Top 10 Alaskan to-do's
 

Okay, you experts. What are the top 10-15 places you would go with 2 weeks in Alaska? With all of the sample itineraries posted, I'm thoroughly confused! Also, when is the best time to go? Thanks!

I'm not as experienced as most - have just been to Alaska once on a cruise. But my favorite spots/experiences were:

1. Juneau - helicopter ride to glacier
2. Ketchikan - sea kayaking
3. Skagway - rental car and drive out of town

A flightseeing. We just did a short one over a glacier returning to Homer from an overnight in Seldovia. No, second thought is the Kenai Fjords boat trip out of Seward. We lucked out with perfect weather and calm seas. I loved watching the orcas. Independence Mine was fascinating, so was the Pratt Museum in Homer and the visitors center near Portage Glacier.
Our last trip was 3 weeks spanning mid-June to just after 4th of July. The wildflowers were beautiful and everyone was excited about the beginning of salmon season. We went to the Forest Fair in Girdwood and saw the 4th of July parade in Kenai.

As a sample routing-

One way cruise, better routing into Seward. Kenai Fjords boat tour, overnight in Seward, train to Anchorage, overnight. Talkeetna 1 night, Denali Park 2 nights.
Depending on interests, add Fairbanks, Homer, Valdez? Time is necessary and don't rush your attractions. Less is more here. Distances are vast, be certain to factor in plenty of added stops, it shouldn't be a marathon trip. :)

Thank you! That is just what I needed!

The Alaska Marine Highway. A state run system of ferry ships which serve primarily the port towns in the Alaska panhandle.

Budgetqueen, What do you think is the best time of year to visit Alaska?

There isn't a bad time, I've also made 2 winter trips. :) However if taking a cruise, after the first week of Sept. has the worse potential weather.

Overall early has more snow views, possible bears on the Inside Passage- will require costly tours other times. Full salmon runs end of July- Aug.

Go fully prepared for weather and pick a timeframe that fits your schedule best. I go mid-late August the most since peak bears via tours and salmon.

Dress for rain! Ketchikan for example gets twelve feet of rain per year.

Denali - take the earliest bus trip you can in late summer or early fall and you'll see the big 5 animals in Alaska. The Kenai Penisula is also pretty spectacular - Seward and a boat ride to glaciers and the sea life center. Hiking with bear bells anywhere on posted trails-climb next to a glacier. Valdez for the histroy of the oil spill and watching salmon fishing in the fall.
We took two weeks and flew to Ancorage, rented a vehicle and drove on every paved road (hah - loved the frost heaves) possible. We'd do it again in a minute.

We decided to go towards the end of May several years ago and that timing had several advantages, not the least of which included avoiding peak prices, crowds and mosquitoes. We also were able to drive into Denali as it was before the buses began running and we enjoyed the freedom of not being constrained to a bus schedule.
We flew into Anchorage, took a day-trip to Seward taking in Exit Glacier on the way returning for a second night in Anchorage before heading out to Denali. Stayed at the Denali River Cabins www.denalirivercabins.com and had a new, rustic cabin (#3) with beautiful walk-out deck to the Nenana river, about 6 miles from the entrance to Denali NP (very friendly staff, hearty, simple food in the lodge at that time. We also ate at the Overlook Bar and Grill which had splendid views and great, casual dining. I so loved the chili that I wrote to the staff after returning home to request the recipe and they graciously sent it to me.
After a couple of days exploring Denali, we hopped the Alaskan Railroad train at Denali (easy to park and leave car) and rode to Fairbanks where we overnighted at the Captain Bartlett Inn before the return train trip which was awesome. From Denali we drove to Talkeetna (don't miss this charming town) and stayed at the beautiful Talkeetna Lodge before returning to Anchorage to drop the car and overnight. The next morning we began our cruise portion of the trip on CruiseWest's, Spirit of Glacier Bay. We highly recommend the small ship cruises like this. We did the 3 nights, 4 days Prince William Sound RT from Whittier (motorcoach leaves from Anchorage), through Valdez and Columbia Glacier. It was a 50 passenger ship with highly attentive staff, great food and the huge benefit that it could travel in many places the larger ships were unable to go to get up close and person with glaciers and critters. We had a lower deck cabin (very small and no frills), but I would strongly consider an upgrade to the better category cabins on the main or upper decks. At Valdez we did a shore excursion with ERA Helicopters for the Columbia Glacier trip which was incredible. After we debarked in Whitter, Cruise West took us back to Anchorage where we overnighted at the Sheraton before the CW included transfer to the airport. After several large ship cruises, we really encourage you to explore the small ship cruises in Alaska for an unforgetable experience as was the Alaskan RR. Our next trip will include Ketchikan, Skagway

I get asked these two questions all the time, so I took the time to write up my best answers to both questions in a very detailed way on the website, www.alaska.org.

