Yet another Alaska trip - 2+ weeks, August-ish, 2024
 

Greetings Alaska experts.

I know there are a lot of Alaska questions and posts out here and I will be looking at them, but everyone's travel plans are slightly different, and AK is intimidating. So here goes.

A significant birthday coming up next August, thinking perhaps my wife and I (semi-active 70's) will finally take a trip to Alaska. We would go for 2-3 weeks. Our ideas of fun are:
- Short walks / hikes
- Wildlife / birds
- Sitting on a bench admiring the scenery
- Small town with some restaurant and grocery options since we are vegetarians (no fine dining required).
- Good coffee shop and brewpub
- Zero interest in fishing

My wife is extremely prone to motion sickness (way beyond most people) so we don't like being in transit. We'd go to two places and stay at each one for a week or so, with a few days padded at the front and back end to get to our airport.

Initial thoughts are fly to/from Anchorage, spend a week in Seward, and a week in Talkeetna. However, seeing St. Elias would be as meaningful for me as seeing Denali, so maybe Glennallen is a good choice?

I looked at a lodge in Seward and at least one is booked up already, so feeling slight pressure to move quickly. I have backup plans in BC or even the US if this doesn't pan out.

Thanks.

I can only speak for Seward, but I think it is a beautiful setting to spend a week. Has your wife tried the Scopolamine patch for motion sickness? Our friend is a fisherman and swears by it. It would be too bad to miss out on the sea and bird life and glaciers best seen by boat.

Forgive any bluntness that follows, but does your wife's motion sickness susceptibility include riding in cars? I'd be concerned about Seward since so many activities in and around Seward include time on the water - Kenai Fjords cruises, etc. August in Seward is VERY busy, with many cruise ships coming and going, and the middle of the month is when the annual Silver Salmon Derby takes place, attracting many fishers, further stressing the town's visitor infrastructure. It's a great place, but you'd need to determine if it's best for you and your spouse.

Wrangell-St. Elias NP is primarily a wilderness park, with the main visitor destination being McCarthy and Kennicott, which are accessed either by light plane or via a twisty, bumpy and unpaved road on which most national rental firms won't allow their vehicles. How would she do with those options? Staying in Glennallen wouldn't help IMO.

My own view of a week in Talkeetna is that it's six or seven days too many, but of course others may (and will) disagree. Assuming that flightseeing over Denali is off the table, I honestly don't see much point in spending that much time there, if any. As you may know, the internal road within Denali National Park is currently closed beyond roughly the halfway point and isn't likely to reopen fully until 2026, maybe later at this pace.

I'm sort of racking my brain to come up with some destinations that would fit your wish list, and one that comes to mind, with one minor caveat, is the town of Haines in Southeast Alaska. Haines is one of two towns in SE Alaska with road connections to the rest of the world, the other being Skagway. The two towns are very close to each other and connected by a ferry that takes around 45 - 90 minutes (depending on the boat) to get from one to the other. However, if you want to drive, the trip is around 350 miles and goes through Canada. https://goo.gl/maps/axTqmpbdrkQiGxkn6

The easiest way to get to Haines, aside from driving, is by either a short (and wonderfully scenic) plane ride or an (equally scenic) ferry from Juneau. The trip is on sheltered "Inside Passage" waters which typically are very smooth, but I'm assuming your wife would need to have some motion sickness meds or nostrums (candied ginger being the most popular) at her disposal just in case.

The reason Haines comes to mind is that it touches several of your priorities. It's a small and friendly town, with a brewpub, adequate accommodations and places to eat (no idea about vegetarian diets but there's a small supermarket.) It's surrounded by scenery that's beyond glorious, and for birders it's worth noting that Haines is regarded as the "bald eagle capital" of the world. At the Chilkat River, a short drive from the town center, you can watch bears fishing for salmon without having to shell out hundreds of dollars to see them in places like Lake Clark NP or Katmai NP. You can rent a car (Avis) in Haines and use it to travel into the Yukon, or to explore the area in more depth.



