I am looking for some advice on traveling to Alaska in early or mid-june. I am traveling with wife and 20 month old son. We are from Chicago. Our interests our hiking, sightseeing. We have taken the little boy on hiking trip to Banff/Jasper, hiking becomes a little limited carrying a 30 lb. weight on your back, but we try. I am leaning towards the following itinerary:

8-9 days
Day 1: fly into Anchorage, travel to Seward, stay in Seward
Day 2: stay in Seward for 2nd night, hike around, take Kenai Fjords tour.
Day 3: stay in Seward, bear watching, or something else.
Day 4: travel to and stay in Talkeetna, stop and see sights on the way.
Day 5: stay in Talkeetna, try flightseeing.
Day 6: stay in Talkeetna, hike around.
Day 7: stay somewhere else, close to Anchorage (keep this as a flex day, maybe see independence mine, etc.)
Day 8: fly home.

Our there any additional areas we should look at. Should I stay in Talkeetna for 3 days or should I look elsewhere. Are there any problems traveling with baby in Alaska? I am also looking into a cruise, but one of my main goals is seeing Denali. Is there a cruise in 8-9 days that would accommodate this, I haven’t been able to find one?

Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated. We have also considered going to Idaho, Yellowstone. Maybe that would be easier with child.

Thanks,
Joe

Frankly a 20 month old is probably not a good idea on a Kenai fjords boat tour.
These are small boats with little extra space, this age is just too unpredictable for potential disruptions, never mind requiring constant supervision due to boats not being "child proof". The Sealife center would be a better choice perhaps. No bears likely seen in Seward.

Depending on where you are flying from , making the Anchorage to Seward drive in the same day also is probably not the best idea, especially if you have a time change. This is a very scenic 3 hour drive that has plenty of areas to pull off and stop. I would stay in Anchorage, then travel the next day. Plenty to also see in Anchorage too. Request their visitor guide www.anchorage.net

3 days maybe is too much in Talkeetna, and I'll assume you are looking to VIEW McKinley - not take a shuttle bus into the park??? Again, not really appropriate for a toddler. Flightseeing is the best way to view Mckinley. Otherwise spend your 3 days perhaps waiting for a possible view and hiking Denali State park. (my last trip in August had 6 days between clear views). You might want to include Eagle River Nature Center and Independence Mine/Hatcher Pass.

Cruises are one way Vancouver/Whittier or Seward. If your 8-9 days is total, not enough time.

Hi Joe
It won't be easy but it is doable and it is always so neat to see young couples hiking with a baby. Alaska is an amazing place but try not to cover too much.
You said your main goals is seeing Denali but you are not including it in your itinerary. I am not clear whether you want to visit Denali National Park, Denali State Park or to view Mt. McKinnely. If you are thinking about touring Denali NP in a bus it is not for such young baby. Further, if you are thinking about a day trip for bear watching your baby is too young and won't be acepted. I don't think there are bear watching trips from Seward anyway. BudgetQueen is so right about not driving to Seward on the day of your arrival and also there is so much to do in Anchorage.

I would stay 2 nights in Anchorage
2 nights in Seward
2 nights in Talkeetna

Am I missing something here? When I reviewed your itinerary it seems you have only 6 full days in Alaska but you said 8-9 days.

Try not too plan too much but book your accommodations soon. Once you get there you can adjust your itinerary. Hiking in Alaska is unforgettable. You can take long or short, easy or challenging hikes. There are many magnificent hikes near Anchorage where we always see locals hiking with young kids. I think I would consider a day trip from Anchorage to hike on Matanuska Glacier but I never hiked with a baby so maybe others can say if this is something you can do with your 20 month old baby. He is so lucky to have parents who want to go to such trouble. I don't think that trip to Alaska will be more chalenging than anywhere else.

Would you consider postponing Denali until he's a little older, and spending your time on the Kenai Peninsula? The peninsula has some beautiful hikes and wonderful sightseeing, offers a great sampling of most everything Alaska has to offer, and Seward and Homer are both great spots for all ages to spend some time. We are pretty well-traveled and consider the Homer area one of the most beautiful places on earth. Don't forget to check into the toursaver.com coupon book. Could save you quite a bit.

