We have 5 days to spend on the Kenai Penninsula. We will be leaving Healy early on day 1 and spending the night in Girdwood. I understand that this is a 5 hour drive and we'll stop at all turnoffs and perhaps do short walks along the way. I've booked one night in Girdwood and while there would like to take the tram to Mt. Alyeska and also do the Winner Creek-Iditerad hike.

On day 2 we plan to take a 1pm boat cruise out of Whittier (need to make the 11:30 tunnel)-we could potentailly go to Portage Glacier that morning and spend 3 hours before going through the tunnel.

Subsequently we want to do a 6 hour cruise with Renown Tours from Seward, spend a few hours at Exit Glacier, more hikes (e.g. Lost Lake, Tonsina Point, etc) and spend 2 nights in Homer.

My question: How to spend the last 4 nights? Should I book a second night in Girdwood? Should I book 2 nights in Seward or nearby and 2 nights in Homer? 2 nights in Cooper Landing and 2 nights in Homer?

Considerations: Hiking and scenery are a priority. 2 nights in Girdwood or Cooper Landing would allow me to use the toursaver coupon for the Alyeska Prince or Princess Kenai. Both are cited as great facilities/gorgeous surroundings and my 19 year old son enjoys nice hotels. The rest of the trip we will be in B&B apartments or cabins.

Also, suggestions for prioritizing hiking on Kenai P. would be appreciated.

Are you more interested in glaciers or wildlife on your boat trip? If you'll be satisfied with wildlife and probably one calving glacier, I recommend Kenai Fjord tours out of Seward instead of a PWS cruise out of Whittier. That will save you time.

In addition, there's very little to see at Portage Glacier other than an excellent visitor center because the glacier itself has receded way up the mountain. You could hike to Byron Glacier in the same area, but that's a waste if you're going to hike near Exit Glacier.

So I would go right to Seward instead of Whittier. In addition, I suggest the two nights in Cooper Landing and two in Homer. We stayed at the Kenai Princess Lodge and it was absolutely wonderful, as were our two nights at WildRose B&B in Homer. The scenery in Homer is surreal, it's so beautiful.

The drive from Seward to Homer is very long, so I suggest you do Homer first and get your longest drive out of the way first!

Our family stayed 1 week based out of the Aleyska Resort. Definitely do the tram...3rd day there, we did the tram and hiked on up to the top of the mountain, back to the tram entrance where we watched our teenagers paraglide off the mountain> i was rushing to video and tripped..broke my ankle..ugh!!! Needless to say, the rest of the trip was painful..that being said..MUSTS if you're in the Girdwood Area: Double Musky Restaurant for dinner...wonderful.I can't remember the names, but 2 wonderful stops for breakfast/to go lunches..1 is right a the turnoff to Girdwood..gas station and a few shops..and the other is on the way to the Aleyska..very localized..wonderful!It's in all the guidebooks.

We're from rural Texas..no mass transit, so we took the train from Girdwood to Seward..had a blast. We had planned a helicopter trip to dogsled on the glacier, but was canceled due to weather. Instead, we did the SeaLife Center, which is perfect for a rainey day..AND, we did the summer camp where a past champion Iditerad keeps and trains his dogs. Fun to go on this "sled"..very interesting.

Later in the week, we drove back to Seward (really no big deal..for a drive..very nice) and of course, the highlight of our trip was the helicopter glacier dogsled...wow!!

We chartered a private boat for a daytrip on the PWS out of Whittier. Weirdest town my kids have ever seen..where almost everyone lives in a concrete building. Gorgeous trip on th water...glaciers/kayacking/wildlife etc...Glad you know about the tunnel schedule. Portage Glacier is blah...Visitor Center is ok.If you need to kill some time, stop just prior to the turn off to Whittier for the Wildlife Refuge Area (not the correct name) My kids loved it because they got to definitely see a variety of Alaskan wildlife..most orphaned or injured...great way to kill about an hour or so.

Another highlight of the trip was our river rafting down the Russian River..broken ankle and all...I think this was on the way to Homer..we never made it to Homer..river was gorgeous and our guide was so informative..we saw a moose and lots of eagles.

