bodhijack

thanks to the responses on this board we plan to go for 1 week in mid-june. right now we plan 3 nights in anchorage and 4 nights in seward. specific questions: 1)should we do 4 nights in anchorage/seward then fly to juneau for 4 nights to see glacier bay,tracey arm? 2)if we stay in anchorage/seward should we fly to denali? if so,day-trip or 1 night in denali? 3)from anchorage/seward any recommended towns or areas for day-trips? 4)should we "bag" anchorage, and fly into juneau instead,and stay in that area?

egret

I would fly into Anchorage, but I would not stay there long at all.
Anchorage is a great place for flying in and out of, but I would get out and see the interior.
I would spend a couple of nights in Homer, and a couple of nights in Seward. You could also throw in Denali.
The Kenai Penninsula, where Homer and Seward are located, is my absolute favorite.

repete

I definitely wouldn't bag Anchorage and spend the time in Juneau. Anchorage is a nice gateway. For that short of time, I'd spend one in ANC (depending on your flight logistics) and try to add Homer OR Denali.

A lot depend on your tolerance for putting in miles. You can't really fly to Denali, though you can fly over it.

dfrostnh

From Anchorage, do a day trip north to Independence Mine. Wildflowers are wonderful that time of year. The KP is my recommendation as well. I would do 2 nights Seward and 1 or 2 nights in Homer. About a 3-4 hour drive from Seward to Homer but about 5 hours Homer to Anchorage. On the day you go to Homer you will drive thru Soldotna and can do a short side trip to Kenai. Kenai Visitors center is interesting. Watch fishermen net fishing for salmon. Activity at Russian River is going to depend on when salmon are running. It might be on your way back. There's a scenic pull off just before you get to Homer that overlooks the Spit. The cow parsley (awful name) should be blooming. You'll notice the fragrance in the air. Pratt Museum is very interesting. Homer is best chance to see a lot of eagles. Also watch for mom and baby moose that time of year - don't be surprised to see them grazing in someone's yard. The marshy areas around Soldotna/Kenai are good for moose.

BudgetQueen

A week isn't a lot of time, so I suggest you might want to consider 2 nights in Seward, 2 nights in Denali park, then perhaps Homer, with only 1 night in Anchorage. This works better if you have an overnight flight home, leaving at night so to have an extra day??

I would not base out of Anchorage, "day trips" just are not practical in Alaska for extended days. A car is necessary, if this is a consideration.

caligirl56

The one sort of daytrip that we took out of Anchorage was a cruise and then kayaking out of Whittier. It's only an hour and a half drive (if I remember correctly--might be less) and the scenery is so amazing along the Turnagain Arm--that it's a drive you want to do over and over.

Also, while you're in Anchorage--the Museum of Art and History and the Native Heritage Center are very enjoyable. You can also walk or take a bike ride along the Tony Knowles trail.

These are just ideas for if you do stay in Anchorage. With only a week--you might choose to focus on other areas.

I would definitely be sure to include Denali--two nights would probably be enough. It is an entirely different experience. Not sure if I'd go all the way out to Homer with such a short time--unless you're using it as a base for bear viewing.