Two other places come to mind, each with their pros and cons. First is Sitka, by far the prettiest town in SE Alaska (maybe the whole state.) Sitka is served by nonstop Alaska Airlines flights from Seattle, or with a connection in Juneau. Formerly the capital of Russian America, Sitka offers attractions like the Fortress of the Bear, a sanctuary for orphaned or injured bears, and the Alaska Raptor Center, with the same approach (including rehab and release programs) for eagles, owls and other raptors. The town's surroundings are stunning - islands, forests - and the town itself is very civilized with plenty of things to occupy a week's visit.


Finally, you could achieve most of your aims staying just down the road from Anchorage in the town of Girdwood. Girdwood is a big ski resort in winter, but in summer it's a terrific center for lots of outdoor activities as well as just hanging out. From Girdwood it would be easy to make day trips to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center down the road in Portage, or go on a "26 Glacier" cruise (vey smooth water) from Whittier. You could explore the old gold mining town of Hope, the only settlement on the south shore of Turnagain Arm, or go birding at Potter Marsh, right on the edge of Anchorage. Google the places on this map - https://goo.gl/maps/8zQrVPN8q2bQyRbJ9


I'll keep thinking about other suggestions.

From Seward, the Resurrection Bay trip (e.g.) Major Marine is calm waters. Also in Seward is the Alaska SeaLife Center. We stayed at Northern Nights B*B in Seward, they are on Expedia etc., you might have a look to see if they are available. Assuming you will have a car, the drive from Anchorage to Seward is scenic (as is the train ride) and you can visit places like Exit Glacier and Potter Marsh with a vehicle. Downtown Seward has Seward Brewing Company (which also serves meals).


I would still go to Denali even though the road is closed at the half way point. We stayed at Denali Perch which is on Expedia.

Thanks for the replies!

MichelleY, the Scopolamine patch is the only thing that does work for her. At least most of the time, but not always, and she gets all the dryness associated side effects. She also determined that some generic brands work better than others, but none as good as the brand name. She did say she'd wear one a couple times during the trip so we could take boat excursions.

Gardyloo, no worries about bluntness, it's just something we have to strategize around. She does get sick in a car, guaranteed in the back seat, 50/50 in the front, but not if she is driving. Can't explain why, but she drives, I navigate, and it all seems to work out. (We did return the car early in Wales, but that's another story.)

THANKS much for all those detailed options you provided. You may have scared me off Seward unless we go at another time. That may explain why at least one of the lodges is already fully booked. I am intrigued by your other information. The Girdwood area seems particularly interesting because it looks easy to get to. I have not watched the videos yet, but will soon, including the brewery, hah.

(My interest in St. Elias is because I have a few Vittorio Sella books on my shelf, have admired his work for a long time, including on the first ascent with the Duke of Abruzzi. Also a fan of Brad Washburn's photography, hence Denali.)

mlgb, thanks to you too! You say yes to Talkeetna, gardy says no. I value both your opinions so maybe split the difference.

Well, I'll go do some more homework. If Seward is out perhaps I don't have to be in quite a rush.

Thanks again.

Just a wild thought, but I had one alternative that came to mind for a car-based trip that might be a lot of fun. It's way, way off your current thinking, so maybe headed straight for the circular file, but, hey, you have most of a year to plan, so let a hundred flowers bloom and all that.

What if you flew to Whitehorse YT instead of Anchorage, got a car there and did a tour of the central Yukon plus Skagway and Haines? I know, that's bonkers, right? But bear with me for a second.

Airfare to Whitehorse (YXY) is going to be a little more than to Anchorage, depending on where you're coming from, but a quick search suggests accommodation - hotels, Airbnb et al - is likely to be cheaper, thus possibly offsetting the higher plane fare. I would imagine that food and other incidentals will probably be comparable to Alaska - fuel more, but the favo(u)rable exchange rate might help.

You could do a loop from Whitehorse - down to Skagway, ferry to Haines, back to Whitehorse, maybe with a stop in Kluane National Park or at Kluane Lake, with views of basically the same range that you'd see the west slopes of in Wrangell-St. Elias NP In Alaska. https://goo.gl/maps/BdNBUkBwNrHVkUHNA

Or take a day (in each direction) to drive up to Dawson City at the junction of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers and enjoy that incredibly historic and picturesque place. https://goo.gl/maps/UDS58imvLxzGNeQUA

I know, a totally different concept than your original, but one that might be pretty enjoyable.