Most important advice I could give you is to keep your itinerary flexible based upon the weather forecast..If it's pretty, go to the water. Obviously, our hiking was cut short due to my injury. Oh yes, had a great lunch at The Brewery in Anchorage..don't leave town without eating there...downtown...great brews!!

We were there in July...need jeans, shorts,tshirts, sweatshirt and RAIN
GEAR! Loved having gloves/tobaggon while we were on the water...have a wonderful trip..and don't "trip"..

Definately be flexible regarding the weather. When we arrived in Girdwood it was pouring rain,so after just having coffee in the bakery and taking photos of the gorgeous flowers out front, we moved on.(We were RV'ing)
Our favorite hike was at the Russian River Trail,we were there in late August and the salmon were swimming up the river; we were thrilled to see a bear and her cubs at the falls.
We did the 9 hour Kenai Fjords cruise and I would highly recommend it for wildlife and up close glacier viewing.
Have fun!

I enjoyed the visitors center at Portage Glacier but we didn't bother to see the glacier. Whittier is a former secret military base. There is a hike you can take that overlooks the town. It would depend on the time of year and the weather. We stayed at a B&B is what was the former offciers barracks and the manager was newly arrived and didn't know details about the hiking area. It goes thru some dense bushes with some narrow boards to walk on. I'm not sure I would be comfortable hiking this area during berry season.
The Seward side of the KP is mountainous. The Kenai/Soldotna side along the Cook Inlet is flatter and marshier. We found walking on the beach and talking to net fishermen interesting. The drive between Seward and Homer is about 3 hours. The visitors center in Kenai is interesting. The Pratt Museum in Homer is fantastic. You might consider an overnight trip to Seldovia. We did a package trip with the Boardwalk Hotel. You take a boat over (mostly birds and otters to see), spend the night and take a short sightseeing flight back to Homer. The flight was fun but almost cancelled due to fog. Since we didn't have a tight schedule we were able to wait it out. Part of Seldovia was washed away during the 1964 earthquake but part of the old boardwalk is still there. It's a small native community with one recommended hike. Other posters have recommended some other day trips from Homer which you might want to explore. Although the drive from Soldotna is not as spectacular as the drive from Anchorage to Girdwood, it gets spectacular again as you approach Homer. Hope is another sidetrip. It doesn't seem like it has changed much since the early 1900s. It's a small community with a tiny museum. We made a brief stop. It might not be worthwhile for some because of the additional mileage to get there. Good for history lovers who want to see what a small town in Alaska used to be like. There's a good restaurant on the outskirts.

I suggest 1 night in Girdwood, 2 nights in Seward and 2 nights in Homer. There are very nice accommodations in Homer. I don't know about Seward, we stayed there once in the cabin we wouldn't recommend.
If you leave early morning from Healy even with all those stops on the way you still can make to Girdwood to take the tram and hike on the same afternoon and evening, that is if your trip is in the summer. We did it and after that we drove to Seward. I always suggest spending in Homer minimum 2 nights. There is a lot to do and scenery is spectacular. Besides, you can take a day trip to Katmai National Park and Preserve from Homer and you will have another spot with the most amazing scenery.
We really enjoyed our hikes on Iditarod trail south of Anchorage along Seward Highway. But we hiked there during various visits to Alaska. You have to make choices as there are just so many places to see, so many things to do. With only five nights/four days it will be hard to chose.

I to suggest 2 nights Seward, 1 Girdwood, 2 Homer. There is plenty to keep you busy in those areas. Cooper Landing is for those with a fishing priority, I would not stay 2 nights there and have Seward priority activities.


For clarification, allow 7 hours for your Denali Park-Girdwood, drive with stops, especially with your "stop at all turnoffs" reference.

Once again I have to agree with Budget Queen, it will be longer than 5 hours. It took us a little over 5 hours to drive from Denali to Girdwood but since it wasn't our first trip in Alaska we did not make too many stops on the way as our priority that day was to get to Girdwood, take the tram for lunch, hike after lunch and finally get to Seward to meet with our firends.

We really enjoyed the Portage Visitor Center, too. It was one of our first stops after arriving in Alaska. We saw our very first iceberg right out of the window--after seeing that, our teen DD came alive and was a great traveling companion from that moment on! (And that's saying a lot regarding any teen! ;-) )

We enjoyed the drive from Seward to Homer, too. We saw a brown bear near Russian River hiking trail (at a distance--scary but thrilling, too); we stopped at the Russian churches and unique Russian villages along the way; and Anchor Point was a highlight of our trip. You've got to see the tractors lauching boats right on the beach, and there were LOTS of eagles on the beach (they throw out gutted fish there). We could walk almost right up to them.

