm

thebulk

i agree with most of the things in my opinion there is much better place to see the the Denali