Here's when I think the best time to go is: http://www.alaska.org/when-to-visit.jsp

Having lived and traveled in Alaska for the past 15 years, here's my take on the best spots: http://www.alaska.org/best-of-alaska.jsp

However, you still need to put together an itinerary that works. That's probably the hardest thing about planning an Alaska trip, and I think budgetqueen's advice on that is very good.

BQ's generic list is pretty good.

If you're looking for a real top 10 list, here's mine -- for what it's worth. Obviously, because they include all seasons, it's not a list for one trip, but I thought I'd throw it out for discussion:

Bear viewing – McNeil River or Brooks Camp (budget alternative: bear watch from the road in Denali)

Denali flight seeing

Kenai Fjords boat trip

Sunset drive Turnagain Arm on a clear night

Hike Chilkoot Pass (budget alternative: Hike Cross Pass)

Bristol Bay drainage fishing trip (budget alternative: Upper Kenai float or lower Kenai king fishing))

PWS kayak/sailing trip.

Ruth Glacier spring skiing (budget alternative: alpine at Alyeska or Nordic on the Ski Train)

Follow Iditarod into the Bush or at finish line in Nome (budget alternative: Fur Rondy race in Anchorage or World Championships in Fairbanks)

McCarthy/Kennicott trip

Honorable mention: Homer halibut outing, Mendenhall helicopter flightseeing, Bush visit, i.e. Nome/Kotzebue trip
Glacier Bay, Glissading back down from Flattop Mt.; Running Mount Marathon, Canoeing Wood-Tikchik, Rafting the Charley, Gates of the Arctic tundra hike, Chena Hot Springs Northern Lights trip, St. Paul Island birding.
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As for the weather questions, I[ve got to chuckle at them. It’s a crapshoot and the odds are flaky. You can’t go by averages in Alaska. Weather systems often hover and stall there for much longer than in the Lower 48. If you get good weather be thankful. If you get bad weather, endure and have fun anyway.

Repete's list is a great one. I would make a few comments about it.

First, when I go bear viewing, I don't like a "controlled environment" or having lots of other people around. That's why I favor the Katmai Coast over either McNeil or Brooks. Also, the bears are down 25% at McNeil, and it will never feel the same now that Larry Aumiller, the visionary behind it all, resigned last year in protest over Fish & Game's hunting policies on the border of McNeil. But you can't go wrong with any of these places. Any will blow you away.

Second, you need to know that some of the things repete is recommending require a fair level of outdoor skill, such as Ruth Glacier spring skiing (requires being roped and knowledge of crevasse rescue techniques), or Gates of the Arctic tundra hike (requires camping out), or rafting the Charley (requires river skills).

Repete is right about the weather. It's completely unpredictable. Still, mathematical averages do mean something, and it does get rainer over the course of the summer. But like repete says, you gotta know how to enjoy yourself no matter the weather.

I agree with Repete's list, too, for sheer Wow factor. Some will take major resources and time from your two weeks to do.

A few "quickie" top vote-getters on my list are: Alaska Native Heritage Museum (Anchorage), SeaLife Center (Seward), Independence Mine and Hatcher Pass (Palmer). Do hike on a glacier (Matanuska, north of Palmer; Exit, outside Seward, the one just north of Valdez, or any other you happen upon. Always walk in someone else's tracks or get a guide for safety). These choices are a little more "regular" but still provide outstanding information to help you understand this place without eating up whole days of your itinerary.

AlaskaBob,
That's bad news about Larry A. I'd missed it because I live far away these days. He is responsible for some much public awarness of the bears, it's hard to fathom the state without him.

Yup, some of the items are too much for many of the general tourism population but I thought I'd throw them out as a ``buffet'' so thanks for clarifying.

I know I forgot some good things as well but I wanted to kick up the discussion. The Musk Ox Farm (although I haven't been there for years) is another consideration.

One of my favorite trips was watching the silvers stream into the creekmouth with the tide on Kodiak -- and then wrestling a few of them on an undersized flyrod.

Might also add a Haines river float during peak eagle season ... the list just grows.

Alaskabob and repete, I am too aware about hunting policies. There are others in Alaska who have similar views on hunting policies on the border of McNeil. Think about the owners of the Emerald Air Service in Homer. Their vision is just like Aumille's. Talk to them.

As to those special places in Alaska for me the number 1 is always Katmai National Park and Preserve with a small group (maximum 9 people)watching bears. The end of July is the best time, IMHO

ttt

We did a cruise the first week of August 06 and the salmon were running - awesome to see them jumping out of the water and so thick you couldn't miss them. Some folks in our group saw a bear lumber to the edge of the water, pick one up, then turn around and go back into the woods.

ProudMom, in August 2006?
Anyway, what boat, where?