Itinerary plan early stages DIY drive

[dolfndreams]

Reading the boards I've been convinced to try the DIY drive. Found a decent rate for car rental Anchorage/dropping in Seward $675.00

 

Found some great Airbnb /Homeaway options. Just early planning so no specifics on excursions yet; but would it work to do base in these three places and drive to different options.

 

Anchorage Aug 21-23: (arrive afternoon the 21st). Is Prince william sound at Whittier drivable from Anchorage? for 22nd. Drive to Denali 23.

 

(Would like to do the McKinley summit flight can I drive to it from Anchorage or better from Denali?)

 

Denali 23-26. Perhaps arrival day do a Denali tour huskey homestead or one of the other shorter ones. One day use to drive to Fairbanks/ 1 day Denali shuttle at minimum to Eilson. Drive to Seward 26th (is the drive Denali to seward doable or do I need a night to split it up on the way?)

 

Seward 27-28: Kenai glacier cruise to fox island, still exploring other options. Leave on cruise 28th 8pm

 

Just rough draft but is this doable?

[Alaskanb]

This may help to see distances etc http://www.alaskatours.com/help_decide.aspx

[mapleleaves]

Are you looking at Whittier in order to do a day cruise of Prince William Sound?

yes, it's an easy drive. About an hour to the tunnel then you need to be mindful of the tunnel hours of operation since it's only open once an hr in each direction.

 

Do you have plans in Fairbanks? If not, you're spending time on the road ......

 

To cut down on car rental expense, keep in mind that you don't need a car in Seward. It's VERY small; the town has a free shuttle bus, there's a $10 shuttle to Exit Glacier and a taxi from the downtown area to the harbor is under $10 or it's a lovely 1 1/2mile walk along a waterfront path.

If you want to explore the Turnagain Arm area and visit the Wildlife Center, etc, you can do that as a day trip with your car from Anchorage.

Return the car to Anc then take the train or bus to Seward. Price it out ... might save some $$$.

 

I can give input on the itinerary if you indicate your Whittier and Fairbanks plans. The way it is now is tooo much driving.

[mapleleaves]

What is your interest in the dog kennel .... do you want to SEE a working kennel, or do you want to go carting.

If you just want to see dogs at work there's a free demo at Denali 3 x a day.

And there's Seavey's kennel in Seward if that fits into your plans better.

http://www.ididaride.com/tours-packages/tours-packages

 

Tunnel info:

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/index.shtml

 

Travel Time/Distance Chart (car, bus, train)

The car times are quite accurate. Just keep in mind that it's DRIVE time only, doesn't stops for gas, food, sights .... just drive time.

http://www.alaska.org/advice/mileage-chart

 

This link has suggested stopping points for the various drives:

http://www.alaska.org/maps/road-maps

[dolfndreams]

Thanks so much Mapleleaves and AlaskaB the distance and tunnel charts will help a lot in the planning. The stopping points link will be great. I'm looking forward to the driving almost as much as the excursions. I live in the desert and while it has its beauty there is something about the mountains that lights me up so will be worth the drive time I'm sure.

 

Yes Whittier was interest for the cruise so thanks for the Tunnel link, I was seeing the warning on that.

 

Actually I had been originally going to do a land tour and had some things planned in Fairbanks that sounded kind of fun, a bit kitchy but fun. The riverboat/Gold dredge and/or Chena hot springs but not committed to them and not really a issue with cutting out Fairbanks. I'll just have to visit it later starting from there. I suspect I'm going to be back:)

 

I wasn't sure about doing 2 days on the shuttles in Denali although having a option of doubling our chance to see wildlife might be worth it. My sister has some back issues so was a bit concerned about 2 days shuttling into Denali. Any other must do things to do in Denali aside from the shuttle? No problem cutting out the Fairbanks drive time and I do still want to do a flightseeing tour in Talkeetna, perhaps use that day to do that? Open to any suggestions.

 

Very open to changing my plans at this point but if the Denali spot to stay comes through looking forward to staying 3 days in a nice apt as a base to exploring. Would you suggest somewhere else to visit from Denali as a base (home would be about 1/4 mile from the entrance to Denali I think)

 

The dogs, not really interested as much in the cart as the working dogs so the free demos sounds great.

