RVing Alaska?
 

Am considering renting an RV for my family of 4 on our week in Alaska next summer. Has anyone out there in Fodorland done this and what was their experience.

My neighbors did this last year for 2 weeks. they had a wonderful time - have two teen-age children. <BR>they did comment-if looking for a way to save money :the rental price+gas <BR>would come close to just renting a car and using motels. However, if looking for convenience (no daily packing and unpacking) comfort & saving on food--RV is great.. <BR>check the RV web site--www.rv.net they have a forum I have found useful. <BR>Happy Trails

RVing is one of the best ways to see Alaska. We did it and would do it again. <BR> <BR>When do you plan on going? What do you want to know?

We did it this summer and did not enjoy at all. It came to much more than what we would pay for a car rental, gas and nice places to stay. We were limited where we could go with this huge thing. And it was so frustrating to always have many cars following us. Never again. This wasn't our first trip to Alaska but it was a first time to go for RV. When in Alaska we sometimes like to go for a ride in the evening but once you park this monster you don't want to loose your spot and we had some problems with a toilett and a matress had a big stain that looked like someone .....in bed. We bought a blanket just to cover it. Alaska is wonderful and we returning next summer but there is no way we will rent an RV. There are people on this board who like traveling this way. <BR>And it cost a fortune to take it on the ferry from Valdez to Seward.

We would be going in laste june, early july. Jill - do you know the name of the company your neighbors rented from. <BR> <BR>Jeanna - what company did you use

Steve, if you are going late June/early July it will be WALL-TO-WALL tourists and it won't be easy to maneuver a big vehicle. Alaska has a law that if you are in a big boat like an RV and five or more cars are backed up behind you, you must pull over to let them by. You will be pulling over every two minutes. Everywhere you stop will be crowded and you will have a hard time parking anywhere. Alaska is so huge and vast that a week really isn't enough time to see squat. You don't want to waste your time trying to deal with a big rig. There are so many quick roadside stops that you will want to make and it is so much easier with a smaller car or minivan. Find some moderate hotels (and you better book NOW!) and rent a minivan!! You won't regret it!! Better yet, take a train ride or get on one of the bus tours and let someone else do the driving. Alaska is so beautiful, you don't want to be distracted by driving. Also, if this is one of those "once-in-a-lifetime" trips, please consider more than a week. Like I said, Alaska is so big it will take you a whole day or more to get anywhere!

OK. I feel like I need to defend traveling by RV. But I don't want to disrespect others' opinions. Here goes: <BR> <BR>We took a trip in '99 and I LOVED doing the trip research. I started out not knowing anything about the great state, and didn't have much of a clue on what or how to see. After a short time, I heard too many recommendations on seeing Alaska by RV. Several people said the same thing: RVing is the way to see Alaska. So I checked into this in detail from people who "been there, done that". All positive experiences (and not by longtime RVers either). <BR> <BR>I also checked out alternatives: rent a car and stay at hotels/motels. The price was a wash, especially when we added in not having to eat out. Furthermore, I did not find the extensive amount of hotels/motels available everywhere. There are hardly any chains in interior Alaska (e.g., Hilton, Holiday Inn, Marriott, etc..) to call and make reservations. I literally created a spreadsheet comparing our itinerary via hotels/rental car and camper. Cost difference was not a decisive factor. <BR> <BR>One friend rode his bike to Alaska and told stories of dirty, expensive places along the AlCan. We don't think we saw many of these, but his stories made me second guess the cleanleness of any roadside motel. Since there were not 'chains' with a common 'brand' I was not 100% confortable with making a reservation out of an ad in The Milepost or the web. <BR> <BR>To see Alaska you need to go to the interior, away from herded cruise passengers. [Not that cruises are bad]. Mobility is key. <BR> <BR>There are many RV parks in Alaska. Plus, there is no state law prohibiting overnight parking. <BR> <BR> <BR>continued..