Don’t count Seward out. I thought the bay and surroundings were beautiful.

I agree, as well as the town (away from the lodges along the waterfront) is kind of cute. Just check your dates

Since Princess moved most of their cruises to Whittier I would think the cruise issue in Seward is much less than in previous years. You can check who's in port using the CruiseMapper website (cruisemapper.com). A lot of cruisers just stay in Anchorage the night before and take the train or shuttle bus down, spending little time in the port. Usually anxious to get on board for that first included lunch.

Skagway is HEAVILY cruise-impacted since it also gets the cruise ships from Seattle.

If you have extra time in Anchorage the Tony Knowles coastal trail around Fish Creek is popular with birders. You can start at Margaret Eagan Sullivan Park (which has a parking lot) and also look at the west side of Westchester Lagoon.

In Seward there is a famous set of feeders called "Ava's Place" see the eBird hotspot for details. Good spot for Pine Grosbeak coming to feeders.
https://ebird.org/hotspot/L3308370

Also drive down to Lowell Point for Marbled Murrelets.

If you want a port on the Kenai Peninsula that is not affected by cruise ship traffic, go to Homer. My wife and I stayed at a B&B on the hill above Homer. One morning while our hosts were serving breakfast, a mom moose and yearling walked by right outside the window. We went from there to Seward and Exit glacier as a day trip.

You might want to look at Alaska.org (the official tourism website) and see if there is actually anything in Homer (or some of these other spots) that interests you, especially if fishing is out.

Thanks again for all the input, much appreciated. :snow:

gardyloo, your Yukon loop idea is not immediately heading to the circular file, I'm taking a look at it. I have an ex-colleague from work who has twice driven up to Alaska from Colorado, and he has been impressed by the Yukon as much as anything. I've just spent a few minutes following the loop, so thanks for taking the time on that.

Michelle and mlgb, Seward is not counted out. It still has a lot of what we are looking for. I have another ex-colleague who just returned from spending his entire two weeks on the Kenai Peninsula and he was raving about it in an email yesterday.

mlgb, I've not seen the cruisemapper site before so that is now filed away. Looks useful. Also, thanks for the birding locations in Anchorage and Seward. I just looked at the Ava's Place eBird list you linked. Fun to see a lot of our Colorado birds there, but there are plenty of others.

tomfuller, what, no train travel in your recommendations?! :) In my friend's email he said they loved the goldstar class from Anchorage to Seward.

I have been spending time on the Alaska.org site. My wife found a page there that lists a slew of wilderness lodges. Those have a lot of appeal for us as a place to hang, although there are some pricey ones for sure. But I'm going to investigate those too.

I'm not feeling the urgency I was in my first post, now feeling like I have more time for research. So off to do that. Thanks again!

I just returned from a two week July vacation in Alaska. There were three couples and we used VRBO for most of our stays. We stayed in Anchorage the first night, then drove to Seward for a couple of days. We then went to the Cooper’s Creek/Sterling/Soldotna area for a few days. After that we went to Homer for a couple of days. We anted to stop in Girdwood and regret that we didn’t have the time. We went to Willow and did a day trip to Talkeetna for the airplane-glacier landing tour. I agree with Gardyloo. Our afternoon there after the plane ride was enough. Maybe one overnight would be good.

We did a wildlife/glacier tour out of Seward and one of our seasick prone people was very sick even with the patch. The others who wore the patch were fine. There are some curvy roads in Seward and on the hill in Homer but if your wife is fine driving it shouldn’t be a problem.

We also downloaded the ‘All Trails’ app to use for our hikes. It’s an excellent resource for knowing exactly how long, how difficult and what wildlife you may see on each trail. We hiked/walked almost every day and we’re never disappointed.

Good luck researching and I hope you have a great trip.

Thank you cgenster for your information and well wishes.

i’ve spent a little time looking at Talkeetna online and I understand why it might not be on everyone’s list. Perhaps a bit of tacky tourism. Still, it is close to Denali… But I’m onboard not too much time there.

