I am planning a 2 week trip for 9 people. My parents, and 4 more adults and 3 children 12-16 years. We are taking an inside passage cruise on Holland America the 2nd week. Our main interest is scenery and wildlife. We're also probably going to get toursavers to help with costs. I would appreciate any feedback on what I've tenatively planned especially when it comes to what boat excursions to take. I have read varying things about whether to do boat trips in Sitka, Juneau, Kenai boat tour or Prince William Sound. Which would be the highlights especially for whales, wildlife, & glaciers. Is it too much to do PWS for glaciers, Kenai (wildlife etc) and Juneau for whales? We plan to stay at each location for the land portion for 2 days.

Anchorage –2 days
Sat. July 30
Fly into Anchorage -arrive evening
Stay Ramada Inn DT 2 nights or Dimond Center

Sun. July 31
Bike Tony Knowles trail
Alaska Heritage Center
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Denali -2 days
Mon Aug 1
Head to Denali
Drive Hatcher’s Pass?
Stop in Talkeetna
Check in Park’s Edge in Healy for 2 nights
Check out Park Programs, sled dog demo if time

Tues Aug 2
5:30 am park shuttle –spend most of the day in park
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Wed Aug 3
Nenana float trip
See sled dog demo or anything missed previous days
Leave Denali
Palmer/Wasilla/Girdwood area (OR Cantwell to Valdez for 2days?)
Stay Grand View Inn Wasilla 2 nights

Thurs Aug 4
Palmer-musk oxen farm, Wasilla- dog cart rides, Hatcher’s Pass, Girdwood/Alyeska-tram?
Portage Glacier visitor center

Or Cantwell down to Valdez? Richardson Hwy sounds awesome but driving is difficult?
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Seward 2 days
Fri Aug 5
Whittier –Prince William Sound tour 1:30-5:30
See Exit Glacier on the way to Seward
Stay?

Sat Aug 6
Take all day Kenai boat tour w/salmon bake on Fox Island

Sun Aug 7
Sealife Center am
Board HAL Veendam (4pm?) to leave 8pm for Inside Passage cruise


Cruise:
Cruise Glacier Bay & College Fjords

Sitka-??

Juneau-whale watching with Orca Enterprises? Mendenhall Glacier?

Ketchikan-walk to salmon hatchery, kayak?

Vancouver

Going early August in Denali Park, I wouldn't take the shuttle past Fish Creek, just loaded with bugs at Wonder Lake. If you do go there, have HEAVY DUTY protection. It just ruins the trip for me. I do not recommend 2 days in Wasilla. Also UNLESS you get a specific car allowing the Denali Highway drive, most won't allow it. You could drive over the Glenn to Valdez, then I would ferry to Whittier-, but Valdez is worth 2 days and it is not recommended a 2 day transit Denali park- Valdez, you need at least another day in my opinion. Most certainly- Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords are distinctly different and worthwhile. For clairfication- the toursaver coupon is only good for the Northwestern fjords trip not the Fox Island stop over. The only sure area for whales is Juneau, 100% humpbacks, so again - very worthwhile.

Overall, looks like a very nice trip. We stayed in Palmer and visited Independence Mine in late June so the Pass wasn't open yet. We still had time to drive around thru Wasilla stopping at the Transportation Museum and up to Talkeetna. We were looking for a late lunch but some of the restaurants had stopped serving so you might want to watch your timing here.
If I understand your schedule, you have all day Thurs to do things in the Wasilla/Palmer area and will spend the night in Wasilla. That leaves Friday to do Alyeska Tram in Girdwood (south of Anchorage), get to Whittier for the 1:30 tour (remember to check the times the tunnel is open). You would have to fit the Portage Glacier visitors center in before driving thru the tunnel to Whittier. I think this schedule depends on when the tram at Alyeska is operating and get there first thing. You also have to fit in a lunch stop. There are plenty of choices in Whittier. But the drive down the Seward Hwy is very beautiful and you might not want to be so rushed on this particular trip. I haven't done the Prince William Sound tour but loved the Kenai Fjords trip out of Seward. We took the longest trip to see the glaciers. A nice, simple lunch was served on the boat. I think the choice was fried halibut or fried chicken and it was delicious.
We did not go to Exit Glacier but if there's a visitors center it might not be open late. This might be something to do on Sunday in addition to the Sea Life Center. Maybe the group would like to split up. I think the shops and Sea Life center are all within walking distance. Some might want to take the behind the scenes tour, other might want to shop.
I think two all day boat rides right in a row might be a little much esp if any in the group has a problem with seas sickness.
Your schedule really depends on how much time you will spend at each place. I like to read every sign and contemplate on what I'm seeing. My husband likes to go thru museums at a faster pace.
Have a great time!

<You also have to fit in a lunch stop. There are plenty of choices in Whittier.> I don't think there are plenty of choices in Whittier

OK let me re-phrase that, there are several choices in Whittier.

If I read this right- the tunnel has NOTHING to do with the the Girdwood tram???? The Portage Glacier visitor center also has nothing to do with the tram??? Exit Glacier only has a very small visitor center and not worth going just for that. The key here is the hike to the glacier, and by far in the last 5 years it has receeded significantly.

