Helpful Resources for planning a visit to Alaska

The Alpenglow is a wonderful resource for the latest park updates.

 

The Denali Life app for your mobile device is nice too. It shows shuttle schedules, restaurants, events, etc. Fee download.

 

http://2b3f7d51-e637-441f-9a9b-f60bbfff0dac.mobapp.at/landing/Desktop#.V7Stm8WJG1s

Thanks for the link! Just downloaded it for our trip next month. It was free on Google Play.

Thanks for the link! Just downloaded it for our trip next month. It was free on Google Play.

Great, my bad, was supposed to say "free download"....

Cool bunch of links. :cool: Thanks everyone. I'm going to "harvest" a number of them relevant to our R/T cruise and post in the Roll Call thread for it so they are one convenient place. I already have a lengthy list of links and some of these I completely missed finding.

Thanx for bumping this thread up - its got some great resources!

Haines visitor information:

https://www.visithaines.com/

Some downloadable brochures on hiking trails, wildlife viewing spots, totems:

https://www.visithaines.com/downloadable-brochures-guides

some travelers get significant savings from the coupon books. The 2 primary books are the Alaska Toursaver and Northern Lights, about $100 and $55. The discounts are for hotels, excursions, transportation, entry fees, etc.

http://www.toursaver.com/

http://www.alaska-discounts.com/

You have to look carefully at what is offered to see if you will utilize the book enough to cover the cost. ie no point in spending $110 for the book if you will only use a BOGO for the Riverboat tour in Fairbanks. HOWEVER, if you are also flightseeing from Talkeetna and taking a Kenai Fjords cruise, and taking the train to Whittier, the book will more than pay for itself !

Also keep in mind that some of the coupons are very limited .... 1 or 2 per day, or 25 per season. Obviously the big ticket items will be reserved quickly.

And some vendors require the coupon number in order to take your reservation.

So be sure to look at all angles.

Another cost saver ... Groupons. I remember a trip report where someone got a discount on heli dog sledding thru a groupon. Don't remember if it was Juneau or Seward.

Also, some vendors will offer discounts periodically on their websites. So check them frequently. Around this time of year it's a way to stimulate business for next summer.

Kodiak visitor information:

http://www.kodiak.org/

order or download the Kodiak visitor guide:

http://www.kodiak.org/visitors_guide

Thanks for sharing. I'm looking for plan B ideas in case our flight tours are cancelled.

Web site for communities and activities on the Kenai Peninsula.

http://kenaipeninsula.org/attractions

When you click on get the official guide on this site, it lists all of the different activities there are to do, and you will get a TON of literature from different businesses. It's a great way to start researching. Most of the vendors are super friendly and will answer all of your questions.

A link to Alaska Fish and Game web site for popular bear viewing sites:

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.bearviewingsites

Wrangell St Elias NP:

https://www.nps.gov/wrst/index.htm

Park Newletter:

https://www.nps.gov/wrst/learn/news/newspaper.htm

( just trying to keep this thread near the first page)

a visitor information site for Vancouver BC.

Visitor Guide can be downloaded.

https://www.tourismvancouver.com/plan-your-trip/

The West Coast Departures forum on cruisecruitic has many threads on Vancouver lodging, activities, transportation.

For those travelers who plan to visit Matanuska Glacier as a day trip or overnighting, information on activities and lodging

http://www.glacierview-alaska.com/

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HOWEVER, if you are also flightseeing from Talkeetna and taking a Kenai Fjords cruise, and taking the train to Whittier, the book will more than pay for itself !

 

 

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Hi! I have been researching the books against what we have planned to evaluate if they are a good deal for us. I was HOPING for a coupon for a Kenai Fjords cruise, but I didn't see one. Which book is it in? Please steer me in the right direction and save me some $$ :) ~Katie

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Hi! I have been researching the books against what we have planned to evaluate if they are a good deal for us. I was HOPING for a coupon for a Kenai Fjords cruise, but I didn't see one. Which book is it in? Please steer me in the right direction and save me some $$ :) ~Katie

You have to look thru the offerings of each coupon book. I don't know if the 2017 books are even available yet. (coupons change from yr to yr)

I think last yr it was the Northern Lights book and it was 25% off a booking for 4 people.

Wrangell's Visitor Information site with a downloadable visitor guide:

http://www.wrangell.com/visitorservices

Thanks for this useful thread

Whittier, AK Chamber of Commerce. Open the Business Directory to find vendors for activities, lodging, transportation, etc. There is also a link to to the tunnel.

http://www.whittieralaskachamber.org/index.htm

Seattle Visitor Information:

http://www.visitseattle.org/

Also, look at the Seattle forum of tripAdvisor.com under TOP QUESTIONS:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g60878-i74-Seattle_Washington.html

If you're an avid reader then I'd like to recommend reading James Mitchener's "Alaska". While it doesn't tell you were you go when in Alaska, it give's you a better understanding of why and how things came to be in Alaska.

If you're an avid reader then I'd like to recommend reading James Mitchener's "Alaska". While it doesn't tell you were you go when in Alaska, it give's you a better understanding of why and how things came to be in Alaska.

Actually, like most of Mitchener's stuff it is total fiction. If you want to understand the why and how of AK, read a real history book.

DON

Actually, like most of Mitchener's stuff it is total fiction. /QUOTE]

 

Can you hear the sound of millions of bubbles bursting?

giving this a bump.

Maybe I'll ask about making this a STICKY to keep it at the top of the page.

Byron Glacier is a fun hike especially for people who want to experience snow. Great for kids too. You can usually find snow year round, altho later in the summer you may have to walk further to find it. About 1 mile each way.

It's about an hours drive out of Anchorage. If you have a rental car for the day and planned to visit the Wildlife Conservation Center, you could easily incorporate this hike into your day.

http://alaskatrekker.com/alaska-glaciers/byron-glacier/

This page is an awesome resource! Going on my first Alaskan cruise and the information here is great, thanks so much!!!

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