Alaska Itinerary
 

This will be our first time in ALaska. Does our itinerary sound good or should we change it at all?

*Days 1 - 7 Inside passage cruise to
Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan
*Day 8 & 9 = drive to Denali for white water rafting & hiking in the park
*Day 10 = drive to fairbanks
*Day 11 = fly to Barrow/back to Fairbanks
*Day 12 = leisurely drive along Richardson highway
*Day 13 = Ice treking at Matanuska Glacier/drive to Anchorage
*Day 14 = Tour Anchorage

looks very good, altho that is a lot of driving. SUmmer is hwy construction time in alaska, so there can be very long stretches of very slow driving.

Be sure to visit the museum at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. - take in the separate show they put on also.

If this is the first of several trips, it looks good. If it may be your only trip, I would drive from Ketchikan to Anchorage, flight-see Denali, then spend the rest of the time in the Kenai Peninsula (Homer, Seward).

Trips are always a matter of personal preference but, IMO, the Kenai has more glorious scenery, more to do, and is more my conception of "the real Alaska". I've enjoyed my times in the Talkeetna/Denali/Fairbanks area but not nearly so much as in the Kenai.

Whichever you do, I think you'll love Alaska.

I will point out the obvious that it is virtually impossible to "drive" Ketchikan to Anchorage. dwooddon, do you mean drive Seward to Anchorage after the cruise?

Totallya agree with the Kenai Peninsula recommendation. That's where we will spend ALL our time next trip.

Kenai, Kenai, Kenai My husband lived in AK for many years and we have taken quite a few wonderful trips. One of our first was flyinf into Fairbanks then taking the train south with a stop at Denali the to Anchorage then the drive to Kenai. We almost ended up buying a business in Homer. But having grown up in Buffalo my senses got the best of me. We live in LA and have a condo in Mammoth (just winter when I want it)

Nidwaldner_Chris: Sorry - I've not been to Ketchikan and assumed from the question posted that they were driving from Ketchikan to Fairbanks. Foolishly, I did't bother to look at a map. Let me amend my suggestion: From wherever they were going to pick up a car and drive to Fairbanks, drive to Anchorage instead and enjoy the Kenai.

To agree with one of the above posters...the out of the way towns in alaska are much more "real alaska". Ketchikan and Juneau are neat towns but they seem very similar being that they are "cruise ship" tourist towns. However, I believe the best part of your trip will be the inside passage cruise. I was lucky enough to be able to anchor out several times along the way but the trip is beautiful.

I feel the need to defend Ketchikan as a "real" Alaska town. I lived there for 4 years in the mid-90's and I assure you it is most definitely a real logging/fishing community. Of course in the summer when the cruise ships are in town it's hard to find the locals who are all working and grossly outnumbered by passengers. I was once asked by a visitor where everyone goes in the winter? As if we were all living there just for the cruise ship season. Really great community spirit. I think Juneau and Ketchikan seem similar because they are both large area commercial centers. You want to see "real" you should visit on a Saturday night when all the loggers and fishermen fly or boat in from Prince of Wales Island for a night out on the town-LOL! You have to remember that cruise passenger visits have exploded by 300% in the last decade too. My advice-rent a car and explore on your own.

I think you are covering too much distance for only 7 days, cut back and spend time in the areas, not on the road. Also I would never recommend a day trip to Barrow- it is best with at least 1 overnight, especially for midnight sun viewing. Very very costly but worth it. You also need 2 nights in Denali Park again my opinion and experience only. Fairbanks- Anchorage via the Richardson also requires more time and the best portion which you are missing is Glenallen south to Valdez. Hopefully you have THE MILEPOST, a necessary reference. Don't make the mistake of spending so much time in transit compared to the attraction.

Thanks for your help everyone!