cactexas

We recently returned from our trip to Alaska which was 8/24 - 9/3/06. Before we went I relied on so much info from the Fodor's travel forums to help me make our plans. It was a fantastic trip and we can't wait to go back. My thanks to all who answered questions and gave me advice to help make this one of my favorite trips ever!

Thurs 8/24 - The trip started out bad in that we were delayed in Dallas for almost 8 hours because 2 planes went out of service on us! We finally made it to Anchorage at 1:30 am, and it was raining. We got our rent car and drove to Girdwood and finally made it to our place at 3:00 am. We stayed at the Slopeside Apt. and it was great--even though we were only there about 3 hours! It was roomy, had a washer/dryer and was only $95/night. I definitely recommend it - http://www.alyeskaslopeside.homestead.com/.

Fri 8/25 - We did an early to drive to Seward to take the 11:00 Renown Nati'l Park Tour of Kenai Nat'l Park. It was absolutely beautiful...we saw eagles, otters, whales, harbor seals, and watched the glacier calf! That night we stayed at The Farm B&B which was an ok place, but no big deal.

Sat 8/26-Sun 8/27 - We checked out Exit Glacier on the way to Homer. In Homer we stayed 2 nights at The Surf Shack - www.surfshackhomeralaska.com - we loved this place and highly recommend it. It's right on Katchemak Bay with beautiful views of the mountains and the Spit. Donna Rae was very helpful and has tons of info about Homer in the Shack. The downstairs has picture windows all around so the view is stunning! Upstairs the bed is right in front of a huge picture window so the first thing you see in the morning is the Bay and the mountains! We checked out the galleries in Homer, walked Bishop's beach, ate great food, and just enjoyed the scenery all around.

Mon 8/28 - We left Homer and headed to Girdwood. We took the Skilak Spur Loop off of the Sterling Highway and it was beautiful. The Milepost said it was prime bear country and we hoped to see some but didn't. There were some wonderful lakes and it's a great little side trip. We had reservations that evening on Mt. Alyeska at the 7 Glaciers Restaurant. At first we were disappointed because we had pictured glaciers surrounding the restaurant, but we had a great table where we watched the sun set which was beautiful. The restaurant is very expensive, but our food was outstanding--so that, with the views made for a very special evening and it was worth it. We drove on from there and stayed at the Susitna House in Anchorage for one night. A nice B&B right near downtown.

Tues - 8/29 - We left Anchorage and headed to Talkeetna...beautiful drive...stopped and did the hike to Thunderbird Falls on the way up which was a nice short hike. As we made the turn off of the main road to Talkeetna, there was Denali---clear as can be! We stayed in the Birchwood Cabins for one night in Talkeetna which were nice and I would stay there again. www.birchwoodcabins.com We took the 7:00 pm Grand Denali Tour with a glacier landing with Talkeetna Air Taxi - www.talkeetnaair.com - and it was spectacular. We had a great pilot and I just can't describe how amazing that trip is...an absolute must in my book!

Wed - 8/30 - Thurs 8/31 - We drove to Denali Nat'l Park and stayed for two nights in Healy at the Denali Lakeview Inn - www.DenaliLakeviewInn.com. It's a great place although it was really noisy a few times. Our room had a nice view of the Lake and we would stay there again. The first day we just drove the 15 miles into Denali Nat'l Park--beautiful - and went to see the sled dog kennel-very interesting. The next morning we took the 6:30 am shuttle bus to Fish Creek in Denali Nat'l Park and it was one of the highlights of our whole trip! Our bus only had about 10 people on it so it was very comfortable. We saw numerous bears, several right off the road, a couple of wolves--one at a distance, one right on the road, moose, caribou, eagles and some dahl sheep that were too far away to really see. Denali was in full Fall colors - the grounds were covered with oranges, yellows, rusts, reds---absolutely unbelievable!

Fri - 9/1 - We leisurly drove back to Anchorage and stayed at the Hawthorne Suites which is a great room for only $95. We drove along Turnagin Arm and enjoyed a sunset there. Looked for Beluga whales at Beluga point but didn't see any...

Sat - 9/2 - We drove to Whittier and did the 26 Glacier tour on Prince William Sound. This was another favorite of mine...stunningly beautiful! We went back to Anchorage after that, ate dinner and checked out the fabulous sunset in Kincaid Park--saw several moose hanging around--and then headed to the airport where our flight took off at 12:30 am.

Favorite restaurants along the way: Land's End; Spit Sisters (breakfast) - Homer; 7 Glacier's - Girdwood; Glacier Brewhouse - Anchorage; Black Diamond Grill - Healy

We had a fantastic time and can't wait to go back to Alaska. Next trip we definitely want to do a bear tour, and fishing for halibut and salmon. Not to mention Denali again, etc., etc. There's just so much to see and do in this great state...it's something everyone should be able to see in their lifetime. Thanks again to those that helped me put it together!

jetset1

cactexas~ sorry you ran into the rain.. it's that hit or miss time of the summer, and overall, it was much wetter than usual..

The Seven Glaciers is a special place, some days, the view is better than others, and that tram ride is pretty exciting in itself, right? I've never been able to start from the top to ski, but it is a gorgeous vista for photos!

Great report, and you saw a good variety of wildlife in Denali with a good view of the mountain which is a bonus any time of the year.

Glad you are returning. There are beautiful and unique areas of Southeast Alaska by ferry or cruise ship, or Valdez, which has the road connecting to Anchorage..
Kodiak is pretty cool too and villages up North to the western side of the state.. just time and money required,lol..

Thanks for your post and best wishes for a future return..(May to July are spectacular).. J.

thit_cho

Thanks, I am planning a similar itinerary for next July (into Fairbanks and visit Denali, then fly to Anchorage and day trip to Brooks Lodge and then drive to Seward for cruise to Kenai Fjords).

I am also considering Renown Tours -- can you provide any more info on boat, guides, etc.

Thanks

BayouGal

thit_cho, are you a single traveler? If not, wait to see which coupons are available with the Alaska toursaver booklet before making too many tour arrangements.

cactexas

Thit cho, we did the 6 hour National Park Tour with Renown and used the TourSaver 2 for 1 coupon. Our guide was really good; when we were Ailek (sp) Glacier, he stayed extra time because he really felt like it was going to calf. He was right! Very cool... We had a pretty calm day on the water, but everyone says for this tour you need to prepare for sea-sickness. We used Trans Scope patches and they worked great.

Let me know if you have more questions...you will have a great trip next July!

thit_cho

Thanks, I'm deciding between Renown and Kenai Fjords tour, both of which have an 11:30 am trip (six-hour trip), at the same price.

farm123

Thanks for the info, cactexas. I'm planning a trip for end of July 2007 and going to just about the same places..I took notes on your restaurants and tour companies. Did you rent a car?