We were there late May/early June last year and Independence Mine had not yet opened. Check opening dates before finalizing plans.

Talkeetna is a neat place, but IMHO not really worth the time you have planned there. Good view of Denali (McKinley) in the distance if the weather's clear, but otherwise it's just a small town with a few neat shops/cafes, and air carriers for flightseeing.

We saw many folks with very young children, but most were limiting their vacations to the Kenai. You will love Alaska. It's VERY big . . . much bigger than most first-timers realize, so there'll always be new places to see on subsequent trips as your son grows up.

Enjoy!

I hate to be a wet blanket, but I'm not that far from having a 20-month old and I've been to Alaska so here are some thoughts. You have gotten some good advice. Your child is too young to go on a Fjords boat tour--Budget Queen is totally right, the boats are very small and it would be the most nerve-wracking trip. He is also too young for the Denali bus ride--not only would it be incredibly boring for him, it is just not age appropriate. Totally agree on Homer-it is beautiful there; Talkeetna is a very small place; your time would be better spent on the Kenai peninsula (just save the boat ride for when he's older!).

Hope this helps,

Mary

This sounds like good advice.

So, here is what I am thinking.

1 day in Anchorage
2-3 days in Seward
2-3 days in Homer
1-2 days in Anchorage/Talkeetna at the end of the trip
Total of 8-9 days in Alaska.

Should I take a trip to Talkeetna for 1 day to do a flightseeing trip or should I spend the time around Anchorage? Is Talkeetna too far. Is is way out of line to try to take a toddler on the plane? I would like to see Denali, even from the air.

Thanks,
Joe

Since you are asking, no the toddler is not appropriate on the McKinley Flightseeing. First off, the planes are noisey and it is an expensive flight for others. You can not guarantee no disruptions and there is NO WAY out of the flight time. Minutes will seem like hours if your child does not behave and a 20 month old, there is no reasoning. Consider splitting up.

Spend your time in Anchorage, there is plenty to do there. Talkeetna is 2 hours away.

Yes, one more vote for staying longer in Anchorage and for not taking a baby on flightseeing trip. But we already told you that.

Joe, did I get this right?
You want to stay
1 night in Anchorage
2nights/3 days days in Seward
2 nights /3 days in Homer
1 night/ 2 days in Anchorage/Talkeetna

Total 6 nights/ 7 days

If you have one more night stay in Anchorage. If you have two more nights maybe add one to Homer and one more to Anchorage. Or stay in Takeetna a night before your flight. Or from Anchorage take a drive to Talkeetna where you can take a flightseeing tour while your wife with a baby do something else in Anchorage or Talkeetna. There are many options but all depends how many nights/days you have from the momemnt you get off a plane in Anchorage and before your flight back home. It will be overnight flight to Chicago. Am I correct?

We took our oldest son to Alaska when he was 9 months old and just returned from a trip to Canada with our now 6,4 and 18 month old.

I would fly into Anchorage.. maybe spend two nights and see what you can there and then had to Homer for the rest of your trip. Staying in one place will be the easiest and Homer is so beautiful with lots to see.

We vacationed in Alaska in summer 2004 and went to Yellowstone in 2005. Both places are fabulous, but with a child of that age I'd do Yellowstone first. There are too many great activities in Alaska that you'll have to miss because they aren't age appropriate (i.e. the Kenai Fjords cruise, Mt. McKinley flightseeing, etc.). It's probably actually better to see Yellowstone while you can still carry your son on your back. I wouldn't want to be walking around the hot springs with a toddler who could easily fall in. Save Alaska for a few years down the road when your son is older.

Hi there, We have a son who is 24 months, and have traveled quite a bit with him, so I'm in touch with your predicament. Also, I grew up in Alaska, and although I now live in Detroit with my husband and son, we travel to Alaska every summer.

