Need suggestions on land portion of Alaska trip

[sandiego1]

I'm struggling w/ the itinerary for the land portion of our cruise to Alaska for next summer. I've been reading this web site and several tour books and am confused about how much we can squeeze into our 1 wk land trip. There are so many wonderful things to see that I can't fit them all in!

We love to do day hikes and see new places. We aren't interested in fishing or kayaking (DH has bad shoulder), but site-seeing boat trips would be ok. We plan on renting a car, but don't want to spend the majority of our time driving from place to place w/o a lot of time actually seeing the places we are visiting. It's a lot cheaper to pick one up downtown in Anchorage, then in Whittier. So I think we're stuck taking the bus to Anchorage and then getting our car.

I've read a bit about Denali State Park. Is it worth going there or just go straight to Denali National Park?

Should we head back down to Kenai Fjords? Or go straight to Denali? After Denali, should we head up to Fairbanks and fly out from there? I haven't found too many things to do in that area. What am I missing? The flights are a little cheaper from Anchorage (maybe $50pp) as is returning the rental car at the Anchorage airport instead of Fairbanks (maybe $150). Since the price isn't that much more, we'd be interested in saving some driving time by going up to Fairbanks instead of back to Anchorage IF there's stuff to do up there.

I pulled all the distances and driving times from Googlemaps. Do they seem accurate? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Sat:

Cruise ends - Arrive Whittier in early morning

Bus to Anchorage (60 miles - 1.5 hrs)

Pick up rental car downtown

Drive to Talkeetna (115 miles – 3 hrs) or should we just drive straight to Healy (250 miles – 4.5 hrs)?

Spend night in Talkeetna

Sun:

Site see in Denali State Park (is there anything to see/do here?)

Drive to Healy (160 miles – 3 hrs) in afternoon

Spend night in Healy

Mon:

Long bus tour of Denali National Park

Spend night in Healy

Tues:

Hike in Denali National Park

Spend night in Healy

Wed:

Hike in Denali National Park

Spend night in Healy

Thurs:

Drive to Fairbanks (115 miles – 2.5 hrs)

Site see in afternoon

Spend night in Fairbanks

Fri:

Go to North Pole or other excursion

Spend night in Fairbanks

Sat:

Fly home from Fairbanks

OR

Wed:

Drive back to Anchorage from Denali (240 miles – 4.5 hrs)

Spend night in Anchorage

Thurs:

? Thinking about driving to Kenai Fjords National Park, but it’s 5.5 hrs each way. Lots of driving for only 2 nights (11 hrs round-trip). What else could we do?

Fri:

?

Sat:

Fly home from Anchorage

[NancyIL]

I'm struggling w/ the itinerary for the land portion of our cruise to Alaska for next summer. I've been reading this web site and several tour books and am confused about how much we can squeeze into our 1 wk land trip. There are so many wonderful things to see that I can't fit them all in!

 

We love to do day hikes and see new places. We aren't interested in fishing or kayaking (DH has bad shoulder), but site-seeing boat trips would be ok. We plan on renting a car, but don't want to spend the majority of our time driving from place to place w/o a lot of time actually seeing the places we are visiting. It's a lot cheaper to pick one up downtown in Anchorage, then in Whittier. So I think we're stuck taking the bus to Anchorage and then getting our car.

 

There are other options for getting to Anchorage from Whittier. One would be to go on a Prince William Sound cruise out of Whittier from 11:00-5:00 - then take a bus or the evening train at 6:30 to Anchorage: http://www.princewilliamsound.com/579.cfm

Another option is a combination shuttle bus/sightseeing trip from Alaskan Leopard that would have you in Anchorage by 1:00: http://www.alaskanleopard.com/Tours/index.htm

I've read a bit about Denali State Park. Is it worth going there or just go straight to Denali National Park?

 

Should we head back down to Kenai Fjords? Or go straight to Denali? After Denali, should we head up to Fairbanks and fly out from there? I haven't found too many things to do in that area. What am I missing?

 

The flights are a little cheaper from Anchorage (maybe $50pp) as is returning the rental car at the Anchorage airport instead of Fairbanks (maybe $150). Since the price isn't that much more, we'd be interested in saving some driving time by going up to Fairbanks instead of back to Anchorage IF there's stuff to do up there.

 

I pulled all the distances and driving times from Googlemaps. Do they seem accurate? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Sat:

Cruise ends - Arrive Whittier in early morning

Bus to Anchorage (60 miles - 1.5 hrs)

Pick up rental car downtown

Drive to Talkeetna (115 miles – 3 hrs) or should we just drive straight to Healy (250 miles – 4.5 hrs)

Spend night in Talkeetna

 

Sun:

Site see in Denali State Park (is there anything to see/do here?)

