Gordon_R

We arrive in Anchorage on June 10 and pick up a pre-reserved 25-foot RV which we'll return on June 17. So we have 6 full days on the road. We initially considered driving up to Denali, but taking into account the 1-day drive there and back, plus the chances of bad weather, we don't think we have enough time to do it justice - but do tell me if I'm being pessimistic here.

We are planning to tour instead the Kenai peninsula. We are interested in dramatic landscapes/scenery/photo ops, wildlife/whale watching opportunities, and visitng small communities with interesting/quirky things to see and do. What would be a good 6-day itinerary for this?

With regard to RV parks, is it necessary to book spaces ahead during early June or could we just turn up on the day?

Finally, are there any routes on the Kenai peninsula where it would be inadvisable to take an RV due to it's size?

Thanks in advance!

bigtyke

We were there in late May a few years ago. No need to reserve then.

GBelle

When we rented our RV, we drove to Fairbanks and stopped at Denali. This was August and we wanted to take the park bus tour into the park. We saw the mountain that day, and the ranger said we were lucky because it was only the 5th time the entire summer that it had been visible.
There isn't as "much" to do in the Fairbanks area, but if you have small kids, take a side trip from Fairbanks to North Pole AK and/or do a "gold panning" trip for a few hours. Lots of fun for them.
The decision to drive there vs Kenai is up to you.

One thing I would suggest is to get a copy of The Milepost before you leave. It's a valuable resource for driving in Alaska. Also, be sure to stock up on provisions in Anchorage at the supermarket(s) there. Prices are higher if you can find smaller stores elsewhere.

dfrostnh

There's a road in Homer that goes up to the Skyline Drive. It's pretty steep with switchbacks. You might not want to attempt that. You can get to the Skyline Drive from a different point, I think it was off the main road into town. The view is very nice but so is the view from the rest area just before you go into town. You're still up high and it sort of looks over the spit.

The camping situation will change as soon as the salmon start running. On our last visit we were there from mid-June to just after 4th of July. There was nobody around the Russian River fishing area but then the run started and parking was at a premium. There was also an RV park beach outside Kenai where locals were net fishing. It looked pretty full. You might be leaving just before salmon runs start.

The Seward Hwy south of Anchorage is definitely dramatic scenery. The town of Talkeetna north of Anchorage gets pretty festive for the summer solstice. You might consider spending two days of your trip in that direction. It's not as far as Denali but it's also not as scenic as the Seward Hwy but Talkeetna is definitely quirky.

We waited for the perfect day before making reservations a day ahead for a boat trip out of Seward to see glaciers and wildlife. Mid-week in June and there wasn't a lot of people on the boat and it was a beautiful, calm day.

Gordon_R

Thanks for the responses. I have ordered a copy of The Milepost. I've been holding off booking spaces at RV parks as we'd prefer if possible to build in as much flexibility as possible. For the responses so far, it sounds like there won't be a problem without reservations from June 10-17.

vincenzo32951

Just some random thoughts:

GBelle is right; Fairbanks generally is not a place I'd stop. But there is a fun paddle boat tour on the river that I'd recommend. It stops at Susan Butcher's training camp and a replica of an Athabascan village.

I'd consider the drive to Denali to be worth it, but that's something you'd have to decide for yourself.

Another interesting trip: The drive through the tunnel to Whittier. Don't know the limits on RV size. That's something you'd have to check.

Just outside of Anchorage, there's a replica of a native settlement that I found interesting. (Sorry, can't remember the name.)The different areas are staffed by native Alaskans who are happy to answer questions about village life.

You also could drive out of Anchorage to the Alyeska resort near Girdwood. In the summer, you can take the ski lift to the top of the mountain and get some interesting views. Stop at the Bake Shop for their all-you-can-eat soup and rolls, though you probably won't be able to eat more than one serving.

Gordon_R

Our cruise ship docks at Whittier prior to the RV leg of our journey, so we've not planning to go back there thru the tunnel.

Don't get me wrong, we'd love to go up to Denali, but the concern is that we'd need to commit 3 whole days to this - 1 day each there/back on the road and one day *there* (which may of course coincide with bad weather). We're thinking we might come back another year and see Denali/Fairbanks.

Alyeska looks interesting - we like mountain-top views!