Thoughts

Overall, apart from the flights fiasco, the trip went pretty smoothly. Distances are far (we drove ~ 1500 miles in 12 days) but driving is pretty easy. I enjoyed the second part of the trip (Kenai peninsula) more than the first half (Denali), but perhaps a lot has to do with lousy weather. Here are a few things I would have done differently if I had known better / if I had a choice. There were a number of excursions that I had no idea about - just didn't know where to look or didn't look hard enough - until I got there, which is too late.

• move up the trip to July / early august for better & warmer weather
• extend the trip to 2 weeks. I wish we had an extra day in Denali - maybe we would get one day with better weather and we could be more flexible with our plans. With only 2 days we had no wriggle room. What will we do with the extra day in Denali? I probably would consider doing a rafting tour.
• I would skip the day trip to Seldovia from Homer, and either spend that day hiking around Homer, or add that day to Seward, or spend that day stopping along the Sterling Hwy/ Seward Hwy between Homer and Seward to do some hiking
• I would add at least 1 day to Seward. Granted, our last day of the trip was spent hanging out with my friend. If I didn't have someone to visit, I would have gone on a glacier lagoon kayaking trip at Bear Glacier. Sadly I didn't know about the Bear Glacier Lagoon until I was in Seward. I also might have tried hiking the Harding Ice Field trail
• I would probably skip the Alyeska Aerial Tram. It is very pricey and there isn't a whole lot to do up top unless you are a serious hiker, or you want to go mountain biking. We only went because it was the first sunny day of our trip and I didn't know activities up there is so limited. If we had more time we might have hiked up the mountain (and you can take the tram down for free)
• The day at Girdwood I might have chosen a different adventure with Chugach Adventures, for example the kayak and grandview tour. This is more right up our alley, a bit more active than the float we did, which was nice but pretty passive.

There are also a bunch of other activities that I didn't consider due to costs / time constraints / our adverseness to riding in a flightseeing plane / helicopter. Activities that sounded really cool such as:
Glacier flightseeing (either at Matanuska or at Harding Ice Field)
Bear flight seeing tours (from Homer)
Float planes to Lake Clark NP or Katmai NP
Glacier dog sledding tours / helicopter ride
Flightseeing to Denali from Talkeetna

Another thing that struck me was the fellow travelers I met on this trip — majority of them are of retirement age but every single one of them have been to Alaska multiple times. Before this trip, I thought to myself that this is likely to be my one and only trip ever to South Central Alaska. After this trip, I am thinking of a return trip in the future. I think the beauty of the wilderness, the mountains and the sea, is what draws people back.

Next trip most likely will be SouthEast Alaska, Glacier Bay, though I really don't want to be going on a big cruise ship. I did some prelim research and I think my options are either a smaller ship such as Nat Geo cruise, or do a combo of boat and small planes and staying in Gustavus. Possibly in 5 years' time?

Yes we returned in late July to take the Alaska Railroad National Parks tour and then visited Kodiak for 4 nights. I said when we left I probably wouldn’t return, but reading this trip report we may have to.

RoxAnn24 I would love to hear more about your 4 nights in Kodiak island!

The Alaska Marine Ferry is a budget cruise. We rented a cabin but many people sleep wherever including setting up a tent on deck. A park ranger gave several talks each day. The food on the Columbia was mediocre but it was an experience. We got off in Skagway since our son had his jeep and was moving to Knik near Wasilla. The crowd in Skagway was huge thanks to visiting big cruise ships and we had to spend an extra day to take the train ride since cruise passengers had scooped up all the tickets.

Fourth of July is a great time since some towns do a big celebration and Girdwood has the Forest Fair. I read local news to see what was going on so while in Knik I drove to Anchorage for a garden tour of one neighborhood. Always a fun way to snoop around someone's yard without getting arrested. Last stop was a very old log cabin. Only garden I ever visited with a keg in the garden.

it was many years ago but Hobo Jim was still alive and we went to a dinner show where he sang and talked with the audience. I don’t,t think there was more than 50 people in the audience. He used to sing the Iditarod Trail song at the mushers banquet before the start of the race. You can hear him on YouTube.

I'm thinking of it too, so the Travel Alaska folks should give yk a commission, or at least a discount on her next trip, due to the additional business she's drummed up!

yk, I agree with your assessment of the river float being a bit too passive. I did a full day down the Kenai River, and while we saw a grizzly and lots of bald eagles and nice scenery, it was a little too passive for me. Best part was arriving at Skilak Lake and cruising across it, which was amazing.

I read a few books before going on our trip and one that stood out was "One Man's Wilderness" from Richard Proenneke's journals about his years building a cabin in Lake Clark NP. There is also a documentary about him that is available on PBS and/or YouTube. But the book is better.

