alan64

I've been charged with coming up with ideas for an Alaska trip for our family, which we'll take in August 2009.

The group of 9 includes my parents (super active mom in late 60's and trouper dad of 70 who has a limp, but still walks 10K's, hiked along the Great Wall of China, etc.). There's my wife and me (mid-40's) and my brother and his wife (same age group), and their 3 kids that'll be around 9 - 14 yrs old.

We love nature, somewhat easy hikes, kyaking, and other outdoor activities (not real big on fishing, but we might try it for a day).

My first thought was to look at a Princess Cruise Tour, something like 7 boat days and 4 land days. However, none of us are huge cruise fans and would really prefer just a few days on a boat. Princess doesn't offer that, but I don't know about others.

Are there recommended land tour companies I should look at? We're usually do-it-yourselfers when touring Europe, but that's one or two couples w/out kids, not the entire clan. With 9 people, I'm thinking that we'll want something more structured and where we're not driving ourselves.

Denali is a must for us, and a day (or two) of kayaking would be great. We'd like to see glaciers, and even hike on one if it's not too difficult. If there are packages that include day boat trips where this can be done it'd be great.

Any ideas or help are appreciated.

ucsbalum

to really see Alaska -- you should do a cruise. start in Vancouver or Seattle -- most Alaksan cruises are just 7 days. You'll arrive in Whittier or Seward -- then bus or train into Anchorage. From there, rent a van or two cars and just take some time to explore on your own. over on Cruise Critic the Alaska boards are teeming with ideas and advice on specific tour companies.

spirobulldog

I would skip the cruise and do it on my own. Fly to Anchorage and head to Denali for 2-3 days in rental car. From there go to Kenai Fjord/Seward area. Take full day tour to see Glaciers Calving. or catch a shuttle and actually kayak near the glaciers. In route to Kenai, stop at Girdwood (Alyeska Resort) for one day. Hike the Winner Creek Trail there (cool way to cross the creek in a pulley cable car thing). Consider Glacier Dog Sledding in Girdwood (expensive, but worth it and includes neat helicopter ride to the glacier). After that you might want to head to Homer. Consider a flyout/salmon fishing/bearviewing trip. Or maybe even flying to Katmai to see the bears. Return to Anchorage from Seward via the train. Train is super scenic and worth doing.

BudgetQueen

If Denali Park is a priority, then you do not want a cruisetour. Also 4 days isn't enough time for Interior Alaska. There are a few shorter cruises with Cruise West. But maybe, you would be best to just go round trip Anchorage, and include a boat tour out of Whittier and Seward, for your total 10 days?? Would have far more options for your hiking, kayaking and wildlife.

Orlando_Vic

O.K., if you want a structured tour, check out Explore Tours <http://www.exploretours.com/index.html>.
They are Anchorage based.

stpetereb

Hi, we have been to alaska twice. The first time we had two weeks. We took the curise, because everyone advised us to do it, and then a week land trip. I guess I am not a cruise person but I did not find it all that great, it is difficult to see wildlife such such a big ship. The land part of out trip was fantastic this was a Holland America cruise-tour. Last summer we spent three weeks in Alaska, one week was with a Holland America tour that included Anchorage, Denali and Kenai National Parks we also had 3 days were with a Princess tour. Both were nice but we preperfed the Holland America tour guides and enjoyed the people on our tour enormously. We found a package to Glacier National Park that was expensive but fantastic. The rest of our trip we planned our selves. I think you would be wise to stay with a tour group as you have a very big group for a rental car. I think Holland America has a 3 day cruise you may want to check out.

alan64

Thanks for the feedback!

atravelynn

Alaska works very well for do it yourself. I'm not someone who would never do a group tour, either. I visited Alaska in a group, on a cruise, and 3 times alone. You can easily piecemeal your own trip.

None of us are huge cruise fans and would really prefer just a few days on a boat

Then don't book a cruise. You can do some day trips on boats.

If you include Juneau and Glacier Bay, as I saw suggested in one of the comments, you could get a couple of good boat trips with wildlife watching.

