Sounds a great trip! Thank you for sharing.

LBB reminds me of Ladybird Johnson's term for DYC's (I think I got that right) or damned yellow composite wildflowers. (wildflower lovers can correct me if I go that wrong!)

Food and Lodging

When I make these trips, I am looking for neither luxury accommodations nor fine dining. My usual preference on lodging is on the order of Days Inn, Fairfield Inn, or Courtyard By Marriott. Except when I am seeking out regional specialties, I’ll eat just about anywhere I can get a salad and entrée that doesn’t break my wallet.

In this section, I’ll briefly discuss those places that either exceeded or under-performed my expectations. Not to worry though – I’m not going to overwhelm you with a description of every hotel and every meal in this 42 day trip.

Dining:

Canmore, AB: Patrinos downtown. Excellent lamb souvlaki, reasonably priced.

Jasper, AB: Bear Claw Bakery. Luscious baked goods and deluxe sandwiches.

Hyder, AK: Seafood Express (AKA The Bus). Consistently the best halibut fish and chips I’ve ever eaten and I’ve had them all over the world.

Anchorage, AK: Peggy’s Restaurant. My new favorite for wonderful blueberry pancakes.

Campbell River: Lookout Restaurant at the Marina. Excellent seafood and friendly service.

Long Beach, WA: Doogers. So-so décor but very good seafood.

Lodging:

West Yellowstone, MT: Hibernation Station. A quirky, spread out lodge-style accommodation at a reasonable price. The buildings are log cabins, most of them individual units and the inside décor is western and mountain.

Canmore, AB: Econolodge. Not what you think of when you hear the name. Generously sized rooms with excellent views. More on the order of a 3-star hotel.

Homer, AK: The Bay View Inn. The accommodations are on the order of a 1930’s motor court but the view of Kachemak Bay, the lower Kenai Peninsula, and its glaciers is world-class.

Haines, AK: Captain’s Choice Motel. I’m including comments on this because others have posted questions about it. It was a pretty standard 2 star with the exception that some rooms have nice views of the bay. Mine did not. They also have a second level viewing deck with chairs and tables.

Campbell River, BC: Rustic Inn. It is rustic and out of the way. On my next visit, I’ll stay somewhere else.

Metchosin (Victoria), BC: Race View B&B. This was recommended to me by a forum friend and was a very good choice. The accommodations are actually a suite rather than a room and are quite large. There is a separate entry with its own deck and a wonderful view of the forests and bay. With my health related dietary restrictions, I did not sample it but I’m told Sharon is a wondrous cook. It’s a little out of the way but, if you have a car, I recommend it.

Long Beach, WA: Super-8 motel. It was not super. The list of problems in my room is a long one.

So ends this very long trip report. I’ll be happy to respond to any questions anyone has.

Wow, what an incredible trip! Thanks for the informative trip report.

Enjoyed your trip report! Thank you for posting!

Thank you. There's another thread right now on the Lounge discussing whether people actually read them or not so it's nice to find out some do and find them either interesting or valuable.

I definitely read it all Too bad about not having time to explore ONP, but guess that means another return trip? A good friend grew up in Haines...she didn't appreciate it when she was younger but likes going back now. The place in Cannon Beach, you mention resort, so it was probably the Surfsand, and their restaurant is the Wayfarer. Does that ring a bell? Your trip sounds like it was fantastic!

It may well have been the SurfandSand but I just don't remember. They say when you reach my age, memory is the second thing to go but I'll be damned if I can remember what the first one was.

What a wonderful report! We went to Yellowstone, Wyoming and South Dakota and environs for a couple of weeks, but had always wanted to visit Alaska and that area, too. Your descriptive prose almost put me out there!

We almost flew out there to tour Alaska from Boston, by the way, the week of 9/11, but canceled our flight 2 weeks before that. We hate to think about the possibility...

Thanks again.

I think you ought to go at your first opportunity. I went for the first time as a visitor to see a little on the ground of what I had seen from the air as I passed through in the Air Force and had no idea I'd ever make more than that one trip. I have been going back almost every year for the past 15 years.

It is imossible to describe the diversity of scenery, animal life, and experiences you can have in Alaska. Going on an organized tour is great but it is even better to go on your own and see and do things that have not been organized to the nth degree by the tour companies.

What a great trip report! I loved reading all of it! We have done the Alaska cruise and have been to the Canadian Rockies 4 times (with #5 next spring) - love it there. We have occasionally talked about driving up to Alaska and exploring. Your trip report has inspired us to start doing some research and planning for a road trip to Alaska - probably for 2011. We are in our 60's and retired, so are hoping that we have at least a few more years to go out and explore! Can't wait to see your pictures!

Just finished reading the rest of your trip report and really enjoyed it. Thanks again for writing.

Thank you all for the kind words. I'm in the final stages of getting my trip photos processed and if all goes well, I should have them online before the end of the day tomorrow.

I have finally culled, sorted and processed my photos from this trip. If you would like to see them, they are at http://www.worldisround.com/articles/355248/index.html.

Thank you for posting the pictures! Wonderful.

After having posted my photos on the web site link shown above, I have been chastised by several people who have seen all my photos for not including specific other photos I took. So, I have added four requested photos to the originals.

I have really enjoyed your report.Thanks for posting.

Really enjoyed your trip report. What a fantastic trip.

Thank you for posting your trip report. I really enjoyed all your pics. My husband and I are leaving May 23rd for our 3 month adventure to Alaska. We are driving with our Toy Hauler 5er from Southern CA. Bringing a kayak and a RZR with us. Lots of planning to do.

Thanks for posting the report and the pictures were great. The trip sounds like one I'd like to take one day.