As mentioned above, my wife unfortunately found an alaska.org page listing wilderness lodges. There are some up there that have appeal. We need to think about how much $ we are willing to part with. Or make that $$$.

Just throwing some ideas out and you can decide if there's too much motion involved! I agree with others that I can't imagine a week in Talkeetna. It is a cute little town and you are more likely to see Denali from there as from Denali. If you wanted to go there for a night on your way to Wrangell/St. Elias, then I would do that. You would back track from Talkeetna to get to the Wrangells. One of our favorite spots in the Wrangell/St Elias park is Kennicott/ McCarthy. If you can get there---could your wife manage a 25 min. small plane flight? It's pretty smooth every time I've gone. You can drive the road and some rental companies will let you do that. The road is better now than in the past. It's just long. About 2 hours. However, there's lots to do in Kennicott. The park service is restoring the mine and the exhibits are great. There's hiking, glacier walk, kayaking in a lake at the terminus of a glacier. McCarthy is an interesting, small little town. I could spend a week hanging out there, but never have had that much time. The other option I would throw out there besides Seward is Homer. If you could manage the driving part (motion sickness-wise) I would suggest a couple of nights in Seward and then drive to Homer for the rest of your time. There's lots of places to amble about and it's so beautiful, you can just sit. Personally, I like Homer much better than Seward, especially since you won't be going on any day cruises out of Seward. I would also suggest on either end of your trip to spend a couple of days in anchorage. The museum is fabulous and the Alaska Native Heritage Center is a must see. There are trails all over Anchorage for biking/walking. And wonderful trails in the Chugach mountains on the east side of Anchorage. And just because you mentioned it, I would not stay in Glenallen. It's just a pit stop. I should say too, that the road from McCarthy to Kennicott is 5 miles and can be bumpy. If you stay at the Kennicott Glacier Lodge, their vans are smoother riding than others. Have a great trip.

Hi christy, thanks much for you information.

Yes, I've pretty much decided the long Talkeetna town stay was a bad idea, so that's scrapped. Glenallen is scrapped too, I think I got that name from the NPS website.

We are starting to consider two itinerary options, one SE Alaska: Sitka, Juneau, Glacier Bay. The other the Anchorage to Kenai Peninsula route. Both have various pluses and minuses for us. Several days in Anchorage is on that also.

My wife could probably do the 25 min plane ride if she slaps the patch on beforehand, but it's always an uncertainty. Unfortunately, unlike most people it could take her days to recover from a bad vertigo attack. Most likely it would be OK, but it's something we have to factor in that makes travel tough at times. As Bob Seger sang, what to leave in, what to leave out.

I'll report back as we zero in on something, but that will likely be a few weeks. Thanks again!

One thing to consider if you are ferry or plane dependent is the weather. The rain can delay or cancel flights. Distances in Alaska are deceiving since one is not driving 60 mph, but much slower due to traffic on 2 lane roads or construction. And as you are finding, Alaska is very expensive, but so worth it!

Thanks again Michelle. Yes we are seeing sticker shock with Alaska, but then what was the point of living within our means and saving our entire lives if we don't spend it now?!

This is a rough idea starting to gel. Similar to my original post, with a few tweaks.

- Focus on Anchorage, Seward, Talkeetna / Denali as opposed to SE Alaska large due to direct flight to Anchorage from Denver (this is huge) as opposed to more complex routing to Sitka / Juneau.
- Move trip to late August - early September. Possibly less crowded, more lodging options, fewer bugs, early fall colors, slightly elevated aurora sighting possibility.

- Drive Anchorage - Seward, Spend 3+ nights in Seward, then return the car, apparently possible to do with Hertz.
- Go to one of the backcountry lodges on the Kenai that require boat travel. Spend a few nights.
- Travel to Talkeetna, possibly train via overnight Anchorage
- A few nights up there but not right in town, go to one of the nearby lodges.
- Somewhere in all that spend a few nights in Anchorage.

Total time 2 1/2 - 3 weeks. Just thinking out loud here, no doubt it will change.

If you wait too long into September you have to consider the possibility of "termination snow" but as you are from Denver it shouldn't be an issue.

BTW, May can also be good weather, if chilly. And it's before school is out.

