Interior/Denali options

[lizbeth]

Hi -

 

I could use some assistance with our interior/land/Denali portion of our trip this summer (late June & early July timeframe).

 

My husband wants to take a cruise northbound, purchase the 6-day cruise tour package to see Denali, and then return to the Alaskan coast and take another cruiseship southbound. Booking the 2 cruises (on different ships) does not pose a problem. However, I think we are better off doing an independent driving trip for those 6 or 7 days inland. (I'm not fond of being on a bus with 40 other people).

 

Could you share some of the pros/cons of the interior/land/Denali portion of the trip regarding going with the cruise line plan or doing it independently? Will the costs be about the same?

 

We plan to book our cruise segments by Jan. 10.

 

Thanks for any suggestions and insight you can provide.:)

 

-Liz

[negc]

Hi -

 

I could use some assistance with our interior/land/Denali portion of our trip this summer (late June & early July timeframe).

 

My husband wants to take a cruise northbound, purchase the 6-day cruise tour package to see Denali, and then return to the Alaskan coast and take another cruiseship southbound. Booking the 2 cruises (on different ships) does not pose a problem. However, I think we are better off doing an independent driving trip for those 6 or 7 days inland. (I'm not fond of being on a bus with 40 other people).

 

Could you share some of the pros/cons of the interior/land/Denali portion of the trip regarding going with the cruise line plan or doing it independently? Will the costs be about the same?

 

We plan to book our cruise segments by Jan. 10.

 

Thanks for any suggestions and insight you can provide.:)

 

-Liz

Would both of you share the driving? If your husband will be doing all of the driving, it will be difficult for him to enjoy the scenery while concentrating on his driving duties. He might prefere to have someone else do the driving while he and you both enjoy the views.

There are large segments of the tour which can be done by rail and you might find that less objectionable than the bus. Clearly, doing the trip on your own will allow you to see exactly what you want and will also allow you to determine how much time you spend in various locations and not be limited by the package tours schedule and itinerary. You will need to do a lot more planning and you probably need to be realistic about just how much you can see and how far you want to travel each day. One of the posters on here, Jimbo, did quite a bit of research on doing his own tour and with valuable input from others on here, especially BudgetQueen, he came up with a very attractive individualized tour that will allow him to see and do exactly what he wants for a price he can afford. You might want to do a search for his posts and see what he ended up with.:)

[vbmom87]

You have come up with a great plan. I wish we would have thought of doing it that way. I do agree with you and would highly recommend doing the land portion independently. Yes, it seems simpler to go on a bus tour. All you have to do is show up and someone else takes care of all the driving and planning. However, if you study these tours, you will soon realize that you could see so much more if you did the land on your own. You can make stops along the way that the bus tours will miss. You are free to sleep in if you want.

 

Many of the cruisetours do not have the best options for Denali. If you want to get far into Denali, you are much better off independently. Many cruisetours only offer the Natural History Tour. This tour goes 17 miles into the park. You could drive by yourself 15 miles into the park. Traveling independently you can take a tour or shuttle bus (cheaper) and get further into the park. The shuttles allow you the opportunity to get off and hike a bit and then catch another shuttle to continue with your trip. If you do decide to take a cruisetour, look for a tour with the Tundra Wilderness Tour.

 

It is very easy to drive in Alaska. There is basically just one road between destinations. Really difficult to get lost!

 

If you haven't already thought about it, I would suggest one cruise that ends or begins in Seward and the other that ends or begins in Whittier. This way you can take advantage of some great boat tours if of interest in each port. Whittier has the PWS Glacier Tours that come highly recommended, especially the ones going through Esther Passage. The Kenai FJords boat tours are highly recommended in Seward. Seward also has the Sealife Center and Exit Glacier. The train ride between Seward and Anchorage is the most scenic stretch of the Alaska Railroad in the interior of Alaska.

 

YOu have a great trip planned!!! Enjoy Alaska!!!

[Budget Queen]

If you are open to independent touring in interior Alaska, do so. Point to point group travel is very limited. Simple to do, and I don't find a driver having significant problems seeing the scenery. Most is two lane roads, with plenty of pull offs available. Denali Park is definately better with 2 nights.

