Just back from 2 week trip to Alaska
 

Visited Anchorage, Girdwood, Whittier, Seward, Juneau, Haines, Skagway, and Sitka. We traveled on our own and were glad we did, because we got to spend as much time as we wanted in various places without worrying about cruise ship schedules. Happy to answer any questions.

Some highlights:

Sitka (amazingly beautiful setting; excellent totem park and information on Russian history and the sale of Alaska; stayed at excellent B&B, Ocean View B&B; great sea kayaking);

Juneau (stayed 4 days at Alaska Capital Inn B&B; excellent B&B with great hosts, in perfect location in residential area near downtown Juneau; I highly recommend renting a car for 1 or 2 days and driving out the highway; very scenic; we hiked, visited Mendenhall Glacier (best late afternoon when hordes of cruise ship passengers are gone); took whale-watching boat trip, etc.;

Haines -- beautiful and unspoiled; we rented a car here as well; definitely worth a visit for a day or so;

Flightseeing over Glacier Bay from Skagway --awesome and well worth the $130 price; otherwise, we were not too impressed by Skagway; it really is a tourist trap;

Glacier boat tour from Whitter -- saw excellent calving at Harvard Glacier; well worth it.

Personally, I was not too impressed by Girdwood. Anchorage was a fun break for a day. Overall, an outstanding trip!

Thinking about Alaska for travel next year...and was looking for alternatives to cruise ship travel. How did you venture from place to place?

We flew into Anchorage and rented a car to see Girdwird, Whittier, Seward. We then flew to Haines via Juneau. We took a ferry from Haines to Sitka and a boat from Sitka to Juneau. We rented a car in Juneau. We then took the ferry to Sitka and flew out of Sitka. Alaska Air permits open jaws. Overall, it was very easy with a little planning, and we appreciated having the time to do what we wanted when we wanted.

Clarification -- we took a ferry from Haines to Skagway (not Sitka) and a boat from Skagway to Juneau.

Thanks for the review. I loved Haines too and hope to visit Anchorage one day:)