Liz

Can anyone give me some information on good places to stay with an RV? We'll be in Alaska during the last 2 weeks in July. We're arriving in Anchorage and driving up to Denali, then Fairbanks, back to Anchorage via the Richardson Hwy. and taking the ferry to Whittier. I'd also like to visit the Kenai Peninsula. Is that too much for two weeks? The kids are 14 and 11 and are seasoned travellers but get tired of long drives.
Liz

Alan Cleveland

Liz, there are innumerable "camping" spots for motorhomes along the highway. Some are developed with hook-ups and power, and others don't amount to much more than a wide spot in the road. You won't have any problem finding a place along the way. And, if one area is full, there will be another nearby.

lisa

Have you tried any of the RV websites? The one that comes to mind is www.gorving.com

Connie

Also try www.rv.net and go to the forum.

I've gotten a ton of good info here by doing an Alaska search.

sluggo

Since the kids dislike long drives, I'd skip the Fairbanks portion of the trip. North of Denali, the terrain becomes flatter and more boring (still pretty because it's Alaska but not nearly as beautiful as the mountainous areas and coastline). Also, there isn't a lot to do in Fairbanks in my opinion - a nice Univ of Alaska museum and a touristy riverboat ride are about it. You'd then have more time to explore the Kenai, hike near glaciers, take a cruise, etc. If you have time in Anchorage, the kids would like the Alaska Native heritage Center where crafts are demonstrated (canoe carving, etc). In the city, you'll love the huge, colorful flowers gardens and hanging pots. Have a great trip!

Liz

Thanks everyone. Now I have to narrow down our itinerary to just what we can do without rushing. Liz

Liz

One more thing. Does anyone have any thoughts on how to experience the natural beauty of Alaska without spending an arm and a leg? With 4 people the cruises, flights and wilderness lodges really add up. We want to get away from the crowds and be surrounded by nature. Any ideas?
Liz

Alan Cleveland

Liz, nature abounds in Alaska. That's primarily why the crowds show up. Even in Anchorage, which is approaching 300,000 people, moose walk on the main streets, geese nest all over town, and the sightings of a brown or black bear is frequent enough.

Unfortunately, escaping the masses by road is next to impossible. You have to be willing to board a plane, boat, or at least step outside of the vehicle and do a little foot time. And, except for the hiking, all services come with an associated cost.

Wilderness lodges aren't really as expensive as some may think. If there are other adults in the party, the cost of your travel expenses are dramatically reduced through sharing the car and plane. Then it's just a matter of choosing the property. If it isn't too far away, even the airfare should be minimial.

Rest assured, you will see wilderness and wildlife in Alaska. But, unless you get off of the pavement, you are going to have to deal with the crowds.

Bonnie

Liz,
Been there, done that. Last year in August we did a 3 week trip in the area. My boys are about the same age as yours. (search on RVs or Alaska on this site and see what turns up. I had a lot of conversations going on what to do and see.)
We stayed in Seward overnight and took a small boat cruise into the Kenai Peninsula to see the wildlife up close from a small boat. Then picked up an RV and drove to Denali. We took the green bus tour into Denali. Stay there at least more than one night, go on an early bus (but with the kids I'd recommend no more than the 6 hour tour), and before you leave take the tour to the dog kennels. The kids will like that, especially if they like animals. We actually stayed 2 nights in Denali, went to Fairbanks for an overnight, and came back to stay in Denali again on the way back to Anchorage. Fairbanks didn't really have that much to offer. We did the boat ride, which was touristy but interesting and the kids seemed to enjoy it, visited the pipeline site, and then panned for gold at a spot associated with one of the boats. Lots of fun for everyone and not something we would do anywhere else. The University of Alaska museum was interesting, as was their northern lights show. It isn't high tech like you would see in a planetarium/exploratorium/IMAX theater. More like a slide show by resident professors, but they go into detail about the northern lights, and the photos they show are fabulours. Forget Alaskaland.
We dry camped most of the time, but you can stop at any of the state run campgrounds for a minimal amount of $$. They usually have facilities for dumping and filling up water. Back in Anchorage you should take the kids to the Alaska zoo to see the local animals close up that they missed seeing enroute.

Didn't go to Whittier and the Kenai was just by small boat.
No matter what you do, Alaska is awesome. The size is unbelievable when you are used to driving in the lower 48. Have fun!
PS - whatever RV size you get, go for the next larger for sanity sake. (unless you're used to RVs)

Utahtea

I would suggest getting the book called "The Milepost" This book is fantastic for telling how the roads are, what to do and see in areas. You might try your local library to see if they have an old copy just to get an idea of what it's like. When we drove to Alaska I had this book on my lap the whole time.

Ideas of cheap things to do would be Portage Glacier and Exit Glacier both south of Ancorage.

Utahtea

Liz

Thanks for the tips! We have a campsite reserved in Denali Park for 5 days so we will get off the pavement and I'm really looking forward to it. We're talking about going to Seward and/or Homer for 3 and a half days.Is it worthwhile to visit both? I read in the Lonely Planet guidebook that there is a "mass of humanity" at the Exit Glacier and you can't get near it because they're worried about chunks falling off and people getting hurt. I'd like to see a glacier up close. Is it worth it to go to the Exit Glacier? What boat trip did you take to see the area? Did you go fishing? Liz

Liz

Alan, All the wilderness lodges that I've looked into cost $300 and up per night per adult and around $175 per child. That doesn't include transportation which is usually by plane and costs upwards of $100 per person one way for the shorter flights. Do you have any more economical ideas? Liz

Utahtea

Liz,

We were in Alaska 10 years ago when we went to Exit Glacier. We sat on the glacier and ate lunch! I didn't know they were no longer allowing people on the glacier. I would imagine you could still get close enough to see the blue ice. Portage Glacier you can get pretty close to.

We didn't make it to Homer, but we really liked Seward.

I'm so jealous that you have 5 days at Denali! I want so bad to go back to Alaska.

Utahtea

Ralphie

Liz, I will be going on the same trip for 2 weeks starting next week. The main difference is that I will have my parents to take care of instead of kids. Be sure to watch your email and I will post my experiences on what we saw and were we ended up. Talk to you soon....

Bonnie

Liz,
I've heard Homer Spit is beautiful. However, Seward is not much to see/do. Exit Glacier is very attainable. You can drive into the parking lot, and walk down a path to the glacier. Yes, you can still climb on it after crossing over a few small streams that are glacier water melts. Kids will like it though. The glacier ice is very cold and very slippery. (did this August 2001).
Will your kids enjoy the camping experience enough to stay 5 days in Denali? It's beautiful but can they handle the camping part or are they used to it? (we brought gameboys and a few CDs, deck of cards, journals etc. to help them while away the time.)
Try the gold panning. The kids will enjoy it.

Liz

Bonnie,
We've camped and hiked many times before and they love it. I want to get away from the phone, computer, tv, video games,etc. and this is one way to do it! If they're going crazy after 3 days maybe we'll leave the park early, we'll see.We're trying to leave our options open so that we can go where we want to when we want to which you can do with an RV.
What did your kids enjoy most about your trip last year? Also, how much driving did you do? Did your kids mind the long drives? Liz