 

Necessary- get a copy of THE MILEPOST, try your library. Mile by mile road guide. 6-7 days is a great timeframe, allowing you to consider a lot of options.

 

While at the library, take out all the Alaska travel books, find out what is of the most interest to you. Do realize, less is probably "more" here, since distances are vast. I strongly suggest using both Alaska ports in your ship selections, then taking advantage of the above mentioned PWS boat tours, and an overnight in Seward. :)

[cage keeper]

I agree with Budget Queen. I have been researching this for a couple of years. You can get way more bang for your buck doing your own thing. We also like to do what we want when we want that wouldn't be possible on a tour.

[MercedMike]

I worked hard on the figures, and was unable to figure out how to save any significant money on a DIY tour to Denali (unless it was by looking for cheap motels and eating peanut butter sandwiches in the car.) The bus tour is very efficient and does what most people want to do, usually has some fun stops, and includes a significant number of attractions and tours. We enjoyed it very much.

 

However -- you are definitely going to be "on a bus with 40 other people" for a loooooong time!! Distances in Alaska are vast and the bus driver and guide work valiantly to fill the time when you are driving through the ever present spruce and willow forest. If that is not your cup of tea, that is a valid reason to decide to do it yourself. But remembering that prices in Alaska are usually at least 150% higher, saving money really doesn't work out as far as I could figure it.

 

Check out our review and pics at http://www.bully4.us/ct2.html

 

Have a great cruise and tour!

[fleckle]

Could you share some of the pros/cons of the interior/land/Denali portion of the trip regarding going with the cruise line plan or doing it independently? Will the costs be about the same?

I agree that you have made an excellent decision in booking different ships northbound and southbound. As for the interior/Denali portion, there is no right or wrong answer, only a matter of which type of trip would better suit the temperaments and personal preferences of the individuals involved.

 

Speaking from our own experiences, through the years we have taken many independent tours and many group tours. We find that we are almost always happier doing independent tours when we have sufficient advance time to plan them. These days we only book group tours when taking a last minute pack-and-go trip to an unfamiliar area, or if traveling to a location where we would not feel safe going off on our own, (which is certainly not the case in Alaska).

 

It is your vacation, but on a group tour someone else is in control of it, deciding when you must have your packed suitcase outside the door each morning. If you feel like sleeping in that day, you are out of luck.

 

Someone else decides when and where you stop, and how long you stay there. If you stop at a place you do not like and want to move on, it is too bad. You just have to wait there while your precious, limited vacation time slips away.

 

If you stop at a place where you want to spend more time, that is also too bad because you need to be back on the bus on their schedule.

 

Many times on a tour bus we have passed a charming little rural village or roadside attraction or scenic area where we would have liked to stop, and would have stopped if we had been driving our own car, but on a bus with 40 people we zoom right on by. We realize that for the most part you give up spontaneity on an organized tour.

 

On a big tour bus, a lot of time is wasted at each stop just waiting for everyone to get off the bus and again waiting for everyone to get back on. It is not unusual for a few people to be late and keep everyone else sitting on the bus waiting for them.

 

You get to choose your companions in a rental car, but not on a tour bus. If the guy behind you or across from you keeps coughing or sneezing or snoring, or reeks of cigarette smoke or worse, you are stuck with him, much like on an airplane.

 

We have also been on tours where someone had a medical problem and the bus driver had to detour to find an emergency room or pharmacy, certainly the correct thing to do under the circumstances even though it does impact the vacation time of everyone else.

 

I don't think that cost savings would be much of a factor during peak tourist season in Alaska, unless you are willing to camp out or perhaps drive an RV. But you can get an idea of comparative costs by pricing the trip both ways for the time period you are considering.

 

A few obvious advantages that make an independent driving trip in Alaska easy for someone in your situation are that you speak the language, don't need to exchange money, and are already very experienced driving on the right side of the road.

 

On the other hand, there are times when it can be comforting and easiest just to sit back and let someone else make the decisions and handle all the arrangements, despite the regimentation. Guess it comes down to a matter of trade offs.

[AlanAllyn]

One other consideration for the planned tour. There is someone to narrate and point out the sites along the way. (I've not done either but would probably choose the independent route.)