If you think you might want to take one of the Resurrection Bay cruises, check the Major Marine schedule for the half day cruises. You can call them to make sure they stay inside Resurrection Bay. May is good for Orca sightings (we had them inside the bay in early June one year).

Nelson, look at Alaska Wildland Adventures website. they have a lodge on the Kenai River in Cooper Landing and also one across Skilak Lake. they have another lodge out of Seward, but I don't think your wife could handle that trip. It's out in the Gulf and pretty much rough all the time. I wouldn't chance it. and FYI a lot of lodges start closing around Labor Day. Lots of restaurants and shops do too. The fall season for leaf viewing starts around mid-Sept. but it all depends on how wet/dry the summer was. Depending on where you are you might see a hint of the Aurora. the train to Talkeetna is a great idea. Places to stay in Seward are hard to find because there's just not that many of them. You might try Moose Pass if you strike out in Seward. Don't count Homer out. and restaurants/shops etc don't usually close till mid Sept. I agree with whoever said to spend time on the trails in Anchorage and Potter Marsh. and up in the mountains around Anchorage. It's really stunning.

We did the 4 hour Resurrection Bay cruise back in 2021 and it was very calm other than some swells when the boat turns to head back to port. The narrator was outstanding and we did see a good amount of wildlife, mostly seals, puffins, eagles, a mountain goat, as well as a whale who swam alongside the boat for a good amount of time.

mlgb, Thanks. Although I was pretty sure what you meant I had to look up "termination snow", and found this with a beautiful picture that makes me want to go:
https://www.valisemag.com/guides/ala...mination-dust/

The dates I'm looking at would be roughly Aug 20. - Sep 10. Seems like there are things still open then, enough lodges closing around Sept 10-15. TBD.

christy, I have been spending a lot of time on the Alaska Wildlands site. Very informative. Was that third lodge you mention the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge? If so, that is actually the one at the top of my list. It looks like the route stays in Resurrection Bay then turns into Aialik Bay, when seems even more sheltered. But maybe I have to rethink this. :unsure:

Homer is still on the list. I think it was mlgb who mentioned some of the Anchorage activities and Potter Marsh. My list of bookmarks is getting long.

Thanks Madam397, we will hope for calm water and a whale alongside. Lucky you!

yes- Kenai Fjord Glacier Lodge. You have to go into the Gulf of Alaska to get to Aialik Bay. that's the issue. Our family went on a day cruise this past summer and the water was so rough in the Gulf that at least half the people on the boat were sick. Or, it could be much calmer--you just never know.

Thanks for the follow up Christy. This morning I sent an email to Alaska Wildlands with a couple questions and their answer to this one echoed yours:

“The Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge is a wonderful and unique experience, though I will be honest, there are occasions where the 4.5 hour boat ride to/from the lodge can be choppy at times and we have had guests succumb to seasickness while en-route.”

Unfortunately that means this lodge has to come off the list, not worth the risk. I’ll look closer at their other offerings.

We thought the setting of Resurrection Bay and Seward was so beautiful. I was meh about Homer, but it was a rainy overcast day, so I try not to compare. You will love whichever you choose.

We stayed at Sauerdough Lodging. This was over 20 years ago and it was rickety and interesting. It appears it has been upgraded and remodeled. Right in town, so may not be what you are looking for.

Their other lodge across Skilak Lake is really interesting. the main building is an old hunter's house , I think. I don't remember the lake being particularly bumpy to get to that lodge, but you can talk to them about that as well. their other lodge in Cooper Landing is really nice. On the road. I would be happy to hang out there for awhile and experience the comings and goings of a summer fishing community. As someone said, Homer was meh. I think anywhere in Alaska can be meh when there are so many clouds you can't even see the mountains! We stayed at Homer Seaside Cottages. they are right across the road to a great beach and very comfortable, especially for two people. Come to think of it, they may be for a bigger group. There used to be some great BnB's .

I've been on Skilak lake numerous times including some when you had to hold on for dear life when the wind came up and things got very choppy.

So this is going to sound totally OTW but who knows, maybe not so awful.

