Looking for Ideas for 10 day Alaska trip
Jul 10, 2006, 3:00 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 10
Originally Posted by lawchild
I'm pretty sure the Chenega fast ferry has been doing the PWS runs without problems. The Fairweather, which does the Lynn Canal loop (Haines-Juneau-Skagway) and Juneau-Sitka runs, is just now getting out of the shop. It is always a good idea to check the updated schedules at ferryalaska.com. And make sure that you have reserved space for the car and all people in it (driver is not included in the summer).
Arrive: WHITTIER Wed, Aug 02, 2006 03:00 PM
Vessel: F/V CHENEGA
Duration: 2hr, 45min
I think there were two choices on some days (faster ferry on some days and slower ferry on all the days). I picked the faster ferry with two people (myself and my wife). It's around $270 in total but at least I will have a little relaxing day
I ended up getting off-river cabins @ Denali River Cabins for $150 for two nights (using toursaver). I think we can use the extra money for either a better place in later part of the trip or can use that for other activities.
Any suggestions for Sea Kayaking - possibly near Seward/Homer?
Again, thanks everyone for your input. Please keep the ideas flowing
Jul 11, 2006, 1:02 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 287
Road Updates...
As spoken, we rented a minivan and drove both the Denali Highway along with the Wrangells drive. Both are gravel and were in very good condition just two weeks ago. I avergaed 35-40 MPH on both with afew occasions to get up to 50. If leaving from Cantwell, stop in at the State Troopers ofice and check road conditions. I did and everything was fine. In fact, that morning they had 6 inches of snow on the eatern end. What a view time we had going from summer look to the land to winter. Even this snow did not make the road any worse. Advice is to take your time, slow down, and enjoy the scenery. If you do, you should have no problems whatsoever. Trumpeters Swans, Foxes, etc galore as you travel!
The road to Wragells' was the same. In fact, they are working on one section as I write so a small delay should be expected. Ours was only 5-10 minutes each way. Again, take your time, slow down, and enjoy the scenery equals no problems. Moose (swimiing), beaver, and Ptarmigan with baby chicks made appearances for us!
Yes, many told us about the "horrors" of both roads. But if I had listened to them and not used good common sense when traveling these roads, I would have missed out on the best two parts of our trip. Saw many RV and cars on the highway. It is also used by the Princess tour buses bringing up the cruise passengers to Denali. So it can't be that bad, can it? Still , only you can decide what is right for you.
When we rented the minivan, not a word was spoken about any road conditions or roads not allowed. We did hit a open section on the Glenn highway which did more to the car than the two roads above together. Just called National, informed them of what happened, and I simply returned it and they gave us another. No probelms or issues.
I say two nights for Homer because the drive down to Homer is gorgeous and one should plan on many stops. It is 3 hours at best if you drive straight through and don't get stuck behind an RV or two. And I think you would want a full day there if you plan to go fishing, hiking, or whatever. An overnight there would be good if Halibuit fishing is not in the plans. To appreciate everything, I would not want to go to Homer and back in a day.
Yes, Fairbanks has many things to offer - particularly the kitchy pioneer things. And yes, I really wanted to do the acrtic circle. I also wanted to attend the Midnight SUn Baseball classic. But, my brother who has lived up there now for close to 20 years, who is as avid of an outdoor man as there is, helped me to understand that the time required for the things offered just did not equal out. Maybe on another trip though. But different strokes for different folks. You decide.
Sleeping in the minivan was pretty easy. We just took the two middle seats and slipped one into the driver seat and the other in behind the back bench seat. Daughter slpet on the back bench seat and the wife and I slept on the floor in the middle.
We didn't find Phyliss' touristy at all. We really enjoyed it. FYI: It is also part of the iDine program so get your points! So is Kincaid's (alos part of iDine) which I forgot to mention in previous post.
We looked into the ferry from Valdez to Whittier and it would have cost us $360 and forced us into a time schedule. By driving back to ANC from Valdez, on one tank of gas ($55), we were able to take our time and stop and see so many beautiful things. Again, you choose.
My ten day itinerary:
1) Arrive Anchorage. Overnight in Anchorage
2) Anchorage. Overnight in Anchorage
3) Deaprt of Seward around 8:30 AM to make 11 AM Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise. Dinner and overnight in Seward.
4) Seward to Homer. Overnight in Homer
5) Homer to Denali area. Long drive but lots to see (Hatcher Pass is a bit of a detour but fantastic, Talkeetna, etc). Overnight in Denali/Cantwell/Healy area.
6) Denali Park Tour. 11 hour to Mirror lake, while great, not necessary. the 8 hour tour will put you through the same great wildlife areas (Sable Pass our favorite!!!) and gets you back 3 hours sooner. They give you the opportunity to purchase the difference and change buses at the temporray Ranger Station about 5 hours in so I recommend booking the 8 hour tour and see how you feel. Nobody on our bus opted for this and almost everyone on the bus was ready to get back by the time we hit the turnaround point. Overnight in Denali/Cantwell/Healy area.
7) Denali Higwhay to Glenallen. Overnight in Glenallen
8) Glenallen to Wrangells. Overnight in Kennecott Lodge
9) Wrangells to Valdez to Anchorage. Overnight in Anchorage
10) Depart
My humble two cents...
Yamonjon
The road to Wragells' was the same. In fact, they are working on one section as I write so a small delay should be expected. Ours was only 5-10 minutes each way. Again, take your time, slow down, and enjoy the scenery equals no problems. Moose (swimiing), beaver, and Ptarmigan with baby chicks made appearances for us!
Yes, many told us about the "horrors" of both roads. But if I had listened to them and not used good common sense when traveling these roads, I would have missed out on the best two parts of our trip. Saw many RV and cars on the highway. It is also used by the Princess tour buses bringing up the cruise passengers to Denali. So it can't be that bad, can it? Still , only you can decide what is right for you.
When we rented the minivan, not a word was spoken about any road conditions or roads not allowed. We did hit a open section on the Glenn highway which did more to the car than the two roads above together. Just called National, informed them of what happened, and I simply returned it and they gave us another. No probelms or issues.
I say two nights for Homer because the drive down to Homer is gorgeous and one should plan on many stops. It is 3 hours at best if you drive straight through and don't get stuck behind an RV or two. And I think you would want a full day there if you plan to go fishing, hiking, or whatever. An overnight there would be good if Halibuit fishing is not in the plans. To appreciate everything, I would not want to go to Homer and back in a day.