There is a ferry from Juneau (where you have to fly to get there) to Gustavus (where you'd go to for Glacier Bay) that also provides excellent whale watching when you motor through Icy Straits. Then in Glacier Bay there are daily all-day boat trips with spectacular scenery and the chance to see black bears, grizzlies, whales, orcas, otters, seals, Stellar sea lions, puffins and more. I did the trip two days in a row and it was two very different trips and I saw all of the above at least once. You can also kayak in Glacier Bay and that was fun too. Plus hike on nice trails.

I booked that part through Glacier Bay Lodge, where I stayed in Glacier Bay. That was great and there are other places as well.

Another beautiful boat trip is out of Seward in Resurrection Bay to see the Kenai Fjords. Wildlife is plentiful + similar to Glacier Bay and the scenery is equally beautiful with the waterfalls from the fjords. The Anchorage-Seward train trip is excellent for scenery and a good way to get there and back.

I've done these boat trips and also an 8-day wildlife cruise on a small (70-passenger) boat with hiking and kayaking trips and not port stops. Based on that experience, I think if you are not cruise people, the day trips in the boat would give you just the right sense of Alaska from the water and not too much boat time.

If seasickness is a problem, use the larger boats out of Seward. The Spirit of Adventure boat that I used in Glacier Bay was plenty big.

If 9-year olds are allowed, and you can afford it, you have to go to Homer and take a day trip or a several day trip to the Katmai coast to see the brown bears on foot. Homer is beautiful with kayaking and daytrip whale watching opportunities (more boat time). I've only gone in and out of Homer and not stayed there for the activities. I used Hallo Bay Wilderness Lodge for my stay with the bears, but they do day trips as well. So does Emerald Air and they have a good rep. I never used Emerald Air because all they do are day trips and I want to stay longer.

Since you mentioned August, I did not recommend the easier bear viewing option of Brooks Falls where the bears fish for salmon. Easier because you fly from Anchorage via King Salmon. Brooks is good for bear viewing in very late June, July and Sept but not Aug.

If you stay in Anchorage, you can rent bikes and ride the coastal trail, spending as much or as little time as you want. Great moose viewing from your bike.

I'm sure Denali is on your list for at least 2 nights. I took the train there from Anchorage but the Seward-Anchorage train was a little more scenic and not as long for a 9-year old.

Have a wonderful family trip.

westtexas

don't do a group/tour

rent car/s and go on your own. everything is easy to find and get around and there is always somewhere to "stop on the side of the road" a hiking trail or something else. base out of anchorage, and spend 2 or 3 nights at Denali and take the tour that goes all the way in to the park (12) hr. worth is and not hard on the kids

enzian

alan64---are you still checking back here? I am doing some trip planning for Alaska 2009 myself, and have some suggestions for your family trip.

padams421

9 year olds can do the bear viewing tours. We took our 9 year old last summer to Brooks, and he'll tell you it was a highlight of his 9 year old life (and the kid is well traveled). If you can afford bear viewing, do it.

alan64

Enzian, I'm always reading up on things here! I haven't been online for a while because we're in Buenos Aires at the moment (and having a great time). Due to budget constraints, I think the 9 of us will probably stick to a 1 week Celebrity cruise to Alaska (RT from Vancouver). The land tour will have to wait until we can go again with a smaller group.

enzian

Hi alan---that is probably a wise choice with a group of nine. We haven't done a cruise ourselves, but I understand they are very cost-effective for Alaska travel, which is quite expensive.

One thiing you might consider, instead of the Vancouver RT, is a one-way cruise all the way up to Seward, with a return by air from Anchorage. That way you would have an opportunity for some kayaking and hiking in the presence of glaciers. The more I read about the area around Seward, the more I like it for our active vacation.

alan64

We decided on RT from Vancouver because my brother's family (w/ 3 kids) live in Seattle. They can do a train easily and for a lot less money than having everyone fly home from Seaward or Anchorage. Air fare for 5 would add a huge expense for them.