Alaska
 

Hi guys, based in the UK....travel plans have changed ...we are now heading to Alaska! There are no direct flights to Anchorage so where are good places to stop and spend a couple of days on both legs of the trip? Also, we have 3 weeks for the whole trip. Can some suggest an itinerary that involves bears, moose and outdoor activities? We are happy to drive (where we can!)
Thanks

Time of year? How many people? Ages?

I think if you search on Alaska and trip reports, you'll get lots of good information and suggested itineraries.

You can fly from London on non-stop flights to Seattle and Vancouver. Both places are great for a few days, especially Vancouver. There are non-stop flights from Vancouver or Seattle to Anchorage as your link. You can spend 2 days in Vancouver at the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Chinatown, University of British Columbia, head up to Whistler (2010 Olympics) for hiking, golf, mountain biking, ziplining, river rafting and seeing bears and moose. Take the ferry over to Vancouver Island for Victoria, whale watching. When you are in Alaska, rent a car or RV and drive out to Denali National Park and Mt. McKinley. There are beautiful lodges out there, too, but the park rangers have special programs to introduce you to the wilderness and wildlife.

There are flights to Alaska from several US cities - Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Dallas, Salt Lake, Minneapolis... and also nonstop flights from Iceland and Germany. The cheapest and most frequent service is from Seattle; there's only one daily flight (summer only) between Vancouver BC and Anchorage, and it's typically much more expensive than flights from Seattle or Portland.

However, <b>vincenzo32951</b>'s question is important - when, how many, ages. Planning a holiday to Alaska is all about the details.

Another question would be are you averse to the idea of a cruise? Especially with kids, a week's cruise to or from Vancouver to Alaska (or v.v.) is affordable, comfortable, and allows you to see Southeast Alaska and the Inside Passage, which you can't see by car. The ships all have excellent facilities and activities for kids, and it's an ideal way to overcome jetlag - fly into Seattle or Vancouver, spend a couple of days visiting these lovely cities, then cruise north to Whittier or Seward (7 nights) and by the time you disembark in Alaska you're rested and ready to take another week or 10 days to explore (by car) southcentral and interior Alaska - Denali, Kenai Peninsula, etc. Or, if you're adventurous, hop a flight to an Eskimo village in the arctic, or a charter plane to watch bears, or a "fly-in" trip to a remote lake where you can see wildlife close-up in a cabin - all to yourselves until the plane comes back in a couple of days. Lots of opportunities for adventure.

I would recommend you think about flying into Seattle and taking a one way cruise, allowing you to explore the Inside Passage. Then, take the train from Seward (consider a day or two there also) to Anchorage and explore the interior of Alaska. Fly back from Anchorage again via Seattle and spend a couple of days there before the flight back to Anchorage.

Thanks guys, going in August with teenage boys who are mad about bears and moose...will look at your suggestions

We ran into several people from the UK who had gotten cheap flights to Anchorage on Icelandair. They fly over the North pole so the flight is amazingly shorter than you would expect