Please give me your thoughts/ideas / suggestions on this itinerary. I have based it together on some of the questions/suggestions on this forum:

Aug 17th: Whittier -- Arrive Anchorage 9.00 pm -- Drive to Whittier and stay at Whittier Inn for 2 nights --2 for 1 toursaver

Aug 18th: Whittier – PWS Cruise, Alyeska Tram - 2 for 1 toursaver

Aug19th: Seward – Kenai Fjords Cruise - 2 for 1 toursaver

Aug 20th: Seward – Sea Life Center, Kenai Fjords Cruise back up, Millers Landing

Aug 21st: Homer – stay at B&B – Katmai Bear Trip

Aug 22nd: Homer- stay at B&B -- Katmai Bear Trip back up, Day trip to Seldovia -- 2 for 1 toursaver

Aug 23rd: Homer- stay at B&B – local activities

Aug 24th: McCarthy—stay at Ma Johnson Lodge. 2 for 1 toursaver. Drive form Homer early morning to take ferry from Whittier to Valdez at 1.30 pm, reaches Valdez at 4pm. See Worthington Glacier from road – Over night in McCArthy – Long Day !!

Aug 25th: McCarthy: -- stay at Ma Johnson Lodge -- Wrangell Mtn Air Flightseeing, other local activities TBD

Aug 26th: Palmer -- stay at B&B-- Wrangell Mtn Air Flightseeing back up, Matanuska Glacier

Aug 27th: Palmer – stay at B&B --Hatcher Pass, Independence Mine, Knik Glacier Cruise

Aug 28th: Palmer: stay at B&B-- Talkeetna Flightseeing, Musk Ox farm

Aug 29th : Talkeetna Flightseeing back up….Drive to Anchorage for 9.00 pm flight

Bokill-
I'm a bit confused by your posting re: toursaver 2006. You indicate 8/19 Seward Kenai Fjords Cruise w/toursaver-is this the Renown Tour? What is the 8/20 cruise back up? Also, 8/22 day trip to Seldovia w/toursaver? What company is this?

I appreciate your help-going in June and have already purchased TourSaver.

I think you are making a big mistake driving to Whittier right after you arrive. Did you check the tunnel schedule for the last open time? I don't recall that it is open all night. If you have been on a long flight plus I would imagine you need to add at least an hour to get luggage and car rental so you wouldn't be on the road until after 10pm. It will probably be dusky dark but this is a beautiful drive that you will want to enjoy. I think you would be better off spending the night in Anchorage esp if you want to get snacks and water for the car. Whittier is a former secret military base so the town is strange. Most live in a huge building. Another building is a huge, vacant eyesore. We were there in 2004 before the new hotel opened and there was also a mess of construction. I would re-arrange the schedule so you only visit Whittier once. Take the PWS cruise and head out on the ferry. You can do the Alyeska Tram on your way to Seward. I would spend the first night in Anchorage. Head out in the morning, enjoy the drive and Alyeska tram. Get to Seward, visit the Sea Life Center and do Kenai Fjords the next day. It's a 3-4 hour drive to Homer.

thanks for the update..that does make sense..

Regarding August 24th. In your other post you said there are going be 2 adults, 2 kids ( 7 ,9 yrs) and a baby. I cannot imaging driving from Homer to Whittier in time for the tunnnel to be open, then taking a ferry, then driving from the ferry terminal in Valdez to get in time for a flight to McCarthy. For your health and sanity please consider making an overnight stop in Valdez.

I should add, that I agree with spending your first night in Anchorage. You are scheduled to arrive in ANC with three small kids at 9 pm. By the time you rent you car it is going to be much later. Besides you won't get a very good impression of Alaska when staying two nights in Whittier. Whittier at this point, and it may change in a future, is not a place where you want to stay for two nights and commute to Girdwood. Girdwood would be much better option.

One more thing, you realize there are no private bathrooms at Ma Johnson Lodge.

Did you book your Katmai Bear Trip? With whom?
Bear

If you are with 3 small kids, this itinerary is way too agressive. And no you won't make it through the Whittier tunnel by the last opening 10:30pm.