You can fly round trip from Anchorage to Nome (Alaska Airlines, around 90 min.) for around $350 or less most of the summer. Nome is an historic goldrush town located on the Bering Sea, and while it's not going to win any beauty contests (understatement there) it's unusual for bush communities in that there's a pretty extensive road system that radiates from Nome out into the Seward Peninsula bush. There are three main roads, each around 70-80 miles in length, that can give you a wide range of landscapes to see, some pretty spectacular, and the chance to see LOTS of wildlife including a bazillion birds. (Nome is along a couple of migratory flyways.) In August you'll probably have the tundra starting to show autumn color (it can be fantastic) and the mosquito situation should be minimal.

If your wife is okay driving, you might give some thought to a few days in Nome. There are a couple of local car rental companies (tied to some accommodations in at least one case) and I guarantee you the experience would be vey memorable. Nome itself is still a very active gold mining center, but there's a lot of history in the area, lots of memorable people, historic sites.. And if you want to hang out by a beach, well, bring a gold pan with you and try your luck. You're not going to find luxury accommodations (they'll be adequate) but you WILL see a face of Alaska that most visitors miss. Maybe worth some thought.

Nome Scenic Drives | Driving The Nome Road System | ALASKA.ORG

Wildlife Viewing on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Hotels we stayed in during our 2021 Alaska trip:
Anchorage - first night at Sheraton Anchorage -now part of Marriott so we got points but it easy walk for our afternoon Park Connection bus to Talkeetna the next day at the Anchorage Museum. They took our luggage at noon and that allowed us time to visit the outstanding Anchorage Museum. Bus took us directly to Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge

Talkeetna-Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge- awesome lobby and viewing platform from which you can see Denali, if visible. Lovely grounds and comfortable room. We had dinner outside at the casual restaurant. They took us by shuttle van the next day for our trip to Denali

Denali Bluffs Hotel - comfortable, shuttle to bus depot for transit shuttle in Denali the next morning, casual restaurant one night but the other night we had an excellent meal at their sister hotel, Denali Grande which has pretty spectacular view. Walking distance to shops and a breakfast place, Black Bear which was good but most expensive breakfast in our entire trip but we probably over-ordered. Hotel will take your orders the night before you go to Denali for bagged lunch. Shuttle back to train depot for our domed car trip back to Anchorage. Did not handle our luggage at all. Train arrangements through Alaska Tour and Travel
Anchorage - arrived back in Anchorage around 8 or so, having had dinner on the train.

Cab to Hyatt Place Midtown, large comfortable room, better than average hotel provided breakfast, indoor pool and hot tub which was great after sitting for eight hours on transit school bus shuttle in Denali (just about two weeks prior to landslide), shuttle to airport to pick up rental car after spending time touring Anchorage

Seward - Harbor 360, comfortable room but could not get harbor view room, booked in April for August and asked to be notified if harbor view room became available, but none did. Discount on Major Marine cruises as same company and they depart from harbor in front of the hotel, we did 4 hour Resurrection Bay cruise, enjoyed Seward for two nights and did all the Seward activities

Homer - Bay Avenue Bed and Breakfast - comfortable, nice breakfast. Not much of a B & B person but not many options in Homer actually. Family wedding so we were there for 3 nights and were told not to stay on the Spit, maybe concern about traffic, about a mile from the Spit so not walkable but the Farmers Market is just down the road, Dinner one night at Captain Pattie's and rest of time was wedding related

Girdwood- Alyeska Lodge - comfortable room, nice meal in casual restaurant, nice pool and hot tub, since then they have opened a spa. Alyeska Tram and lovely grounds to walk around. Morning stop at Wildlife Conservation Center before driving back to Anchorage for red-eye flight.
Enjoy!

Bristle-thighed curlew is a very difficult hike over bowling ball tundra for a bird that looks a lot like a regular Whimbrel. I suggest you save that bird for Hawaii where you can find it on a golf course on the north shore of Oahu. Willow Ptarmigan can be seen in Denali. The scenery doesn't hold a candle to the Alaska Range.The roads, by the way are not paved once you are outside of the town. If you want to risk going on an unpaved road, the Denali Highway between Paxson and Cantwell would be a better choice for scenery.