Yes, Fairbanks has many things to offer - particularly the kitchy pioneer things. And yes, I really wanted to do the acrtic circle. I also wanted to attend the Midnight SUn Baseball classic. But, my brother who has lived up there now for close to 20 years, who is as avid of an outdoor man as there is, helped me to understand that the time required for the things offered just did not equal out. Maybe on another trip though. But different strokes for different folks. You decide.
Sleeping in the minivan was pretty easy. We just took the two middle seats and slipped one into the driver seat and the other in behind the back bench seat. Daughter slpet on the back bench seat and the wife and I slept on the floor in the middle.
We didn't find Phyliss' touristy at all. We really enjoyed it. FYI: It is also part of the iDine program so get your points! So is Kincaid's (alos part of iDine) which I forgot to mention in previous post.
We looked into the ferry from Valdez to Whittier and it would have cost us $360 and forced us into a time schedule. By driving back to ANC from Valdez, on one tank of gas ($55), we were able to take our time and stop and see so many beautiful things. Again, you choose.
My ten day itinerary:
1) Arrive Anchorage. Overnight in Anchorage
2) Anchorage. Overnight in Anchorage
3) Deaprt of Seward around 8:30 AM to make 11 AM Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise. Dinner and overnight in Seward.
4) Seward to Homer. Overnight in Homer
5) Homer to Denali area. Long drive but lots to see (Hatcher Pass is a bit of a detour but fantastic, Talkeetna, etc). Overnight in Denali/Cantwell/Healy area.
6) Denali Park Tour. 11 hour to Mirror lake, while great, not necessary. the 8 hour tour will put you through the same great wildlife areas (Sable Pass our favorite!!!) and gets you back 3 hours sooner. They give you the opportunity to purchase the difference and change buses at the temporray Ranger Station about 5 hours in so I recommend booking the 8 hour tour and see how you feel. Nobody on our bus opted for this and almost everyone on the bus was ready to get back by the time we hit the turnaround point. Overnight in Denali/Cantwell/Healy area.
7) Denali Higwhay to Glenallen. Overnight in Glenallen
8) Glenallen to Wrangells. Overnight in Kennecott Lodge
9) Wrangells to Valdez to Anchorage. Overnight in Anchorage
10) Depart
My humble two cents...
Yamonjon
Jul 11, 2006, 10:47 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,195
OK, sounds like they've done some significant improvements to the roads since I was on them seven and eleven years ago. More than likely, you'd be able to make it to/from McCarthy/Kennicott and across the Denali Highway with nary a problem. Plus, as I read yamonjon's descriptions, some more vivid mental pictures of the drive are coming back to me, and I'm beginning to think it may be worth taking either or both of the roads.
However, regardless of whether the unauthorized roads are mentioned at the time of rental or not, they are still a violation of the rental agreement. Speaking from a former customer service representative's standpoint, I can attest that I could make a rental transaction a 30-minute deal if I wanted to cover every possible rule and exception to the rules. Unfortunately, I didn't have that much time in a transaction (especially with tired, cranky people who have been flying for 16 hours all the way from the east coast). Most of the rules are common sense; I always tried to specifically mention the ones that are specific to Alaska or may not be understood by those who do not regularly rent cars. We had the top five printed up on the front of the contract right next to the signature line (so customers didn't have to spend 30 minutes reading the fine print on the back of the contract), but there's only so much I could do--most people just wanted to leave without hearing everything I wanted to say (most people would barely even stay to hear my directions to the rental parking lot--they'd be walking away as I'm shouting the directions after them--and would then come back yelling at me when they couldn't find their cars). In any case, regarding the unauthorized roads, I have a suspicion that a significant percentage of my customers ended up going on one or more of these highways--and we never knew about all but a very few of them. (It's sort of a don't-ask, don't-tell deal...) In fact, I can't recall any of our customers who actually had an incident on one of the roads that ended up in us having to enforce that policy--I think it's just something we kept in our back pocket to discourage people from using those roads (and putting the wear and tear on the vehicles) and from having to pay a several-hundred-dollar towing bill if someone snapped an axle or something. In all likelihood, you'll be fine. (I think I was a bit harsh in my previous posts about the situation.)
A few other observations: Personally, I don't find the drive to Homer terribly interesting. Perhaps if you've never driven there before, some of the views of Cook Inlet might be nice, but it's mostly rolling hills and flat areas with spruce forests--nothing big and majestic like the Alaska Range or even the Chugach and Kenai mountains south of Anchorage. Perhaps it's been so long since I drove down there, though, that I'm forgetting something. I suppose it might be worth checking out, but I think you could get away with driving from the Kenai Princess to Homer and then back to Seward for that night's stay, but if you don't want to do that much driving, I wouldn't say it would be a waste of a night to stay in Homer.
Yamonjon has a point about driving from Valdez. The Glenn Highway is a majestic road; however, so is the ferry ride (Prince William Sound is one of the most beautiful spots on earth, if you ask me). That's a tough decision. Usually, I'd recommend that my customers drive the Glenn Highway from Anchorage to Valdez and then take the ferry back, but doing so takes you quite a bit out of the way of your current travel plans. As it stands now, I'd lean towards the ferry.
Last, as far as food goes--you're looking for veggie-friendly, right? If so, I doubt Phyllis' is the place for you. (But you're really missing out if you don't try at least a piece of Simon and Seafort's fresh Alaskan halibut crusted with parmesan and asiago cheeses...). Go over to the other thread (the Princess Lodges one) and follow the links to some of those restaurants that I and others have posted there. You can look on the menus and see if they have any vegetarian dishes--if any places in Anchorage are going to have something that's uniquely Alaskan but still doesn't contain meat products, those'll be the ones that will. While most Alaskans say that vegetarian and Alaskan don't mix (real Alaskans survive on fish, moose, reindeer, etc., or so the sourdoughs say--I survive on beef, chicken and pasta from Costco), Anchorage does have a surprisingly significant and passionate vegetarian cluster of folks. I just have no idea where they hang out, short of Organic Oasis, which was reviewed in the Anchorage Press recently. But I wouldn't say they're uniquely Alaskan. Perhaps you might be able to look up Organic Oasis's number at acsyellowpages.com and ask them for some recommendations for vegetarian tourists.
Oh, one last thing: eleven years ago when I first visited Fairbanks, I stayed at the Super 8. When we tried to fall asleep, we couldn't--it was so hot in the room that even with the windows open, we were drowning in pools of sweat. I remember looking out the window at a bank thermometer across the street that displayed 96 degrees (this was in late July or early August). We called the front desk and asked about a room with air conditioning. Unfortunately, all the rooms with air conditioning were on the ground floor, and all of those rooms were full. Grr!
