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Denali or Seward?


hubofhockey
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I had my plan all set for Denali. I had even booked a cabin at McKinley Creekside.

 

A couple of things got me to the point of changing plans.

 

Our cruise ends in Seward.

 

Our plans were to take a narrated bus tour at 8 am to Anchorage Airport. It arrives at 10:30 am. At that point, we would rent a minivan and spend the day driving to Denali, with stops in Talkeetna for lunch and a food shopping stop as well. We would arrive at our lodge around 6:30 pm. That is really a full day driving. The second day would be the 8-hour round trip Eielson Shuttle bus. The third day would be a 2.5 hour rafting with another long drive back to Anchorage airport.

 

All of that driving and even the buses got us thinking if we wouldn't be better off in Seward for 2-3 days. The first day would be the National Park Kenai Fjords glacier tour with dinner at Fox Island. The next day we would do a kayak adventure at Bear Glacier and then take the domed Gold Star train from Seward to Anchorage. We would either fly out Saturday night or stay in Anchorage and fly out Sunday.

 

I would hate to think I'm missing out on Denali, but that day is really unknown and what we would see would be subject to weather and even luck on a mid-June day.

 

Any thoughts from those who have spent considerable time in both Seward and Denali?

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We had the same dilemma and chose Seward for the same reason. All that driving and time spent on a bus just did not sound appealing to anyone in my family. We had 3 nights after the cruise--I think if we had had even one more night we would have considered it.

 

Our cruise ended in Whittier so we picked up a car in Anchorage and did the scenic drive to Seward, stopping in Girdwood for lunch and at the Wildlife Conservation Center. The second day, we did the Kenai Fjords cruise and saw the Sea Life Center. The third day, we hiked Exit Glacier and then stopped in Portage and hiked to Byron Glacier on our way back to Anchorage. Then we stayed in Anchorage that night before our flight home the next day.

 

Overall we loved our trip. I'd love to see Denali one day if we had more time. Either itinerary sounds good to me! Your cruise ending in Seward does make Seward an appealing choice however. You could get right to sightseeing and relaxing!

 

When we were looking at doing Denali, I think we would have flown home from Fairbanks, which is only a 2 hour drive from Denali. So that would help a little if it's an option.

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There are so many that make Denali a destination but really don’t know what to expect. The mountain itself is visible less than ¼ of the time and many don’t anticipate losing an entire day by driving up and back.

Our cruise ended in Whittier so we picked up a car in Anchorage and did the scenic drive to Seward, stopping in Girdwood for lunch and at the Wildlife Conservation Center. The second day, we did the Kenai Fjords cruise and saw the Sea Life Center. The third day, we hiked Exit Glacier and then stopped in Portage and hiked to Byron Glacier on our way back to Anchorage. Then we stayed in Anchorage that night before our flight home the next day.

 

In addition to these suggestions there is the Alaska Railroad Spencer Glacier Iceberg & Placer River Float which is a real treat. We usually catch the train at the Portage station just south of Girdwood.

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/travel-planning/day-trips/spencer-iceberg-and-placer-river-float

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The locations are totally different so it really depends on your interests and priorities. If you feel that Denali is too much driving, Seward would be a great option!

(From what i've read about the kayak tours, the water taxi to the drop off point follows the same route as the tour boats so you don't need to do both .... worth looking into this.)

Maybe consider a one way rental car instead of the train so that you can stop at points of interest along the way. OR, overnight in Anc and pick up a one day rental car to do some exploring along the Turnagain Arm .... Potters Marsh, Wildlife Conservation center, etc

 

My caution about Seward is that your activities are all sea based. Be sure to have back up plans in case of nasty weather. I've been weathered out of 2 Kenai Fjords cruises due to storms (and 2 kayak trips in Valdez).

 

There are a couple of trip reports that are Seward only land travel. Look them over. But this is really a decision only you can make.

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Thanks all. I feel better about the decision. The backup one day will be the Alaska Sea Center. We'll figure out the rest. I'm hoping the boat trip in Kenai has inside viewing. Maybe Denali merits three full days in that area or from a cruise that ends closer to Anchorage (Whittier). I'll check out that Alaska Railroad Spencer Glacier excursion. We are already doing the train in Skagway to Fraser and the Gold Star dome train to Anchorage, but there's no limit.

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Thanks all. I feel better about the decision. The backup one day will be the Alaska Sea Center. We'll figure out the rest. I'm hoping the boat trip in Kenai has inside viewing. Maybe Denali merits three full days in that area or from a cruise that ends closer to Anchorage (Whittier). I'll check out that Alaska Railroad Spencer Glacier excursion. We are already doing the train in Skagway to Fraser and the Gold Star dome train to Anchorage, but there's no limit.

