If you had one opportunity to see Alaska - how and what would you do?
Dec 11th, 2006, 04:05 PM
#21
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I should add that we were also budget minded, and found a great price on the cruise and we were lucky enough to get a nice upgraded room. We found excellent budget accomodation outside Denali NP too -- an authentic Alaskan cabin!
Dec 13th, 2006, 09:18 AM
#22
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Another good resource for getting tour and itinerary ideas is a book called The Great Alaskan Toursaver at www.toursaver.com that has over 100 2-for-1 coupons for great trips all over Alaska. At their site you'll find a complete listing of all the offers in the book and detailed descriptions and photos of each individual tour. Great Alaska money saving travel resource!!
Dec 15th, 2006, 12:25 AM
#23
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JC98, thanks for directing me to your trip report, it was a great read. I truly enjoyed every detail in your report, it made me feel like i was there with you. It took me several sittings 
and was well worth it. Your photos were fabulous also.
I like your traveling style sounds very similar ours.
and was well worth it. Your photos were fabulous also.I like your traveling style sounds very similar ours.
Dec 15th, 2006, 02:27 AM
#24
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Hi there,
we are also from Australia and have visited Alaska twice. My husband is 41 and I am 36.
The first time we went to Alaska we took an Inside Passage cruise from Vancouver. We visited a few different ports and also Glacier Bay.
Our last trip to Alaska was last year and we flew to Anchorage and hired a car. We stayed in Anchorage a couple of nights and then went to Denali National Park for 2 nights and then Seward for 3 nights. We finished up at the Holiday Inn Express near Anchorage airport. It was a great part of our trip. We would have like to stay longer but we flew to Europe from Toronto, so did,'t have as much time as we would have liked.
Next time, we would like to do the Yukon drive to Fairbanks.
Make sure you also go to British Columbia. The scenery is spectacular.
Donna
we are also from Australia and have visited Alaska twice. My husband is 41 and I am 36.
The first time we went to Alaska we took an Inside Passage cruise from Vancouver. We visited a few different ports and also Glacier Bay.
Our last trip to Alaska was last year and we flew to Anchorage and hired a car. We stayed in Anchorage a couple of nights and then went to Denali National Park for 2 nights and then Seward for 3 nights. We finished up at the Holiday Inn Express near Anchorage airport. It was a great part of our trip. We would have like to stay longer but we flew to Europe from Toronto, so did,'t have as much time as we would have liked.
Next time, we would like to do the Yukon drive to Fairbanks.
Make sure you also go to British Columbia. The scenery is spectacular.
Donna
Dec 15th, 2006, 01:24 PM
#25
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Lordy, which trip experience did you prefer - the cruise or the land or do you have to just do both
Because it's so far to get to Alaska/Canada we want to make the most out of the trip. Our thoughts are Alaska, BC, Toronto (family) Quebec and NYC.
I think it might be a huge undertaking to do in 4 weeks - any thoughts?.
Because it's so far to get to Alaska/Canada we want to make the most out of the trip. Our thoughts are Alaska, BC, Toronto (family) Quebec and NYC.
I think it might be a huge undertaking to do in 4 weeks - any thoughts?.
Dec 15th, 2006, 01:46 PM
#26
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I have always wanted to make the journey to the "The Last Frontier" State. I would arm myself with all the proper Maps, Camp and Tour Books from AAA as well as a copy of the "The Milepost", and I would drive. Keep in mind I live in the state of Florida and it would be a very long trip....
http://www.themilepost.com/
http://www.50states.com/alaska.htm
http://www.themilepost.com/
http://www.50states.com/alaska.htm
Dec 15th, 2006, 01:47 PM
#27
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Good answers have been given. A few yrs ago we took our 3 teenage sons and cruised the inside passage from Vancouver to Seward. From Seward they bussed us to Anchorage (they do that for everyone). We shipped back our tuxes and party dresses, picked up a motor home and spent 2 weeks driving all over. The rental RV's come with grills, lawn chairs, fishing poles etc. Summer time gives you almost unlimited daylight so we packed in tons of activities. Because of limited restaurants and things are so far apart, the RV was perfect. Food prices are high too so it would have cost the national debt to feed 3 teenage boys at restaurants.
