Who has gone back for a land-only trip?

[buttah75]

It makes me sad that we only have time for our SB cruise. Especially reading so much here on CC about Denali and Kenai. I've even poked around the internet trying to see if there's a way to add one or two days of land and get up there.

 

But clearly there isn't. Not really.

 

In fact, the more I read, the more it seems we need at least a week for land. And I keep thinking... well, maybe next time, if there is a next time, we'll do land ONLY.

 

Has anyone done this, and if so, do you recommend it?

[GMoney]

I did a SB cruise + land last year and went back did a NB cruise + land this year. I will go back to Alaska, but it will be land only - no more cruising. I really prefer the land experience. I like the options, the flexibility, and for my specific interests, there's more to see and do.

 

Don't get me wrong - cruising is a great way to see part of the state, and I really enjoyed sailing there. Think about a land-only tour next time. Plenty of people here will help you plan it. I highly recommend it.

[Pssunshinegal]

I did a SB cruise + land last year and went back did a NB cruise + land this year. I will go back to Alaska, but it will be land only - no more cruising. I really prefer the land experience. I like the options, the flexibility, and for my specific interests, there's more to see and do.

 

This is my 17th trip to Alaska and first cruise. I love Alaska and there is so much to see and do.

 

Janice

[GMoney]

This is my 17th trip to Alaska and first cruise. I love Alaska and there is so much to see and do.

 

Janice

 

17 trips - wow!

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

[greatam]

I go to Alaska at least twice a summer ever year for business. I have taken two cruises from Alaska. My land trips have always been better than either cruise. And I have to work while I am there-it is not strictly pleasure. Even with business to take care of, I still like the land trips better than either of my cruises.

[wrp96]

I highly recommend land trips to Alaska as there is so much to see that just cannot be covered by a cruiseship, every part of the state is different.

[TeeBuccs]

Any suggestions on itinerary for independent land post cruise? We will arrive in Whittier (around August 11th, 2009) and I've been thinking of spending time in Anchorage, Homer, maybe Seward. DH and I both are into fishing, wildlife, (I love photography), not too strenuous hiking, white water rafting etc...but looking for reliable companies and accomodations in these areas.

 

I would like to do a bear viewing out of Homer (flying to Katmai) for a day but where else should be hit on our own if we have a rental car. I am guessing will get transportation from Whittier to ANC and pick up rental car there and drop off on our last day there. Is Alaska easy to navigate yourself?

 

Thanks!

[Pssunshinegal]

I would like to do a bear viewing out of Homer (flying to Katmai) for a day but where else should be hit on our own if we have a rental car. I am guessing will get transportation from Whittier to ANC and pick up rental car there and drop off on our last day there. Is Alaska easy to navigate yourself? Thanks!

 

Alaska is very easy to get around, it is just that you have to allow a lot of time because it is bigger than it sounds. My only recommendation right now, is Hallobay to use for bear watching. We went on a several day trip and it was worth every cent. I love Homer, but I also love Valdez.

 

Janice

[Pssunshinegal]

17 trips - wow!

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

 

Thanks. It does help that I have very close friends who live there and "insist" that I return all the time. Because of the heating oil bills of $1000/month to heat this last winter, it is a good thing that I went as much as I have because I am not sure how much longer any of them will continue to live there.

 

As an aside, did you see that they are looking for two missing hikers going to Mt. Healy? Experienced hikers, but not experienced Alaskan hikers. Hopefully they will have found them by the time I post this.

 

Janice

[RSF Cruiser]

Any suggestions on itinerary for independent land post cruise? We will arrive in Whittier (around August 11th, 2009) and I've been thinking of spending time in Anchorage, Homer, maybe Seward. DH and I both are into fishing, wildlife, (I love photography), not too strenuous hiking, white water rafting etc...but looking for reliable companies and accomodations in these areas.

 

I would like to do a bear viewing out of Homer (flying to Katmai) for a day but where else should be hit on our own if we have a rental car. I am guessing will get transportation from Whittier to ANC and pick up rental car there and drop off on our last day there. Is Alaska easy to navigate yourself?

 

Thanks!

I agree with all that has been said - cruises are great, but a land trip is even better.

 

We love hiking and photography and did an all land trip last summer - here's our itinerary - we only did things we hadn't done on our cruise, so some obvious Alaskan highlights are missing):

* 4 nights in Juneau (went to Tracey Arm, Whale Watching, Mendenhall Glacier, dog sledding on Herbert Glacier, hiking, St Theresa, Alaskan Brewery, and just general wandering about)

* 2 nights in Glacier Bay National Park (hiking, Glacier Bay Tour, enjoying the sunsets)

* 2 nights in Katmai National Park (watching the bears, watching the bears, Land of 10,000 Smokes, hiking)

* 2 nights in Seward (Kenai Fjord Tour, Exit Glacier, hiking to Harding Icefield, wandereing about)

* 1 night in Talkeetna (we got to see The Mountain!, flightseeing, Talkeetna Cemetary, wandering about)

* 2 nights in Barrow (Pt Barrow, cultural center/museum, lots and lots of wandering about)

 

We did spend a total of 3 separate nights in Anchorage, but mainly as stopovers inbetween different destinations (got to Alyeska on way to Seward, Musk Ox Farm, Eklutna, Goldmine, and Dogsled Headquarters on way to Talkeetna). I liked the land portion because we could go at a more leisurely pace and see and do more things that you can't do on a cruise. The photo ops were incredible. That said, we had a lot of packing and unpacking, but it was worth it and we traveled light. Every time we were in Anchorage we did laundry.