Well, I'm thinking of a return visit and if it happens we'll become one of those retirement age folks you encountered who have been there multiple times. Thanks for this TR.

Our main reason for visiting Kodiak was to see the bears and fish. We stayed in town at the Best Western. Great location and staff, but could use a good scrubbing. The Compass next door is newer. You like Airbnbs so that’s an option. We went out with SalmonCrazy Adventures, Captain Jeff. Had a fantastic day of fishing and came home with 50+ pounds of halibut and salmon. Very experienced. The next day we went out with Ani from Kodiak Connections Walking and Hiking Tours. She’s been in Kodiak 25+ years and is passionate about the history, culture, ecology of the area. We spent the entire day with her while my husband fished on the Saltery River for Sockeye with Kodiak Anglers. We had one day to walk around the small town, visit the museum and shops and relax in the sunshine on the deck of the local brewery. We saw one young bear running across the road. Hubby saw a big one on the river. We also saw eagles, puffins, whales, fox, beautiful scenery, and even surfers at Surf Beach. You mentioned Lake Clark NP. We did that too out of Anchorage. Used Rusts Flying Service, Captain Dan. He was exceptional. We only saw one sleepy bear up close, but many from the plane, along with Beluga whales, moose, glaciers, and spectacular scenery including another view of Denali.

How did you get to Kodiak island? How are in advance did you make the bookings? I will say that I'm not dying to see bears and fish, and we are also not keen on fishing! But just looking on the map and seeing Kodiak, Katmai and Lake Clark all intrigue me because of how even more remote these places are. Maybe one of these days I can overcome my fear and convince my husband to do at least one flight seeing trip!

When I was looking on Alaska message boards on what to pack/bring to Alaska, one poster responded succinctly,

"Bring Money!"

One of the bigger hurdles of planning a trip to Alaska is cost. Yes, everything costs more in Alaska — groceries, dining out, gas, rental car — but what I find is the most expensive are excursions. Of course one can argue that you don't have to go on them, but if I'm making the effort to go to Alaska, I do want to take these excursions because majority of the time, these things aren't DIY. Bear in mind that the excursions that we went on are "cheap" comparatively speaking, because none of them involve seaplanes / bush planes / helicopter rides, or charter fishing boat trips. Those tend to be $500+ pp to start.

Below is a breakdown of our expenses. We ate out most of our dinners (save for 4 home cooked meals at the Airbnbs) and we didn't skimp on dining out. If I am in Alaska I want to have seafood at every meal if possible. There are plenty of chances to eat pasta and burgers back home. We ate most of our breakfasts at our airbnbs and made turkey & cheese sandwiches for picnic lunch on many days. Lodging-wise I thought the prices were fairly reasonable, and staying at airbnbs saves us money on dining out.

Airfare $700pp + $760 first class upgrade = $2860
Lodging (12 nights, 11 nights paid as our first night was free staying at my friend's) $3736, avg $340/night — 10 nights at airbnbs and 1 night at hotel/lodge
Car rental $1407 for 12 days, + $16 parking + $192 on gas (1500 miles driven) = $1615
Groceries $430
Dining out $1310 ( 1 B, 3 L, 8 D, plus misc coffees and ice creams)
Sightseeing / Excursions $3383 breakdown:

• Chugach adventure (Alaska railway + Spencer glacier float from Girdwood) $972
• MICA Matanuska glacier trek $506
• True North Adventure (all-day sea kayak and hike from Homer) $861
• Rainbow boat tour to Seldovia from Homer $345
• Major Marine 6.5-hr wildlife Kenai Fjord NP cruise $751 (lunch included)
• East Fork transit bus in Denali $84
• Alyeska Aerial tram $134
• Alaska wildlife conservation center $76
• Alaska sealife center $104

Misc: $150 souvenir shopping, ~ $200+ gratuities for excursions

Grand total: ~$13700 for 12 days for family of 3 (N.B. we paid full adult price for my son for most things)

This is definitely by far the most expensive trip we have gone on, though I will admit that it is less than what I thought it would be. And DIY is certainly a lot cheaper than packaged tours. An acquaintance of mine booked a tour with Alaska Wildland (8 days/7n in Kenai Peninsula) a few years ago for his family and the cost of the package is $7500pp, not including airfare.

We could have easily spent a lot more if we stayed at hotels and ate out for more meals, and if we did more expensive excursions. By comparison, earlier this spring we spent $11000 on a 12-day trip to Japan, and last summer we spent $11000 on a 13-day trip to Switzerland/France.