Now that hopefully I've established some credibility on this topic, I highly recommend taking a tour of Prince William Sound. Unlike the Kenai Fjords, this tour goes through sheltered waterers and does not have the rough sea days that they experience outside of Seward. I've been on this tour probably a dozen times, and each time I'm breathtaken by this spectacular area. Watching the glaciers calve and even just hearing the ice move is an experience you will not forget. We've also seen tons of wildlife on this tour, including bears, moose, otters, sea lions, eagles, you name it. We've used just about every vendor, and it's essentially the same tour. I would pick the largest boat so you have room for your toddler to run about a bit, and you can easily do this by checking the spec on the various web sites.

These PWS tours leave out of Whittier, which has no visual charm like that of Talkeetna and Seward, but talk to the locals and get a flavor of this semi-bush-like town. Until recently this town was only accessible by train or boat, so it was very isolated. Originally a secret port in WWII, the locals got used to their privacy and didn't want all the uppity folk from Anchorage driving in all the time through the new highway/tunnel, so it has its own personality. Make sure to stop at the local halibut place, although I can't remember the name (there are only like three places to eat, so you will find it). They fry up fresh halibit daily, and is the best fish and chips I've eaten anywhere in the world (including London). My parents drive there just to eat the halibut.

I really love the charm of Seward, and we go there every visit, but to salmon fish in the area. If you do go there, you have to eat a bowl of clam chowder at Ray's, the local restaurant there on the harbor. There is a memory of Seward that will always stick in my mind. I was walking the harbor with my husband wearing a Gap sweatshirt. A local krusty fisherman yelled at me, "HEY! I need to ask you a question!" After walking toward him, he forcefully asked, "I see all these folks from the lower-48 wearing shirts that say G-A-P. What in the crud does that stand for?" That pretty much sums up Seward for me.

Denali might be a tough one for a little guy, unless you are into hiking as a family. The bus tour into the park is long and I wouldn't take a toddler on it. However (please verify this information online or otherwise), you can sometimes drive on part of the part road with your own car. We did this two years ago, and drove towards the north part of Denali, and ended up having the most magnificent views of the mountain.

I do love Talkeetna. It's a very charming town and the people are great. However, I'm not convinced there is tons to do there.

Yikes, I gotta run, but please consider a train ride from Anchorage to Denali. The route is gorgeous, and your little one can run around during the ride. Good luck!

I don't want to address the child-related data, but want only to mention that Seward is awesome, but that more than 2 days there is perhaps too much. Maybe awaken in Anchorage, drive the 2-3 hours to Seward early in the day, spend that day and most of the next in Seward, and then drive out in late evening. (it will be light out for ages in June - take advantage of it for driving)

Hope this helps a tiny bit.

Sorry but I will continue to disagree. A toddler is not appropriate on boat tours that are more than an hour. These are costly and no way will a 20 month old be able to tolerate the 4++ hours they are without being disruptive.

A baby- or older child maybe. I have gone on these boat tours many many times as well and by far there has been way more wildlife on my Kenai Fjords tour.

Budget Queen, I agree with you too and have a similar view on bringing a little child on bear watching trips as I mentioned in another post. I adore young families traveling with small children but I wouldn't want to be disturbed on a bear watching trip by crying baby after paying $550.00 per person.

Me neither on a $100+++ boat trip.

I just would not consider anything with no way out for over an hour. Even if that hour is "bad" usually it isn't that costly and you would expect more families.

I took my kids everywhere too. The problem is the parent's perceptions not based on reality. Many thinking their kids are angels and think nothing of the temper tantrums etc. I did and never went on anything that I could not leave from, and did several times.

There is one company out of Seward that runs big boats to the Kenai Fjords - about the size of a commuter boat, at least 60 people. We had to take this one because my best friend gets sea sick and needed a larger boat. It is not as exciting as a smaller boat but it would be easier to keep the 20 month old out of trouble on the large boat.

When researching our trip, we were warned that June is a bad month for mosquitos. Since it is not advisable to use DEET based products on tiny children, I'd talk to your pediatrician about what kind of mosquito repellent is reccomended for the under 2 set.

Whoops - maybe I inadvertently lied - we might have taken the Prince William Sound tour due to my friend's sea sickness problem.

And yes, your 20 month old would not enjoy the Denali bus trip if he is an active child who needs to get up and down.