Thank you all once again! I have read and am digesting it all. As mentioned in the first post, I though Alaska could be intimidating, and it is lol.

gardyloo, appreciated the Nome idea, but I have to do a realism check, Any moving part is a risk for my wife's vertigo, so I'll have to scratch that one. (Even train travel is risky, she got very sick when we took the California Zephyr form Denver to Sacramento. The upper deck of those cars were swaying at a perfect seasick inducing cadence. We didn't expect it so she hadn't put on her patch in time.)

I'm still back to my original plan of Anchorage, Kenai, Talkeetna / Denali road, with some modifications. The modifications are more time in Kenai and add a couple stops.

- Drive anchorage to Seward, but spot for 2-3 nights in Girdwood. Then we could do a day trip to Whittier for the "exclusive No Seasickness guarantee" 26 Glacier cruise. Thank you gardyloo for that one, which I found on another thread.
- Stop for a few nights in one of the Alaska Wildlands lodges. christy, I have an email out to them about the Skilak Lake crossing.
- Then a few nights in Seward for the Exit Glacier hike, and if calm maybe do a Resurrection Bay cruise. We can hopefully decide that on the spot.
- Then up to Talkeetna area for 3-4 nights. I get why people don't like to town but if we have a car it could be a fit for us. For example even a short distance on the Denali Highway mentioned by mlgb looks good. I found a site showing where all the good spots are located. Denali State Park seems worthwhile, too.
- Also, September 2nd is new moon, if we are there around that date we'll have dark skies. We've long thought of trying to see the auroras some day, this could be the trip. It's a better than zero chance, and we are in an active period the next couple years, so they say.
- Some time in Anchorage on both ends.

Coming back to what Michelle said, "You will love whichever you choose."

Gardyloo is right about Skilak! My husband reminded me when I mentioned it to him. It's a huge lake--like everything in Alaska is huge. On your way to Talkeetna you could go up to Independence Mine outside of Palmer. and you can ask around about the condition of the road from there to Willow which is on the highway to Talkeetna. Otherwise , just backtrack on the paved road. I haven't been on the other road in a long time but it's a beautiful drive. You can also go on a walk on the Matanuska Glacier which might be interesting for you. and since you'll be there end of August you could see giant cabbages at the Alaska State Fair! I had forgotten about 26 glacier cruise. It's really nice. Have a great trip!!!

We have a plan, somewhat modified, but still similar to my original post.

My wife decided that if we go to Kenai / Seward she wants to put her patch on one day and do a cruise to see the wildlife and sights. She is starting to stock up on patches that have worked in the past. Given that, we may as well take the risk and go to the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge.

Alaska Wildlands Adventures has a package where they pick you up in Anchorage, bring you to their Riverside Lodge in Cooper Landing for one night. The next day it's off to the Glacier Lodge, where we plan to spend 5 nights. Then return to Seward and they have already booked the train back to Anchorage. Most people do that the same day, but we will stay in Seward one night to break it up and check out the town.

Then up to the Talkeetna area for another 5 nights, (sorry gardy!). But since we can time it to be there near the new moon it becomes a chance to see both Denali and the aurora, so a two-fer bucket list in one trip! I am looking at a couple hotels that are 5 miles or so from town. There seems to be more than enough outdoor activities to keep us busy. Christy, the Independence Mine looks really cool, we love those kind of places.

Anyway, that's the big plan, still working out some details. Thanks to all for your suggestions and information. Wish us luck! :wave: :snow: :pcloudy:

I will repost the direct link to a lodging that I recommended in Cantwell, on the other Alaska trip planning thread. We stayed (2021) immediately next door in the Perch Cabins, and ate at their Panorama Pizza Pub (excellent).

https://www.mckinleycabins.com/

They also have some trip planning advice as well as an option for a guided self-drive Jeep tour on the Denali Highway (round trip). So possibly your wife can drive to avoid any issues.

Resurrection Bay I have done only early season (May-June and it was calm inside the bay both times). The longer cruises such as to the Northwest Glacier go outside into the Gulf of Alaska which can be rough. Quite often there are whales inside Resurrection Bay, you may wish to ask Major Marine about that. The good thing about going on the shorter cruise if more interested in wildlife, is that they focus on wildlife, versus spending a lot of time waiting for the NW Glacier to calve. You probably will see wildlife just along the edge of Resurrection and other bays/fjords where you drive along the shoreline.