Final thoughts
I wish I didn't wait until I am in my early 50s to visit Alaska for the first time, and I would love to return to do more outdoor excursions - hikes, kayak etc while I am still physically able to do so. But time and cost is an issue because it takes a long time to get there and it is not cheap. Besides, there are so many other places on Earth that I haven't been to yet! Too many places, too little time. Also, trip-planning is very time-consuming and I tend to plan 3 (or more) trips a year based on my son's school vacation schedule. I find it very hard to plan any trips > 1 year in advance. I am hoping to go to Norway summer 2026 and do more hiking / nature sightseeing / visit glaciers & fjords. If you have any pointers I'd love to hear it!

~ That's all, folks! Thank you to all of you who followed along and added your comments. I hope this is helpful to those who are thinking of a trip to Southcentral Alaska, and it brings back good memories for those who had been there. Happy to answer any questions! ~

Have a look at flying into Juneau then taking the state ferry to Skagway or Haines (or Whitehorse in the Yukon - nonstop from Vancouver) and getting a car then driving the "Golden Circle" that includes those three towns.

Map - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Apn6uMAVBCBpKkfa8

Haines is the bald eagle "capital" of Alaska, and at nearby Chilkoot
​​​​​Lake you can see brown bears going after salmon pretty much from July to September (just drive there rather than spending hundreds for a bear flight farther north.)

The "Golden Circle" drive through the Yukon is very scenic (lots of roadside wildlife) and the towns along the route are very historic. When you get to Skagway it's a short and scenic ferry ride back to Haines.

If you want to visit Glacier Bay there are tours from Juneau, or you can fly into Gustavus if you prefer that.

Worth considering.

Hi yk
we are heading to AK in mid-May. We’ll be on a Holland America cruise the first week - Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Glacier Bay. After the cruise, we’ll rent a car in Anchorage and head to Denali, then slowly head back down to Seward. We’ll take a week to do the land portion, staying 2 nights in each place. There will be no hiking for us.

thanks for a great TR to glean info for our trip.

Wow, Gardyloo I have no idea of the Golden Circle - it didn't come up when I was looking up the area. I'll definitely keep that in mind. I just realize in 5 years' time my son will be graduating from HS! Maybe that will be the perfect trip for HS graduation.

Speaking of books, on the long drives between destinations, we listened to John Muir's Travels in Alaska audiobook. His travels were mostly in the SE area / Glacier Bay, so not totally relevant to our trip, but the scenery / glaciers he described definitely applies to other parts of Alaska.

We flew Alaska Airlines to Kodiak. Two flights a day from Anchorage. We booked about six months in advance. There is another tour company in Kodiak that has both fly outs and local tours. Jen was a park ranger and her husband a pilot. https://kodiakislandexpeditions.com/home I highly recommend either Ani at Kodiak Walking Tours or Jen.

Another interesting Alaskan book is “Thirty Below” the story of an all women’s ascent of Denali.

RoxAnn, if you liked that one then you should definitely check out Minus 148° by Art Davidson, a classic of the genre. I read it around 1970 when it was first published. A page turner for sure, and you will look at Denali differently. (Today's websites say it was published in 2013, but that's the reprint.)

Gardyloo, I'll float that "Golden Circle" idea. Thanks.

And thanks again for the TR, yk.

yk - Another great TR with, as always, the the most fantastic pictures. Can't wait for your next adventure, any ideas where you are going? I still have to figure out how to do the hyper link you do. You've responded on my TR of the Northwest, but I still haven't gotten it clean with the underlined Blue listings. Mine are still including the http etc. Anyways, thanks again for an amazing trip.

I knew Art (his neighbor was one of my business partners) and his (former) wife Mossy Kilcher, daughter of Yul Kilcher and aunt to Jewel Kilcher (the singer.) That's the family featured in Alaska the Last Frontier TV series. (One of the most interesting home movies I ever saw was a time lapse film that Yul took of his homestead in Homer - he shot a few frames at the same time every year for something like 30 years, then spliced them all into one movie. You can see the house growing, the trees shooting up... very cool.)

If you're okay with 50+ year old books, you really ought to get a copy of John McPhee's Coming into the Country. It's by far the best book about Alaska I've ever read, even if it's now quite old. It's a revealing and beautiful read.

Holy cow Gardyloo, you knew Art Davidson! Definitely a legend because of that book, among other things. Looks like he is now involved with assisting Ukraine.

I actually bought Coming into the Country to read while we were up there, but never got around to it because we were going, going all the time. But it's still on my Kindle app and I plan to read it.

Well, I'm going to take a (probably unintended) opening to proselytize once again my personal obsession (not "fetish" as this is an adult site ) with round-the-world air tickets. Those that have already heard the spiel (including probably the OP) can move along, nothing to see here. But maybe...