Drive to Healy (160 miles – 3 hrs) in afternoon

Spend night in Healy

 

Mon:

Long bus tour of Denali National Park[/font]

Spend night in Healy

 

Tues:

Hike in Denali National Park

Spend night in Healy

 

Wed:

Hike in Denali National Park

Spend night in Healy

 

Thurs:

Drive to Fairbanks (115 miles – 2.5 hrs)

Site see in afternoon

Spend night in Fairbanks

 

Fri:

Go to North Pole or other excursion

Spend night in Fairbanks

 

Sat:

Fly home from Fairbanks

 

OR

 

Wed:

Drive back to Anchorage from Denali (240 miles – 4.5 hrs)

Spend night in Anchorage

 

Thurs:

?Thinking about driving to Kenai Fjords National Park, but it’s 5.5 hrs each way. Lots of driving for only 2 nights (11 hrs round-trip). What else could we do?

 

Sat:

Fly home from Anchorage

 

Four nights seems like a lot to me for Denali, especially since two days are hiking days. I would either drive to Fairbanks on Wednesday or return to Anchorage as in your 2nd option. There's plenty to do in Fairbanks. Something that might interest you, especially if you have an extra night there, is an Arctic Circle day trip: http://www.northernalaska.com

 

If you go with the 2nd option and return to Anchorage Wednesday night, Seward is at most a 3-hour drive from Anchorage, not 5.5 hours. You can go on a 6-hour or longer Kenai Fjords cruise, visit the Sealife Center, go to Exit Glacier, etc.

 

I know what you're going through - because I have agonized over the land itinerary after our northbound Princess cruise, too! Our land trip involves more driving than you want to do, including making the loop around Fairbanks to get back to Anchorage.

[sandiego1]

Thanks for the info. Didn't think about spending time in Whittier area/Prince William Sound. Will definitely have to check that out. Do you know if there's a place you can leave all your luggage?

 

When are you going on the cruise? We leave 6/9 on the Diamond. 1st time on Princess. I also have a cruise on HAL in early Feb w/ the in-laws. But for Alaska, it's w/ our dear friends.

 

Any other suggestions would be appreciated!

 

thanks.

[NancyIL]

Thanks for the info. Didn't think about spending time in Whittier area/Prince William Sound. Will definitely have to check that out. Do you know if there's a place you can leave all your luggage?

 

When are you going on the cruise? We leave 6/9 on the Diamond. 1st time on Princess. I also have a cruise on HAL in early Feb w/ the in-laws. But for Alaska, it's w/ our dear friends.

 

Any other suggestions would be appreciated!

 

thanks.

 

We're on the 6/4 Coral Princess - also our first time on Princess. We're planning to do the PWS cruise when our ship arrives in Whittier, and I believe the tour company will hold our luggage at their office.

[fti]

Four nights at Denali is a lot of time, but if hiking is one of your objectives I think it is a great place to do it. I usually spend 3-4 nights there when I go. The benefit of taking the shuttle bus three days in a row is that you pay for two days and get the third day free. If you take the first shuttle bus of the morning, this year it was 5.15am (ugh I know but it is light in June then). Take the shuttle to Wonder Lake. Arrives about 10.30am and you can hike the McKinley Bar Trail. Easy trail maybe 3 hours round trip including a nice lunch stop. Then take a different shuttle bus back from Wonder Lake (you can get on and off the shuttles at any time, but reboarding is subject to availability). The McKinley Bar Trail is the only formal trail in the park that is not near the park entrance.

 

If you go in June, be sure to bring 100% DEET and even a mosquito net. Mosquitos can be really bad in June and July near Wonder Lake, but nothing terrible if you are prepared. I actually camped at Wonder Lake campground in June so day trippers have nothing to complain about!

 

The second and third days you can take the shuttle to a spot that might have caught your interest as you traveled the first day. In June friends of mine and I hiked at Stony Hill (basically where the shuttle bus turns around at Fish Creek). Two of us hiked basically around the "hill" (though quite a bit of uphill as well) and the other two hiked to the peak. I think only in Alaska could this be called a "hill" - everywhere else it is a mountain!

 

You basically find a nice area you like and hike over the tundra. It can be fairly easy hiking if you pick the right spots.

 

There is also a Discovery Hike each day with a park ranger. If you have a shuttle bus ticket the hike is free. The hikes vary from day to day. Might be on the east side of the park one day and on the west side another day.

 

Another option is to try and book the Skyline Lodge near Kantishna. You get a room for 2-4 people for $175/room for 2 and $25-$50 for each additional person. You can eat meals with the staff (they run the Kantishna Air service) or you can bring your own food. The benefit of doing this is that you are already deep inside the park in the morning so you can get an earlier jump on your hiking. There are camper busses that leave from Wonder Lake about 6.30am and go right by Skyline Lodge. Then just get off that bus anywhere you want and you can take another bus back to Kantishna. If you do this, then you only need to buy one 'camper bus' ticket to get you from the entrance to Kantishna and can use that ticket for your entire stay inside the park west of mile 20. That will cost you only about $25.