 

My father-in-law stayed inside the boat the entire time. We went with Kenai Fjords. You do need to be one of the first to board to get a window seat inside though. We literally got the very last one. But he enjoyed the tour fine from inside.

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The Sealife Center is good for 1 hr, maybe 2 with a behind the scenes tour. There's also Exit Glacier, Seavey's dog carting. Download the Seward Visitor Guide for various options.

 

There is inside seating on the kenai tour boats; both vendor web sites provide photos of their vessels. Inside seating couldn't save our 2 trips; the sea was too rough. Both trips were downgraded to Resurrection Bay tours but I still turned green. When we DID make it out for the full tour, it was spectacular ... I still got a little green when we entered the Gulf of Alaska but it's a short stretch.

 

I did check the route map for Liquid Adventure's kayak tour to Aialik Glacier. It matches the route of the Kenai Fjord company's National Park route.

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I did check the route map for Liquid Adventure's kayak tour to Aialik Glacier. It matches the route of the Kenai Fjord company's National Park route.

 

We were going to do Bear Glacier. Is that the same as Aialik Glacier?

 

Did you use any seasickness bands on the boat? I see Amazon has the Sea-Bands at $13.25 for a pair. I admit to not doing well on that hydrofoil between Naples and Capri.

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Different glaciers. Bear is the first glacier. It's near the end of the Bay. Aialik is the next glacier but you must enter the Gulf of Alaska.

 

KFT route map: http://www.kenaifjords.com/files/8514/8545/9512/KFT_TourRoutes.pdf

 

I used Bonine. I'm very prone to motion sickness.

 

Thanks, I have never used anything, but I'll get the Sea-Bands,

 

That map is very helpful. It looks like the National Park Tour is really what I want. Hopefully, the seas will be calm because it looks like a great tour.

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I've had 2 successful trips on the Kenai cruises when the weather was perfect and the seas were calm ... they were wonderful! We saw lots of sealife, a few mountain goats ( during the Bay portion), lots of birds, a couple of whales. But the highlight for me was sitting in front of the glacier watching it calve.

Getting skunked twice was disappointing, but having the successful trips made up for it.

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mapleleaves....

 

My caution about Seward is that your activities are all sea based. Be sure to have back up plans in case of nasty weather. I've been weathered out of 2 Kenai Fjords cruises due to storms (and 2 kayak trips in Valdez). /quote/

 

What month was it when you were weathered out of the 2 Kenai Fjords cruises?

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My caution about Seward is that your activities are all sea based. Be sure to have back up plans in case of nasty weather. I've been weathered out of 2 Kenai Fjords cruises due to storms (and 2 kayak trips in Valdez).

 

What month was it when you were weathered out of the 2 Kenai Fjords cruises?

 

They ocurred during different visits to Alaska.

The first time was at the end of july. However the next day was beautiful and we were able to do the 6hr tour.

The 2nd time was at the end of Aug. It was a severe storm that was going to be around for several days.

 

p.s. the kayak trips were weathered out in late aug and in mid aug.

Edited by mapleleaves
p.s.
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Denali shuttles go rain or shine. Animals could care less about rain as I learned last June. Caribou, moose, ptarmigan, ravens, grizzly bears, wolves, eagles, etc. were in abundance.

 

I went with Fly Denali for a tour of the great mountain above the clouds.

 

Indeed, two great days.

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mapleleaves....

 

My caution about Seward is that your activities are all sea based. Be sure to have back up plans in case of nasty weather. I've been weathered out of 2 Kenai Fjords cruises due to storms (and 2 kayak trips in Valdez). /quote/

 

What month was it when you were weathered out of the 2 Kenai Fjords cruises?

 

Thanks everyone for your input, this is actually part of our back up plan if we can't get to visit Hubbard Glacier. Right now, we have the 5 Glacier sea plane excursion in Juneau as well. If it's raining, we can still sit inside the boat on the Kenai National Park tour. We also have the Goldstar Dome train booked with this option, which we're looking forward to. The thing most at risk is the Bear Glacier Kayak experience, which very well could be the best thing we have planned for the entire vacation. While Denali NPS shuttle is no risk to the rain, or day two McKinley Run Scenic Kayak would have the same risk as the Bear Glacier kayak adventure.

 

We'll hope for decent weather mid-June and we would like to have seen Denali. It might make more sense for us in the future if we do a south bound inside passage. That's a possibility down the road.

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It's not the rain that cancels a Kenai cruise or a kayak trip. Your sightseeing/views will be impaired due to low cloud cover, but getting wet from rainfall won't cause a vendor to cancel a trip.

