Lodging in Moose Pass
 

We most likely will be traveling by ferry from Valdez to Whittier. Travel time is 2hr. 45 min not including getting the car off the boat. I thought that we would make our way towards Seward with a stop at the Trail Lake Lodge in Moose Pass. The website says this is a 30-minute trip. Would it be reasonable to stay here for each night of our Seward leg? I want to hike Exit Glacier--the ranger-led all day hike, do the Northwestern Fjords or Captians Choice boat tour or Kenai Fjords, the Ididariide Dog Sled ride, and visit the SeaLife Center. Would this be too much driving back and forth; should we move on to Seward for two nights after a night in Moose Pass?

Is the trip from Seward to Homer, with time for stops, too much to do in one day. Is Soldotna a good stopping place?

Thanks
Lynda

I'd suggest staying in Seward for those two nights just because it's a fun town and there's little to do in pretty Moose Pass (unless you have axes to grind ...)

Seward to Homer is a pretty easy trip in a day (or a morning or afternoon -- it's only 170 miles or so over decent roads). There's no need to overnight in the Kenai/Soldotna area, although it's a good place for a mid-drive break -- and arrives right after that boring stretch of road near Sterling. Plus, Homer is a nicer area to stay.

Soldotna would be a good place to stop for lunch. After that there aren't too many choices after that until you get to Homer. What I liked about staying in Seward was walking the streets after dinner and enjoying the views.

Moose Pass is only 30 miles from Seward, so not that difficult to "commute" to Seward, but there isn't much there and I would speculate that 1 night would be plenty.

I do not recommend Homer as a day trip, with return to Seward. 2 nights are my min. so to enjoy the many activites there as well as the drive. In my opinion the scenery to the Cook Inlet is so so at best. It definately is a very nice trip and easy in one day. www.kenaipeninsula.com

Thanks, all.

I think we definitely will go on to Seward instead of stopping in Moose Pass. I will plan at least 2 nights there and maybe a third. Also, two nights in Homer.

Many have said to stay flexible and I really don't want to be so tied to a schedule; but I'm not sure how to do that when it is necessary to make reservations so far in advance. For example, the bus trip to Wonder Lake or Kantishna and the Kenai Fjords trip, etc. Will it be fairly easy to get a room in most places on the day you need it? This would be from around June 20th to third or fourth week in July.

Thanks, again.

Lynda

The advantage of planning ahead is getting your preferred lodging and doing your preferred activities. Once you are there you can make changes/be flexible but bring a list of other recommended places to stay. On our last trip from mid-June to July 6 we had reservations for weekends only. The rest of the time we made last minute reservations. We got a pleasant surprise one night but for another night we got a barely acceptable b&b with a room over the garage that was still available. I used a list in the local visitor guides but without any recommendations or research. You should make a list of the cancellation policies for the places you have reserved. For some reason, Father's Day weekend was very popular in Palmer so places were already filled months ahead of time. Mid-week you might have more flexibility. You will also see an increase in travelers/traffic when salmon runs start in different places. Locals will skip work/take vacation days and head to the KP. 4th of July is a popular weekend. You're on your own and will have flexibility. You will probalby find that you spend extra time at some places and shorten your visits at others depending on your interests/the weather/etc.

I only recommend booking lodging in advance. What people don't realize is that the state is vast. If you get on the road, going about your merry way, and decide to wing it for the night- you could be 50 miles from lodging. It isn't like the lower 48 where you have a cluster off an exit. Many places are "hidden", small little signs then a long drive down a path. It isn't that hard to estimate where you want to be.

You need advance reservations for the shuttle bus to Wonder Lake, but they do open reservations 2 days prior at 7am. When you are going, there is not likely to be any walk up space.

Thanks a bunch to both of you. I am doing lots of research especially into different routes to take and making a list of the things we really want to do. If we opt not to do the ferry up the Inside Passage, then we will do a day boat tour from Skagway or Haines to Juneau and a ferry from either Whittier to Valdez or Valdez to Whittier. Will we see much of Prince William Sound this way?

Defrostnh: Did you all travel through Calgary and Banff on your way out west?

The Valdez/Whittier ferry is transportation based. You see FAR more on boat tours out of both cities, which would be my recomendation.

Thanks, BudgetQueen. I'll add a Prince William Sound Tour out of Valdez. Hopefully, a combination glacier cruise and kayaking trip.