[Tricia724]

I worked hard on the figures, and was unable to figure out how to save any significant money on a DIY tour to Denali (unless it was by looking for cheap motels and eating peanut butter sandwiches in the car.)

 

I laughed out loud when I read this.....and there is an element of truth here that hit home, but for me, it's not a negative one.

 

On our last trip driving around Alaska, we were there the first of June, which meant that we were able to get a few shoulder season rates, although in most areas, the peak season rates applied. We also bought a Toursaver and the coupons that were in it at that time allowed us to save over $700 for excursions and lodging, but the coupons do change from year to year. We are going to do another independent tour in 2010, and this time we have purchased a Northern Lights coupon book which will save us at least $300, perhaps more, depending upon which coupons we choose to use once we get there.

 

While we didn't exactly look for cheap motels, having a vehicle does give you more options about where you can stay. Many of the tours stay at the Princess lodges, which also offer 2-for-1 rates in the Northern Lights coupon book, so you could stay at the same places, if you choose. In September we are staying at a B&B where we can get a nice breakfast for two included with our lodging and be able to spend all day enjoying the park. That's another benefit....you are not limited to the type of tour or hours spent there. If a B&B isn't your cup of tea, there are many other places to stay. Some may not save you money, but you will have more choices.

 

And we didn't actually eat in the car.....but we did carry a nice little cooler around with us that came in so handy. After we picked up our rental, the first stop we made was at a Fred Meyer store. We bought an inexpensive styrofoam cooler and ice and bought our own supply of water and soft drinks. At times when we were traveling longer distances, we bought some sandwich buns and some turkey or ham, snacks, fruit, cheese and crackers....you get the picture. If we came across a beautiful scenic spot, we'd pull off the road and enjoy the view and have something to drink or a snack and move on at our own pace. That gave us the freedom from a time schedule and let us stop at interesting places along the way. We will do that again this year.

 

Since I haven't traveled the highways of Alaska during July and August, I don't know how much traffic is out there during the busiest time of year, but in early June we found that once we left the greater Anchorage area, the traffic on the road was light. Honestly, driving southward from Fairbanks to Denali, we only saw a few vehicles (and a moose) in a couple of hours of driving time. The roads are good, easy to get where you're going, and wonderfully scenic.

 

I don't want you to misunderstand and think that we just jumped into a vehicle and drove around as the mood struck us. We had a definite itinerary and reservations for lodging and excursions along the way. What we did do, however, was allow plenty of time to get from one place to another and not try to cram too much into a day. We made much use out of the driving guides and mileage charts when planning our trip. It really isn't that hard to do.

 

I do quite a few bus tours at home with a friend, enjoy them tremendously, and I do understand the freedom that comes with paying your money up front and enjoying the ride. Many people I know have done tours in Alaska and were very happy. I just wanted to share our experience so that you know you have options.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Fleckle and Tricia's comments are right on, and certainly the way we think. While cruisetours may be right for some, it just doesn't fit in to the way we like to travel. So when we're planning our land only trip to AK in 2012, that is the way we'll go - strictly independent with either a rental car and booked cabins and/or B&B's, or, if I can convince DH, we'll be renting a small motorhome. The appeal of going where we want,, when we want and for how long we want is the real draw. We spend many of our vacations camping or at our rustic cabin, so doing our own thing in Alaska very much appeals to us. We're going back on May 31st for our third AK cruise, but after that, its land trip only - much to DH's delight! We'd be doing that this year (wow! its already 2010 - only 5 more months til our cruise - yahoo!) if we hadn't found HAL's wonderful 14 day roundtrip Seattle itinerary with the new ports of Homer, Kodiak, and Anchorage. Once I mentioned THAT to DH, he was on board, with the caveat that we WILL do the land only trip next time.

 

Its whatever appeals to you and your vacation lifestyles. Different strokes for different folks - whatever works for YOU is the way you should go!:D

[Budget Queen]

For clarification, the above "negative" comments about cheap hotels and meals are completely off base with my experiences and written for dramatic effect only. I've stayed in wonderful quant B&B's that those high cost lodges can't begin to compare to. I eat my halibut just about every day- :) which I don't catch and cook myself. :) I KNOW of many excellent eateries that are way superior to the cruisetour routes, where you have only the choice of where they take you. I also pack far more touring and features into my trips then the cruisetours, at a significantly lower cost.

