Dear Forum Members,
I have spent the last 3 weeks reading web sites, guide books and this forum. Now I have a tentative schedule for my trip and I would appreciate any input you may have to help polish it up. We will be a group of 4 adults who enjoy easy hiking, nature and wildlife viewing and probably kayaking as well. We plan to stay at B&Bs but have not gotten that far yet in the planning. Right now we are more concerned as to whether we have included the best venues and activities to make this a once in a lifetime trip, since we are coming from abroad will probably never have the opportunity to do this again. So, here's the first draft intinerary:
Thursday, August 31st
We arrive in Anchorage in the afternoon at around 3:00pm. We will pick up a rental car.
Friday, September 1
• Hike 1.5 mile path to summit of Flattop Mountain in chugach State Park.
• Plan other hikes - what do you suggest?
Saturday, September 2
• Head out towards Palmer where we will do the mine, Matanuska Glacier and Musk Ox farm
• Spend night in Palmer
Sunday, September 3
• Finish sight seeing in Palmer and Matanuska Glacier area
• Drive to Denali area
Monday, September 4
• 11 hour Shuttle bus of Denali
Tuesday, September 5
• White water rafting
• Head back to Girdwood
Wednesday, September 6
• Short hike to falls at Girdwood
• Drive to Whittier and stop to see the Portage Glacier
• Can we do a kayaking trip in the afternoon? Any recommendations?
Thursday, September 7
• cruise PWS
Friday, September 8
• Drive to Homer – kayaking in afternoon
Saturday, September 9
• Other Homer activities - suggestions?
Sunday, September 10
• Drive to Seward - sea kayaking
Monday, September 11
• Seward - Northwest glaciers cruise
Tuesday, September 12
• Return to Anchorage and spend a final day of sight seeing here before the flight home past midnight.

The Alaska State Fair is August 24 - Sept 4 in Palmer. You should book reservations soon (we enjoyed Alaska Garden Gate B&B in Palmer) or possibly re-arrange your schedule to avoid the area during the fair. Personally, I would opt to go to the fair. We like fairs in general and very much enjoyed the Forest Fair in Girdwood one July. You might have trouble booking only one night at some B&Bs, some have a 2 night minimum. The visitors center at Portage Glacier is fascinating. Visit the Pratt Museum in Homer and take the drive that overlooks the town. It looks like you have 2 nights planned in Whittier. We didn't care for Whittier at all since it's a former military base but accomodations might be nicer now that the new hotel has opened. I would recommend driving to Homer after the the PWS cruise. I think it's about a 3 hour drive. Don't forget to check the time table for the drive thru the tunnel to get to Whittier. Only one way traffic is allowed. The B&B we used in Whittier was in the former officers barracks which also houses apartments for residents. We had a nice view and the resident manager was very nice but it might not fit your idea of a B&B.
Hope you have a great trip!

I am seeing on the forum that better kayaking is to be had in Valdez. Could I scratch Whittier and get to Valdez for a cruise of the PWS and for kayaking, or am I trying to cram in too much?
Thanks for the help.

If you are interested in sea birds on your Kenai fjords tour, I would suggest you rearrange your schedule to have that at the begining of your trip. When you are going, they will be gone.

I would plan on doing your PWS cruise out of Whittier the same day, rather than adding a day. Most tours are at 1pm, so plenty of time for your am hiking.

It will require you shorten somewhere if you want to add Valdez, I suggest at least 2 days, then the ferry to Whittier. Look and see what the schedule is NOW, since they reduce the schedule in Sept. You don't have any extra time in Denali, so your only option would be to skip Palmer and perhaps a day in Seward.

Determine what your priorities are and go from there.

Do not miss the musk ox farm near Palmer. We did not find Valdez very interesting. Except for the drive there, which has beautiful scenery,I could have done without it. Don't miss the museum in Homer, or the Sea Life center in Seward.

We enjoyed the Alaska State Fair, just because it is a local thing, and we usually try to "get local" when we travel.....it gives a sense of "where you are".

I am amazed at the willingness of you all to help and answer my questions. thank you yet again. At the risk of being a nudge I want to ask again about the kayaking. I have read in various places that the kayaking in Valdez is wonderful due to the Shoup and Columbia glaciers. I will be taking a cruise in both Seward and PWS, so where do you all suggest that I aim for with the kayaking. I have the options of Seward, Homer, Whittier, or Valdez. Which should I go for?
Can anyone tell me how long the drive from Seward to Valdez is? How about Seward to Whittier? The distances are deceiving on the map - it all looks small but I know that is not the case.
Gratefully,
Georgel

Whittier/Seward is 2 hours. Plus tunnel time. Valdez to Seward is about 9 with stops.

Kayaking is great most anywhere in Alaska. But in my opinion, Valdez does have plenty to do, great hiking and definately one of the most scenic drives.

Make sure you get off the bus and hike a little in Denali. It's absolutely amazing to be out there by yourself. The busses actually reserve a few spots to pick up people hiking, so you shouldn't have any problem getting on the first bus you want to flag down. I talked about our experience doing this in my trip report (recently topped), creatively titled "Alaska Trip Report - Aug 05."

If time is really limited and you can't add Valdez, try a kayaking trip out of Whittier where they take you out by boat to a scenic glaciated area and drop you off with the kayaks. They return at a designated time to pick you up (it is also done this way in Valdez). You might also try for the same sort of trip out of Seward, but it'd be closer to glaciated areas to go from Whittier.

Valdez is a small town . . . a fishing town comes to mind when I think of Valdez--I am trying to think of something you might be familiar with to get an idea of Valdez. The drive there is jaw dropping gorgeous, and the hikes and boating activities are great. However, Seward is a great little seaside town, too. The scenery around Homer is beautiful beyond compare, and there are tons of outdoor activities there as well. We had a wonderful day halibut fishing out of Homer. Just hanging out and walking around the spit is fun, too.

Feel free to ask more specific questions as you plan. Also, search online for more info on these communities. The photos and descriptions may help you make up your mind.

Good luck with your planning!