Alaska trip
 

We are a couple in our 70s but are fairly fit as we just completed a 3 hour hike in Hana, Hawaii that had a steep incline. This is our first trip to Alaska and want to do it in August of this year for 14-17 days. We know its relatively close to get all the arrangements done. We are wanting to do as much as possible on our own which means renting a car. We did want to do a small ship thru the passage but read here to eliminate it. We are mainly interested in seeing natures beauty including wildlife. Museum and shopping aren't a big priority. Some of our wishes would be to see the Northern lights if possible at this time, glaciers, whales if possible? Financing isn't our big concern but being able to see as much as possible as one never knows if we will ever get back. Any suggestions on whether to do both a small cruise up the passage and do the auto trip. Where to start and finish and what to see in between. Is there any good audio tour guide for Alaska. I always do my own planning but knowing our trip time is getting close I'm looking for help. We are open to almost any suggestions and schedule is optional but seems to be the best time for our agenda. Thanks

The Milepost, if it's still piblished, is a helpful guide. You might also either subscribe to local newspapers or see if you can read online. Our first trip was a budget ride up the Inside Passage on the Alaska Marine Ferry Columbia. It was fun with several park ranger talks each day but not much time in ports to do anything since our goal was Skagway then Anchorage area. Our son was moving to AK so he had his jeep on board until we got to Skagway. We only saw ocean wildlife once. It is much more fun and exciting to do a day trip out of Seward. We stayed in Seward the night before so we could be there. Seward itself is wonderful to explore so include additional day to visit the aquarium and browse the shops.

Unfortunately still too much daylight in August for northern lights. I recommend local news so you can find things that the average tourist doesn't see. I attended a quilt festival one time, a garden tour of an Anchorage neighborhood another time. Visit the farmers markets.

There is more to see and do netween Anchorage and the Kenai Penninsula than between Anchorage and Denali. It's a three hour drive non stop between Anchorage and town of Kenai. Check salmon runs. I think in August they will be running in Bird Creek which is right onmthe Seward Highway. You will also enjoy a tram ride up Alyeska. We did not hike but there are trails. Great view from the top. We did not visit the wildlife center but hear it is excellent. I liked visiting the Negich Boggs visitors center in Portage. Listen to recordings of people who experienced the great earthquake.

Seward would be your next stop going south.

I forget the timing, maybe two hours from Seward to Soldotna/Kenai area. Both are populated towns and good place to get supplies. But also check out the beach area. You are most likely to see moose somewhere. I can't remember why we visited a hardware store but the outside was painted with a beautiful mural. the Kenai visitors center is small but fascinating.

It will be another two hours south to Homer. The pull out before you get into town has wonderful view of the Homer Spit. You can also drive the Skyline Drive. Visit the museum. Browse shops and find a good place to eat. We took a nature cruise on the Danny C but it was not as interesting as the trip out of Seward but we had bought a package deal to overnight across the Bay and take a short flightseeing trip the next day back to Homer. Expect to see eagles.

North of Anchorage you might enjoy visiting the Iditarod museum. I liked visiting Independence Mine near Hatcher Pass. The old buildings have been preserved and at least one can be toured. There are hikes in this area. I remember stopping onmthe road just to get a closer look at the stream and beautiful water,

Although Anchorage is a big city I thought the trolley tour was interesting. It went out to Lake Hood. The packed marina was float planes not boats.

It could take you all day to get from Anchorage to Seward necause of places to stop amd visit plus photo ops since it is very scenic. North of Anchorage is not scenic, lots of forest and, if your lucky, a view of Denali. Not many places to stop until you get to Talkeetna. With limited time I would only go as far north as Independence Mine. Check mileage because it could be a day trip from Anchorage. We stayed in Palmer to attend an event and then went firther north. I can't remember mileage from Anchorage to Imdependence Mine.

Read posts by Gardyloo.

I have relatives who live in Kenai and it is actually longer than 3 hours, more likely 4 plus. The drive south from Anchorage to Seward is very scenic. My first recommendation is to read a travel guide or two, such as Fodor's and make notes. Car rental is a priority and car rentals in Alaska are expensive so deal with that first after you decide on the number of days. You won't be able to see Northern Lights in August as still too much daylight.

Our last trip was in 2021 for a family wedding weekend in Homer. In 2021, it was post-pandemic and so there were limitations on days of operation for certain places and restaurants were short staffed and really stretched. Our itinerary around the wedding might be helpful.