However, I drove by the Super 8 today and was very glad to see that it seems they have installed air conditioning in all of the rooms on all three floors--there appear to be a/c units mounted under all of the windows, at least as far as I could see. But you may want to try to get a room on the ground floor, just in case... :-)
All right, I've said enough again! Take care!
Jackal, enjoying the balmy 75 degree temperatures at 9pm in Fairbanks, Alaska...
However, regardless of whether the unauthorized roads are mentioned at the time of rental or not, they are still a violation of the rental agreement. Speaking from a former customer service representative's standpoint, I can attest that I could make a rental transaction a 30-minute deal if I wanted to cover every possible rule and exception to the rules. Unfortunately, I didn't have that much time in a transaction (especially with tired, cranky people who have been flying for 16 hours all the way from the east coast). Most of the rules are common sense; I always tried to specifically mention the ones that are specific to Alaska or may not be understood by those who do not regularly rent cars. We had the top five printed up on the front of the contract right next to the signature line (so customers didn't have to spend 30 minutes reading the fine print on the back of the contract), but there's only so much I could do--most people just wanted to leave without hearing everything I wanted to say (most people would barely even stay to hear my directions to the rental parking lot--they'd be walking away as I'm shouting the directions after them--and would then come back yelling at me when they couldn't find their cars). In any case, regarding the unauthorized roads, I have a suspicion that a significant percentage of my customers ended up going on one or more of these highways--and we never knew about all but a very few of them. (It's sort of a don't-ask, don't-tell deal...) In fact, I can't recall any of our customers who actually had an incident on one of the roads that ended up in us having to enforce that policy--I think it's just something we kept in our back pocket to discourage people from using those roads (and putting the wear and tear on the vehicles) and from having to pay a several-hundred-dollar towing bill if someone snapped an axle or something. In all likelihood, you'll be fine. (I think I was a bit harsh in my previous posts about the situation.)
A few other observations: Personally, I don't find the drive to Homer terribly interesting. Perhaps if you've never driven there before, some of the views of Cook Inlet might be nice, but it's mostly rolling hills and flat areas with spruce forests--nothing big and majestic like the Alaska Range or even the Chugach and Kenai mountains south of Anchorage. Perhaps it's been so long since I drove down there, though, that I'm forgetting something. I suppose it might be worth checking out, but I think you could get away with driving from the Kenai Princess to Homer and then back to Seward for that night's stay, but if you don't want to do that much driving, I wouldn't say it would be a waste of a night to stay in Homer.
Yamonjon has a point about driving from Valdez. The Glenn Highway is a majestic road; however, so is the ferry ride (Prince William Sound is one of the most beautiful spots on earth, if you ask me). That's a tough decision. Usually, I'd recommend that my customers drive the Glenn Highway from Anchorage to Valdez and then take the ferry back, but doing so takes you quite a bit out of the way of your current travel plans. As it stands now, I'd lean towards the ferry.
Last, as far as food goes--you're looking for veggie-friendly, right? If so, I doubt Phyllis' is the place for you. (But you're really missing out if you don't try at least a piece of Simon and Seafort's fresh Alaskan halibut crusted with parmesan and asiago cheeses...). Go over to the other thread (the Princess Lodges one) and follow the links to some of those restaurants that I and others have posted there. You can look on the menus and see if they have any vegetarian dishes--if any places in Anchorage are going to have something that's uniquely Alaskan but still doesn't contain meat products, those'll be the ones that will. While most Alaskans say that vegetarian and Alaskan don't mix (real Alaskans survive on fish, moose, reindeer, etc., or so the sourdoughs say--I survive on beef, chicken and pasta from Costco), Anchorage does have a surprisingly significant and passionate vegetarian cluster of folks. I just have no idea where they hang out, short of Organic Oasis, which was reviewed in the Anchorage Press recently. But I wouldn't say they're uniquely Alaskan. Perhaps you might be able to look up Organic Oasis's number at acsyellowpages.com and ask them for some recommendations for vegetarian tourists.
Oh, one last thing: eleven years ago when I first visited Fairbanks, I stayed at the Super 8. When we tried to fall asleep, we couldn't--it was so hot in the room that even with the windows open, we were drowning in pools of sweat. I remember looking out the window at a bank thermometer across the street that displayed 96 degrees (this was in late July or early August). We called the front desk and asked about a room with air conditioning. Unfortunately, all the rooms with air conditioning were on the ground floor, and all of those rooms were full. Grr!
However, I drove by the Super 8 today and was very glad to see that it seems they have installed air conditioning in all of the rooms on all three floors--there appear to be a/c units mounted under all of the windows, at least as far as I could see. But you may want to try to get a room on the ground floor, just in case... :-)
All right, I've said enough again! Take care!
Jackal, enjoying the balmy 75 degree temperatures at 9pm in Fairbanks, Alaska...
Jul 12, 2006, 5:23 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 10
So sounds like I need to make changes in my plan one more time 
Well, as I had mentioned earlier - I did want to include Denali National Highway originally and had chickened out.. but after reading posts from jackal & yamonjon - it might not be that bad to drive on Denali Highway.
I will post my updated plans (with contingency for bad roads) later today.
I can't thank you enough jackal & yamonjon as well others who have contributed.
Still looking for options for Sea Kayaking - any suggestions?
Well, as I had mentioned earlier - I did want to include Denali National Highway originally and had chickened out.. but after reading posts from jackal & yamonjon - it might not be that bad to drive on Denali Highway.
I will post my updated plans (with contingency for bad roads) later today.
I can't thank you enough jackal & yamonjon as well others who have contributed.
Still looking for options for Sea Kayaking - any suggestions?
Jul 12, 2006, 10:55 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: HPN
Programs: *Au, SPG Au, Amex Pt, Historically UA, *Alliance
Posts: 171
beat Denali's odds
There's one more thing I'd like to point out. The weather. Denali is brilliant on a clear day and we actually had the great fortune of seeing the great one almost right out of Anchorage as we set out driving the 5hrs to the park in May '05. Make sure you stop at the South and North View points for these might be the best views of the mountain you get.
The problem is, Denali often has significant cloud cover around the peaks. It really changes what you come away with. Esp, given that you're doing the flight around the mountain (are you landing on it too? I think some pilots do), I think you should give yourself some wiggle room.
When we did our trip to AK, we were going up to Fairbanks also. So we hit Denali both on the way up and on the way down giving some room for poor weather to pass. This worked out well as the mountain was in fact covered up in clouds on the way back!
Since you're going to FAI also, you might want to see if you can work this in.