If you are going to Talkeetna, I'd consider doing the flightplane tour over Denali.

Ok...let me rephrase that. The schedule on Friday looks like the poster wants to do the Alyeska tram, the Portage Visitors Center and be in Whittier in time for a 1:30 sailing. If they are tight on time they need to double-check when the tunnel to Whittier is open. I don't think there is enough time to do all these things unless they get an early start. The first stop heading south will be the tram. If the day is scheduled something like 9am tram ride, 10am Portage Visitors Center, Noon: drive thru tunnel and have lunch in Whittier, 1:15pm board board, it's not going to work if the tram doesn't start operating until 10am and if the tunnel doesn't open until 12:30, they might not have time for lunch. My suggestion is to check the scheduled hours of operation for any activities to make sure the schedule is do-able.
Sorry I can't remember how long we spent staring at a big chunk of ice in the lake, taking pictures and talking with other tourists before we got in line for the tunnel going into Whittier. But this is something you can also do when you are leaving Whittier since there's plenty of time.

Thank so much for all the input. We'll skip Valdez and I think I knew it was too much anyway. There were 2 reasons I had Wasilla for 2 nights. One was that we could use the toursaver there which saved about $100 each for the 3 families. Also I thought we could go back towards Talkeetna, over to Anchorage again, Palmer or down to Gridwood or just head on to Seward early after the second night. If this still doesn't sound like it makes sense please let me know.
I'm quite sure we'll do a whale watching tour in Juneau (any suggestions for operators there?) and Kenai Fjord gets great reviews. I'd like to do PWSound but it might be too much. The toursaver has a coupon for Portage Glacier for just an hour. Is it worth it? We really want to focus on wildlife, glaciers and scenery on this trip.

Frankly, I would not base my lodging in Alaska based on a coupon. All your "areas" noted are at least an hour away from Wasilla, Talkeetan, Anchorage, and Girdwood is close to 2. The best glacier experience will be out of Whittier, and best marine wildlife Kenai fjords boat tours, land- Denali Park. Portage glacier has a great visitor center, but the boat ride only so so compared to others. In Juneau, I go with Orca Enterprises, will be on a "double" trip in May.

Can you give me suggestions of where to stay or the location that would be best for the 2 days in between Denali and Seward? Also, what do you mean "double" trip.

Consider Talkeetna and perhaps Girdwood?
Double trip is 2 whale watches.

Do you do both your whale watches in Juneau and with Orca Enterprises? I've also read in here that Sitka can be a great place for wildlife trips. We haven't planned anything for Sitka. Any suggestions?

Yes, I am out with Orca Enterprises all day. Sitka does have humpbacks and sea otters. If of interest, this is your best place for close up puffin viewing with a boat to St. Lazaria Island.

I am taking your advice and will look at spending the day after Denali in Talkeetna overnight and then the next night in Girdwood. We are really excited about seeing glaciers, whales etc. but are on a tight schedule. In your opinion would it be too much to do a 4 hour PWS glacier tour the day before the full day Kenai tour? Some of us do get motion sick but really want to do the Kenai tour with so many good reviews so will take pills the whole time. We plan on doing the whale watching (and Mendenhall?) in Juneau so that would be 3 water trips. Or we could substitute a water trip in Sitka or orca trip when we get off the cruise boat in Vancouver. Its hard for me to imagine seeing too many whales, glaciers or other wildlife right now and getting tired of them. I know you've seen all this many times but for first timers what's your opinion?

If you're staying in Girdwood, then add the tram and the Double Musky to your time there.

As for the Whittier and Seward cruises, Whittier will be basically all glaciers all the time while Seward is a nice mix.

If you've got Seward, the cruise through College Fjord and Glacier Bay, plus land stops at Exit and Mendenhall, you'll have have so much glacier experience you'll be ready to calve.

As for Sitka, that depends on how much time you've got and your interests. Some of the Russian culture there is amazing, but if you didn't see enough whales in Seward you could add another water trip there, Juneau or in Vancouver (... or even stop in the San Juans, although I don't recall how good the viewing is there in August).

I read about smaller charters where you pay for a minimum of 4 people and can then go out in PWSound in a smaller boat and I may look into this. How early do you suggest booking for a party of 9 people especially if its a toursaver deal?

I would recommend Sitka. It has a Russian influence. There is a raptor rehabilition center, an Eskimo museum and a pretty good bus tour. I believe there is also a book store that sell books by local authors and books about Alaska.

An Eskimo museum in the heart of Tlingit territory? Guess I missed it.

For clairfication, all the boat trips are different, Kenai Fjords is NOT a whale watch and my sightings on numerous trips is probabaly only about 50% sightings of whales. Also, Vancouver isn't whale area either, Victoria BC and Friday Harbor Wa is. There are a couple Vancouver companies but don't have near the sightings as the other 2. BUT this area is your only likely orca sightings, rest of Alaska is overall humpbacks with smaller chance orcas.