Flew into Anchorage on a Thursday from NY, plane change in Minneapolis and flight over the Canadian Rockies pretty spectacular. Next day 3 PM Park Connection bus to Talkeetna and stayed overnight at the Alaskan Lodge which was awesome and has a viewing platform for views of the mountains. Visited the Anchorage Museum before the bus as the bus departed right outside the museum and provided early check-in with bags.

One night in Talkeetna but no time to visit the town itself as we took Dome Train from Talkeetna to Denali. Very nice with a narrator to tell you what you are viewing and a lot of the history of the Alaskan Railway and the towns. We booked train Alaska Tour & Travel, very easy to work with. I booked hotels myself. Bus provided from train to Denali Bluffs Hotel where we stayed for two nights and luggage delivered to our room which was comfortable. Hotel provided shuttle bus to Bus Depot at Denali and I ordered a bag lunch at hotel for shuttle bus. Our trip was 2 weeks prior to landslide so we did get to Mile 66 but no activities as Visitors Centers not yet opened after pandemic other than restrooms. Saw some wildlife but mostly with binoculars as in the distance apart from caribou which are huge and easy to see. Saw part of a moose behind a bush by Bus Depot.

Train back to Anchorage. Luggage picked up at our room and next saw it on train platform in Anchorage. Stayed two nights in Anchorage so time to walk Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and some more exploring. Picked up rental car at airport for next part - drive to Seward, again very scenic. Stayed two nights at Harbor 360 and we did 4 hour Resurrection Bay cruise where we saw a lot of marine wildlife including a whale swimming alongside the boat. 4 hours was enough for us but many people do 6 or 8 hour boat trips. We had previously done Alaskan cruise that went to Glacier Bay and College Fjords. Also in Seward, Sealife Center, Exit Glacier trail walk and Seavey Iditaride where you learn about the sled dogs and have a ride on a pulled sled through the woods as dogs need to train all year, learn about the race and the life of a musher and play with the new pups.

Drove to Homer for three nights for wedding weekend. Spectacular drive down with clear views of the volcanoes across the inlet. Drive back to Kenai and Girdwood the following day was rainy/foggy and misty. Spent a night in Girdwood at the Alyeska Lodge. Tram up the mountain in the morning once fog burned off, Wildlife Conservation Center and drive back to Anchorage to visit Earthquake Park, early dinner and return car for red-eye flight to Salt Lake and connction to JFK.

The small ship cruises tend to be very expensive, and of course they only visit coastal areas (duh) typically in southeast Alaska and/or Prince William Sound, which is closer to Anchorage, the Kenai Peninsula and other destinations in southcentral Alaska.

While it may cost a little more than a major cruise line trip through the Inside Passage, I might argue that you consider a "non-cruise" option that still might give you a good sense of the incredible variety Alaska offers. I'd think about a 3-part trip, something like this:

- Two towns in SE Alaska, Sitka and Haines. Sitka is the beautiful and historic seat of Russian America, and offers easy access to wildlife, whales, rain forest walks, Russian and Native Alaskan cultural history... plus being in (IMO) one of the most beautiful settings in the world.

Haines is also in a very scenic area, but a big advantage the town offers is proximity to sites like a bald eagle reserve, and in August you could drive a short distance to see brown bears fishing for salmon in the Chilkoot River, rather than paying hundreds of dollars to see bears in the likes of Katmai National Park or Lake Clark NP. You could rent a car in Haines and drive the "Golden Circle" route up into the Yukon, the looping back to Skagway and returning to Haines via a short and scenic ferry ride.

- The second part of this plan would be a few days in southcentral Alaska, focused mainly on Seward and the Kenai Peninsula. You could take a day cruise from Seward into Kenai Fjords National Park where you'd see tidewater glaciers and a ton of marine wildlife - whales, otters, seals... as well as a gazillion birds. In Homer you could cross stunning Kachemak Bay to the funky villages of Seldovia or Halibut Cove.

I'd pass on areas to the north of Anchorage such as Denali National Park, given that access into the park's interior is prevented by roadworks that probably won't be complete until 2027.

- The third "leg" of this trip would be to a bush community off the road system. I'd suggest either Nome, the historic gold rush town on the Bering Sea, or to Kotzebue, an Inupiat community located north of the arctic circle on an inlet of the Arctic Ocean.

