8 nights beginning Sept Denali, Seward, Homer & Anchorage
Jun 26th, 2004, 03:38 PM
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8 nights beginning Sept Denali, Seward, Homer & Anchorage
Please critic our itineary.
1. Fly into Anchorage (1 night Anchorage)
2. Drive to Denali (2 nights Glitter Gulch?)
3. Drive to Seward (2 nights?, Fjords cruise)
4. Whittier (1 night where? Prince William Sound cruise, 26 Glaciers cruise?)
5. Homer? should we skip this?
6. Last night in Anchorage.
Questions:
1. Where should we stay in Whittier? or somewhere near to do the 26 Glaciers cruise?
2. Is 2 nights in Seward too much?
3. Where should we stay to do the Eilse tour in Denali? Don't want to drive more than 45 minutes (less driving the better) back to hotel after 6 hr tour/shuttle in Denali. Short hikes around hotel/lodge/cabin would be great.
4. Where is the cheapest/best for your money place to do a flight tour?
Thanks for all your help!
1. Fly into Anchorage (1 night Anchorage)
2. Drive to Denali (2 nights Glitter Gulch?)
3. Drive to Seward (2 nights?, Fjords cruise)
4. Whittier (1 night where? Prince William Sound cruise, 26 Glaciers cruise?)
5. Homer? should we skip this?
6. Last night in Anchorage.
Questions:
1. Where should we stay in Whittier? or somewhere near to do the 26 Glaciers cruise?
2. Is 2 nights in Seward too much?
3. Where should we stay to do the Eilse tour in Denali? Don't want to drive more than 45 minutes (less driving the better) back to hotel after 6 hr tour/shuttle in Denali. Short hikes around hotel/lodge/cabin would be great.
4. Where is the cheapest/best for your money place to do a flight tour?
Thanks for all your help!
Jun 27th, 2004, 04:08 AM
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You have a big driving day Denali - Seward- you need to allow at least 9 hours. So I would recommend an early shuttle into the park then, drive to Talkeetna or area to break up the to many miles. You can stay in Girdwood- B&B's and there is alway the Alyeska Resort. 
Just be aware of tunnel schedules. NO you don't have enough time for Homer- my min. time there is 2 nights. If you decide not to include Homer- I would add the night in Talkeetna with 2 at Denali Park.
Just be aware of tunnel schedules. NO you don't have enough time for Homer- my min. time there is 2 nights. If you decide not to include Homer- I would add the night in Talkeetna with 2 at Denali Park.
Jul 4th, 2004, 03:20 PM
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While in Seward, do a tour. We did a dinner cruise with Major Marine Tours that was a lot of fun - saw pods of Orca with calves. My husband did a half day salmon fishing expedition with Saltwater Safari and caught his limit (6 coho) in three hours. Great experience and 21 pounds of yummy flash-frozen filets waiting at the house when we returned. Gordon at Sauerdough Lodging was a very gracious host and his homemade yogurt and muffins each morning were divine! Old bed and breakfast right in town.
Are you set on driving everywhere? We drove Anchorage to Seward (1/2 day) but then took the Alaska Railroad back up to Anchorage, spent the night, and then caught it again up ti Denali. Definitely interesting and fun!! Met lots of neat people on the train.
In Denali, we stayed at Hotel McKinley Village Resort. Very quiet and subdued. I know it's very touristy but we did the Alaska Cabin Nite Dinner Theater at the resort and loved it! It was hoakey, geared for tourists, and absolutely wonderful!
Are you set on driving everywhere? We drove Anchorage to Seward (1/2 day) but then took the Alaska Railroad back up to Anchorage, spent the night, and then caught it again up ti Denali. Definitely interesting and fun!! Met lots of neat people on the train.
In Denali, we stayed at Hotel McKinley Village Resort. Very quiet and subdued. I know it's very touristy but we did the Alaska Cabin Nite Dinner Theater at the resort and loved it! It was hoakey, geared for tourists, and absolutely wonderful!