 

Seward I found a cabin I want to stay in so would need the car for that, could of course change and stay in town, but the cabin looks amazing and then I won't be worrying about getting to the Kenai cruise site etc and the cabin is lovely and I don't often have a chance to stay in that type of setting.

 

The car sounds ok after comparing it to the land tour portion, with all the housing/car/flight I still came in $900 under what the land tour was charging and we can cook in the cabin/apts so food costs will be less.

Edited May 23, 2015 by dolfndreams

[mapleleaves]

- Talkeetna is the popular spot for Denali flightseeing. Talkeetna is closer to Mt McKinley so less time is spent flying TO the mountain which gives you more time to fly AROUND the mtn.

- the Hertz car rental seems quite low. Are you sure they included the drop off fee?

- sounds like you have lodging secured already, so does that mean the itinerary is locked in?

[Alaskanb]

I live in a desert also and am thrilled to be going back to cooler Alaska in June 2016. We did an after-cruise DIY in early June 2012 and focused on Turnagain Arm, Seward, and the Matanuska Valley. There are so many great stops on Turnagain Arm that going down it twice was wonderful. We had lots of rain!

We chose not to include Denali but that will be our focus in 2016 so decided on a pre-cruise tour as DH does not want to drive the distances it would take.

[dolfndreams]

- Talkeetna is the popular spot for Denali flightseeing. Talkeetna is closer to Mt McKinley so less time is spent flying TO the mountain which gives you more time to fly AROUND the mtn.

- the Hertz car rental seems quite low. Are you sure they included the drop off fee?

- sounds like you have lodging secured already, so does that mean the itinerary is locked in?

 

My sister works for hertz so I get the family discount. It is substantial. I thank her regularly and ask her not to quit.

 

I can change the Anchorage Airbnb, although they seem pretty great and very cheap.

 

The Seward Cabin is pretty locked in.

 

Haven't heard back from Denali but hoping I will since her spot looks excellent.

Edited May 23, 2015 by dolfndreams

[dolfndreams]

I live in a desert also and am thrilled to be going back to cooler Alaska in June 2016. We did an after-cruise DIY in early June 2012 and focused on Turnagain Arm, Seward, and the Matanuska Valley. There are so many great stops on Turnagain Arm that going down it twice was wonderful. We had lots of rain!

We chose not to include Denali but that will be our focus in 2016 so decided on a pre-cruise tour as DH does not want to drive the distances it would take.

 

Isn't it a amazing contrast. I did a cruise many years ago and fell in love with Alaska on the excursions I did. Truly amazing.

 

Enjoy the pre-cruise tour. I was doing the same but.....figured I can always go back and try the cruise tour if it ends up being miserable; which I can't imagine.

 

I wish I had a driver also but if we have a comfortable night spot where I can relax I think it will go well. My biggest concern was lodging on the fly and Definitely don't want to drive a RV so tings started looking good when I found places that I wanted to stay.

 

I want to come back and do the train version, but really want to try the stop at will version first.

 

I

[mapleleaves]

I'm in Las Vegas for awhile ... very different from Seattle and from Alaska. :)

 

I don't think you have the time you think, given your interests and travel time.

Here's my itinerary suggestion. It gets you to the points you wanted but there isn't time for a base and a 3 nite stay anywhere. And even this itinerary doesn't offer a lot of down time.

 

8/21 pick up rental car. Drive to Talkeetna, 3 hrs. Stop at the Eklutna Spirit houses and Orthodox church on the way (only 5-6 minutes off the hwy). Evening flightseeing if you have clear skies. Overnight

 

8/22 flightseeing. Finish drive to Denali, 3 hrs. Pick up your Park tickets then drive as far as private vehicles can go on the park road, Mile 15. (after mid aug this is a good area to see moose. It's rutting season so they're more active). At Mile 15 there's a 2 mile hike at Savage River if of interest. Overnight at Denali Park Hotel or Aspen Haus cabins, both are about $150 and have fridge/microwave.

 

8/23 shuttle to Eielson

 

8/24 10am sled dog demo. At 1pm head for Girdwood to overnight, 6 hrs. This would also give you a 3rd opportunity to flightsee since you pass Talkeetna again.