 

Like others, we'll be going back to Alaska, but it will probably be a land trip to spots we haven't been to yet.

[GMoney]

 

As an aside, did you see that they are looking for two missing hikers going to Mt. Healy? Experienced hikers, but not experienced Alaskan hikers. Hopefully they will have found them by the time I post this.

 

Janice

 

I hadn't heard. Hope everything works out for them. I brought a locator beacon with me on my last trip. Sounds a little dramatic but I do enough things alone in the middle of nowhere that I thought it was a good investment.

[GMoney]

I agree with all that has been said - cruises are great, but a land trip is even better.

 

We love hiking and photography and did an all land trip last summer - here's our itinerary - we only did things we hadn't done on our cruise, so some obvious Alaskan highlights are missing):

* 4 nights in Juneau (went to Tracey Arm, Whale Watching, Mendenhall Glacier, dog sledding on Herbert Glacier, hiking, St Theresa, Alaskan Brewery, and just general wandering about)

* 2 nights in Glacier Bay National Park (hiking, Glacier Bay Tour, enjoying the sunsets)

* 2 nights in Katmai National Park (watching the bears, watching the bears, Land of 10,000 Smokes, hiking)

* 2 nights in Seward (Kenai Fjord Tour, Exit Glacier, hiking to Harding Icefield, wandereing about)

* 1 night in Talkeetna (we got to see The Mountain!, flightseeing, Talkeetna Cemetary, wandering about)

* 2 nights in Barrow (Pt Barrow, cultural center/museum, lots and lots of wandering about)

 

We did spend a total of 3 separate nights in Anchorage, but mainly as stopovers inbetween different destinations (got to Alyeska on way to Seward, Musk Ox Farm, Eklutna, Goldmine, and Dogsled Headquarters on way to Talkeetna). I liked the land portion because we could go at a more leisurely pace and see and do more things that you can't do on a cruise. The photo ops were incredible. That said, we had a lot of packing and unpacking, but it was worth it and we traveled light. Every time we were in Anchorage we did laundry.

 

Like others, we'll be going back to Alaska, but it will probably be a land trip to spots we haven't been to yet.

 

RSF - May I be nosy and ask where you stayed in Glacier Bay? Also, how was the hiking?

[TeeBuccs]

2 nights in Katmai National Park (watching the bears, watching the bears, Land of 10,000 Smokes, hiking)

 

 

Can you eleaborate on this a little more please? Where did you stay? Did you use a company such as Mountain Air for bear viewing, etc...? What time of year were you there?

 

Thanks!

[RSF Cruiser]

RSF - May I be nosy and ask where you stayed in Glacier Bay? Also, how was the hiking?

 

We stayed right in the National Park at the lodge there - we used a Tour Saver coupon, so it was pretty reasonable for Alaska.

 

The hiking was nice - a bit muddy since it's rain forest and they had some rain while we were there. The trails are well marked and not very difficult. We made noise (there were three of us) so we did not see any bears - we didn't want to surprise them or have them surprise us.

[RSF Cruiser]

2 nights in Katmai National Park (watching the bears, watching the bears, Land of 10,000 Smokes, hiking)

 

 

Can you eleaborate on this a little more please? Where did you stay? Did you use a company such as Mountain Air for bear viewing, etc...? What time of year were you there?

 

Thanks!

We were at Katmai the middle of July last year - the salmon were all over the place, which meant so were the bears. At one time I counted 26 bears from the Brooks Falls platform. Do a Katmai search on this forum and you'll find lots of reviews and pictures from Katmai.

 

There is a camp ground at Katmai (I don't know the cost) and about 12, very expensive, yet basic cabins (last year the cabins were about $300 per person per night). We made our reservations with Katmailand - we flew on a commercial flight from Anchorage to King Salmon, then got on a Katmailand float plane to Katmai National Park. For the return we flew the entire way back to Anchorage on a float plane - it was an incredible flight. The airfare was about $600 per person round trip.

 

I thought it was worth every penny to spend the two nights - we got to see the bears before and after the "day trippers" were there, so the viewing platforms were not very crowded. And we had time for the 10,000 Smokes tour to the volcanic eruption that is actually the reason Katmai is a national park.

 

Hope this helps...