Nome is unusual - nearly unique - among bush communities in that there's a surprisingly extensive road system that radiates from the town into the Seward Peninsula bush. This is an area very rich in wildlife - muskoxen, moose, caribou and reindeer, bears... as well as fascinating history and gorgeous landscapes; in August the tundra will be turning into a glory of fall colors - really breathtaking. You can rent a car in Seward and explore this road system, a very unusual but very rewarding option.

A visit to Kotzebue would expose you to a marvelous Native Alaskan culture; you could stick a toe in the Arctic Ocean, maybe visit a Native fish camp, and possibly experience the midnight sun (in August you'll be past 24 hours of sunlight but not 24 hours of light.)

Flying from Sitka or Juneau (for Haines) to Anchorage, and from Anchorage to Nome of Kotzebue, is not terribly expensive, especially given the cost of lodgings and vehicles in Anchorage (you wouldn't need the car for as many days as a "road trip" option) so it might offset the additional airfare costs.

Anyway, maybe give it some thought and google the places I've mentioned, just to see if anything resonates. Happy planning!

Thank you for asking this question. We're looking to do an Alaska trip as well so I'm bookmarking for all this good information.

We did a similar Alaskan trip two years ago in mid July, and are of similar age. We started in Anchorage for two nights. Ate at two great restaurants, Simon and Seaforts (halibut cheeks were divine) and Humpy’s (halibut fish and chips) The salmon at both restaurants was great too. Then for dessert try the microcreamery Wild Scoops for a scoop of wildfire ice cream. Try the reindeer sausages from the street vendor by the park. We did a helicopter ride out to the glaciers, landing on several. An unforgettable experience. Then it was off to Seward in our rental car. Made many stops along the highway and ended at the Windsong Lodge for two nights. Lovely accommodations and dinner and they have a shuttle into town. The hotels closer to the marina look fine as an option. We took a six hour boat to the glaciers, again an incredible experience. The iceberg margaritas were a treat. On the way back to Anchorage we made a quick stop in Whittier and then spent the night in Girdwood at the Alyeska Resort. We returned to Anchorage and flew to Katmai NP to fish and see the bears at Brooks Falls. An unforgettable experience.

We’re returning to Alaska in August and starting in Fairbanks this time. Taking the Alaska Railroad for a 7 night trip from Fairbanks, Denali, Anchorage, and Seward. Then off to Kodiak for 4 nights for more fishing and wildlife. Looking forward to our return trip.

Thanks for all the information. We are considering eliminating the cruise as we like to do as much as possible on our own. I didn't see anything about doing Glacier bay which I've heard is awesome to do? Can u do that as separate excursion? If we follow that basic plan of Gardyloo, where would u fly into and out of? Would you rent a car the whole time? Which legs would u need to fly to? One concern is the packing n unpacking and of transferring several heavy luggage on an almost daily to two days basis for 2 weeks?

There are nonstop flights on Alaska Airlines from Seattle to Sitka, from Sitka to Juneau, from Juneau to Anchorage, and from Anchorage to both Kotzebue and Nome. To get to Haines, the budget solution is as a passenger on the state ferry, which sails from Juneau and continues past Haines to Skagway (then back the same way.)

You might want to investigate obtaining an Alaska Airlines branded Visa Signature card, which provides you with an annual "companion certificate" in which one passenger pays the going rate and the other pays $99 (plus taxes, usually totaling around $121) for the same itinerary. This can be for one way, round trip, or multiple-flight trips (like the one proposed) and can offer tremendous savings.

If it was me with two weeks or a bit more available, I'd start in Sitka for maybe 3 nights, then get to Haines (via Juneau) for another 3 or 4 nights (maybe one of which would be in Juneau before the ferry) then maybe 4 or 5 nights around Anchorage and the Kenai, and a final couple of nights in the bush. If you chose to do the Golden Circle loop out of Haines or Skagway, I'd allocate 5 or 6 nights total, which might mean dropping either or both the Anchorage or bush stops. You'd need a car for the loop obviously, as well for the Anchorage/Kenai part. You wouldn't need one in Sitka or Kotzebue, and if you chose to travel on any of the Nome area roads, you'd need to rent a vehicle (probably a pickup truck) locally; there are no branches of the national car rental companies in Nome. I believe Avis has monopolies in both Haines and Skagway, by the way.

If you wanted to visit Glacier Bay, there are excursions that can be booked from Juneau and from Haines. However, if you choose to include Anchorage and the Kenai in this trip, you can find an excellent alternative in doing a glacier cruise (very calm water, by the way) out of Whittier, reached by train or car from Anchorage. The Prince William Sound glacier cruises (google "26 Glacier Cruise") are quite spectacular.