<BR>Some experiences: We were new to RVing. We selected a Class C (essentially a Ryder Truck chassis and cab) and found it not difficult to drive. We did not rent a larger 'bus' type, Class A. We took the 'housekeeping' package which provided sheets, towels, etc. I shopped around using The Milepost (buy this now for your planning. This is the roadway bible. In the RVing section, there are many ads for RV rental companies in and around Anchorage). We had a generator (so we could charge camcorded batteries and run our laptop) - which I would recommend. There was enough room. <BR> <BR>Our first night we stayed along the roadway between Anchorage and Seward. On our way to an 8am boat launch at Kenai Fjords. The flight arrived ANC early afternoon. Enough time to rent the unit (at Alexanders RV - they rent only new models) and pick up food/supplies at the Anchorage Costco and Wal*Mart. <BR> <BR>Another camper was parked along the roadway. We didn't feel 'funny' or nervous about staying overnight along a pull-out. [Turns out, this was very common]. We could have gone all the way to Seward, but did not. <BR> <BR>After the Kenai tour, we stayed at a place that had a bbq pit along a stream. To our delight, 'reds' were running. What a show! It was like our own little Discovery Channel on salmon outside of our camper. <BR> <BR>We stayed in Denali at the Savage River campground. This was beautiful. Many of the hotels/motels near the park were expensive ($100+) and we wanted to have enough time to see the wildlife and take the bus tour. The camper let us drive late to 'pack in' all there is to do in Alaska. <BR> <BR>We stopped at a rest area/visitor center north of Fairbanks to see and walk under the Pipeline. Very memorable for us. <BR> <BR>Inside the camper, we each took our space. Having a fridge, stove, bathroom & shower and lots of space turned out to be very nice. Especially the bathroom. No need to stop at any-old gas station. <BR> <BR>I am not sure I agree with the poster that said the state is wall-to-wall tourists and the point about RVs not being easy to maneuver. Although there were crowds, not like Disney or NYC, for sure. The RV is really like a small van or Ryder truck. It had great acceleration and could keep up with any of the other vehicles on the road. The roads were 2 lanes, mostly, so merging and lane changes were minimal. I can agree with the statement if you rent one of the larger bus-like RVs. <BR>

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GOL: sounds like you had more than a week and did not go during "prime time" which is late June/early July. <BR> <BR>Sure, if you have more than a week and are going to the interior, then an RV is the way to go. <BR> <BR>Steve, if you only have a week and are not venturing far from the usual southern tourist spots then, believe me, there will be wall-to-wall tourists in late june/early july. <BR> <BR>If you are going to some of the less traveled places, then go ahead and do the RV thing. GOL is right about being able to pull over anywhere to camp. You don't have to stay in specified RV parks or anything in Alaska. And Walmart always welcomes RV's in their parking lots overnight. Maybe you could be more specific about which area you plan to visit and what things your family likes to do??

Yes. We had 10 days. It wasn't enough. But we drove to Haines for a part of it, which took 2-3 days - that was fun! <BR> <BR>Yes. We were in early - mid August. Not prime time. So I can't say with facts about 'wall to wall' <BR> <BR>Must be symantics, but wall-to-wall sounds like a line at Splash Mountain at Disney, or taking the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. Since I wasn't there in the prime time, my info is just a 'guess' Most of the touristy stuff we did was capacity controlled: Kenai Fjords tours; Glacier Bay tour; bus ride in Denali. Some others like riding bikes on T. Knowles trail, Exit Glacier and spur-of-the-moment stops at anything on the roadway were not crowded at all- yet I could see how they could have been. <BR> <BR>Thanx for the correction.

OK, OK.....maybe the term "wall-to-wall" is a *slight* exaggeration ;-) <BR> <BR>But it can get VERY crowded in the more popular tourist stops. My first trip there was during "prime time" and I thought I had a good time until I went back during the "off season" and realized what I missed! <BR> <BR>GOL, I'm jealous that you made it to Haines! That's on the agenda for my next trip!

Mel, <BR>I wish I could say I was planning another trip. Or went more than once. Ahh.. the thought of it !!!!! <BR> <BR>Haines was great, but - we really went there to fly to Gustavus. <BR> <BR>

GOL: I probably wouldn't have made it to Alaska if my brother hadn't moved there. Now I go every other year. (He comes to the mainland one year, I go to Alaska the next...etc.) Hope you find the time to make it back to 'The Last Frontier"!!!!

A friend of mine did 2 weeks in an RV (father, mother, son in early 20s, teenage daughter, and 7-yr old) in late July this year. I don't know what size. They enjoyed it--it was their first trip to AK and they wanted to hit the usual highlights. The comments I remember--they liked driving into their campground in Denali where they stayed for the minimum nights (3, I believe) and taking bus from there. They only parked along the highway once for the night--along the Denali Highway. Large groceries are few and far between so they quickly learned to buy lots of food in Anchorage and Fairbanks. (There's a good size grocery in Valdez, too.)

re the comment about not enough chain hotels - we were there in June several years ago, and I had gotten the list of Bed & Breakfasts from the state tourism board. Had delightful experiences! <BR>Also: the most memorable part of our trip was the Alaska Sightseeing West (now called Cruise West) 48 hour trip into Glacier Bay. We boarded the 125 foot, 52 passenger ship on Wednesday at lunch, got back Friday at lunch - we still relive the trip frequently! They totally emphasis the wildlife, the scenery, and the food & scenery are great also! (Very unlike the Princess line which emphasises the amenities, this is an incredible way to experience natural beauty and wildlife, and no auto or RV can get you there!) <BR>It's an incredible state - enjoy!