 

 

SOOOOOOOOOOOO end of debate, for me- choose how you wish to go, plenty of options to make everyone happy.

[cruznqueen]

I have a question for Tricia724. When you went the beginning of June where did you travel and what activities did you book.

 

We are flying into Anchorage on the 5th of June and staying there that night. then my plan is to drive to Denali for 3 nights, back to Anchorage for 1 night, then drive to Seward for 1 night and cruise out the next day.

 

Is 3 nights in Denali too much? Would there be a good 1/2 way point to stay 1 night and then Denali for 2 nights.

 

On the drive from Anchorage to Denali, can anyone tell me if there are interesting things to see off the major road.

 

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks,

Mary

[lizbeth]

:) Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions and ideas regarding my questions about interior/Denali options. We've spent the last several days comparing and examining alternatives and we've reached a decision ... we are definitely going the independent route!! Yipppeeee!!

 

Here's what our "rough" 7-day inland plan looks like:

 

Friday: disembark in Seward, pick up rental car, drive to Portage for 1 hr boat cruise; drive to Girdwood for lunch and the Wildlife Conservation Center tour; drive into Anchorage and stay overnight.

 

Saturday: a leisurely day in Anchorage to see the sights

 

Sunday: up early; drive to Talkeetna for lunch; drive to Denali and check into our lodging.

 

Monday: Tundra tour

 

Tuesday: park shuttle, ranger led hike, coal mine tour; dog sled tour; cabin night theatre

 

Wednesday: drive back to Seward (a 5+ hour drive); check into hotel

 

Thursday: Seward Sea Life center; Seavey dog sled tour (both independent tours)

 

Friday: Kenai fjords tour & board ship in Seward for 9 pm depaarture.

 

Whew -- sounds like a full week of activity!! Does anyone see any problems with our proposed schedule?

 

We are planning on buying (in advance) either the TourSaver book or the Northern Lights book. We've bookmarked both websites and are starting to read about the coupons that each offers.

 

Thanks again to everyone who so generously contributed ideas to this post! I sincerely appreciate your assistance with our trip planning.:D

 

Warmly,

Liz

[basser]

We did an 11 Day land tour by RV Llast June. It was great. i highly recommend this way to see Alaska. Pictures are at There are 4 galleries labeled Alaska by RV.

[gotonana]

:) Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions and ideas regarding my questions about interior/Denali options. We've spent the last several days comparing and examining alternatives and we've reached a decision ... we are definitely going the independent route!! Yipppeeee!!

 

Here's what our "rough" 7-day inland plan looks like:

 

Friday: disembark in Seward, pick up rental car, drive to Portage for 1 hr boat cruise; drive to Girdwood for lunch and the Wildlife Conservation Center tour; drive into Anchorage and stay overnight.

 

Saturday: a leisurely day in Anchorage to see the sights

 

Sunday: up early; drive to Talkeetna for lunch; drive to Denali and check into our lodging.

 

Monday: Tundra tour

 

Tuesday: park shuttle, ranger led hike, coal mine tour; dog sled tour; cabin night theatre

 

Wednesday: drive back to Seward (a 5+ hour drive); check into hotel

 

Thursday: Seward Sea Life center; Seavey dog sled tour (both independent tours)

 

Friday: Kenai fjords tour & board ship in Seward for 9 pm depaarture.

 

Whew -- sounds like a full week of activity!! Does anyone see any problems with our proposed schedule?

 

We are planning on buying (in advance) either the TourSaver book or the Northern Lights book. We've bookmarked both websites and are starting to read about the coupons that each offers.

 

Thanks again to everyone who so generously contributed ideas to this post! I sincerely appreciate your assistance with our trip planning.:D

 

Warmly,

Liz

 

 

Have you considered purchasing an Alaskan coupon book? The Great Alaskan Tour Saver coupon book has BOGO coupons for several activities you have mentioned. My husband and I are on a cruisetour and we are saving $700 on shore and land excursions. The Northern Lights Coupon Book also has good deals for independent travelers, especially in the Anchorage area. I learned of these coupon books on these boards and have benefited from the purchase of 2010 TGATS coupon book. You can Google the coupon book names and their website will list the businesses participating.

