Just returned from my first trip to this truly amazing place. Best vacation ever! We flew into Anchorage, rented a car at Affordable,drove to seward, Exit Glacier, Girdwood, back to anchorage. Took Railroad to denali ( 8 hours, way too long but very scenic, actually saw Mt. McKinley while onboard) then stayed 95 miles inside the park at denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna, which truly was a fantastic experience. The accomodations included the ride through the park in private bus ( van on the way back) staying in private cabin with bath, all meals(incredible food) and activities. We hiked through the park with guides and saw bears( both black and brown) and caribou and moose. We were in Denali for 3 nights and wished we could have stayed longer. But I do not think we would have appreciated the beauty of this park if we did not stay inside. There are also other accomodations in Kantishna, but I dont know if they are as nice.
We also loved the Kenai Peninsula and did the 6 hour boat tour which also should not be missed. We stayed at the Seward Windsond which was a really nice place.
We also rented bikes while in anchorage and did the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, moose very close-up and beautiful birds and scenery.
We definetly packed too much. It was in the 80s in Anchorage, cold while on the boat and then warm, cool and wet at various times in Denali.
Overall, a very perfect time!!! Thanks for the tips before hand.

Nice trip report. Makes me feel like I should fly up and check it out.

Your report makes me want to visit Alaska - NOW!

I've done this trip plus the cruise. No where like it. I would love to try living there.

Well done MJ. You got a little taste of the whole.

Lenny, I've been trying to live up here since 1980, and, for the record, I still agree with MJ.... "WOW!"

Best place on earth. In fact, most of my own vacations are spent trying to see and experience all the more of it.

I've lived here 20 years and you did good! We had the warmest summer this year I have ever remembered. Also, sounds like you went to all the right places and were lucky to see Denali which is often socked in by clouds in summer.

This is very interesting brief report. Too bad here are so many too long reports.
To the top because getting tired of all those posts on Hawaii and Key West

Great report! I'd love to go to Alaska. I am curious about something. I've heard many people say that they were "lucky" enough to see Mt McKinlay. Is it really clouded in that much of the time, that it is a rarity to see it? And is there a better time of year to see it?
Also is it worth it to go further north to be inside the Arctic Circle? Is there much to see that far north? I've always wanted to travel to inside the Arctic Circle, but it seems it would take up too much of my 2 week vacation.
Thanks MJ for stirring up these Alaska yearnings in me!

I think you need two weeks just to explore the places mentioned. We had just a week since we spent time on the ferry up the inside passage, 2 days in Skagway and 2 days to drive to Anchorage. The part of the Yukon we drove thru was beautiful but desolate in a way. I remember a glacier lake that was an eery shade of blue and it just didn't look real. Nothing around the lake but later I learned there was one or two fishing lodges. Another area was vivid pink with fireweed, hundreds of acres of burned forest. It will be interesting if someone who has visited the Artic Circle posts. My son did not care for Nome but loves the Anchorage area.

Donna, Thanks for the information. I, too, hope this thread gets more responses.

Great little report. Dh and I would love to take a trip there very soon. Lucky you

Kodi, Mt. McKinley is so big (along with other very tall mountains in the neighborhood) that it makes its own weather. It's visible to park visitors somewhere around half the time, as I recall. There are no hard and fast rules regarding if you will see it or not. The best time of year to see it is probably in winter, but you probably don't want to go to interior Alaska then.

Crossing the Arctic Circle is not that momentous a deal, but if it's something that fascinates you, probably the best way to do it is through visits to either Kotzebue or Barrow, both of which are very interesting Eskimo towns located on the Arctic Ocean. Alaska Airlines, for example, has easy overnight or one-day trips to either or both. You will get "midnight sun" (continuous daylight) in Barrow up to the first of August or so; Kotzebue, being further south, will have 24-hour sun only for a few days right around the solstice in June.

John, Thank you so very much for the imformation.
My little fascination with crossing the Arctic Circle is mainly because my birthday is on the summer solstice..and since I was very young have always thought it would be great to experience the midnight sun on my birthday. So it isn't so much the landscape that holds my interest. The area around Anchorage sounds more what I'd enjoy, but your info on one day trips to the northern villages sounds like a good idea.
Silly question, but would I actually have to cross the Arctic Circle to experience the midnight sun?

Even as far south as Seward, it was still daylight at midnight. The sun was down but it was very light. We never saw true darkness (mid July). It was hard for me to sleep because the drapes could never keep out the light.

You can see the sun at midnight some places south of the Arctic Circle but only because the time zones have been drawn crooked. Only at or above the Arctic Circle does the sun remain above the horizon for 24 hours on the solstice. It circles above the horizon continuously longer the farther north you go, so that in Barrow, for example, it comes up in May and doesn't set until August.

If your birthday is on the solstice you really ought to be in the Arctic at least once IMO. Lots of people throw big parties in Alaska on the solstice, and in Fairbanks the local minor league baseball team starts a game around 10:30 PM or so with no lights on; the game is played fully in daylight, ending around 1 or 2. Beer happens. You can also play a round of midnight golf on a couple of the courses.

John, That's what I needed!!! Confirmation that my dream isn't totally crazy! I'm glad you agree that I should do this at least once on my birthday! It sounds like a lot of fun...and perhaps the flight up for a day or two would be the answer.
Thanks again for all the info.