here4u1979

We are going to Alaska for the first time, here is the rough itinery and please provide suggestions. I want to make the hotels reservation based on your input

We are going for a 5 day trip. We are flying to Anchorage on Jun 30 at 7:30 p.m and fly back on Jul 05 at 8:40 P.M
We are planning to see Denali and Seward
July 1 –Start to Denali Stay a night in Denali. suggest me a place to stay (Don’t need Fancy)
We are planning to take the Denali bus Tour in Morning or afternoon. Please suggest other things to do
July 2-start back from Denali Stay night at Anchorage (suggest some nice budget hotels here)
Jul3 –Go to Seward Stay night in Seward. I looked at flights but it looks too costly. Are the trips worth it.? Please suggest to do activities here. Places to eat and Sleep in a budget. do you gusy suggest the Glacier Trips?
Jul4 –Back to Anchorage
Jul5 Visit in and around Anchorage what to visit in Anchorage?

I want to go on a train for Denali or Seward. Which one is the best?

your suggestions are highly appreciated

Thanks

padams421

For 5 days, I'd skip Denali, and stick to the Kenai peninsula. It's a long drive to Denali to just do the bus tour and turn around and go back to Anchorage. If I had only 5 days, I'd drive down to Girdwood and spend the night, explore that area, then drive to Seward and stay there for a couple of nights, and then back to Anchorage.

hopingtotravel

In addition to what padams said, a lot of tourists do not actually get to "see" the mountain in summer. It tends to make its own weather and is sometimes hidden by clouds. The attraction of the park is that sometimes one will see wildlife from the bus. That would be a tiring trip for that length of time however.

BudgetQueen

You have a BIG problem with your itinerary, not enough time. You NEED to look at 2 nights at Denali Park, NOT what you currently have planned. IT is no point in even going there, unless you invest the TIME to get into the park, meaning at the least- the Eielson Shuttle bus. It appears you are considering taking the Natural History tour, with your "morning/afternoon" reference? Definately a WASTE of time.

The highlight of Seward are the Kenai Fjords boat tours, needing AT least 6 hours on the water- again, do not consider anything shorter- another waste of time. Take precautions, it has rough sailing at some point, and I see sick passengers every trip.

I suggest you do your homework and find out about these locations, before you book anything. It will greatly enhance your choices.

The Kenai Peninsula touring is a good idea to consider, needing at least 2 nights in Homer, in my opinion.

Rethink this before you get going on lodging.

hopingtotravel

And, despite advertising, the boat tours out of Seward do not always see wildlife.

We had our own 20' skiff for 6 years and went out in summers. I think we saw orcas once.

People who fly in might enjoy the tours. Cruise ship passengers--no way--you go right back out the same bay!

BudgetQueen

I totally disagree with the above post, the Kenai Fjords is LOADED with varied wildlife and these boat tours certainly do see it- EVERY trip. On the route is the Chiswell Islands- sailing right next to it. This is a major Steller Sea Lion rookery. In fact researchers has installed a web cam. Sea lions are always there. Nobody is saying ANYTHING about whales- and NO you do not always see them, My stats are only about 50% of my numerous trips, have had whale sightings. There is WAY more wildlife, than just whales.

The above also definately does not know what they are talking about with the cruiseships?? First off, you can see VERY little from 12 decks up anyway, AND most significant, the northbound trips arrive between midnight and 2 am- WHAT are they going to see? And southbound trips- some leave as late as 9-10pm same thing?? It's dark/dusk.

Nobody is talking about any "bay" tours, I never recommend them. The point here are the Kenai Fjords boat tours, needing AT LEAST 6 hours on the water- nothing less. This is posted over and over.

dwooddon

I agree with BQ. I have never failed to see varied wildlife on the Glacier boat tours. I suppose I've been lucky based on soem of the comments above but I have seen whales, both gray and orcas, on every trip I've taken. In addition to those and the sea lions, I've seen sea otters, bears along the beach, puffins, and a huge variety of other sea birds.

hopingtotravel

Well, maybe the people I talked to happened to be the rare disappointed ones!

dwooddon

HopingtoTravel: You mentioned you had a skiff so maybe you did not take it into the gulf from Resurrection Bay. I've seen sea otters, sea lions, puffins, and other birds in the bay but all the whales I've seen are out further, in the Gulf of Alaska. I think that's probably why BudgetQueen recommended the longer glacier trips and not the shorter bay trips. I know it's why I do.

I'm sorry your friends had disappointing trips. I never have and I take the Kenai Fjords tour every time I go back.

spirobulldog

We saw a lot of wildlife on our one trip to KF's. We didn't see orcas, but we did see multiple humpbacks whales and even a baby.

I agree with others. I think you should pick Denali or Kenai/Seward area and stick with just one. Alaska isn't a place to check something off your bucket list. We spent 5 days in Kenai area and didn't go to Denali and thought it was great experience.

Here is a link to our photos
http://www.photoworks.com/slideshow/...7?source=pw980

BudgetQueen

hoping to travel, first you mention YOU are the one with the "boat" who never saw anything, then you claim the "people" you talked with??? Sorry, but you clearly do not have the experience here. I will "bet" your now "disappointed" "people" didn't even go on the fjords tour, and were on the bay tour.

Again, the Kenai Fjords boat tours, of at least 6 hours on the water ALWAYS see Varied wildlife, always.

hopingtotravel

I guess after 29 years in Alaska I tend to forget to count the otters, seals and puffins as wildlife. City dwellers would. Sorry, the 'disappointed' people I talked to were fellow Alaskans who expected to see bears and whales. And, BudgetQueen we DID take our boat out of Seward for 6 years. I'm not trying to hurt your business. I realize tourism is down. I just want people to be realistic in their expectations, i.e., they aren't going to see northern lights in July, Denali is not visible every day in summer, they can't drive all the way from Homer to Denali (reasonably) in a day, etc.

spirobulldog

hopingtotravel,

You are just plain WRONG. BudgetQueen gives excellent advice on Alaska and I don't know what you are refering to about hurting her business. You have now successfully ruined this post. And perhaps you might want click on my link above to see the Whales that we saw and other wildlife. So if I go to Africa expecting to see wildlife, I should be disappointed if I don't see a lion, but I do see a rhino, zebra, etc??? Your statement make no sense.

spirobulldog

I guess calving glaciers don't rank very high on your list either.

hopingtotravel

To clarify: from shore you can see mommy otters swimming on their backs with baby on their chest--very cute. OK, have seen calving glaciers from our boat.

CLynnWeg

We were in Alaska a few years ago at the time you will be there and the glacier tour we took out of Seaward was one of the highlights. We also enjoyed the aquarium. We really enjoyed our time in Homer and the Halibut we caught to bring home. Would go back to Homer in a heart beat. The drive to Denali was really long, reminds you that this is the frontier. Enjoyed seeing grizzly bears on the all day tour. That said, we spent 2 weeks doing the above, with Valdez added.

BudgetQueen

I have NO business in Alaska, and no business dealing with any of my favorite vendors, other than being a customer.

It is really sad, that you don't count all the marine wildlife viewed from the Kenai Fjords boat tours. It is a highlight and greatly enjoyed by many many visitors.

cbdurf

This is in reply to your message on my post about places to stay. We are staying at the Denali Mountain Morning Hostel in Denali (has a 3 night minimum) and does have private accomodations. In Seward we are staying at Angel's Rest B&B. Hope this info is helpful!