Hope this isn't too confusing. Research is the key.

My 2 favorite things I did in Alaska was whale watching and a trip to Homer with a day trip to Halibut Cove by boat.

During our whale watch we saw several groups of whales " bubble net feeding." You can YouTube that. It is amazing to watch and to hear about how and why they do it. They were doing it right beside the boat.

The trip to Halibut Cove was on a boat called the Danny J. We had dinner at a restaurant called the Saltry. Its not an island but a quiet little cove. After dinner you walk the boardwalk to several artist studios. We were there the first week July and it was quite chilly with a few rainy days so a light rain jacket would be a good thing to bring.

Instead of a car, consider an RV ! We’ve done once from Anchorage and once from Iowa to Anchorage. Great Alaskan Holidays is who we rented from

Thanks again for all the advice. We have decided to do a cruise and land excursion as we dont want to hop from city to city for 2+ weeks. We are looking for a cruise that hits most of the points of interest on it a small to medium size boat with decent excursions if possible? The boat doesnt have to be elegant but the cost arent over the top either. If its not possible a larger ship that at least does the above. I ve been looking n havent come across one. We are looking in the late August timeframe. Also, we havent given up seeing the lights. Would flying up to Nome in early September give us a reasonable chance of seeing them? Thanks in advance

I would recommend that you do any land touring independently, rather than booking a "cruise tour" through the cruise line. These tend to be over-organized and force you to stay in lodging affiliated or owned by the cruise line, which may not be in a location to your liking.

If you're coming in late August to early September, you might consider reversing the order of things - land tour first, then southbound cruise back to Vancouver from either Whittier or Seward.

It likely will not be dark enough in Nome in early September for good aurora viewing. Maybe, but I'd give slim odds.

Maybe give some thought to a late winter visit to some northern European country. Google Rovaniemi in Finland as an example. Aside from the Christmas/New Year period, travel to northern Norway, Sweden or Finland - or Iceland - can be affordable and a blast.

The issue is that the small or medium sized cruises are generally more expensive than ships from Princess, Holland and so on. You can also totally do it yourself by using the Alaska ferry system and smaller excursions in places that you can get to by ferry or seaplane but it might be harder to plan because you are dependent on a ferry or seaplane schedule.I do have friends who did this by flying from NY to Juneau and staying there for several days and taking excursions and small ships places but again they had to pick and choose what to see and where to go and after this portion of their trip and flew to Anchorage and did their own land tour from Denali to Homer making many stops and they had a daughter who was probably around 12 at that time and it was also in August.

Thanks once again for the information which we plan to use. We definitely want to do a cruise that is geared to experiencing the glaciers, other scenery, and wildlife. We are looking at 7-8 cruise followed by 7-10 day land on our own in Aug, 2025. We want to do a one way trip avoiding at much at sea days. Also, avoiding the larger ships that don't get you close or miss better areas. I was looking at Uncruise and Lindblad but is more then we want to spend. Luxuries on the trip are nice but not a prerequisite. Ive always done my own planning but this trip is a lil overwhelming especially with time getting closer. Please, any suggestions for a cruise ship. Thanks

You might want to look at Holland America's older ships like the Noordam. If I recall correctly, they carry fewer passengers than the big mega-ships (still a couple of thousand, but not 3,000 or more.) Holland America also calls at Glacier Bay on most sailings. Holland America also (reputedly) serves an older demographic then some of the other lines, although I don't know exactly what that means. With Alaska cruises, the itinerary is everything, including which ports and how long in each, and also how many other ships are in port on a given day. Skagway, population 800 counting dogs, can be overwhelmed with 4 or 5 2000-3000 passenger ships calling on the same day.

I have been looking n looking and interested in Silversea, Silver Moon ship. It seems to have the best itinerary I ve seen for the price with the biggest drawback being it doesnt do Gracier Bay but does do Hubbard. Its 7 nights starting in Seward, Hubbard, Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, Inner passage, and ends in Vancouver. I believe an excursion is included at each port which I m gonna clarify. It a little more luxury that i really need but I havent found a better itinerary for the price and the reviews are good. Any thoughts or better itinerary will be greatly be appreciated.

