We are flying in and out of Anchorage. We have exactly two weeks, coming in on a sat. and leaving on a saturday. We are traveling with two kids ages 9 and 11, rented a car.I have two requests:I would like to spend at least two nights everywhere we go. We do not fish.Would it be foolish to spend the majority of the time in the Kenai Peninsula(sp?) and try to hit Talkeetna for flight seeing? Is it worth taking a trip out to copper centervia the Glenn HWY or perhaps the Alaska MArine Highway? Would it be foolish not to see Denali and Fairbanks? Somehow the Denali bus trip does not sound too appealing. HELP?

I'm not an Alaska expert, so I can't help you. The only thing I would suggest is to repost your request with a better heading. I don't know if many people are going to look at something that just says two weeks. Try something like Two Weeks in Alaska. Good luck with your trip.

Having spent a month driving around Alaska last summer, the very first thing I'd leave out is Fairbanks. But Denali is a highlight -- only if you stay there. With the kids I really recommend a splurge by staying at the Denali Backcountry Lodge -- taking their bus almost all day 90 miles back into the park and staying in wonderful cabins along a little stream. There are lots of activities and hikes, wonderful meals served family style, and the most wonderful staff you could ever hope for. Even better was the bus ride back out very early in the morning -- first bus of the day. On that trip we saw not only grizzlies, but wolves, every other animal imaginable, and even a lynx. This, along with a sister operation, Kenai backcountry lodge, were the highlights of our entire trip. That trip included a rafting expedition down the river and then across a lake to get to the secluded lodge and Yukon tent cabins.

I don't get the reference to the Alaska Marine Highway -- that is the ferry system.

Frankly with two weeks, I'd hit Denali then spend most of the rest of the time in the Kenai.

Hi,

First word of advice on traveling in Alaska: Always double the drive time that you think it should take you to travel to a location...Alaska isn't always about the destination it's more about the journey. Plenty of little surprises in store along the way. I would definetly spend a few days at Denali park. The bus ride isn't bad at all and if the mountain is not covered in clouds it is breathtaking sight. From Denali you could cross the Denali Highway to Paxton and take the Richardson Highway to Glennallen and Copper Center...CHECK WITH YOUR RENTAL CAR COMPANY FIRST! Glennallen and Copper Center are small, service towns...gas, lodging, food, KCAM radio station, state police. Actually, Copper Center is quite small but does have the Wrangell St. Elias NP Headquarters. WSE and the Kennicott mines in my opinion is a must see. I would recommend a flight seeing tour of the park with a stop at Kennicott and McCarthy. Check out http://www.wrangellmountainair.com/getting_here.htm for more information.

Have fun!

I agree with Patrick. Hit Denali then head to the Kenai Peninsula.

You might want to drive from Anchorage to Valdez (a beautiful drive) and take a boat tour of the Prince William Sound. The glaciers calve a lot more there than the Kenai Fjord tour. Then ferry over to Whittier and go down to Seward.

The boat tour there will have glaciers too but the highlight of their trips are wildlife sightings.

Then head over to Homer with all there is to do there.

Last summer (02) they stopped maintaining the Denali Highway which is gravel and it was horrible. I wanted to do it almost more than anything else and we had to turn back.

One other thought. By all means drive to Whittier. The kids will love the idea of waiting for the traffic light to change every half hour and then (if there is no train coming) you straddle the train tracks driving through a very long one lane tunnel to get to Whittier. You can also do some great boat trips to the glaciers from there.

Thanks you so much! I have been going around and around with this trip and everytime I think I am finished, I realize that it might be trying to pack in too much. I do have the alakan tour saver so that is kind of dictating where I am going

Well folks, here it comes again...my drift away from the mainstream.

rubigayle, except for the bragging rights (which might be worth it) of saying you've seen the nation's tallest peak, Denali is painfully over-rated.

A day trip to Talkeetna from Anchorage can get you a flight seeing trip right up to the mountain. But, as mentioned, weather can be a real spoiler of "plan A."

The Glenn Highway, by comparison, is much under-rated. And yes, in spite of what you might have heard, even the swamp lands of the Copper River Basin are providing some new and rich trip ideas. As an example, there are now raft or jet boat trips on the Klutina River. There are horseback rides there. There is also a guided ATV trail ride in that area. All great fun in some scenic country.

Not too far from there, down the Edgerton Highway, you can find your way to the ghost town of McCarthy/ Kennicott. Which by the way, are settled into the backdrop of the Wrangel St. Elias Nat'l Park.

Where we will all always seem to agree is that the Kenai Peninsula is an absolute.

The Seward Highway is on the National Registry of most scenic in America. And, the town of Seward itself offers up close and personal trips to Kenai Fjords.

You are going to be able to walk up to a glacier in Seward, and walk ON one up on the Glenn Highway.

I am, at least slightly interested in your aversion to fishing. As an activity, it is F U N!

Oh, and lest we forget, there are some great fly in locations for bear viewing along the west side of Cook Inlet.

Bring lots of film, travel early in the morning, and drive safe!

parick you inspired me! here is what i came up with
2 nights anchorage (firt full day take a run up to talkeetna for flightseeing)
3 nights homer
3 nights seward
ferry to valdez
2 nights valdez
2 nights copper river
2 nights Castle Mountain, B& B outside of Palmer.
Feel free to give input!

Now you're talking. Sounds like a great trip.
I didn't get to Valdez, just couldn't make the logistics work with the rest of the trip, so I can't comment on that. But the rest sounds good to me.

After having my first trip under my belt, Denali and all, your itenerary is pretty much what I would like to do next time.

Thanks patrick and connie! It is so much fun to get feedback and so helpful. Friends of ours who travel everywhere still cannot believe we are not going to Denali. For some reason, it just didn't sit well with me. My biggest concern now is getting to McCarthy Kennicott area. It is very expensive to take the air taxi and Alamo tells me they don't allow gravel roads. There is also a van shuttle but it is almost as expensive as the flight. I would rent a car from another company, but I got the rental from Alamo at 200 a week, a price pretty much unheard of up that way. Do you think I should take my chances and drive it anyway?