It seems you are placing too much emphasis on using toursaver coupons. Whittier is definately not a 2 night town when you are short on time elsewhere, like your proposed one day trip Homer to McCarthy. You have completely missed the gem of Valdez and the very scenic driving which by that time you won't be interested in, rethink this.


Palmer isn't worth 3 nights to me, why not adjust your time in transit, or maybe consider an overnight in Talkeetna?

Did you verify that ANY of the Homer fly in bear tours will allow you taking a baby??? I assume you are probably spliting up your group. Even your young children may not be appropriate??

thanks for all the suggestions..

Revising plan, and not using toursaver for accomodations..going with B@B options. 1st nite in Anchorage itself - drive next morning for Alyeska Tram and PWS cruise and then 2 nights in Seward and 1 night in Kenai/Soldotna before going to Homer..

For Katmai, I am just going with my 9 year old.

Changing plan to spend the night in Valdez and going to Macarthy next day. Do we have enough time that morning atleast to get to Whittier to take the ferry at 1.30 am to Valdez.?

Answering one of the questions asked earlier about my original posting:

using cpn #97 for Kenai Fjords Tour
using cpn #16 for Seldovia

The back up reference are alternate dates in case a cruise gets cancelled due to the weather.

Thanks everyone!!

I don't think the children will enjoy a boat trip to Seldovia. It's not as exciting as the Kenai Fjords, mostly birds and sea otters. Seldovia is very small and except for the recommended hike, there's not much to do. It might be time to find a playground and let the kids run around for awhile. I didn't realize you had young children. Find out when the local library has a children's story hour. Before you leave Anchorage, go to the Title Wave bookstore and have the children choose some books/stories about Alaska for some quiet times. There's an animal rehabilitation center near Portage/Whittier that used to be called Big Game Alaska. Friends with small children said it was great and I'm sorry we skipped it. I really liked the Sea Life center in Seward even though it's small. It was surprising how colorful some of the underwater life is in the cold water.
BTW on today's Anchorage Daily News website there was a story about the number of bears in Anchorage. Most people don't see them because they stay away from people but a research team put tracking devices on several bears and found they live very close to people, esp if there's a good salmon stream nearby. It's a big city but there's still plenty of wildlife around!

Yes you have time with an early departure from Homer to get to Whittier by 1:30pm, I would suggest you leave by 7am, will give you a quick lunch stop, pack a picnic.

I will again state that these boat tours are really not a good option with a baby- which I'll assume will be close to a toddler?? These are several hours long, confined area, no way out, not to mention costly for everyone. I would limit the activies to shorter options with plenty of time outs available.

B&B's will also be limited with a baby, again small confined areas, be sure to choose the right ones that will be acceptable.

The Double Musky Rest. in Girdwood is a great place to eat...there's also a terrific pizza place there too. We stayed at the Aleyska Resort..the tram to the top of the mtn. behind the resort is fun...and we had a wonderful clam chowder in sour dough at the top. Quick hike to the top of the world/topped off with a yummy soup...life doesn't get much better...great 1/2 day stop!!!

Thanks for a lot of the suggestions.

We are changing the itinerary to:

1st night Anchorage
3 nights Seward
3 nights Homer
1 night Valdez
1 night Copper Center ( taking Copper Center Air for flightseeing)
3 nights Palmer ( Taslkeetna remains a day trip option)

We are going to try to do the cruises and activities as planned. Although our kids are small, they are road warriors. In the last 2 years they have travelled with us to places like Hawaii, Paris, London..etc and have not given us any trouble with respect to long flights, day trips and accomidation.

Wondered why with 12 days you were not going to denali for shuttle bus tour into park? Because of the small kids? That would make sense.
For Seward, make sure you are taking at least the 6hrs on the water Kenai Fjords NP tour. If it is the 3hr bay tour plus Fox Island, you will not see glaicers or as much wildlife or perhaps whales. Fox island with kids might be ok with those qualifications.

For Katmai, are you going to arrive on 8/21 and then go the same day or next morning? I thought most of these trips were in morning. Does someone do afternoon trips. They are really an all day trip. I think you will really enjoy as will your son.