Post cruise options near Anchorage

[owlland]

We are taking 4 days at the end of our post cruise land tour to rent a car and see an area around Anchorage. Can anyone suggest an itinerary that might provide great scenery and also wildlife? We'd thought of driving out the Kenai and perhaps fishing but are open to any ideas from you veteran Alaska travelers! We get our car in the morning and return it late the night we fly, making 3 nights and four days. Many thanks!

[greydog]

Lots of info on your question at "Ports of Call" section - Alaska. Other info there too on recommended eateries, etc. However, I have seen folks recommend driving rental to Hatcher Pass as good day scenic drive from ANC. Have a great time.

[owlland]

Thanks so much. I'll check it out--am new to this board and just learning the ropes! Really appreciate the help.

[fotocruiser]

We are taking 4 days at the end of our post cruise land tour to rent a car and see an area around Anchorage. Can anyone suggest an itinerary that might provide great scenery and also wildlife? We'd thought of driving out the Kenai and perhaps fishing but are open to any ideas from you veteran Alaska travelers! We get our car in the morning and return it late the night we fly, making 3 nights and four days. Many thanks!

 

Some of the most scenic spots within a relatively short distance from Anchorage are Portage Glacier (you take a boat out to see the glacier; Alyeska Ski Resort (they have an enclosed aerial tram that takes you to the top) and the town of Girdwood; a drive along the Seward Highway (one of the Top 10 scenic drives in North America); Homer (on the western side of the Kenai Peninsula, to see the Bald Eagles), Knik Glacier (north of Anchorage and only available by local tour operators, but one of the most incredible landscapes on the planet); and the towns of Palmer and Wasilla (home of Sarah palin). Enjoy!

[Foxhill]

May I ask where you rented your car and what type of rate you got? What size car? We have checked several rental agencies in Anchorage and found them to be extremely expensive. We are debating between a cruisetour or doing a post cruise land excursion on our own. We arrive in Seward and would like to go up to Denali for a couple of days and then back to Anchorage to fly home. Costing out the individual components of doing it on our own versus taking the cruise line's tour it is not that really less expensive.

[owlland]

We looked at priceline.com for cars. Ended up getting a mid size car beginning mid morning of day one returning 10pm of 4th day for 163.00. Think this is pretty good. Went with alamo out of anchorage airport. Retun to to same. Our post trip from cruise ends with a transfer from downtown to airport. Will explore kenai from there.

[CruisingEasy]

I want to make this short and sweet.

 

Kenai is the best place to see in Alaska and maybe anywhere in the world.

 

Make sure you get there. 1 day is not enough.

 

Anchorage is pretty basic and just a few things to see are there. You can do it in a few hours.

[jcross2]

CruisinEasy is SO right, the Kenai peninsula is simply the BEST. Have been to Alaska on 2 post-cruise visits and one land trip, and will definitely be spending the majority of our time in the Kenai on our next visit.

 

Some of the places we especially enjoyed:

 

Seward: see the sealife center/aquarium there; it's fantastic. Also, be sure to take a boat tour of the Kenai Fjords Nat'l Park. We did this one:

http://www.renowntours.com

 

There was a Ranger on board who added immensely to the experience.

 

We stayed a couple nights at this rustic little fishing lodge, http://www.drifterslodge.com , right on the river in a small town called Cooper's Landing. Quiet & in a beautiful setting, an afternoon's drive from Anchorage.

 

Foxhill, if you have 2 nights, just a suggestion, consider saving Denali for another trip, and explore the Kenai peninsula. You'll already be in Seward, so that will help. Traveling up to Anchorage and then way up to Denali will take a big bite out of your time just for travel. So you might not have enough time to go very deep into the park, where the best wildlife sightings are.

 

hth,

Jan

[owlland]

Will be staying 3 nights. Have bear viewing scheduled. Open to more suggestions! Thanks!

[fotocruiser]

Will be staying 3 nights. Have bear viewing scheduled. Open to more suggestions! Thanks!

 

I just hope that the bears are cooperative and are aware that they have been scheduled for viewing. ;) On our first Alaskan cruise, the naturalist on board made a comment that has stuck with us since, "Alaska is not a zoo." We saw very little wildlife on our first visit to Alaska, but managed to see all of the Big 5 on our last visit. Whatever you end up doing, you will have a wonderful time, as Alaska is one of the most amazing places on the planet.

[msd360]

Just returned from a fabulous 10-day land tour / SB cruise (see itinerary). By far the highlights of the trip were Denali and the Kenai Fjords cruise by Renown out of Seward. Saw two groups of humpback whales (one was clearly on the payroll and put on quite a show), otters, puffins, dall porpoises, seals, sea lions, and oh yeah close up to a glacier. I would highly recommend this tour. Just the trip from Anchorage to Seward was a highlight. We took the train, but the highway is also very scenic, and allows spontaneous stops which the train doesn't.

 

If your land tour did not include Denali and you have 4 days, you have enough time to visit there also. Issue will be lodging once you get there. Need to allow 5-6 hours transit to and from Anchorage. I would allocate a minimum of three days including transit.

[CruisingEasy]

Denali is surely a highlight just as Kenai is. You need a few days for Denali also. Denali is more geared to animals and wildlife and Kenai towards serenity, peace and relaxtion. With Denali you should try to do the 91-96 miles into the park to Kantishna. It is worth it. The further you go the more you see and Mt McKinley is awe inspiring. I cried just looking at it. 2nd highest mountain in the world and the 1st in the US.

 

 

Owlland - what are the specifics of your bear viewing trip if I might ask?

[fotocruiser]

Mt McKinley is 2nd highest mountain in the world and the 1st in the US.

 

I too had thought Mt. McKinley was the second highest mountain in the world, but when I checked Wikipedia, there are actually over 100 mountains (all in Asia) that are considered higher than McKinley. McKinley is listed at 20,320 feet, and 109th highest is listed as 23,622 feet. It's very strange, but the list of the highest mountains is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest_mountains and the info on McKinley is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_McKinley

[CruisingEasy]

Those Himalayas will get you every time. It is good to know the stats and I will keep them in mind.

 

Still, McKinley is breathtaking no matter how high it is. Just the fact that it creates its own weather is amazing.

[fotocruiser]

Still, McKinley is breathtaking no matter how high it is. Just the fact that it creates its own weather is amazing.

 

Very true. And if you actually get to see Mt. McKinley on a relatively clear day, it is even more breath-taking. Definitely the highlight of an Alaska trip.

 

Here is a shot of Mt. McKinley that I took on a very clear day in Denali:

 

[CruisingEasy]

Very true. And if you actually get to see Mt. McKinley on a relatively clear day, it is even more breath-taking. Definitely the highlight of an Alaska trip.

 

Here is a shot of Mt. McKinley that I took on a very clear day in Denali:

 

 

That picture is amazing and I was one of the lucky ones to see it on clear day. The pic is great but I hate the fact the clouds hide some of the mountain. Oh Well - I cant control the weather.

[fotocruiser]

I cant control the weather.

 

As you said, Mt. McKinley creates its own weather, and that is just another example of it. A perfectly clear sky with some clouds over the mountain.