My 2 cents. <BR>We just returned from Alaska in August and spent a week in an RV. Picked it up at Great Alaskan Holidays RV (www.greatalaskanholidays.com) in Anchorage and drove to Fairbanks and back. (Their website has a lot of information and a video so you can see what the RV looks like.) It was a very interesting experience for first timers. The rig was big, that's true, but most of the roads are straight and not a problem to drive on. We actually kept up with traffic mph-wise. <BR>We stayed in Alaska State Parks for free because the company had a parks permit on the vehicle. The RV came with 2 generators, cooking package and linen package -- all included in the price. We stopped in a local supermarket in Anchorage before we left (I made a list of what we would need before shopping), got a "card" with the supermarket to save on their sale prices (even though I won't use it again since that particular chain isn't in my area), and we were set for a week. We had one reservation -- in a Denali campground -- for the week. The rest were just stop and see if they have room... and most of the parks seemed to have lots of space. If they didn't, it wouldn't have mattered because there were a lot of RV parks along the road. This was my biggest concern before getting there -- that we wouldn't find a place to stay at night, but as a previous poster mentioned, in Alaska you can stay overnight in a pullout. I strongly recommend the Milepost book. It was like having someone give you specific directions to someplace with landmarks along the way. When we were looking for a gas station, it gave you an indication of how many miles you had to go before you found the next gas, for example. <BR>A friend said that no matter what size RV you are looking at because it will fit 4 (your family size and mine), take the next size up for the extra room. The beds are small, although ours had a queen size for the parents, the kids slept alone in the other "beds" that were supposed to be doubles. I doubt two people would be comfortable in them; two children under the age of 9 might be OK, but not anyone much bigger. The "table" that converts to a bed isn't as long as you'd think, so anyone very tall would have difficulty sleeping without being curled up. <BR>Alaska is beautiful. We had fabulous weather -- a heatwave in the low 70s during the day, with beautiful sunshine the entire time! Take a fleece shirt and layer it with a short or long sleeve underneath and a waterproof windbreaker and you're set for any weather. We only needed the fleece one evening in Denali because of the altitude. <BR>Don't know how old your children are, but they'll enjoy it too. We did without TV or radio, although the kids did bring a CD player which they could only use for a short while at night. We hiked a bit, played games (travel-type and cards), took lots of photos, and even did touristy stuff like gold panning and a riverboard ride in Fairbanks. Lots of fun! Look up and see the stars! We missed an aurora borealis that someone we met had seen the night before (August begins the season for the northern lights, although they say it's best in Oct & April), but the next night looked up and saw the Milky Way with the Big Dipper shining through it! <BR>I think I've given more than 2 cents, but I agree with GOL (who, by the way gave us great advice when I asked a similar question a few months ago and for which I thank him/her very much!), Alaska is beautiful and an RV is certainly a great way to see it.

Sorry, I meant Riverboat ride in Fairbanks.

GBelle, <BR>Tell more about your trip! I'd love to hear lo- and highlights. Did you take a zillion pictures? [we still haven't printed even 10% of the digital ones, yet] <BR> <BR>Did you see the mountain? Sounds like the weatherman cooperated. <BR> <BR>Your RV rental place sounded like a good deal - 2 generators and park pass. Were they clean & new? <BR> <BR>Thanks for the kind words. I'm an old sap that get goose bumps when someone thanks me. So, thanks. <BR>

GOL, <BR>The trip was fabulous! We began in Portland (2 days), Seattle (2 days), and then Vancouver (2.5 days) then boarded a cruise ship in Vancouver and went north to Seward. Picked up the RV in Anchorage and drove to Fairbanks and bank. Would have liked to go further on other roads, but timewise wouldn't permit it so we planned it this way. <BR>The weather was with us the entire trip and that's why it was so great. One exception was when we docked in Seward and had a reservation for the Kenai Fjords trip-- it was misty when we left and began to rain as we were in the Fjords and coming back. As a result, we didn't see as much marine life as we had hoped. <BR> <BR>Lows--we didn't see as much marine life as we had hoped on our cruise(s). One of the boys saw a whale off the side of the ship when he was walking around with friends he met, but that was about it. <BR>Highs--wonderful weather. Hubbard Glacier was spectacular with bright blue skies above and icy water below, calving in front of us too! <BR> <BR>Some of the Alaskan towns took us by surprise in that they were so small and rugged for a much-hyped town. Alaskans are friendly people and will tell you why they're there and what they think about "the federal government" telling them about oil drilling, and "things Alaskan". <BR> <BR>We took a digital camera and downloaded the photos every night onto a laptop. I haven't counted the number yet. I also took 13 rolls of print film which I'm beginning to put into an album while kids are back in school. <BR> <BR>The RVs are supposed to be only current-year models. Ours was very clean when we picked it up. Their website has a video that shows you what to expect in their RVs. Pretty much like what we had. They included in the cooking kit pots, pan, bowls, dishes, cutlery even salt & pepper. There was even a roll of TP! They will even send you some suggested driving itineraries if you want ahead of time. I was skeptical about the RV, not having ever been in one let alone rent it for a week, but I might consider it again in the lower 48 for a western/southwestern vacation. But I'd bring less stuff, after all we were coming off a cruise and I thought I'd packed lightly even for the formal nights on board!