Pre-Cruise Fairbanks

My wife and I have a flight into Fairbanks with a cruise out of Seward three days later. Our main goal is to see Denali before the cruise.

Plan - Rent a car in Fairbanks drive to Denali early the next day and visit Denali (flight comes in at 7:30PM) stay in Denali visit the next day also. Now the question ..... Should we keep the car drive to Anchorage get in late and then overnight and drive to Seward? or Drive back to Fairbanks and fly to Anchorage late and stay overnight near the airport and take the shuttle-tour bus to Seward the day of the cruise?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

tp

Hertz is the only vendor in Seward so check the price for a one-way rental to either Anc or Seward. The cost might help with your decision.

Also, did you consider the train from Anc to Seward? It's the most scenic leg of the Alaska Railroad and people rave about it.

Otherwise, it's tough to choose between ending the drive in Anc or Seward. There's a lot to see and do along the Turnagain Arm just south of Anchorage .... gold panning, Wildlife Conservation Center, Alyeska tram, walk to Byron Glacier, Potters Marsh boardwalk, Portage Lake/Glacier, and Exit Glacier just before Seward. All of which you miss if you don't drive.

Suggested stopping points in this link:

http://www.alaska.org/guide/turnagain-arm-drive

OTOH, the train would get you into Seward by 11am so you would have several hours available ... take a Kenai Fjords cruise, visit Exit Glacier, Sealife Center, wander around the harbor.

Guess the choice comes down to your interests and priorities (and budget).

I agree with mapleleaves. Either way is good. My personal preference would be to keep the rental car all the way to Seward. The downside there is the one-way drop off fee.

Fairbanks is 2 1/2 hours from Denali, Anchorage is 6, Seward another 3+. You will be on a tight schedule. I would drive back to Fairbanks the second night and fly to Anchorage, then get the train or cruise shuttle. It's all two lane highway and known for shutting down for hours if there's an accident. Plus, I'd much rather spend an extra day in Denali than driving down the highway.