My wife and I are making our first trip to Alaska and would welcome critiques of our itinerary. A couple of preferences: we are going for relaxation and to see some scenery, but are also interested in art; we use public transportation on vacations.

Saturday, August 27, arrive at Anchorage after a very long flight, take bus line 7 to within a few blocks of our lodgings (copper whale inn).

Sunday, August 28, explore Anchorage.

Monday, August 29, train to Denali Park (Denali Princess Wilderness Inn).

Tuesday, August 30, shuttle bus to Wonder Lake and back.

Wednesday, August 31, train back to Anchorage.

Thursday, Sept 1, reexplore Anchorage.

Friday, Sept 2, early train to Seward, possibly see the marine exhibit in the afternoon. Lodging not yet confirmed, but probably the Hotel Seward.

Saturday, Sept 3, train back to Anchorage at 18:00. We may try to squeeze in a half-day boat tour, otherwise just explore the town.

Sunday, Sept 4, fly home at 20:05, so we will have the day free for whatever we feel we missed.

Clevelandbrown, on Sunday, if you are intersted in visiting a wonderful farmers market, there is one in Anchorage. Also Museum of History and Art is the best place for history and culture lessons. Anchorage has many parks with hiking and biking trails. You can rent a bike and see beautiful flowers and great views.

I would take one of your days off of Anchorage and I would go see Homer.

I don't think this would be a good idea to go to Homer for one day using public transportation. There is so much to do in Anchorage. Homer deserves more than one night. Leave Homer until your next trip to Alaska

Yes, this is the first trip I have planned where our using public transportation dictated so much. I wanted to go a little later in the year to have a good chance to see the northern lights, but the train (indeed, the whole tourist infrastructure) seems to close in early September. I wanted to take the train from Dinali right to Seward, but there is only one train a day, and they don't connect.

This year our time is limited by family considerations, so we resolved to save some things we want to do until a next trip. I comfort myself that flying to Alaska is a good way to earn frequent flyer miles.

I would rethink the Princess Denali Lodge, unless you got a bargain price. Only a so so property at best. Without your own transportation, you aren't going to see any Northern Lights if available, you need TOTAL darkness and you are not in any staying in Glitter Gulch Denali Park or Anchorage. I would not consider a trip to Seward without a Kenai Fjords boat trip. It is the top attraction there. As mentioned, don't miss the Anchorage Art Museum and you may like the Native Culture museum??

Yes, you HAVE to do a Kenai Fjords boat trip from Seward

If you take the 6:45 am train to Seward, you will arrive at 11:05am and can easily make the 11:30 Kenai Fjords NP 6hr Tour.If you book in advance which I recommend, they will pick you up at the train station, store your luggage and get you to the boat. Very nice excursion, with ok lunch.
As for Anc, I had the same conclusion that it was a lot of time out of your total to see Alaska. If you include a few tours around Anc area, like to Heritage Center and surrounding tours, it might work out. If you decided to rent a car for one day, you would have a lot more flexibility to see more if you can or would like to do. If not, you could also do flt tour out of Anc to see bears or other things. Not enough time for Homer.

Consider leaving for Seward on Sept. 1 and spend two nights there. That way you could take the long KF Tour on the 2nd.

You've got a bit too much time in Anchorage.

While I'm a big believer in public transport, using a car for Anchorage-Seward opens up so many lovely options along the way -- i.e. Girdwood, Turnagain Arm, Kenai Lake, Turnagain Pass -- it might be worth an exception.

I agree, using a car in Alaska is a must if you want to see and do more. Anchorage is definately worthwhile, but so is a varied visit. Consider more of Seward.

Thanks for the information. I had given up on seeing the northern lights this trip, as we won't have time to get to a better viewing area, and from what I have read there are better times of year to try to see them.

I picked the Princess Denali Lodge not for ambience, but because it was the only place I found that is reported to have shuttles to and from the train station and the park, and because they do sell picnic lunches to take on the shuttle bus adventure.

I hadn't thought there was time to take the boat tour as it left so close to the time the train arrives; now that I know they coordinate, I will arrange for that tour. We will then have almost all of the next day for the maritime center.

As to the Kenai Fjord tours, I found three companies with decent sized boats (I didn't want the tours on the very small boats), Major Marine, Alaska Heritage Denai Fjords, and Reknown. All were very prompt in responding to my inquities.

All three meet you at the train station, and will provide storage for your luggage.

Major Marine and Alaska Heritage Kenai Fjords follow about the same route (50 or 60 miles around resurrection bay, and provide a meal that is more than a boxed lunch. Major Marine appears to cost less.

Renown has a longer tour, in excess of 100 miles, and takes you into an inlet to see the glaciers (similar to the longer tours on the other outfits, I suspect), with the route varying depending on ice conditions. They cost about the same as Alaska Heritage Kenai Fjords, and provide food, but since they don't have pictures of a buffet on their web site, I suspect the food is more like a boxed lunch.

Since we are going for scenery, not food, I think we will try Renown this trip.

Thanks for alerting me to the possibility of doing this. I am so used to planning that our arrival may be delayed, that I automatically assume that close connections are risky. I was very concerned in Switzerland, where the typical train connection may be four or five minutes, but we never missed a connection there; even being unfamiliar with the stations.

I have taken the 6hr Kenai Fjords Tour's NP tour. They are the largest operator in Seward. Is that now called Alaska Heritage? We have done two or three times. Allen Marine is a large company that does cruise ship excursions in several locations including Seward and Sitka. I have seen the ads for Reknown but don't know anything personally. But KFT are very good, we have never been packed full, and had plenty of lunch. The captains are very knowledgable. Be sure that they know when you make your reservations and later check back that you need to be picked up at train station.

Allen Marine is not in Seward, it's Major Marine, different company. Major Marine's food is also an extra charge. For Kenai Fjords tours, it's been Heritage for several years, goes by both it seems.