We also went up to the Arcitc Circle which was magical. Again, I think this depends on what you see as important. We did chicken out and decided to take a tour company's services from FAI to take us on their vehicle up and down (sparing the Hertz rental). You cross the Yukon river on the way too. Not to mention views of the Brooks range which is the continental divide in AK.
As posted earlier, the Kenai Fjords Cruise was really amazing (we wanted to go close to Aialik glacier, but there was too much ice on the water and we headed closer to Holgate instead). The cruise included lunch on Fox island which was really pretty.
We also thoroughly enjoyed walking around Exit Glacier on our own.
Also note that there's a one-way tunnel to Portage from the Seward highway side. Not sure if you're going via this road but you need to check the schedule for the directions of the road to avoid something of a 1hr wait.
During my research, I remember lots of people mentioning that we should beware of millions of killer mosquitoes which come alive in the summer. Don't know if May was still early, but we didn't have any problems there. Others can comment on this perhaps?
Finally, I think your itinerary is pretty nice. Includes some of the things I missed in my 5 day trip that I will definitely need to go back for:
Harding Icefield, Flight over Denali, and I'd additionally fly to Barrow and stay at the Top of the world hotel and touch the Arctic ocean!
Have a blast and don't worry about packing days from 6am to midnight. You can sleep it off when you're back in the ordinary world.
The problem is, Denali often has significant cloud cover around the peaks. It really changes what you come away with. Esp, given that you're doing the flight around the mountain (are you landing on it too? I think some pilots do), I think you should give yourself some wiggle room.
When we did our trip to AK, we were going up to Fairbanks also. So we hit Denali both on the way up and on the way down giving some room for poor weather to pass. This worked out well as the mountain was in fact covered up in clouds on the way back!
Since you're going to FAI also, you might want to see if you can work this in.
We also went up to the Arcitc Circle which was magical. Again, I think this depends on what you see as important. We did chicken out and decided to take a tour company's services from FAI to take us on their vehicle up and down (sparing the Hertz rental). You cross the Yukon river on the way too. Not to mention views of the Brooks range which is the continental divide in AK.
As posted earlier, the Kenai Fjords Cruise was really amazing (we wanted to go close to Aialik glacier, but there was too much ice on the water and we headed closer to Holgate instead). The cruise included lunch on Fox island which was really pretty.
We also thoroughly enjoyed walking around Exit Glacier on our own.
Also note that there's a one-way tunnel to Portage from the Seward highway side. Not sure if you're going via this road but you need to check the schedule for the directions of the road to avoid something of a 1hr wait.
During my research, I remember lots of people mentioning that we should beware of millions of killer mosquitoes which come alive in the summer. Don't know if May was still early, but we didn't have any problems there. Others can comment on this perhaps?
Finally, I think your itinerary is pretty nice. Includes some of the things I missed in my 5 day trip that I will definitely need to go back for:
Harding Icefield, Flight over Denali, and I'd additionally fly to Barrow and stay at the Top of the world hotel and touch the Arctic ocean!
Have a blast and don't worry about packing days from 6am to midnight. You can sleep it off when you're back in the ordinary world.
Originally Posted by desi101
Thanks everyone for your input.
From the experts' advice on this forum, I have made some changes to my itenary. First is 11 days trip instead of 10 days. We figured, if we are investing this much time and money - might as well one extra day may help us to cover little more.
Day 1, 07/28/2006, Fri - Fly to Anchorage (reaching @ 7 PM), Get rental car, Spend evening in Anchorage
Day 2 07/29/2006 Sat - Leave for Denali by 9 AM - Stop @ Talkeetna (115 miles) for few hours - Take Mt. Mickenley Tour by air with glacier landing option (2 PM), Denali (155 miles)
Day 3 - 07/30/2006 Sun - Take the park shuttle bus (6:45 AM) into Denali National Park - Wonder Lake (11 hrs round trip - reservation done) - do some hiking
Day 4 - 07/31/2006 Mon -White Water Rafting (canyon Run) at 7:30 AM, Attend Sled Dog Demo (if not done on Day2), Leave for Fairbanks (128 miles), University of Alaska & Museum, Mini Golf
Day 5 - 08/01/2006 Tue - Go for El Dorado Gold Mine tour (if not done on Day4) Leave for Copper Center (260 miles), Stop by Santa-North Pole
Day 6 - 08/02/2006 Wed - Leave for Valdez (100 miles), Take 12:15 Ferry (boarding @ 11 AM - reservation done), Reach Whittier @ 3. Whitter Tunnel 4 to 4:15. Reach Cooper Landing (75 miles).
Day 7 - 08/03/2006 Thu - Leave for Homer (120 miles)
Day 8 - 08/04/2006 Fri - Leave for Exit Glacier & Seward (180 miles total), hike to the Harding Ice Field,
Day 9 - 08/05/2006 Sat - Spend a day in Seward (Sea Kayaking probably?)
Day 10 - 08/06/2006 Sun - Leave for Girdwood (90 miles), Dogsleeding, Tram & lunch, hike @ Alyeska Resort, Leave for Anchorage (37 miles)
Day 11 - 08/07/2006 Mon - Spend day in Anchorage - leave for Chicago @ 8 PM
Hotels
Night 1 - Sheration (Priceline $104 /wtax)
Night 2 & 3 - Lake View Inn $150, McKinley Creekside Cabins $140 , McKinley Chalet Resort $250 for two nights with toursaver coupon (though when I called they didn't want to give discount - might be able to get with some hassle), Denali Cabins $150, Denali River Cabins $200, Denali River Cabins (off river) - $149 for two nights with toursaver coupon, EarthSong Lodge $160 for night 3 only
Night 4 - Super 8 (free through Best Rate Gurantee)
Night 5 - Copper River Princess ($99)
Night 6 - Kenai Princess
Night 7 - Looking for Ideas
Night 8&9 - WindSong Lodge is available only on Aug 4 (neither on 3rd nor 5th) and $210 a night is little too rich for my blood.
Night 10 - Looking for Ideas
The part I am still debating -
Day 2 - we can possibly leave from Anchorage @ 7AM and take 11AM/12PM Flight for Mt. Mickenley instead of 2 PM. And then try to do WhiteWater Rafting @ 6 PM in Denali
instead of 7:30 AM on Day 4. This shall give us extra time on Day4 but will it be too much on Day 2?
Night 2&3 - lodging ideas
Day 4 - Is it worth visiting Arctic Circle (and taking risk of driving on unpaved road and driving 6 hours)? If we do cover Whiter Water Rafting on Day 2, we can skip Musueum & UAF and can do Arctic Circle instead.