 

If it were me, I would try to take a day cruise either from Whittier (Prince William Sound) or perhaps getting to Seward and taking one from there. They are both supposed to be great and you get much closer to glaciers and wildlife than you would on the Princess ship. The Whittier cruise would be easier being that you are already arriving there and there is a 2-for-1 coupon (this year at least) for one of the companies out of Whittier. That company will hold your luggage for you during the cruise. I think it goes 1.30-5.30pm and I am not sure of the bus/train schedules that day but I would be surprised if you could not get to Anchorage that night. Then you can head north the following morning.

 

If you drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks, you will have to deal with a fairly hefty drop-off charge for a one-way rental so you might want/need to return the car to Anchorage.

 

You can do a lot in a week. The biggest question is whether you want to spend so much time in Denali. Personally, with your priorities I would encourage you to spend several days there. You won't regret it.

[NancyIL]

Four nights at Denali is a lot of time, but if hiking is one of your objectives I think it is a great place to do it. I usually spend 3-4 nights there when I go. The benefit of taking the shuttle bus three days in a row is that you pay for two days and get the third day free.

 

You can do a lot in a week. The biggest question is whether you want to spend so much time in Denali. Personally, with your priorities I would encourage you to spend several days there. You won't regret it.

 

John - I wish I was more of an outdoor kind of gal, but I dislike bugs, dirt, and heat (cold, too)! :) My idea of a "hike"...is 6 miles on my exercise bike or Nordic Track! ;)

 

sandiego1 - you've received excellent advice from fti - who likes to hike and really enjoys Denali. He even likes to CAMP! I've never been there before, but one day on a shuttle bus into Denali and 2 nights in Healy will be plenty for me.

[fti]

John - I wish I was more of an outdoor kind of gal, but I dislike bugs, dirt, and heat (cold, too)! :) My idea of a "hike"...is 6 miles on my exercise bike or Nordic Track! ;)

 

sandiego1 - you've received excellent advice from fti - who likes to hike and really enjoys Denali. He even likes to CAMP! I've never been there before, but one day on a shuttle bus into Denali and 2 nights in Healy will be plenty for me.

 

NancyIL, you would be surprised about me. Generally I have not been a very adventurous type most of my life. But two years ago I camped at Wonder Lake in Sep 04. It was incredible in every way. Our group basically closed Wonder Lake campground and the park west of Toklat that year on Sep 12th with 8-15" of snow along the park road and at the campsite. Took us 12 hours to get back from Wonder Lake (one way!). But I loved every minute of being in the park. I dislike heat myself (anything over 85-90F and I wilt so Alaska weather is almost made for me). But I love winter, so actually the snow in September at Wonder Lake didn't really bother me too much. I was just glad I had lots of clothes to put on. But I have never camped when it was snowing until then!!

 

You really dislike cold living in IL? Well, it is not as cold there as in central MN where I live!

 

Next summer I am planning 3 nights again at Wonder Lake campground (sandiego1 - I think being deep inside the park in the evenings and early mornings is incredible - better chance to see the Mountain at those times than during the day when it often gets clouded over, and if the Mountain is visible, the photo ops from Reflection Pond are incredible). If people don't like to camp, that Skyline Lodge is very reasonable. The other options in Kantishna easily cost 2-3 times that amount. Plus, for hiking, you can take an early bus as far east as your heart desires, get off, hike then get on another bus heading back west to Skyline Lodge. The last bus for Wonder Lake departs the park entrance about 2pm I think, arriving at Wonder Lake about 8pm. One bus just before that or the last one also swings by Kantishna. Some busses do only go to Wonder Lake meaning about a 2 mile hike from there to Skyline Lodge if you opt for that. But just check the bus schedules at the park entrance beforehand and be sure to be on a bus that goes to Kantishna. If you are even remotely considering the Skyline Lodge option, book it NOW. You can cancel up to several weeks beforehand for no charge. I tried to book it 6 months ahead and one of the three dates we wanted for June 06 was full so we ended up camping again.

[NancyIL]

NancyIL, you would be surprised about me. Generally I have not been a very adventurous type most of my life. But two years ago I camped at Wonder Lake in Sep 04. It was incredible in every way. Our group basically closed Wonder Lake campground and the park west of Toklat that year on Sep 12th with 8-15" of snow along the park road and at the campsite. Took us 12 hours to get back from Wonder Lake (one way!). But I loved every minute of being in the park. I dislike heat myself (anything over 85-90F and I wilt so Alaska weather is almost made for me). But I love winter, so actually the snow in September at Wonder Lake didn't really bother me too much. I was just glad I had lots of clothes to put on. But I have never camped when it was snowing until then!!

