It seems it is my turn now. Thanks to everybody in advance !! We have 2 weeks, 16th to 30th august and first time in Alaska from Europe

8/16 3:00pm direct AS flight Seattle-Gustavus/Glacier Bay, evening arrival and overnight in Gustavus (or Barlett Cove area)

8/17 2:00pm Pt. Adolphus whale watching boat tour (3 hours), overnight in Gustavus

8/18 8 hours Glacier Bay Tour until 3:30pm and immediate transfer to Gustavus airport for the 6:00pm AS direct flight to Anchorage, evening arrival and overnight in Anchorage

8/19 Anchorage-Homer

8/20 full day floatplane trip to Katmai for bearviewing

8/21 Home-Seward via Exit Glacier

8/22 Northwestern fjords cruise

8/23 shorter PWS cruise. Which one? to Fox island ??

8/24 Seward-Whittier including Portage Glacier

8/25 Whittier-Valdez

From Valdez to Denali option 1) or 2) depending if I can drive the Denali Highway with a rented SUV or have to go via Glenn Hwy via Anchorage

Option 1)

8/26 Valdez-Paxson

8/27 Paxson-Denali

8/28 Denali full day bus tour

8/29 Denali-Anchorage

8/30 morning shopping in ANC + 3:00pm flight back to Europe

Option 2)

8/26 Valdez-Anchorage

8/27 Anchorage-Talkeetna

8/28 morning flightseeing on Mt McKinley from Talkeetna and Talkeetna-Denali

8/29 Denali full day bus tour

8/30 very early morning Denali-Anchorage for the 3:00pm flight to Europe. Maybe is it too risky for timing ??

My major concerns are if it is too much !! Still have 2 options:

8/16 Seattle-Anchorage and I cut first 2 days in Glacier Bay but have 2 more days for the rest (Homer or Seward or Valdez or Denali).

or

8/16 Seattle-Glacier Bay 2 days as planned and then I cut the Whittier-Valdez-Paxson route and instead I add 2 days in Homer or Seward or Denali (via Anchorage)

??? !!! ???

Hopefully, someone with Alaska experience will see this and help you. If you don't get any replies, start a new post with a title that mentions "Alaska itinerary."

This is a good plan. For clairfication the PWS boat tours are out of Whittier, not Seward. If using toursaver, I would go with the coupon option.

I responded elsewhere, you will have to get a car from a company that allows the Denali Highway drive, will be very limited, and purchase all the additional waivers.

thank you !!

well, this itinerary was mainly planned as 3 days/2 nights for each place, this means:

1 approaching next destination + Overnight
2 highlight day trip/cruise + overnight
3 approaching next destination.....etc..

but in case some tours are cancelled for weather condition (flightseeing or cruise) and offered for next day I should add one night there and cut the next somewhere else. That's why I was wondering if cutting Glacier bay (but it seems whale watching is better here !!) or cutting Valdez-Paxson. So I would stay 3 nightts instead of 2 around Seward or Homer or Denali !!

Even if we love travelling independently, sooner or later I have to take a decision, in the hope that, again, being late august, I will not have no vacancy lodging problems in those areas !! but NO RISK, NO FUN !!

Whith all those glacier cruises around Seaward, Whittier and Valdez I am wondering if just bypassing the Glacier Bay Area completely and doing Seattle-Anchorage, rather than Seattle-Gustavus/Glacier Bay-Anchorage !!
The only doubt is that we were going to see humpback whales in Glacier Bay as it seems to be the best spot and anyway better than Southcenral Alaska during late august. Any idea of that ??

Is your priority humpbacks??? Then spend the time near Glacier Bay and get to Hoonah, a top humpback area.

Thanks BudgetQueen

How do I get to Hoonah from Gustavus/Barlett Cove ? or maybe from Juneau ?

Glacier Bay Lodge only offers Pt. Adolphus whale watching so I should then change some plans also for lodging ??!!

Hello, Fabio....Glacier Bay Lodge and the whale watching at Point Adolphus are our favorite summer destination. We have stayed at the Glacier Bay Lodge and would be there again nesxt week, except that I am recovering from a broken ankle. The whale watching there is fantastic and the day long cruise of Glacier Bay is beautiful and memorable. I can't advise on Whittier,Seward,Valdez,etc....but I strongly encourage you to retain Glacier Bay and the Glacier Bay Lodge in your itinerary.

hi marthag !!

thank you very much !
I had some difficulties to get a response from the lodge but after three times they replied me just yesterday evening and they still have vacancies on those dates !! thanks to you now I have no doubts. We are travelling independently and are very flexible, so I still have time to arrange it !! After all, these fabulous AS direct flights Seattle-Gustavus and then direct Gustavus-Anchorage at 6:00pm are simply great as we do not have to change or overnight in Juneau !!

You are in prime whale watching area. I would go out on an extended trip, chartered, or a few times. See if the lodge can recommend an operator. The Hoonah trips go to the same area.