Day 5 - If we decide to do White Water Rafting on Day 2 as well as not to go to Arctic Circle - we can do gold mine tour on Day 4 and can leave directly for Cooper Center.
I have already placed an order for MilePost through Amazon ($17 and free Ship for prime member) and should receive it on Jul 10.
I also ended up buying TourSaver book after debating for a while on it. I can easily cover my $100 investment by -
* Mt. Mickenley Air Tour - 20% discount on flight other than 7 PM (so will save $88)
* White Water Rafting - savings of $75 for BOGO
* Alyeska Tram - Savings of $16 for BOGO
more possible....
From the experts' advice on this forum, I have made some changes to my itenary. First is 11 days trip instead of 10 days. We figured, if we are investing this much time and money - might as well one extra day may help us to cover little more.
Day 1, 07/28/2006, Fri - Fly to Anchorage (reaching @ 7 PM), Get rental car, Spend evening in Anchorage
Day 2 07/29/2006 Sat - Leave for Denali by 9 AM - Stop @ Talkeetna (115 miles) for few hours - Take Mt. Mickenley Tour by air with glacier landing option (2 PM), Denali (155 miles)
Day 3 - 07/30/2006 Sun - Take the park shuttle bus (6:45 AM) into Denali National Park - Wonder Lake (11 hrs round trip - reservation done) - do some hiking
Day 4 - 07/31/2006 Mon -White Water Rafting (canyon Run) at 7:30 AM, Attend Sled Dog Demo (if not done on Day2), Leave for Fairbanks (128 miles), University of Alaska & Museum, Mini Golf
Day 5 - 08/01/2006 Tue - Go for El Dorado Gold Mine tour (if not done on Day4) Leave for Copper Center (260 miles), Stop by Santa-North Pole
Day 6 - 08/02/2006 Wed - Leave for Valdez (100 miles), Take 12:15 Ferry (boarding @ 11 AM - reservation done), Reach Whittier @ 3. Whitter Tunnel 4 to 4:15. Reach Cooper Landing (75 miles).
Day 7 - 08/03/2006 Thu - Leave for Homer (120 miles)
Day 8 - 08/04/2006 Fri - Leave for Exit Glacier & Seward (180 miles total), hike to the Harding Ice Field,
Day 9 - 08/05/2006 Sat - Spend a day in Seward (Sea Kayaking probably?)
Day 10 - 08/06/2006 Sun - Leave for Girdwood (90 miles), Dogsleeding, Tram & lunch, hike @ Alyeska Resort, Leave for Anchorage (37 miles)
Day 11 - 08/07/2006 Mon - Spend day in Anchorage - leave for Chicago @ 8 PM
Hotels
Night 1 - Sheration (Priceline $104 /wtax)
Night 2 & 3 - Lake View Inn $150, McKinley Creekside Cabins $140 , McKinley Chalet Resort $250 for two nights with toursaver coupon (though when I called they didn't want to give discount - might be able to get with some hassle), Denali Cabins $150, Denali River Cabins $200, Denali River Cabins (off river) - $149 for two nights with toursaver coupon, EarthSong Lodge $160 for night 3 only
Night 4 - Super 8 (free through Best Rate Gurantee)
Night 5 - Copper River Princess ($99)
Night 6 - Kenai Princess
Night 7 - Looking for Ideas
Night 8&9 - WindSong Lodge is available only on Aug 4 (neither on 3rd nor 5th) and $210 a night is little too rich for my blood.
Night 10 - Looking for Ideas
The part I am still debating -
Day 2 - we can possibly leave from Anchorage @ 7AM and take 11AM/12PM Flight for Mt. Mickenley instead of 2 PM. And then try to do WhiteWater Rafting @ 6 PM in Denali
instead of 7:30 AM on Day 4. This shall give us extra time on Day4 but will it be too much on Day 2?
Night 2&3 - lodging ideas
Day 4 - Is it worth visiting Arctic Circle (and taking risk of driving on unpaved road and driving 6 hours)? If we do cover Whiter Water Rafting on Day 2, we can skip Musueum & UAF and can do Arctic Circle instead.
Day 5 - If we decide to do White Water Rafting on Day 2 as well as not to go to Arctic Circle - we can do gold mine tour on Day 4 and can leave directly for Cooper Center.
I have already placed an order for MilePost through Amazon ($17 and free Ship for prime member) and should receive it on Jul 10.
I also ended up buying TourSaver book after debating for a while on it. I can easily cover my $100 investment by -
* Mt. Mickenley Air Tour - 20% discount on flight other than 7 PM (so will save $88)
* White Water Rafting - savings of $75 for BOGO
* Alyeska Tram - Savings of $16 for BOGO
more possible....
Jul 12, 2006, 4:23 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MCO
Programs: DL DM,MM; AS; USeless Air, HHonors Diamond, Starwood Plat, Hyatt Gold
Posts: 564
Originally Posted by desi101
Still looking for options for Sea Kayaking - any suggestions?
Sounds like you've got tons of good advice now - I'd suggest taking no more suggestions and just "do it" - no matter where you end up, you're guaranteed an amazing adventure. Enjoy!
PS - I personally really hate Mexico in Alaska - if you like the taste of mole sauce, then you'll love it - I just don't happen to. The best and most memorable Mexican in the state is Pepe's in Barrow - the farthest north Mexican restaurant in the world. Hey jackal - you could add that to your list of geographically interesting places! :-)
Jul 12, 2006, 8:52 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,195
Just stumbled across a well-written article describing things to do and places to stay in Denali National Park. Check it out at http://wikitravel.org/en/Denali_National_Park -- you also might want to check out some of the other Alaskan articles there. Some are full of information, but most are lacking--still, you may come across something that helps!
Haven't been to Barrow or Pepe's, but I've heard about it! I do like Mexico in Alaska's mole sauce on occasion, but usually I just go to Taco King or Burrito King, or if I'm in the mood for a sit-down Mexican meal, I'll break down and go to Gallo's or Las Margaritas (not quite as good as what I remember from my Californian childhood, but passable), or I'll order out from Cilantro's...
Haven't been to Barrow or Pepe's, but I've heard about it! I do like Mexico in Alaska's mole sauce on occasion, but usually I just go to Taco King or Burrito King, or if I'm in the mood for a sit-down Mexican meal, I'll break down and go to Gallo's or Las Margaritas (not quite as good as what I remember from my Californian childhood, but passable), or I'll order out from Cilantro's...