The longer cruise from Whittier does get you to College Fjord , which I saw this year in May from a regular cruise ship. See photo. Not sure if I would stress to do these glacier/whale watch cruises in August. Do check in with the SealIfe Center in Seward. I was skeptical but we could have spent hours at the seabird pool (make sure it is not closed to the public due to any avian flu outbreaks). You shouldn't need to buy far ahead of time for that, but you may want to call Major Marine ahead and ask if advance purchase is a good idea (probably is). For Major Marine in Seward, they can tell you if there have been recent whale sightings. I'm not sure that August will be peak whale viewinghttps://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5a12dbf26d.jpg
Spectacular College Fjord (Harvard Glacier) May 12, 2023, from bow of Grand Princess, with the extra snow.

mlgb, McKinley Cabins looks excellent. I have made note of it. Thanks.

We will be hoping for calm water and/or that her patches are working for our cruise. The rough spot looks like where they turn into Aialik Bay. :unsure:

Definitely planning to visit the Sealife Center on our day in Seward. From what I've read late August should be decent whale viewing if not actual peak.

Fabulous photo of College Fjord! We've seen big glaciers but this will be something different.

I"m so glad you decided to risk it and go to the Glacier Lodge. There is a hike up the mountain--beautiful view at the top. I did it and I"m not the mountain hiking type. They have canoes on calm lakes so not too much movement. We saw bears and otters. It's a very comfortable place. Your itinerary sounds great. and you may luck out with the Aurora! Let us know how it all works out!

Thanks Christy, and for your help above!

The trip is taking shape, the Kenai portion is booked with the Alaska Wildlands package. We tweaked it a bit, adding two nights in Seward. The full itinerary is looking like this, suits our travel style:

Anchorage - 2 nights
Cooper River Riverside Lodge - 1 night, they shuttle us there
Glacier Lodge - 5 nights
Seward - 2 nights, for Sealife center, maybe Exit Glacier, Harbor 360 hotel
Anchorage - 1 night, must stop due to return train schedule
Talkeetna - 4 nights, arriving just after Sept 2 new moon so it should be really dark at dark o'clock. Settled on Talkeetna for a variety of reasons that work for us. Have tentatively booked Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, while waiting for some other places to release rooms. If we stay there my wife says she may never leave. Probably drive to Talkeetna so we can stop at places like Independence mine if we want to.
Anchorage - 2 nights

I'm going to work on travel insurance now so we qualify for pre-existing conditions.

It's scary exciting. Thanks again. I will report back next year.

that sounds like a great trip. not to burst your bubble but it doesn't get dark at dark o'clock. You'll still have to get up around 1am or so to catch sight of the Aurora. I bet the hotel staff does wake up calls if she's out. or I bet there's an app or some group that does wake up calls for various areas. It's supposed to be an active year. I'm excited for you!

christy, Oh yes, Dark O'clock meant 1-3:00 AM. We often wake up then anyway, you know. Lol.

Whatever sliver of moon we've had will be set by then. The hotel says they do wake up calls, one of the reasons it was selected as an option. But looking for an app is a good idea. Thanks!

oh-- sorry! yes- I completely understand about waking in the night! the staff there is great and they really want you to have a great time. The cabins there are built on the diagonal so that when you are on your back porch, it's like you're the only cabin there. Can you tell I like that place? ! lol. have a great trip

Does your trip need to be in August? We were advised to go to Alaska in early to mid July so we could see the bears. We did and watching the bears catching salmon in the waterfalls is my favorite memory of Alaska.

Hi HappyTrvlr. Thanks for your input and suggestions. Our trip did not have to be in August. It was time around a significant birthday, but the actual travel dates didn’t really matter.

However, we have now decided that a chance to see the aurora has become an important part of the trip. For that reason, among a couple others, we are scheduling it around the new moon in early September. That date gives us a slim chance, at least better than a July date.

We might still be able to see bears at the falls around that time, from what I’ve read online. Or, maybe that is something we miss. But i”m also thinking that this doesn’t nave to be an only trip to Alaska!

Thanks again.