 

Happy Travel Planning:)

 

Linda

[vbmom87]

:) Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions and ideas regarding my questions about interior/Denali options. We've spent the last several days comparing and examining alternatives and we've reached a decision ... we are definitely going the independent route!! Yipppeeee!!

 

Here's what our "rough" 7-day inland plan looks like:

 

Friday: disembark in Seward, pick up rental car, drive to Portage for 1 hr boat cruise; drive to Girdwood for lunch and the Wildlife Conservation Center tour; drive into Anchorage and stay overnight.

 

Saturday: a leisurely day in Anchorage to see the sights

 

Sunday: up early; drive to Talkeetna for lunch; drive to Denali and check into our lodging.

 

Monday: Tundra tour

 

Tuesday: park shuttle, ranger led hike, coal mine tour; dog sled tour; cabin night theatre

 

Wednesday: drive back to Seward (a 5+ hour drive); check into hotel

 

Thursday: Seward Sea Life center; Seavey dog sled tour (both independent tours)

 

Friday: Kenai fjords tour & board ship in Seward for 9 pm depaarture.

 

Whew -- sounds like a full week of activity!! Does anyone see any problems with our proposed schedule?

 

We are planning on buying (in advance) either the TourSaver book or the Northern Lights book. We've bookmarked both websites and are starting to read about the coupons that each offers.

 

Thanks again to everyone who so generously contributed ideas to this post! I sincerely appreciate your assistance with our trip planning.:D

 

Warmly,

Liz

 

Looking good.

 

On Tuesday, what coal mine tour are your referring to? Also, on Tuesday, you have the cabin nite theatre mentioned. I know many people like it, but in 2008 we found the food mediocre at best and the entertainment lacking. WE had the coupon and still felt we did not get our money's worth. We have attended these types of programs in other national parks and always enjoyed them. This one did not cut it for us. We wished we had gone for another dinner at 229 Parks instead and then driven into the park to Savage River Loop. (this is how far you can drive with your own car)

 

On Thursday you should also have time to go to Exit Glacier.

 

If you aren't familar with this website, it gives great ideas of where you can stop along the way:

 

Anchorage to Seward:

 

http://alaska.org/driving/seward-drive.htm

 

Anchorage to Denali:

 

http://alaska.org/driving/denali-drive.htm

 

Since you are arriving and leaving from Seward, I would try to fit in a PWS boat tour out of Whittier. It could be done on either the first Friday or Saturday.

[frugaltravel]

Wednesday: drive back to Seward (a 5+ hour drive); check into hotel

 

Figure 5+ hours just from Denali to Anchorage and 3+ hours from Anchorage to Seward, and that is without accidents, mudslides, slow RV's in front of you, etc. I would never plan on driving from Denali to Seward in one day. Realistically, you are looking at 10-14 hours.

[NancyIL]

:)

 

Sunday: up early; drive to Talkeetna for lunch; drive to Denali and check into our lodging.

 

Monday: Tundra tour

 

Tuesday: park shuttle, ranger led hike, coal mine tour; dog sled tour; cabin night theatre

 

Wednesday: drive back to Seward (a 5+ hour drive); check into hotel

 

 

You've made a great start! To clarify - you are planning the Tundra Wilderness Tour your first day and the shuttle bus the next day? Have you compared the prices of the two? I can see going into the park two days, but I don't feel the "tour" aspect justifies the much higher cost of the TWT.

 

I think you have pretty ambitious plans for your second day in Denali, so I suggest moving one or more activities to your first day. After we did the 8-hour shuttle bus to Eielson beginning at 6:30 a.m., we were pretty wiped out for the rest of the day. It was all I could do to stay awake until dinner, and then went to bed early.

 

As already mentioned, I wouldn't plan to drive from Denali to Seward in one day.

[fleckle]

As already mentioned, I wouldn't plan to drive from Denali to Seward in one day.

An easy modification would be to spend only one night in Anchorage on the northbound leg, eliminating the full day of Anchorage sightseeing on the way up. Since Seward cruise ship disembarkation occurs early in the morning, that first Friday would be a very flexible day with plenty of time for leisurely sightseeing stops along the drive up to Anchorage, plus adequate time to do some sightseeing in Anchorage after you arrive and check into your hotel.