What prevented my trips was strong winds, which in turn kicked up high seas. The danger factor that causes cancellation. They don't want to risk 100 people entering the Gulf of Alaska in rough waters (and, they don't want to clean up after half the crowd vomiting for 6 hrs!)

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It's not the rain that cancels a Kenai cruise or a kayak trip. Your sightseeing/views will be impaired due to low cloud cover, but getting wet from rainfall won't cause a vendor to cancel a trip.

What prevented my trips was strong winds, which in turn kicked up high seas. The danger factor that causes cancellation. They don't want to risk 100 people entering the Gulf of Alaska in rough waters (and, they don't want to clean up after half the crowd vomiting for 6 hrs!)

 

I suppose that's a risk you take anytime you plan on doing that. Of course, it's also more probable than not that we wouldn't see Mt Denali and you never know what you'll see in the park. Everything is a risk. The upside is better for us in Seward. We'll roll the dice.

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I'm not trying to dissuade you from choosing seward. Several posts back, I said it was a good choice. I'm just responding to comments at this point. There is a lot to see and do in seward...easy to come up with back plans.

 

I'll have to look at backup plans. I really saw nothing in Trip Advisor other than the Alaska Sea Center. I am also leaning to Major Marine's 7.5 hour National Park Tour over Kenai Fjords because we have no interest in the lodge dinner and would rather go out to dinner in town at Chinook's or Ray's.

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Look at the town web site, download the Visitor Guide.

http://cmdev.seward.com/list/ql/what-to-do-30.htm

 

Visit Exit Glacier for a ranger-led hike or a longer hike on your own, go carting with Seaveys sled dogs, follow the waterfront trail that goes from the harbor into town (about 1 1/2 miles, ends by Sealife Center and watch for bald eagles and/or otters playing ), or just wander around the harbor and watch all the boat traffic and the charters coming in.

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If the weather is really bad, you could rent a car for the day, and this opens up several options..Drive up to Whittier and do a Prince William Sound cruise. Or Drive up to Girdwood about 2 hrs, to take in the area sights.....Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage Glacier/lake and Visitor Center, Alyeska, Summit Lake, fish weir at moose pass, dall sheep at the pullouts. Or just drive to Cooper Landing and have lunch at the Kenai Princess while watching fishermen on the river below.

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There are numerouse choices to make with Alaska visits. It isn't "don't miss" thinking that should go into the mix. The "miss" is massive. :) with a single trip.

 

Instead, look at the ACTIVITIES and rank YOUR preferences. The only issue that matters, not what anyone else would do. :) I do find a car and maybe the inclusion of Whittler a suggestion. Especially a good idea, if the weather is going to impact what you want to do.

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There are numerouse choices to make with Alaska visits. It isn't "don't miss" thinking that should go into the mix. The "miss" is massive. :) with a single trip.

 

Instead, look at the ACTIVITIES and rank YOUR preferences. The only issue that matters, not what anyone else would do. :) I do find a car and maybe the inclusion of Whittler a suggestion. Especially a good idea, if the weather is going to impact what you want to do.

 

I think we are most at risk for bear glacier Kayaking. We are taking the Goldstar domed train that day to Anchorage and it leaves at 6 pm. The backup plan that day would be the Alaska SeaLife Center and a lunch on the harbor. I would think the 7.5 hour Kenai Fjords National Park cruise on Major Marine is less likely to be canceled. If it does, I suppose we would consider renting a car.

 

We haven't closed the door on Denali forever. If we enjoy our Alaska cruise, we could do another one where we take southbound inside passage, making Denali easier and also including Glacier Bay. For this time, a couple of days in Seward make sense for us. As always, thank you for your advice. It's always appreciated.

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After my cruise this June, I stayed in Seward to take a Kenai fjords cruise. I chose Alaska Saltwater lodge, which operates a much smaller boat. I think there were about 12 of us aboard. They don't do a fancy lunch - just wraps and sodas - but it was a very relaxed, personalized experience. I loved it. I stayed overnight near the small boat harbor, then walked along the coastal trail into town the next day to visit the sea life center. I took the shuttle back to the hotel, and they gave me a ride to the train station. I stayed overnight in Anchorage, then rented a car and drove up to the Palmer area. I toured the Knik Glacier that afternoon, which was amazing. I stayed overnight in Wasilla, then drove up to Talkeetna the next day. From there, I took a flightseeing trip into the Alaska range, and I was very fortunate to spot Mt. Denali. We flew right past its peak, and landed on Ruth Glacier. That's as far as I got into the Denali national park. I stayed overnight in Talkeetna, then headed down to the Turnagain Arm area for my last night. I spent a lot of time planning out my land tour, and have no regrets!

 

 

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