I am planning a trip to Alaska in May of this year. I will fly into Anchorage and rent an RV for about 10 days. Can anyone tell me the "must do's" and the don't do's and also tell me what the weather will be like at that time of year in Anchorage and in Denalli National Park.
I did a cruise along the inside passage in August last year and loved it so much that I want to go back and see much more. Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance

We visited in August. Buy Milepost magazine to help plan your trip. The drive south from Anchorage to Seward is spectacular. Find out when salmon are running. You can get a guest license and cook your own. If you don't like to fish, it is fun to watch others. In August the silvers were going up Bird Creek. There was a good viewing platform on Seward Hwy. We missed seeing Hobo Jim, Alaska's balladeer by one day. Heard he is great. May is too late to see the Northern Lights but Seward has some great gift shops with Alaskan art, prints, etc. Todd Salat (www.salatshots.com) tells a story on the back of each note card about how he photographed each shot. If you haven't already gotten some books about Alaska, stop at the Tidal Wave bookstore. Recommended reading: Tisha (biography of a 19 yo girl who went to a remote community to teach in the 1920s), any books on the Iditarod, the biography of Joe Reddington (founded the Iditarod and there's good info about what life was like in the 50s), and there's a book Yukon Women with stories about the gold rush. My husband just read a book about Alaska by Peter Jenkins which he liked. "Running North" is written from the wife's point of view, Ann Cook, on moving the family so her husband could run the Yukon Quest.

Hi Donna, are sure we need a license to cook salmon?
What are yor interests LizF?
What would you like to do and see in Alaska?
Hiking, walking, glacier, scenary, wildlife, bears?

If you're planning early May, your access to the interior of Denali Park may be limited depending on road and weather conditions, probably to Mile 15 or 30, if that. After Memorial Day no private vehicles are allowed on the park road anyway. In May interior Alaska can be an iffy time some years, and be prepared for chilly nights and maybe a flurry or two (really); it may also be fine spring weather, too, although maybe wet around Anchorage.

By late May most things are available, and in some years it's a great time to visit. Some early fishing for King salmon may be available, and there's plenty of excellent fishing for trout and Dolly Vardens at that time. Bring bug spray.

Motel and lodge rates may be favorable early in the season, and if it was me I'd think about renting a small AWD or SUV and staying at motels (or camping if you want) rather than hauling a hard-to-manoeuver (and hellish if you have to chain up, heaven forbid), very expensive, gas-gulping RV around. Just my opinion, of course.

Oh thank you all so much for the information. I am in Australia and I am not familiar with AWD & SUV so can you clarify please. I had thought that the truck with the living space on top type thing would be more easy to drive - what do you think?
My interests: Well I love beautiful scenery, I have had my fill of third world rip off countries or some European countries that I need a mortgage just to buy dinner. I love fishing, love just watching wild life in general and by May will just love not having to work. I love wilderness and everthing to do with it. I can't walk ( hike ) well anymore because of 2 new knees but I also like to draw so I am assuming that I would have every chance to sketch my way around the place.
When is Memorial Day?
I am off to get some books today Donna but I don't think that there will be the selection here in OZ that you have. However I guess I can top up with the Web and the helpful suggestions from you folk
Thanks
Liz

We stayed at a lodge just outside Denali Nat. Park and did some fishing and hiking from there with the guides. We had a ball and managed even to get some fish

We visited Alaska the last 2 weeks of last May. There was still quite a lot of snow about but the weather was bright and sunny most of the time, though not too warm. It was great but you will have to realise that Denali N.P. probably won't be open to go right in on the bus until Memorial Day which this year is May 27th. As John says, we were allowed to drive in as far as Mile Marker 30. Most other things get up and running about the middle of May. May is a bit early for viewing bears though we did see a few distantly. The salmon fishing was just starting at the end of our stay. On our way to Denali we took a Mount McKinley flight with glacier landing from Talkeetna - the planes were going in May and it was a fabulous trip. The Kenai Peninsula was lovely and there's plenty to do and see there. Make sure you take a wildlife watching boat trip from Seward to the Kenai National Park. No experience of RV's - we rented a car and stayed in B&B's. I can recommend that as you get to meet really interesting people. We were the only visitors in each one we stayed at - they only really get busy June onwards.

Liz, a Recreational Vehicle (RV) is the self-contained caravan campervan thing; a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) is just a car, no beds etc., but well equipped for handling rough roads, etc., with all-wheel drive (AWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD); lots are sold in Oz, of course. As I said earlier, I bet you'd find a smaller vehicle, combined with a real bed in hotels or motels, to be a preferable way to see Alaska than hauling a big RV around on bumpy, potholed spring roads.

Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday in May. It's the holiday which usually denotes the first big summer weekend, but in parts of Alaska it's just another Monday in the spring.

As far as books are concerned, a driving trip in Alaska will benefit from your having a copy of The Milepost, a road guide and much more, to the north country. You can get it (or any other books) via Amazon.com, who will ship it to Oz inexpensively.

Keep planning!