Jul 4th, 2004, 04:06 PM
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so Anita G--did you enjoy the mckinley village resort--did you do a wildlife tour?
about homer--what is the best way to see the wildlife and the park
and i am curious about how much i need to rent a car
about homer--what is the best way to see the wildlife and the park
and i am curious about how much i need to rent a car
Jul 5th, 2004, 01:07 AM
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did you enjoy the mckinley village resort--did you do a wildlife tour?
about homer--what is the best way to see the wildlife and the park
and i am curious about how much i need to rent a car
I recommend the SHUTTLE instead of the TOUR buses in Denali park. To Eielson- it is 1/3 the cost of the tour bus, bring your own food and drink however. There are several boat tour operators and float plane trips for bear watching out of Homer. Request their visitor guide. BUT if you are referring to Seward?? There are also excellent boat tours of the Kenai Fjords. I recommend at LEAST a tour with 6 hours on the water. Frankly- you can get around by rail- but allow time to do so. Stop at all the stops and at least overnight a few nights. But with a car you do have way more options for touring, lodging and food. Determine what your interests are and time and distances involved. Head to your library and pick up Alaska travel books including the MILEPOST. Read at least the Parks, and Seward Highways for information on the sights along the way.
about homer--what is the best way to see the wildlife and the park
and i am curious about how much i need to rent a car
I recommend the SHUTTLE instead of the TOUR buses in Denali park. To Eielson- it is 1/3 the cost of the tour bus, bring your own food and drink however. There are several boat tour operators and float plane trips for bear watching out of Homer. Request their visitor guide. BUT if you are referring to Seward?? There are also excellent boat tours of the Kenai Fjords. I recommend at LEAST a tour with 6 hours on the water. Frankly- you can get around by rail- but allow time to do so. Stop at all the stops and at least overnight a few nights. But with a car you do have way more options for touring, lodging and food. Determine what your interests are and time and distances involved. Head to your library and pick up Alaska travel books including the MILEPOST. Read at least the Parks, and Seward Highways for information on the sights along the way.
Jul 7th, 2004, 02:03 PM
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We've just returned from AK. When we went to Seward we had time for the Sea Life Center in the afternoon, stayed one night and did a 9 1/2 hour cruise. I'm sorry we missed the earthquake film in Seward. I would not bother visiting Whittier and taking a second cruise but we thought the Portage Glacier visitors center was very interesting and worth a stop. Right now, Whittier has a brand new hotel which wasn't open when we visited and a new cruise boat terminal. We stayed at the Sound View B&B which is in what used to be the bachelor officers quarters. You have to understand that Whittier was built up as an army base. Our room was lovely and well furnished but the building itself was an old flat top barracks style building. Another huge building houses 90% of the population. A third building which originally contained the hospital and 1000 apartments has not been restored and is, frankly, an eyesore with every window broken out. The road in the downtown area is under construction. There was a nice hike to Horsetail falls and we had a good meal at the local Chinese restaurant. Whittier is also a popular sports fishing area which a large marina but all in all, this was the one place we didn't care for. It's an important part of Alaska history, however. I loved Homer but I think you need at least two full days there. On the long drive from Denali to Seward, I would make a stop in Girdwood to take the tram ride up Mt Alyeska. Visit Portage Glacier Visitors Center. We did not stop at the Wild Animal place nearby but heard good things about it (used to be called Big Game Alaska).
We took a flightsee in Homer over a glacier and I would recommend adding a short flight to your schedule in one of the places you have already scheduled. We arrived in Talkeetna without reservations and every place was full. We ended up about 45 minutes north in Trappers Creek at some cabins that had a view of Mt McKinley. The cabins were great but in the middle of nowhere. The Talkeetna visitors center recommended the cabins. Since they were fully equipped we brought some food in with us. Talkeetna was a funky place on its own schedule. Our timing was off for a late lunch since several restaurants were closed between 3-5pm. Luckily we had some great sandwiches and sweet potato fries at the organic food place across from Michelle's restaurant.
We took a flightsee in Homer over a glacier and I would recommend adding a short flight to your schedule in one of the places you have already scheduled. We arrived in Talkeetna without reservations and every place was full. We ended up about 45 minutes north in Trappers Creek at some cabins that had a view of Mt McKinley. The cabins were great but in the middle of nowhere. The Talkeetna visitors center recommended the cabins. Since they were fully equipped we brought some food in with us. Talkeetna was a funky place on its own schedule. Our timing was off for a late lunch since several restaurants were closed between 3-5pm. Luckily we had some great sandwiches and sweet potato fries at the organic food place across from Michelle's restaurant.
Jul 8th, 2004, 02:03 PM
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I was in Alaska in the end of August and beginning of September. A lot of tourist attractions close after Labor Day. You may want to check what will be open and plan your trip around that. If you will be going back to Alaska again, I would skip the Fjords cruise and do it at another time of year as my brother (he lives there) and the cruise company informed us that we would not see as much wildlife as we would in spring/summer. That said, it is a good time to see bears! If the weather is good, make sure to take a plane trip to see Mt. McKinley from Talkeetna. It is expensive but will be the flight of your life.