Jul 13, 2006, 10:07 pm
#23
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: MCO
Programs: DL DM,MM; AS; USeless Air, HHonors Diamond, Starwood Plat, Hyatt Gold
Posts: 564
Originally Posted by jackal
Haven't been to Barrow or Pepe's, but I've heard about it! I do like Mexico in Alaska's mole sauce on occasion, but usually I just go to Taco King or Burrito King, or if I'm in the mood for a sit-down Mexican meal, I'll break down and go to Gallo's or Las Margaritas (not quite as good as what I remember from my Californian childhood, but passable), or I'll order out from Cilantro's...
Jul 26, 2006, 11:52 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 10
Final trip plan
OK so after getting a lot of help cbalaska, jackal, yamonjon and others this is my final trip plan -
(we are leaving on this Friday.. finally!!!!)
Day 1 Fri Fly to Anchorage (reaching @ 7 PM), Get rental car, Spend evening in Anchorage (night in Anchorage)
Day 2 Sat Leave for Denali by 7 AM - Stop @ Talkeetna (115 miles) - Mt Mickenley Tour by Air with glacier landing @ 11:15 AM - Denali (155 miles) - Leave bags @ hotel. White Water Rafting (canyon Run) at 6PM if we reach on time (night in Denali)
Day 3 Sun Take the park shuttle bus into Denali National Park @ 6:45 AM - Wonder Lake (11 hrs round trip) - do some hiking (night in Denali)
Day 4 Mon Attend Sled Dog Demo (if not done on Day2), Leave for Fairbanks (128 miles), University of Alaska & Museum, Northen light show, Mini Golf (night in Fairbanks)
Day 5 Tue Go for El Dorado Gold Mine tour (if not done on Day4Leave for Copper Center (260 miles), Stop by Santa-North Pole (night in Copper Center)
Day 6 Wed Leave for Valdez (100 miles), Take 12:15 Ferry (boarding @ 11 AM), Reach Whittier @ 3. Whitter Tunnel 4 to 4:15. Reach Cooper Landing (75 miles). (night in Cooper Landing)
Day 7 Thu Seward Downtown (70 miles), Sea Life Center, Sea Kayaking 7-11 PM (night in Seward)
Day 8 Fri Exit Glacier, hike to the Harding Ice Field (night in Seward)
Day 9 Sat If ferry wasn't enough for sightseeing we can take kenai fjords tour, Leave for Anchorage (120 miles), If ferry was enough - leave for girdwood Alyeska Resort (night in Anchorage)
Day 10 Sun Sunday Market in Anchorage (night in Anchorage)
Day 11 Mon Dogsleeding, Tram, trails & lunch @ Alyeska Resort return Flight @ 8 PM
We cut down
- Homer (to make the the trip not too tiring),
- Denali National Highway (big boss' demand)
and sticked with
- Ferry from Valdez to Whittier (reservation already done)
We are not paying more than $125 a night at any of the places (with some help of toursaver book) to keep our cost down.
I still have kept both my reservations for car - national as well as avis so just in case if the car is too small @ national or they don't like the code that we are using we can go to avis.
Some of the last minute questions -
- My wife's b'day is on 28th and we are landing in Anchorage @ 7 - any nice (posh/expensive) restaurant that could be veggi friendly?
So far the recommendations were Simon and Seafort's, Glacier Brewhouse, Orso AND looks like Orso got a lot more veggi dishes than others.
- The forecast says it's gonna rain whole next week - any special advice for roads/sightseeing/clothing/visiting alaska etc. in rain?
- I am planning to visit GlacierHouse and/or Moose's tooth Pizza for beer. Just in case if I can do only one - which one do you guys recommend?
- Are there any Alaskan beers that are bottled there too (looking for souvenier for my buddies)
- Other shopping advices to buy Alaskan things (just like most wives, my wife is also shopoholic)
I have really enjoyed reading about Alaska on different forums and can't wait to be in Alaska. I am very sure we are gonna have a lot of fun and I am thankful to everyone who has either given very good advices in this thread or the other Princess lodge thread.
(we are leaving on this Friday.. finally!!!!)
Day 1 Fri Fly to Anchorage (reaching @ 7 PM), Get rental car, Spend evening in Anchorage (night in Anchorage)
Day 2 Sat Leave for Denali by 7 AM - Stop @ Talkeetna (115 miles) - Mt Mickenley Tour by Air with glacier landing @ 11:15 AM - Denali (155 miles) - Leave bags @ hotel. White Water Rafting (canyon Run) at 6PM if we reach on time (night in Denali)
Day 3 Sun Take the park shuttle bus into Denali National Park @ 6:45 AM - Wonder Lake (11 hrs round trip) - do some hiking (night in Denali)
Day 4 Mon Attend Sled Dog Demo (if not done on Day2), Leave for Fairbanks (128 miles), University of Alaska & Museum, Northen light show, Mini Golf (night in Fairbanks)
Day 5 Tue Go for El Dorado Gold Mine tour (if not done on Day4Leave for Copper Center (260 miles), Stop by Santa-North Pole (night in Copper Center)
Day 6 Wed Leave for Valdez (100 miles), Take 12:15 Ferry (boarding @ 11 AM), Reach Whittier @ 3. Whitter Tunnel 4 to 4:15. Reach Cooper Landing (75 miles). (night in Cooper Landing)
Day 7 Thu Seward Downtown (70 miles), Sea Life Center, Sea Kayaking 7-11 PM (night in Seward)
Day 8 Fri Exit Glacier, hike to the Harding Ice Field (night in Seward)
Day 9 Sat If ferry wasn't enough for sightseeing we can take kenai fjords tour, Leave for Anchorage (120 miles), If ferry was enough - leave for girdwood Alyeska Resort (night in Anchorage)
Day 10 Sun Sunday Market in Anchorage (night in Anchorage)
Day 11 Mon Dogsleeding, Tram, trails & lunch @ Alyeska Resort return Flight @ 8 PM
We cut down
- Homer (to make the the trip not too tiring),
- Denali National Highway (big boss' demand)
and sticked with
- Ferry from Valdez to Whittier (reservation already done)
We are not paying more than $125 a night at any of the places (with some help of toursaver book) to keep our cost down.
I still have kept both my reservations for car - national as well as avis so just in case if the car is too small @ national or they don't like the code that we are using we can go to avis.
Some of the last minute questions -
- My wife's b'day is on 28th and we are landing in Anchorage @ 7 - any nice (posh/expensive) restaurant that could be veggi friendly?
So far the recommendations were Simon and Seafort's, Glacier Brewhouse, Orso AND looks like Orso got a lot more veggi dishes than others.
- The forecast says it's gonna rain whole next week - any special advice for roads/sightseeing/clothing/visiting alaska etc. in rain?