Thanks everybody! Based on the feedback I've decided to spend 1 night in Girdwood, 2 near Seward and 2 in Homer. Having problems with the Seward lodging-When I talk with Alaskans on the phone, read posts on this board and traveladvisor reviews, there are a lot of conflicting opinions about accomodations (e.g. clutter at Millers Landing, distance to Kenai Princess from Seward, other specific lodgings). I'm traveling with my 19 year old son and I need lodging with 2 beds (would otherwise have loved to stay at Angel's Rest!). Price-under 140; killer view and kitchen facilities preferable. Any suggestions?

If you can do without the kitchen, the best bargain B&B that I always stay at is Morning Calm. Morning Calm B&B

Business Description:


Phone: 907-224-3049
Fax: Toll Free:

Mailing: PO Box 816
Seward AK 99664
Location: 218 Bluefield Dr.
Email:
Website:
[email protected]
www.seward.net/~morningcalm

For clarification, you are getting some conflicting information because time of year of travel, even a week variation in the summer, can really effect amount of traffic you'll encounter. And there is usually road construction--repairing frost heaves and painting lines in early summer, and regular maintenance that can't be done any other time of the year the rest of the summer. Also, some may stop to see everything, while others just try to zoom along to their destination.

If you can't get accommodations in Seward, I remember reading about a B & B on this board in Moose Pass--it was a whole house, actually, with good rates. I can't remember the name, but perhaps someone else here will.

Good luck, and enjoy your trip!

At this point, I'm thinking of getting a room at Alaska Saltwater Lodge at Miller's LaniI've only seen 2 reviews-one here and one on tripadvisor but they were both positive, describing the lodge as having a great view and being accomodating. A non-view room with private bath is only $85 per night with early booking. I'm going to call them for more information. Any thoughts?

Stillhouse, maybe I missed it, but when will you be there? If late May or very early June, then the drive/traffic won't be bad commuting one time from Kenai Princess to Seward. However, it is about 40 - 50 miles one way--wouldn't want to make that drive more than 1 day. Also, if going at other times of summer, then the traffic and RVs can really slow you down. Not worth the risk if you have scheduled activities.

We stayed in this great cabin in Paxson last summer, BUT when we drove up, a bulldozer coming out of the trees almost crashed into us. There was charred boards, timber with lots of rusty nails, and trash everywhere. The tiny town area around this lodging looked kind of worse for wear (not trashy, but just a remote little Alaskan town), so we had our doubts about the cabin. But we were exhausted so we drove on in the little drive past the bulldozer to the little office. As it turns out, their spa had caught on fire the night before, burning some out buildings and nearly catching their barn on fire. The bulldozer driver was the owner trying to clean up the mess, and by the next morning, everything was spic and span around their home and cabins. The cabins are all terrific, great location--right on a babbling creek that lulls you to sleep--and it's at the beginning of paved end of the Denali Hwy.

Now I know you were not asking about Paxson, but if we had driven away, I would definitely have said that it was a trashy area, so perceptions and experiences can be very different among travelers.

Good luck with your decision. The views are so spectacular and there's so much to do--Alaska is so unique--if the room is clean and you can get some sleep, a little clutter in one area will be the least of your concerns.

I have been trying to post a scheduled trip but it does not come up when I look at this forum. What am I doing wrong?

I am going to try and post my proposed itinerary here since I can't seem to get to go where I want it. Sorry.
I welcome any suggestions.

8th Arrival Stay in Anchorage or Girdwood
9th Seward
10th Seward – Fjords Cruise
11th Seward to Homer - Kayaking
12th Homer – bear trip
13th Homer
14th Homer to Talkeetna including Portage Glacier
15th Summit flight on to Denali Park
16th Denali – shuttle to Wonder Lake
17th Denali
18th Denali to Copper Center
19th Valdez
20th Valdez – Stan Stephens Cruise
21st Valdez to Anchorage
22nd Explore Anchorage – flight 11:00 pm.