That's the thing about Alaska - generally you can't get to do and see everything. Our Princess northbound ship did Glacier Bay but not Hubbard or Sitka. This itinerary looks nice but it also bypasses Skagway. Would love to get back another time to get to see Sitka. If you have time to spend in Vancouver for a day or two on the end of the cruise, I recommend it and if time, a day excursion to Victoria on Vancouver Island is so worth it. Victoria is lovely and very British plus the Buchardt Gardens are not to be missed

If anything, substituting a Hubbard Glacier drive-by in August for Glacier Bay isn't a bad exchange. Earlier in the season, getting close to the face of Hubbard Glacier can be difficult because of icebergs and floe ice in the way. By August you ought to be able to get pretty close to the glacier face, which is about as spectacular an experience as one can have on a cruise.

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If tidewater glaciers are a priority, you might consider doing a "26 Glacier" tour out of Whittier while you're in the land touring portion of your trip. This will let you get quite close to numerous glaciers in the College Inlet region, on relatively calm water.

If you don't want to deal with the time and expense of a trip to Victoria, but if you're garden people, a visit to Queen Elizabeth II Park in (more or less downtown) Vancouver is well worth your time. The gardens, largely set in a disused quarry, are absolutely wonderful (and free, vs. $$$ for Butchart Gardens) and the Bloedel Conservatory (small entry fee) in the park is a marvelous greenhouse-type enclosure, full of tropical plants and lots of free-flying tropical birds.

Snooping around gathering info. Thanks!!

Our cruise stops are departing from Seward, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Straight Point, Ketchikan. Any suggestions on excursions at these ports. I know in Skagway the White railroad is popular. But the option of taking the bus first and stopping at the suspended bridge sounds good. Any thoughts? If we do, do they give u enough time to walk across and take some pictures? We are also looking at taking a helicopter combined with a dog sledding. Is it a worthwhile trip? We dont want to do any kayaking or canoeing but a safe boat ride to get closer to the glaciers would be great. Thanks

I know Denali is somewhat limited due to the earthquake but we are spending 3 days there. What are the best suggestions of things to do there. We have a flight from Talkeetna to see the mountain including a glacier landing. I ve read different opinions on doing the Tundra Wilderness tour. I know seeing the Denali mountain isnt easy but we want to increase our chances of seeing it. We definitely our interested in seeing wildlife also. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

The best thing I did in Alaska was a whale watching trip in which we saw the whales "bubble net feeding." YouTube and watch. It is incredible.

In Denali we visited Husky Homestead and learned about training the dogs. There happened to be several puppies which we got to hold. It was interesting.

We did the bus tour of Denali. It was a clear day and we saw the mountain well. There was a young grizzly right beside the bus.

We visited the ranger station in Talkneetka - this is where mountaineers register before they climb the mountain. When we were there a rescue was happening on the mountain so lots of excitement there with rescue monitoring

We were lucky to visit during a heat wave with clear skies so Denali was always visible including in the middle ofmthe night around the summer solstice from a cabin we rented somewhat near Talkeetna.

On our first visit we departed Alaska Marine ferry in Skagway and had to wait a day or two to take train ride on a foggy day. Cruise boat passengers had gotten all the tickets on day I wanted to go butmit was no big deal to soend an extra day in Skagway. There was a silly play about the gold rush which wasn't too bad if you knew all the back story. Skagway is a tiny town and most cruise ship,passengers seem intent on shopping. Ifmit,s still there, one shop featured local products. I probably jse the handmade ulu knofe and chopping block daily. My favorite way to mince garlic.

I agree with sunbum that a boat ride to see whales and glaciers is fantastic. We took Major Marine out of Seward. Although we did not see a glacier calve, the boat stopped with engines off and we could hear ice crunching against boat.

Good chance to see moose in Kenai/Soldotna area. I didn,t mind not seeing bears or wolves since in NH we see deer, bear and bobcats. Never did get a sled ride even though our son was involved with mushing here in NH and later in AK. Best to read books about the Iditarod before your trip so you can better understand. Check local newspapers for other events going on. Glad we got to attend a dinner show with Hobo Jim while he was still alive. He wrote and sang the Idiatrod song. You can find on YouTube.

Just an FYI for people who are planning to drive north from Anchorage. Work on the Knik Arm Bridge has begun. Not sure how long this summer it will last, but the plan is to have traffic going south from Wasilla/Palmer for the morning commute to have two lanes and traffic going north for evening commute having two lanes. Basically, they are off loading traffic to one side of the bridge while they work on the other. So, for visitors, planning your trip against the commuters would be wise. Here's a link for info: . or google Knik River Bridge construction work.