 

You really dislike cold living in IL? Well, it is not as cold there as in central MN where I live!

Yes, I dislike cold Midwestern winters, and I grew up in Michigan before moving to Illinois half a lifetime ago! I don't spend much time outdoors in either hot weather or cold.

[Budget Queen]

Denali State Parks has some great hiking. There are some good guidebooks to consider as well. But I think there are many other great areas to consider if you really want to see more of Alaska.

 

I do suggest you may want to consider getting to Seward, the Harding Icefield is a top hike. :) I would arrange a shuttle direct from Whittier, can be in Seward before noon. Do your hiking, then next day, consider a Kenai Fjords boat tour- a do not miss, in my opinion. Take the train to Anchorage, overnight, rent your round trip Anchorage car and skip Fairbanks. Do a drive of Hatcher Pass and some more hiking on your Talkeetna overnight day- gives you time for the state parks.

 

Definately heed the bug advice going in June. I will never go to Wonder Lake before mid August- just too much for me. :)

[fti]

I do suggest you may want to consider getting to Seward, the Harding Icefield is a top hike.

 

BQ, have you done this hike? In any case, it sounds like you recommend it heartily. I was planning on this one day next year when I am in Seward. On Saturdays in July and August a park ranger even hikes it.

[Budget Queen]

BQ, have you done this hike? In any case, it sounds like you recommend it heartily. I was planning on this one day next year when I am in Seward. On Saturdays in July and August a park ranger even hikes it.

 

 

Not the entire trail, husband and I pooped out. :) Hiked for about 3+ hours part way.

 

 

You both may want to consider this new book out??? Would give you the detail you are looking for and offer you a way to make your hiking area selections.

 

 

Hiking Alaska: A Guide to Alaska's Greatest Hiking Adventures

by Dean Littlepage

 

More Views Paperback

ISBN: 0762722371

Pub. Date: August 2006

Series: State Hiking Series

[sandiego1]

I like the idea of getting to Seward and Kenai Fjords, but I can't find a reasonably priced way to get there from Whittier. The price for one way rental cars (from Whittier, through Seward and drop off in Anchorage) are crazy!

 

I looked at picking up a Hertz car in Seward for a few days (then take the train to ANC), that was more reasonably priced. But how do I get from Whittier to Seward?

 

Any advice?

 

Thanks!

[fti]

I like the idea of getting to Seward and Kenai Fjords, but I can't find a reasonably priced way to get there from Whittier. The price for one way rental cars (from Whittier, through Seward and drop off in Anchorage) are crazy!

 

I looked at picking up a Hertz car in Seward for a few days (then take the train to ANC), that was more reasonably priced. But how do I get from Whittier to Seward?

 

Any advice?

 

Thanks!

 

There is some taxi service that will bring you between the two. I did a search on this board for titles Whittier and Seward and found the following:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=411536&highlight=%22whittier%22+%22seward%22

 

It lists two companies that offer this. Figure $225 or so for up to 4 people. Not cheap, but either that or spend hours longer going via Anchorage and not saving any money anyway.

 

Thanks BQ for the advice on the book. I will check it out.

[fti]

You both may want to consider this new book out??? Would give you the detail you are looking for and offer you a way to make your hiking area selections.

 

 

Hiking Alaska: A Guide to Alaska's Greatest Hiking Adventures

by Dean Littlepage

 

More Views Paperback

ISBN: 0762722371

Pub. Date: August 2006

Series: State Hiking Series

 

Just did a bit of checking. There is an older version of this book out too so be sure you look for the August 2006 publishing date, sandiego1, if you buy this book.

[Budget Queen]

I like the idea of getting to Seward and Kenai Fjords, but I can't find a reasonably priced way to get there from Whittier. The price for one way rental cars (from Whittier, through Seward and drop off in Anchorage) are crazy!

 

I looked at picking up a Hertz car in Seward for a few days (then take the train to ANC), that was more reasonably priced. But how do I get from Whittier to Seward?

 

Any advice?

 

Thanks!

 

 

http://sewardak.org/dir_getaround.asp?ID=7

[sandiego1]

thanks fti and BQ. You guys/gals are awesome! From reading all your posts for other threads, I knew you'd have an answer. I literally am holding 10 different car reservations right now in all combinations of pick up in Whittier w/ drop off in Anchorage, round-trips, pick ups in Seward, etc. w/ both Avis and Hertz. I'm meeting my friend for lunch today to, hopefully, iron out some of the trip logistics so I can cancel some of these reservations. It's a good thing the car rental companies don't put a deposit on your credit card like hotels do.:)

 

I will definitely be ordering that hiking book too. I have the Frommers Alaska book and like it (recent bday gift from MIL), but it doesn't have too many hiking details. I like the idea of an entire book dedicated to the topic.

 

Again, thanks - I am indebted to you for these answers as well as some for my other posts.