- I am planning to visit GlacierHouse and/or Moose's tooth Pizza for beer. Just in case if I can do only one - which one do you guys recommend?
- Are there any Alaskan beers that are bottled there too (looking for souvenier for my buddies)
- Other shopping advices to buy Alaskan things (just like most wives, my wife is also shopoholic)
I have really enjoyed reading about Alaska on different forums and can't wait to be in Alaska. I am very sure we are gonna have a lot of fun and I am thankful to everyone who has either given very good advices in this thread or the other Princess lodge thread.
Jul 27, 2006, 12:21 pm
#25
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG 75K, IHG Spire Elite, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Hertz President's Circle, HH Silver
Posts: 806
Originally Posted by desi101
- The forecast says it's gonna rain whole next week - any special advice for roads/sightseeing/clothing/visiting alaska etc. in rain?
- Are there any Alaskan beers that are bottled there too (looking for souvenir for my buddies)
Looks like you are going to have a great trip!
In response to these questions:
Visiting in the rain. Two words: rain gear. Don't bother with an umbrella but bring waterproof/resistant jacket, hat, pants, and boots/shoes. If you are going to be outside for an entire day (like on the Harding Icefield hike) consider rubber boots and rubberized jacket and pants. You might be able to rent a set in some places. But don't let the rain stop you! Often the wildlife viewing is much better in rainy/overcast weather, and while the vistas may not be as grand at times you'll also have a leg up on people who won't venture out into it.
Beer. The Alaskan Brewing Co. here in Juneau brews and bottles several different beers. The amber, ESB, and summer ale are my favorites (winter ale is really great but not available right now). Available anywhere in Alaska. There is also a brewery in Homer that makes some good stuff.
Jul 31, 2006, 1:50 pm
#26
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 9
alaska tourbook
Originally Posted by desi101
Thanks everyone for your input.
From the experts' advice on this forum, I have made some changes to my itenary. First is 11 days trip instead of 10 days. We figured, if we are investing this much time and money - might as well one extra day may help us to cover little more.
Day 1, 07/28/2006, Fri - Fly to Anchorage (reaching @ 7 PM), Get rental car, Spend evening in Anchorage
Day 2 07/29/2006 Sat - Leave for Denali by 9 AM - Stop @ Talkeetna (115 miles) for few hours - Take Mt. Mickenley Tour by air with glacier landing option (2 PM), Denali (155 miles)
Day 3 - 07/30/2006 Sun - Take the park shuttle bus (6:45 AM) into Denali National Park - Wonder Lake (11 hrs round trip - reservation done) - do some hiking
Day 4 - 07/31/2006 Mon -White Water Rafting (canyon Run) at 7:30 AM, Attend Sled Dog Demo (if not done on Day2), Leave for Fairbanks (128 miles), University of Alaska & Museum, Mini Golf
Day 5 - 08/01/2006 Tue - Go for El Dorado Gold Mine tour (if not done on Day4) Leave for Copper Center (260 miles), Stop by Santa-North Pole
Day 6 - 08/02/2006 Wed - Leave for Valdez (100 miles), Take 12:15 Ferry (boarding @ 11 AM - reservation done), Reach Whittier @ 3. Whitter Tunnel 4 to 4:15. Reach Cooper Landing (75 miles).
Day 7 - 08/03/2006 Thu - Leave for Homer (120 miles)
Day 8 - 08/04/2006 Fri - Leave for Exit Glacier & Seward (180 miles total), hike to the Harding Ice Field,
Day 9 - 08/05/2006 Sat - Spend a day in Seward (Sea Kayaking probably?)
Day 10 - 08/06/2006 Sun - Leave for Girdwood (90 miles), Dogsleeding, Tram & lunch, hike @ Alyeska Resort, Leave for Anchorage (37 miles)
Day 11 - 08/07/2006 Mon - Spend day in Anchorage - leave for Chicago @ 8 PM
Hotels
Night 1 - Sheration (Priceline $104 /wtax)
Night 2 & 3 - Lake View Inn $150, McKinley Creekside Cabins $140 , McKinley Chalet Resort $250 for two nights with toursaver coupon (though when I called they didn't want to give discount - might be able to get with some hassle), Denali Cabins $150, Denali River Cabins $200, Denali River Cabins (off river) - $149 for two nights with toursaver coupon, EarthSong Lodge $160 for night 3 only
Night 4 - Super 8 (free through Best Rate Gurantee)
Night 5 - Copper River Princess ($99)
Night 6 - Kenai Princess
Night 7 - Looking for Ideas
Night 8&9 - WindSong Lodge is available only on Aug 4 (neither on 3rd nor 5th) and $210 a night is little too rich for my blood.
Night 10 - Looking for Ideas
The part I am still debating -
Day 2 - we can possibly leave from Anchorage @ 7AM and take 11AM/12PM Flight for Mt. Mickenley instead of 2 PM. And then try to do WhiteWater Rafting @ 6 PM in Denali
instead of 7:30 AM on Day 4. This shall give us extra time on Day4 but will it be too much on Day 2?
Night 2&3 - lodging ideas
Day 4 - Is it worth visiting Arctic Circle (and taking risk of driving on unpaved road and driving 6 hours)? If we do cover Whiter Water Rafting on Day 2, we can skip Musueum & UAF and can do Arctic Circle instead.
Day 5 - If we decide to do White Water Rafting on Day 2 as well as not to go to Arctic Circle - we can do gold mine tour on Day 4 and can leave directly for Cooper Center.
I have already placed an order for MilePost through Amazon ($17 and free Ship for prime member) and should receive it on Jul 10.
I also ended up buying TourSaver book after debating for a while on it. I can easily cover my $100 investment by -
* Mt. Mickenley Air Tour - 20% discount on flight other than 7 PM (so will save $88)
* White Water Rafting - savings of $75 for BOGO
* Alyeska Tram - Savings of $16 for BOGO
more possible....
From the experts' advice on this forum, I have made some changes to my itenary. First is 11 days trip instead of 10 days. We figured, if we are investing this much time and money - might as well one extra day may help us to cover little more.
