On my wish list is a trip to Alaska. I know so many go on Alaska cruises and love it. But I also read where people do lands trips and go to wonderful places inland.

I love beautiful scenery, love to see animals.

What is the best way to really see the best of Alaska?
I'd love any opinions.

Having done both, I would strongly recommend the land trip. You'll really see and do so much more. When you're old, go on the cruise.

kodi
We've done both. We flew into Anchorage, toured a few days, (flew over Mt McKinley and landed on a lake,wonderful!) took a day's flight into the Artic (Kotzebue) and then rented a car and drove south to Seward and Homer. Beautiful trip! Then last year we took a cruise through the Inside Passage with all the shore excusions. Absolutely loved it. Maybe the best, for me, would be to combine the two. Of course my husband wants to go back and drive down to Dutch Harbor and the Bering Sea.

It depends on your budget and how much time you have. To go on both is an excellent idea if you have at least two weeks

cd, are you sure your husband wants to drive down to Dutch Harbor and the Bering Sea?

kodi, I should say that you cannot go wrong whether you chose cruise or land trip. Alaska is an amazing place to visit. Both options will give you plenty of gorgeous scenery and wildlife. Meanwhile, enjoy reading posts on here on Alaska, order visitors guides maybe from Anchorage, Homer, Denali Park, Seward, Valdez, Ketchikan, Juneau, Glacier Bay NP, Sitka, Haines, Fairbanks. Go to the bookstore and browse through many guides. Get one or two. I have one favorite guide book but I won't mention here since this is not the fodor's book. Enjoy reading and planning.

maps, we have not researched that trip cause I doubt I will ever be ready for it, Bad idea? He seems to think he can at some point park the vehicle and take a marine ferry.

I would say land, we based out of anchorage, and took a weekend to denali, train to seward area, and several "day trips". the hwys are few, and very easy to get around, and so many places to stop and get out. I agree wait till your old to do the cruise. look at the itenerary, and decide, personally I would not want to "waste" 2 days in Fairbanks, which is where some tours stick you. ( F-banks fans, don't jump down my throat for knocking it, just not what we wanted to do.

One cannot drive to the Bering Sea from any point in southcentral Alaska. The ferry runs from Homer at the south tip of the Kenai Peninsula, out to Dutch Harbor/Unalaska, then turns around - once a month.

The trip out the chain is fascinating (IMO one of the most beautiful areas of Alaska) but the ocean can be extremely rough and it's not a trip for those expecting much in the way of creature comforts.

Best approach is to fly one way. I would not leave a car at Homer (especially with Alaska car rental rates) but would fly either to/from Homer or to/from Kodiak to rendezvous with the Tustemena on the way out or back.

Thanks Gardyloo for that information. We had a boat for 8 seasons on the Great Lakes and have been in rough seas. It never bothered my husband, but it does bother me so I do think I will skip this adventure. I do think will start researching another trip to Homer (love, love, love all the fresh seafood) and Kodiac.

Thank you for all the great replies.
All of it sounds so beautiful.
I will order some tour books and in the mean time, I'll keep dreaming about it.

Alaska is rising rapidly on my list of places to go to.....thanks for all the advice as well!

Having just returned from our first visit of 16 days to this amazing state, I would recommend foregoing the cruise. We debated between the two & after much research & discussions decided to go it alone & was so glad we did. We spoke with countless people who had done the cruise & were on the land portion & wished they not done the tour. They were on too tight of a schedule & not free to linger at different sights & spend more time. I also would not have enjoyed being herded onto the tons of buses & being told what to see & do & having 15 mins. to do it. It wasn't for us! We had the luxury to hike when & where we wanted & did flightseeing, boat cruises, rafting, bicycling & fishing on our time schedule & it proved to be our vacation of a lifetime. Already planning our return trip!

I visit Alaska every year and what I observed that everyone has his or her own way of traveling. Before you decide, kodi, make sure what appeals to YOU not to others. Many people enjoy taking cruise and then do the land portion on their own. I know one couple who traveled to Alaska a few times and wouldn't go any other way but with an organized tour. Some visitors take cruises and love them, others do only land trip and enjoy them too. Some people rent an RV and love it, for some having a rental car and staying in hotels is more appealing. Many of us stay in small cabins, some love Alaskan B&Bs. As you see there are many options. Read posts here and decide what would work for YOU. I can tell you what works for me but that doesn't mean it is your way of traveling. This year we are doing something different, driving one way and taking the ferry back. So many beautiful areas in Alaska where wildlife is still wild. It is easy to find places where you see wildlife and have a beautiful scenery. All at once.

Amen maps, so very true. Please write a trip report when you return.

We had a boat for 8 seasons on the Great Lakes and have been in rough seas. It never bothered my husband, but it does bother me so I do think I will skip this adventure.

As someone who live in Alaska and in the Great Lakes largest port, I can say this is a wise choice. Despite the big storms on the GL, the day-to-day differences between the Great Lakes and the Dutch Harbor, Bering Sea waters are huge.

Thanks for the confirmation repete. How about from Homer to Kodiak?

You cannot drive from Homer to Kodiak Island. Fly or take the ferry

Buttinsky here... Homer to Kodiak is also big water. The "trusty Tusty" is a decent ocean-capable boat but a smallish one, so she bounces around quite a bit on 8 to 12 foot seas, not uncommon.

I tried to book the ferry from Homer to Kodiak this year but only about a week after the schedule was out there were no cabins available. All booked!
Besides, the ferry sails so seldom between these two destinations it was impossible to fit Kodiak in our itinerary since we wanted to use the ferry and take a car with us. BTW, I talked with a few people who got violently sick on the ferry from Juneau to Whittier and this part of the marine route is not as rough as the one Gardyloo mentioned

Thanks everyone. Flying it is. What airline out of Homer?