The future visit to Norway along with the "so many other places" line is the reason I bring it up. Round-the-world (or "RTW") tickets are priced quite differently depending on the country from which travel begins and ends. For the time being, one of the cheapest places for Oneworld alliance RTWs to begin is Norway. For example, a 3-continent ticket (Europe, North America, Asia) beginning in Norway carries a base price of US$1728 in economy; adding a fourth continent (say, Australia, South America or Africa) raises the base price to $2047. In business class, the 3-continent base is $5250 and the 4-continent base is $5808. By comparison, the same tickets with travel starting and ending in the USA cost $4256/$5910 in economy, and $11,469/$12,179 in business, so double the Norwegian cost and then some.

For that investment, you get up to 16 flights over a 12-month lifespan of the ticket. You have to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in the same direction, and there are miscellaneous rules covering routes, changes, etc., but nothing too onerous. You have to end up back in the same country where you started.

But here's the deal. By starting someplace overseas (Norway and Japan are the two cheapest origins for the time being) you can "stop over" in the US, for up to months if you like, before continuing your trip. So here's an imaginary trip, one of who-knows how many permutations possible. Say you start in Norway next spring or early summer. You fly to Oslo using AA miles or some cheap-ish one-way method, then tour the fjords, see the North Cape, midnight sun, etc., then fly home using the RTW ticket.

The Oneworld ticket gives you up to 6 flights in North America, so you could use it to head to the Caribbean, to Central America (both are considered "North America" for the ticket) or California, or back to Alaska.

On that topic, imagine taking a week in the late summer (say August) and flying on the RTW ticket up to Nome (Alaska Airlines is part of Oneworld.) Get a vehicle in Nome and use it to explore the surprisingly extensive road system that radiates from the historic gold rush town out into the Seward Peninsula bush. The tundra will be turning colors, the wildlife will be plentiful and fascinating - muskoxen, caribou and reindeer, moose, bears, foxes, and a zillion migratory birds about to head south - and the bugs will be gone. Nome itself is fascinating - historic and current gold mining, the legacy of the Iditarod...


Then you return home and resume your lives. Then, maybe in the spring, you return to Tokyo, maybe visit Hokkaido, then over to Singapore and/or Kuala Lumpur (for the food if nothing else - yow) then end up back in Oslo before the RTW ticket turns into a pumpkin at the end of the 12th month. Here's a map.



You could fly home on some of the (many) miles you've accumulated in the trip or just get a new one and keep on going. This is a 3-continent trip; you could add a 4th - maybe New Zealand, or Cape Town, or Buenos Aires, or any number of other destinations around the world.

Maybe it's time to start emptying that bucket list (or more likely, leave room for refills.)

Gardyloo, the RTW ticket certainly is very tempting, esp for its price! It's just really hard to commit, even though I know I'm not really committing anything except for flying to 3 continents within a year. but we are constrained by school vacation weeks and limited vacation time (my husband). Maybe when he agrees to early retirement I can revisit this idea?

YK, I certainly understand RTW not possible right now and don't forget your son may be off to who knows where in five or more years. We went thru a period of visiting ds where he was. You might get lucky and M-YK will be someplace you will want to visit. Second Cousin's oldest has just spent a couple of years as a digital nomad but his company just started restricting everyone to stay in the US.

Of course and I understand.

Without trying to belabor the subject, one point I need to emphasize about these tickets is that while they're good for a year, they can be used over much shorter durations. I know that saying "round the world" can be quite daunting to some, implying that the trip should be one of leisurely discovery, or lengthy exploration of faraway places. Of course they can be just that, but they also can be means of capturing some good prices and comfortable flights on less ambitious travels. For example, using the example I made above, you could comfortably do the Boston-to-Nome round trip in 5 or 6 days, counting 3 or 4 days on the ground in Alaska. That MIGHT be doable as an add-on holiday at some point in a year that's "sandwiched" between, say, Norway at one end, and maybe someplace in SE Asia at the other, even if it's just a couple of days in Singapore or KL or Bangkok on the way back to Europe. Returning to a European starting point going west would entail around 3 days' travel time (say 14 hours from Boston to Tokyo, 8 hours from Tokyo to Singapore, and 14 more from Singapore back to Norway via Doha. Add hours for plane changes, showers in the lounges or at an overnight airport hotel, and you're back where you started.

Now obviously that sort of schedule is quite severe, but if you pop for business class, it's far less uncomfortable than one might imagine, provided you don't try to reset your internal clocks three or four times over the space of a week. I'm not advocating that, but it's quite doable. (I've done similar high-speed trips around the world in the past and lived to tell the tale.)

Anyway, I looked at a sort of "primer" on RTWs that I wrote some years ago (before Covid) and posted on the "air travel" board here at Fodor's, and I decided to update it a little. Here's the link if interested: Round-the-world and multi-continent airfares