(Girdwood is about 45 minutes south of Anchorage. ) overnight at the Bird Ridge Hotel ... plain but economical. Or maybe the Anchor Inn, Whittier. (there are 2 gold panning places between Anc and Girdwood)

 

8/25 PWS cruise, usually leave noon-ish. Overnight again in Girdwood or Whittier

 

8/26 Before you head to Seward (2 hrs away) enjoy this area .... maybe try gold panning, visit Alyeska Resort, stop at the Williwaw fish viewing platforms, the Wildlife Conservation Center for an hr

 

8/27 Kenai cruise (or tomorrow if the weather is crappy)

 

8/28 Sealife Center, Ranger led walk at Exit Glacier.

 

Hope this helps. I've made several driving trips up there (car and RV) so itineraries come easily. I won't be crushed if this itinerary doesn't interest you. Primarily I wanted to show you how much time it takes to get around and how to include the locations you were interested in. It certainly shows that Fairbanks isn't an option. You could gain a day by giving up the PWS cruise, but even then, it's a 2 1/2 hr drive from Denali to Fairbanks so you wouldn't have much time there. Next time ....

 

p.s. stop by the library for a copy of the MILEPOST. It's a fantastic resource. For every hwy it provides the milepost number where you'll find a gas station, restaurant, point of interest, frequent wildlife sightings, activities, etc.

Edited May 23, 2015 by mapleleaves
milepost

[Alaskanb]

Isn't it a amazing contrast. I did a cruise many years ago and fell in love with Alaska on the excursions I did. Truly amazing.

 

Enjoy the pre-cruise tour. I was doing the same but.....figured I can always go back and try the cruise tour if it ends up being miserable; which I can't imagine.

 

I wish I had a driver also but if we have a comfortable night spot where I can relax I think it will go well. My biggest concern was lodging on the fly and Definitely don't want to drive a RV so tings started looking good when I found places that I wanted to stay.

 

I want to come back and do the train version, but really want to try the stop at will version first.

 

I

We found stop at will added in lots of travel time :D One thing that caused me to pause when planning our DIY was putting the time on the road into the context of travel in New Mexico and how I felt during and after it. From where we live in southern NM to Santa Fe is about a 5-6 hr drive with stops for lunch and a driving break --I'm wiped out after it and that's on interstate highway. Traveling on two lane roads is different and this year Denali National Park has warnings about travel time due to road works. http://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm

Try not to overestimate what you are able to accomplish--focus on quality rather than quantity. Mapleleaves itinerary is very realistic.

Edited May 23, 2015 by Alaskanb

[dolfndreams]

Thanks so much both Of you. This does give me a chance to be more realistic. I'll definitely look at this itinerary option it looks great.

 

Downtime I can do at home right:)

Edited May 24, 2015 by dolfndreams

[fishin' musician]

I really like mapleleaf's itinerary but at the end I would find a way to include an overnight in Homer, the Spitt is the most unique shopping district I've ever experienced (and I generally dispise this activity) and the scenery there is breath taking.

[dolfndreams]

Homer sounds beautiful. I'll look at it. I have read a couple of othermentions of Homer but hadn't looked at it yet.

 

It is definitely is sounding like a return trip is happening in the future. What a amazing place. The possibilities are endless there.

[zqvol]

Reading the boards I've been convinced to try the DIY drive. Found a decent rate for car rental Anchorage/dropping in Seward $675.00

 

Found some great Airbnb /Homeaway options. Just early planning so no specifics on excursions yet; but would it work to do base in these three places and drive to different options.

 

Anchorage Aug 21-23: (arrive afternoon the 21st). Is Prince william sound at Whittier drivable from Anchorage? for 22nd. Drive to Denali 23.

 

(Would like to do the McKinley summit flight can I drive to it from Anchorage or better from Denali?)

 

Denali 23-26. Perhaps arrival day do a Denali tour huskey homestead or one of the other shorter ones. One day use to drive to Fairbanks/ 1 day Denali shuttle at minimum to Eilson. Drive to Seward 26th (is the drive Denali to seward doable or do I need a night to split it up on the way?)

 

Seward 27-28: Kenai glacier cruise to fox island, still exploring other options. Leave on cruise 28th 8pm

 

Just rough draft but is this doable?

 

I think that I would consider reordering the days. Denali is north of Anchorage, Whittier and Seward are south. To avoid backtracking too much. Go to Denali first, then Whittier, then Seward. This will reduce teh total time in the car by at least 6 hours. If you have the time arrange your Fox Island trip so that you can spend the night on the Island, it is wonderful.

Edited May 24, 2015 by zqvol