tammy63

Hello!
My husband and I are planning to venture to Alaska June 21 - June 28th. We are on a very tight budget but I want to go very bad! I need to know from the "experienced" if this plan is possible and worth doing...

Arrive June 21st in Anchorage and stay in a bed and breakfast for 3 nights. The anchorage marathon (my excuse for getting to go) is on June 23rd. We will do the pre-race stuff on the 22nd and I will run on the 23rd. I will pass out dead tired the rest of the day.. Ha! I thought we would then do something my husband would love. So.. I found an affordable cabin near Kenai river (this should be about a 3.5 hour drive or so from Anchorage. The man that owns the cabin would take us out to Cook inlet on one day for halibut fishing and on Kenai river the next for king salmon fishing. That would be on the 25th and 26th. We then thought we would drive to Seward (2.5 hours???) to go on a day cruise (keani fjord) I've heard this is great.. and then spend the night at a bed and breakfast in Seward and get up the next morning and drive back to Anchorage to catch our flight out at 10:00 pm that night (June 28th). Does this sound ok? Any other suggestions to make it better but yet still affordable the budget travler?
Thanks!

BudgetQueen

Your plan sounds great!!! For some cost savings, look at an off airport car rental. Thrifty is on Spenard, but see if the return times work out.

A nice B&B that is a bargain in Seward that I always stay at is Morning Calm. Spotless shared bath for 2 rooms.

In Anchorge, The Teddy Bear House and Chickadee are very nice and lower cost, again a spotless shared bath brings down the rates.

cd

tammy
Sounds great! Care to share information about the cabin? Thanks.

dfrostnh

Sounds great! It's fun to be there for the summer solstice. Seriously, don't forget the sunblock. I was out all day during that time of year and got a bad sunburn Duh! It was unusually warm so I should have known better. The wildflowers will be wonderful. Make sure to get to the airport at least 2 hours early. The Kenai Fjords boat trip is great. Take the longest one. I think you are going to see/do the best for a short visit.

BayouGal

Don't know if it'd be worth it to you, but you need to check out the Alaska toursaver coupon book just in case: http://toursaver.com/

Sounds like fun! Good luck with that grueling marathon!

tammy63

Thanks BudgetQueen for the info. on the bed and breakfast! I am going to check them out as well. I also thank Bayougal for the coupon place. Everything helps!

The cabin and guide that we are using is in Soldotna. Does this sound ok budgetqueen? I would also like to have a feel of what to expect while fishing. Do the fish actually bite? LOL! I hate sitting with a pole in the water for hours with no bites!! That is how I normally fish here in Oklahoma! I have heard that the fishing is a blast in Alaska and this is why I want my husband to get the opportunity..

Oh, and if we catch anything does anyone know the best way to get it home or would it cost to much to try to bring our "catch" home??

Thanks again!

tammy63

Hi! still hoping for more info!
Thanks!
Tammy

tammy63

I'm still looking for an affordable bed and breakfast in Seward for June 27th for after the Kenai Fjords trip. We won't need the lodging until around 7:30 p.m. and will leave early the next morning so are hoping for less expensive but CLEAN! The Morning Calm that BudgetQueen mentioned is not available that night. Any other help???

BayouGal

You have probably already searched all the web sites on Seward, but here's a good one, just in case:

http://www.sewardak.org/directory.htm

akvalleygirl

Sounds like a good plan. Seward is probably the most beautiful place you are planning on visiting, so spend as much time there as you can. Especially if you are an athletic person (which you obviously are), they have a mountain that they do a marathon up & down there every year. It might be fun to go up that weather depending.
As for fishing, you will always get something, but definitely prepare for long periods of boredom! Bring a book, and rain gear of course.
We were spoiled for a few summer, but last summer was not very good and after how cold we have been so far this winter I don't have much hope for a warm summer!

tammy63

BayouGal,
I was looking at the toursaver and didn't see the kenai Fjords long tour listed. I only saw a 3:00 p.m. tour. Am I overlooking something?
Thanks!
Tammy

BudgetQueen

Lodging is costly in Alaska, although I have never stayed there, the Moby Dick Hostel, looks nice and clean from the outside and an excellent location. Easy to walk to all of downtown, if you have no mobility limitations. http://www.mobydickhostel.com/

jonsey

If you're active duty or retired military there is the Seward Rec Camp just outside of town. Fills up in the summer and you'll need reservations.

tammy63

Thanks to EVERYONES suggestions on this post, we now have accomodations for the seven nights that we will be in Alaska! As I keep researching this beautiful place I wish that I could stay a month! Oh well, this will give us another excuse to come in the future.
King Regards!
Tammy

tammy63

Hello! I found a great deal (I think) and would like to share!! If anyone is planning on a Kenai Fjords day cruise you may consider checking this out. I called the major marines corportation to see if they had a coupon in the tour saver book. The nice girl on the phone told me that they did not but currently have a special running for 20 percent off if booked by May 1st. The cruise can be anytime during the season. You have the option to cancel with a full refund up to 2 weeks before scheduled date. I think the website was www.majormarine.com It states on the site that you can get 10 percent off for booking online. Anyway, I chose the 11:45 - 7:45 8 hour cruise. They offer a prime rib/salmon buffet on the boat during your cruise for $15.00 extra per person. I would love to hear from anyone that has either been on this cruise or at least this cruiseline to see if it is as nice as some of the others.

BudgetQueen

I have sailed with Major Marine out of both Seward and Whittier. A well run boat tour- you'll have a great time.

farm123

YOU all are great!! The info on the Kenai Fjords NP Cruises was just what I was looking for...There are some to pick from and I was tired of looking...I will book the Major Marine - Is the meal worth the price?