I recommend summer. Go salmon fishing in the Kenai, and or Halibut fishing. White water raft near Denali and hike the glaciers. I wouldn't have missed the cruise either, calving glaciers, seeing eagles and otters. 2 totally different trips and we really understood Alaska afterward. Book the cheapest room on the ship...who cares!
I recommend summer. Go salmon fishing in the Kenai, and or Halibut fishing. White water raft near Denali and hike the glaciers. I wouldn't have missed the cruise either, calving glaciers, seeing eagles and otters. 2 totally different trips and we really understood Alaska afterward. Book the cheapest room on the ship...who cares!
Dec 16th, 2006, 12:15 PM
#28
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I think 4 weeks would be a good start in Alaska, then another 3 to 4 weeks in B.C. You could get a fair look at some of Quebec in 2 weeks and I would allocate about 10 seconds to NYC, but that's because I hate big cities and crowds. ;^)
Dec 19th, 2006, 06:08 PM
#29
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Looks like people have given a lot of excellent advice in response to your post. I would agree that an Alaska cruise is the best and most economical way to see coastal Alaska, especially if you don't mind an inside cabin. Food and lodging in Juneau and the other Inside Passage ports is very pricey in the summer - you can easily pay US$200 a night for an utterly sub-par motel in Juneau.
Last minute booking of cruises can be a great bargain - I have booked last minute and paid 1/4 the price of what others paid on the same cruise for the same room.
However, waiting until the last minute makes booking airfare difficult, especially from Australia and needing a split Anchorage/Vancouver ticket.
Instead, you might want to look at late May or early September cruises, if you can travel then, since these tend to be the cheapest times to book.
The lower "Inside Passage" portion of Alaska is simply spectacular, Glacier Bay and Misty Fjords being two of my favorite places on Earth. You can only see these places by boat or float plane, and the cheapest way is on a major cruise line.
The great interior of Alaska is also amazing - Denali/McKinley is the tallest vertical rise from its base of any mountain, and the surrounding area is beautiful.
But if you are seeking a truly unique and out-of-the-way wilderness adventure, you might look into Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, southeast of Anchorage. This is rue wilderness, yet surprisingly accessible, and the mountains in this region rival McKinley in size and grandeur.
While hotels and motels in Anchorage and other towns are very expensive in the summer, the camper suggestion is a great idea. I would also suggest looking at bed and breakfasts, which can run 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of hotels, and which allow you to interact with locals and other visitors.
You can find more info on all of this at http://www.alaska-cruise-advisor.com
Whatever you do, you will have a great time - Alaska is simply amazing.
Last minute booking of cruises can be a great bargain - I have booked last minute and paid 1/4 the price of what others paid on the same cruise for the same room.
However, waiting until the last minute makes booking airfare difficult, especially from Australia and needing a split Anchorage/Vancouver ticket.
Instead, you might want to look at late May or early September cruises, if you can travel then, since these tend to be the cheapest times to book.
The lower "Inside Passage" portion of Alaska is simply spectacular, Glacier Bay and Misty Fjords being two of my favorite places on Earth. You can only see these places by boat or float plane, and the cheapest way is on a major cruise line.
The great interior of Alaska is also amazing - Denali/McKinley is the tallest vertical rise from its base of any mountain, and the surrounding area is beautiful.
But if you are seeking a truly unique and out-of-the-way wilderness adventure, you might look into Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, southeast of Anchorage. This is rue wilderness, yet surprisingly accessible, and the mountains in this region rival McKinley in size and grandeur.
While hotels and motels in Anchorage and other towns are very expensive in the summer, the camper suggestion is a great idea. I would also suggest looking at bed and breakfasts, which can run 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of hotels, and which allow you to interact with locals and other visitors.
You can find more info on all of this at http://www.alaska-cruise-advisor.com
Whatever you do, you will have a great time - Alaska is simply amazing.
Dec 26th, 2006, 12:18 PM
#30
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Order a copy of MilePost - it's an invaluable planning guide. The #1 favorite part of our trip? A day trip at Ketchikan, then the ferry up the inside passage to Juneau. A boat tour up the Tracy Arm Fjord (too shallow and narrow for the cruise ships so you're not competing for a view) with Adventure Bound to see the Sawyer Glacier. Unbelievable!
