"Reasonable" Accommodations

[jules71]

Thanks to all the great advice on this board, I have booked everything but the last two nights of a 7 day post cruise self tour. Tried to book the 2 night Toursaver Alyeska and it was full. Now, I am starting to get nervous. We will be coming from Healy and would like to do some exploring along Turnigan Arm, Portage Glacier and maybe, PWS. We start in Seward with Kenai Fjords tour, so don't want to go that way. Here is the itinerary so far:

 

Night 1 Seward

Night 2 6:00pm train to Anchorage --Overnight Anchorage--Pick up car

Night 3 Talkeetna

Night 4 & 5 Healy

Night 6 & 7 ?

Night 8 Flight out at 12 midnight (Anchorage)

 

Any suggestions?

[Budget Queen]

You have a few options to consider. Any interest in Fairbanks?? Could add time for touring there?? Possible to go to Homer for 2 nights?? Then have the option of Whittier, Turnagain arm.

 

To adjust your itinerary, you could go to Healy instead of overnighting in Talkeetna which is only a little over 2 hours from Anchorage. With a morning departure from Anchorage, easy to stop in Talkeetna for lunch and leave for Healy in the afternoon/early pm. You can also add your time for touring Anchorage, Whittier is an easy day trip.

 

Rethink what you wish to see and do in Alaska, and firm up your itinerary when you do. It is usually is better to have all your itinerary in place, then make your lodging and activity reservations.

[mytime53]

On the other hand, overnighting in Talkeetna allows exploration of the valley area, which has a lot to offer besides beautiful scenery...musk ox farm, reindeer farm, Iditarod headquarters (with sled dog rides by an Iditarod musher), Hatcher Pass/Independence mine, fishing of all types (even if you don't want to fish, many people enjoy stopping to watch salmon being caught), a drive up the Glenn Hwy. to Matanuska Glacier for a hike or a raft trip on the Matanuska River, hikes up mountains, sled dog kennel tours, on Fridays there's an open air Market in Palmer with local arts and crafts, on Wed. a farmer's market in Wasilla, atv adventures...the list goes on and on. Or head straight through to Healy and stay in Wasilla (more lodging options than Palmer) on your way back through instead of heading to Anchorage or Girdwood the first night. What you save by staying in Wasilla one night could let you (possibly) stay the next night at Alyeska without your 2-for-1 coupon.

[jules71]

 

Night 1 Seward

Night 2 6:00pm train to Anchorage --Overnight Anchorage--Pick up car

Night 3 Talkeetna

Night 4 & 5 Healy

Night 6 & 7 ?

Night 8 Flight out at 12 midnight (Anchorage)

 

 

Just to clarify -- most everything is reserved except the last two nights. Fishing trip out of Talkeetna, NPS bus to Fish Creek, Kenai Fjords cruise, Coastal train, lodging, etc. Not really interested in going on to Fairbanks. Thanks for all the suggestions-- Am now seriously considering spending a night in the Hatcher Pass or Matanuska Glacier area as we come back toward Anchorage-- any suggestions on lodging?

 

Thanks!

[Budget Queen]

Just to clarify -- most everything is reserved except the last two nights. Fishing trip out of Talkeetna, NPS bus to Fish Creek, Kenai Fjords cruise, Coastal train, lodging, etc. Not really interested in going on to Fairbanks. Thanks for all the suggestions-- Am now seriously considering spending a night in the Hatcher Pass or Matanuska Glacier area as we come back toward Anchorage-- any suggestions on lodging?

 

Thanks!

 

Sheep Mt.

[lindalo5032]

We stayed at the Kenai Princess in Cooper Landing the last two nights of our tour, before getting on board the Spirit in Whitter. There is a 2 for 1 coupon in the Toursaver book, which makes it very affordable. The place is beautiful, right on the Kenai River. We were fortunate to see some bears playing in the river nearby. You can take a float trip, go horseback riding, fish or hike in the area. The desk in the lobby will arrange tours for you, if you want. Some on this board have said they don't think it is worth it to stay in that area, but we found plenty to do. Would go back in a heartbeat!!

[mytime53]

oops

[mytime53]

This website will give you a start at narrowing down choices for lodging in The Valley (southcentral Alaska's name for an area as big as some states, the primary towns of which are Palmer, Wasilla, and Talkeetna). Sheep Mountain is near Matanuska Glacier and is nice. I've also stayed at The Motherlode (up Hatcher Pass road, on the paved part), and enjoyed it (of course, it was the night of our daughter's wedding, and I could have slept anywhere that night. The entire wedding party spent 2 nights there, so it is a place that you have to have reservations for in the summer to make certain it is not booked for weddings, etc.

The Best Western Lake Lucille is a cut above (way above) most Best Westerns, and is the only chain lodging in the area (in case you have or are trying to earn points).

http://www.alaskavisit.com/listings/index.cfm?action=Cover&CatID=1

[jules71]

Thanks everyone -- I booked Sheep Mountain.