 

That would push the Denali schedule back one day, arriving in Denali on Saturday instead of Sunday.

Then you would be leaving Denali on Tuesday instead of Wednesday and could spend Tuesday night back in Anchorage (or for that matter, wherever you wish along the way) to break up the southbound trip.

 

It would give you time for the leisurely day of sightseeing in Anchorage on Wednesday, finishing with the drive back down to Seward at the end of the day. So you would still get back to Seward on Wednesday evening as originally planned. Since it stays light outside very late at that time of year, there would be no concern about running out of daylight for sightseeing along the drive.

[Cruisin_on_th_net]

*eye boggling voraciously reading* guys guys guys, how exciting is this thread!!!???

 

We are meant to be travelling with another couple (potentially another pair also) and that couple have their hearts set on a Tour. We haven't been convinced. (I mean we'd love it, but not sure if we want to spend the money) BUT now I've seen this thread, I'm thinking, they do their tour, we do our thing......

 

Gosh..... More decisions LOL! :)

 

But thanks, and please keep the suggestions coming. Fascinating reading. :D

[Budget Queen]

*eye boggling voraciously reading* guys guys guys, how exciting is this thread!!!???

 

We are meant to be travelling with another couple (potentially another pair also) and that couple have their hearts set on a Tour. We haven't been convinced. (I mean we'd love it, but not sure if we want to spend the money) BUT now I've seen this thread, I'm thinking, they do their tour, we do our thing......

 

Gosh..... More decisions LOL! :)

 

But thanks, and please keep the suggestions coming. Fascinating reading. :D

 

I will speculate that this "couple" has no idea what their "heart" is set on, and is not knowledgable on other options???

[Budget Queen]

:) Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions and ideas regarding my questions about interior/Denali options. We've spent the last several days comparing and examining alternatives and we've reached a decision ... we are definitely going the independent route!! Yipppeeee!!

 

Here's what our "rough" 7-day inland plan looks like:

 

Friday: disembark in Seward, pick up rental car, drive to Portage for 1 hr boat cruise; drive to Girdwood for lunch and the Wildlife Conservation Center tour; drive into Anchorage and stay overnight.

 

Saturday: a leisurely day in Anchorage to see the sights

 

Sunday: up early; drive to Talkeetna for lunch; drive to Denali and check into our lodging.

 

Monday: Tundra tour

 

Tuesday: park shuttle, ranger led hike, coal mine tour; dog sled tour; cabin night theatre

 

Wednesday: drive back to Seward (a 5+ hour drive); check into hotel

 

Thursday: Seward Sea Life center; Seavey dog sled tour (both independent tours)

 

Friday: Kenai fjords tour & board ship in Seward for 9 pm depaarture.

 

Whew -- sounds like a full week of activity!! Does anyone see any problems with our proposed schedule?

 

We are planning on buying (in advance) either the TourSaver book or the Northern Lights book. We've bookmarked both websites and are starting to read about the coupons that each offers.

 

Thanks again to everyone who so generously contributed ideas to this post! I sincerely appreciate your assistance with our trip planning.:D

 

Warmly,

Liz

 

You are underestimating the time for Denali/Seward. It's best with 9 hours. I do not recommend this in a single day. Also, no "coal mine" tour at Denali Park, that I know of?? Question also the choice of the Tundra Wilderness tour??? Tuesday?? Way overloaded, if you are referring to any "shuttle" other than Savage River?? I would schedule your Kenai Fjords tour the first day, then do the other stuff, embarkment day. Can add Exit Glacier.

[Budget Queen]

I have a question for Tricia724. When you went the beginning of June where did you travel and what activities did you book.

 

We are flying into Anchorage on the 5th of June and staying there that night. then my plan is to drive to Denali for 3 nights, back to Anchorage for 1 night, then drive to Seward for 1 night and cruise out the next day.

 

Is 3 nights in Denali too much? Would there be a good 1/2 way point to stay 1 night and then Denali for 2 nights.

 

On the drive from Anchorage to Denali, can anyone tell me if there are interesting things to see off the major road.