Day 1, 07/28/2006, Fri - Fly to Anchorage (reaching @ 7 PM), Get rental car, Spend evening in Anchorage
Day 2 07/29/2006 Sat - Leave for Denali by 9 AM - Stop @ Talkeetna (115 miles) for few hours - Take Mt. Mickenley Tour by air with glacier landing option (2 PM), Denali (155 miles)
Day 3 - 07/30/2006 Sun - Take the park shuttle bus (6:45 AM) into Denali National Park - Wonder Lake (11 hrs round trip - reservation done) - do some hiking
Day 4 - 07/31/2006 Mon -White Water Rafting (canyon Run) at 7:30 AM, Attend Sled Dog Demo (if not done on Day2), Leave for Fairbanks (128 miles), University of Alaska & Museum, Mini Golf
Day 5 - 08/01/2006 Tue - Go for El Dorado Gold Mine tour (if not done on Day4) Leave for Copper Center (260 miles), Stop by Santa-North Pole
Day 6 - 08/02/2006 Wed - Leave for Valdez (100 miles), Take 12:15 Ferry (boarding @ 11 AM - reservation done), Reach Whittier @ 3. Whitter Tunnel 4 to 4:15. Reach Cooper Landing (75 miles).
Day 7 - 08/03/2006 Thu - Leave for Homer (120 miles)
Day 8 - 08/04/2006 Fri - Leave for Exit Glacier & Seward (180 miles total), hike to the Harding Ice Field,
Day 9 - 08/05/2006 Sat - Spend a day in Seward (Sea Kayaking probably?)
Day 10 - 08/06/2006 Sun - Leave for Girdwood (90 miles), Dogsleeding, Tram & lunch, hike @ Alyeska Resort, Leave for Anchorage (37 miles)
Day 11 - 08/07/2006 Mon - Spend day in Anchorage - leave for Chicago @ 8 PM
Hotels
Night 1 - Sheration (Priceline $104 /wtax)
Night 2 & 3 - Lake View Inn $150, McKinley Creekside Cabins $140 , McKinley Chalet Resort $250 for two nights with toursaver coupon (though when I called they didn't want to give discount - might be able to get with some hassle), Denali Cabins $150, Denali River Cabins $200, Denali River Cabins (off river) - $149 for two nights with toursaver coupon, EarthSong Lodge $160 for night 3 only
Night 4 - Super 8 (free through Best Rate Gurantee)
Night 5 - Copper River Princess ($99)
Night 6 - Kenai Princess
Night 7 - Looking for Ideas
Night 8&9 - WindSong Lodge is available only on Aug 4 (neither on 3rd nor 5th) and $210 a night is little too rich for my blood.
Night 10 - Looking for Ideas
The part I am still debating -
Day 2 - we can possibly leave from Anchorage @ 7AM and take 11AM/12PM Flight for Mt. Mickenley instead of 2 PM. And then try to do WhiteWater Rafting @ 6 PM in Denali
instead of 7:30 AM on Day 4. This shall give us extra time on Day4 but will it be too much on Day 2?
Night 2&3 - lodging ideas
Day 4 - Is it worth visiting Arctic Circle (and taking risk of driving on unpaved road and driving 6 hours)? If we do cover Whiter Water Rafting on Day 2, we can skip Musueum & UAF and can do Arctic Circle instead.
Day 5 - If we decide to do White Water Rafting on Day 2 as well as not to go to Arctic Circle - we can do gold mine tour on Day 4 and can leave directly for Cooper Center.
I have already placed an order for MilePost through Amazon ($17 and free Ship for prime member) and should receive it on Jul 10.
I also ended up buying TourSaver book after debating for a while on it. I can easily cover my $100 investment by -
* Mt. Mickenley Air Tour - 20% discount on flight other than 7 PM (so will save $88)
* White Water Rafting - savings of $75 for BOGO
* Alyeska Tram - Savings of $16 for BOGO
more possible....
Jul 31, 2006, 8:00 pm
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 10
Originally Posted by another jersey girl
If possible does anyone have a copy of the tourbook that they are finished with? I am heading to Alaska, [Anchorage] for about 5 days and I would love to use that book. Does anyone have one they would like to sell?
Apr 12, 2007, 7:48 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,195
Hey Desi!
Well, it's been 9.5 months since your trip (my, how time flies!) and I was wondering how it all came out!
If you get a chance, please do post a trip report!
Cheers,
Jackal
Well, it's been 9.5 months since your trip (my, how time flies!) and I was wondering how it all came out!
If you get a chance, please do post a trip report!
Cheers,
Jackal
Apr 22, 2007, 4:36 am
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,330
Superb info folks. ^ ^
Based on this thread we are changing our plan to take the ferry from Valdez to Whittier June 3, which seems to be running that day at 12.15 and looks like a 7 hour type journey.
From your posts we should see some glacier action on that trip assume tunnel opens for westward traffic when ferry arrives?
Rate for car up to 10 feet is $30 less than for cars 10-15 feet. I guess small rentals just squeak in?!
Heading for overnight at Seward sounds like the go from posts above?
Based on this thread we are changing our plan to take the ferry from Valdez to Whittier June 3, which seems to be running that day at 12.15 and looks like a 7 hour type journey.
From your posts we should see some glacier action on that trip assume tunnel opens for westward traffic when ferry arrives?
Rate for car up to 10 feet is $30 less than for cars 10-15 feet. I guess small rentals just squeak in?!
Heading for overnight at Seward sounds like the go from posts above?
Apr 22, 2007, 2:33 pm
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,195
Based on this thread we are changing our plan to take the ferry from Valdez to Whittier June 3, which seems to be running that day at 12.15 and looks like a 7 hour type journey.
From your posts we should see some glacier action on that trip assume tunnel opens for westward traffic when ferry arrives?
Rate for car up to 10 feet is $30 less than for cars 10-15 feet. I guess small rentals just squeak in?!
Heading for overnight at Seward sounds like the go from posts above?
From your posts we should see some glacier action on that trip assume tunnel opens for westward traffic when ferry arrives?
Rate for car up to 10 feet is $30 less than for cars 10-15 feet. I guess small rentals just squeak in?!
Heading for overnight at Seward sounds like the go from posts above?
But if you're saying it's the seven-hour trip, it looks like they must indeed send the Kennecott south during the summer and use an older, slower ferry (it's always been the E.L. Bartlett every time I've done that trip). Too bad, although the trip is beautiful even at half the speed. Yes, you'll see at least Columbia Glacier (and maybe others) as well as whales breaching, otter and sea lions sunning themselves, and tons of other wildlife.
The tunnel should be open for at least a short while after the ferry's arrival. Check tunnel.alaska.gov for schedules. An overnight in Seward is probably the best plan from there.
What's your tentative schedule look like? I may have missed it (I didn't see it here) or maybe you posted in another thread?
In any case, welcome to Alaska, and give me a holler when you get up here! (Check out my post over here for some more travel recommendations and restaurant recommendations here in Anchorage (for the best seafood you'll find anywhere).
Last edited by jackal; Apr 22, 2007 at 2:33 pm Reason: Forgot a period