A few random questions....

[Miss Bigglesworth]

My family and I (four ‘adults’ at 60+ years young and seven ‘kids’ ranging from 26-32) will be leaving on July 4 on the Ryndam for Alaska. First, I would like to thank the frequent commentators on this board who have (unknowingly) helped me plan this trip. However, I have a few random questions I can’t seem to find the answers for. If anyone can help with these I would appreciate it:

1) Juneau. Where are the exact locations for the franklin street and main street city bus stops? Amazingly, my google-fu is failing me and I can’t seem to find this information anywhere. Our ship docks at 8am and the bus to the west glacier trailhead is due on franklin street at 8:18 so wondering around looking for the stop isn’t really an option.

2) Skagway. I was planning on renting a car and driving to emerald lake. However, the rock climbing option looks mighty tempting. Provided the rock climbing ends on time and we leave town between 1:30-2pm, will this give us enough time to get up there and back? Our ship leaves at 9pm (so I would want to be back no later than 8pm).

3) Anchorage. We are taking the Alaska railroad up to anchorage leaving seward at 6pm arriving around 10:15pm. Where exactly does the train end up in anchorage? I am assuming we will need to take a taxi from wherever the endpoint is to the airport. What would be the approximate cost of a taxi? Is there a shuttle bus we could take?

I’m sure I will have other questions, but I am fairly locked in on what I want to do for the week and these are the few loose ends I need to tie up before I leave.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Budget Queen]

My family and I (four ‘adults’ at 60+ years young and seven ‘kids’ ranging from 26-32) will be leaving on July 4 on the Ryndam for Alaska. First, I would like to thank the frequent commentators on this board who have (unknowingly) helped me plan this trip. However, I have a few random questions I can’t seem to find the answers for. If anyone can help with these I would appreciate it:

1) Juneau. Where are the exact locations for the franklin street and main street city bus stops? Amazingly, my google-fu is failing me and I can’t seem to find this information anywhere. Our ship docks at 8am and the bus to the west glacier trailhead is due on franklin street at 8:18 so wondering around looking for the stop isn’t really an option.

2) Skagway. I was planning on renting a car and driving to emerald lake. However, the rock climbing option looks mighty tempting. Provided the rock climbing ends on time and we leave town between 1:30-2pm, will this give us enough time to get up there and back? Our ship leaves at 9pm (so I would want to be back no later than 8pm).

3) Anchorage. We are taking the Alaska railroad up to anchorage leaving seward at 6pm arriving around 10:15pm. Where exactly does the train end up in anchorage? I am assuming we will need to take a taxi from wherever the endpoint is to the airport. What would be the approximate cost of a taxi? Is there a shuttle bus we could take?

I’m sure I will have other questions, but I am fairly locked in on what I want to do for the week and these are the few loose ends I need to tie up before I leave.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

The Franklin St. bus stop is down a couple blocks on the right at a bus shelter. Just walk, until you find it. Pretty simple. Walk to the right of the Red Dog.

 

I'm sure you have read to allow 4-5 hours for the Klondike Highway drive. It is not going to be ideal for you to consider this heading out so late, only you can decide.

 

The train ends up at the downtown depot. No there isn't a shuttle to the airport. Allow 20 minutes and about $30. You need a flight 1am or later.

[Sea Hag]

Here's just my opinion on item 2. We rented a car and drove to Emerald Lake once, but we agreed it wasn't worth it. The trip is fairly long and we didn't find Emerald Lake to be all that special once we got there. It's pretty enough, but not worth spending that much time in a car when we could be doing something more interesting.

[Miss Bigglesworth]

Budget queen,

 

thank you very much! that's what i needed to know!

[Budget Queen]

Here's just my opinion on item 2. We rented a car and drove to Emerald Lake once, but we agreed it wasn't worth it. The trip is fairly long and we didn't find Emerald Lake to be all that special once we got there. It's pretty enough, but not worth spending that much time in a car when we could be doing something more interesting.

 

Did you have Murray's Guide??

 

Frankly, you are an extremely small minority who didn't care for this touring. It certainly is loaded with endless sightseeing and there is plenty of information on this board that Emerald Lake is NOT a destination, but a turn around point. It is worth the look, then moving on to all the other vista areas.

[JanetAlice]

I agree with Budget Queen's assessment. It isn't the destination, it is the journey.