 

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks,

Mary

 

Talkeetna is a good overnight area, if into McKinley flightseeing?? What are you planning on doing at Denali Park??? That is what you have to figure out, before you commit to excess time that could perhaps be better spent elsewhere.

 

Plenty to see and do along the way. First off, you have to grocery shop by Wasilla, IF you want some of your own supplies. Eklutna Spirt House tours are excellent. The Sled Dog Headquarter Museum is worth the look in Wasilla. You are too early for Hatcher Pass/Independence Mine, Musk Ox farm is worthwhile if of interest. Anchorage is worth time, and plenty to see and do, again if of interest.

[Tricia724]

I have a question for Tricia724. When you went the beginning of June where did you travel and what activities did you book.

 

We are flying into Anchorage on the 5th of June and staying there that night. then my plan is to drive to Denali for 3 nights, back to Anchorage for 1 night, then drive to Seward for 1 night and cruise out the next day.

 

Is 3 nights in Denali too much? Would there be a good 1/2 way point to stay 1 night and then Denali for 2 nights.

 

On the drive from Anchorage to Denali, can anyone tell me if there are interesting things to see off the major road.

 

Any suggestions would be great.

Thanks,

Mary

 

Hi Mary,

 

Our trip was a little different from yours first time around. We had 10 days on our own, and we spent 1 day in Anchorage, 2 days in Fairbanks, 2 days at Denali, 1 day at Talkeetna, 2 days in Soldotna, and 2 days in Seward. This next trip in September will be longer and will repeat some of those stops, but we won't be going to Fairbanks this time.

 

I think Budget Queen has given you some great answers about the activities around Anchorage. We will also have more time in Anchorage on our next trip and will look into some of them ourselves.

 

I don't know whether 3 nights would be too much for you at Denali....if you are a nature lover and intent on wildlife viewing, it may not. I am a nature lover myself, and we are so looking forward to seeing Denali in it's fall colors. We are going to take the shuttle for two full days on this next trip. I suspect that will be enough bus time for me. We will stop at the Visitor's Center on our way in and spend a little time, hopefully with a stop at the kennels.

 

As Budget Queen mentioned, Talkeetna is a good place to stop on the way to/from Denali. It's a neat little town, the jump off place for mountain climbers who are climbing Mt. McKinley. It's small and rustic, a few stores and places to eat, and several airlines that do flightseeing. We already have plans to stay there a night on our next trip, have breakfast at "The Roadhouse," and then head on to Denali.

 

We did our summit flight over Mt. McKinley out of Talkeetna last time, and it was a spectacular trip. We didn't even have reservations. It was such a beautiful day when we got to Talkeetna that we decided to stop at the airport to talk to them, and as luck would have it, they had a plane ready to do a summit flight, and before we knew it, we were onboard and looking down on the mountain and mountain climbers. We had a Toursaver coupon book with a 2-for-1 coupon on a "round the mountain flight." They took it and all we did was pay the upgrade cost for the summit flight. Great deal, great flight. You can't count on that kind of luck, but it was one of the highlights of our trip.

 

I see you are planning to drive from Anchorage to Seward....have you given any consideration to taking the train? The train ride from Anchorage to Seward is noted for its exceptional scenery. I can't speak from personal experience because I didn't do it last time, but will do it next time. That would allow you to turn your car in early and save some money on your daily rate and save the drop-off fee in Seward. I haven't checked it out lately but last time it was costly to drop off a car in Seward. And Seward is a nice town, easy to get around, and inexpensive taxis. So, you might want to do some price comparisons there.

 

No matter what you decide, you are going to have a great time.

 

Pat

[fleckle]

You are underestimating the time for Denali/Seward. It's best with 9 hours. I do not recommend this in a single day. Also, no "coal mine" tour at Denali Park, that I know of??

BQ, I think the "coal mine" reference is to the Denali - Usibelli Coal Mine

http://didelottravels.*****.com/my_weblog/2009/07/denali-usibelli-coal-mine.html

 

If you get a chance, please add your recommendations for places along the way to get good but reasonably priced lodging and meals on such a trip. I think there are probably many of us on a budget reading this board who would be very appreciative.