Talkeetna Detour Worth It (not flightseeing)?

[bluetiger9192]

If we are driving from Anchorage to Denali National Park, is a detour to Talkeetna worth it if we are not doing a flightseeing tour? Maybe just walk around the town and see the buildings, etc....?

[Adri204]

Local here and Yes I think it is very worth it. We do everything by mile posts here in Alaska so keep that in mind. Also when your driving keep plenty of gas in the car and keep in mind distences are further apart then one might think.

 

I do think that Talkeetna is worth the drive in and the drive out. I reccomened checking out the mueseum and also having lunch in Talkeetna.

 

The views of Denali are spectacular and also this is the base for a lot of people who climb Denali so its got a lot of history to it.

 

Be safe, enjoy your trip and give a wave when you pass my place at Mile 50.5 on the Parks Highway which is past Wasilla in the unincorporated community of Meodowlakes :).

 

Adri :)

[Chenega]

If the weather is good, having lunch on the patio at the Talkeetna Lodge is one of our favorite things to do. Great views of Denali/Mt. McKinley and the entire area.

[Mary Ellen1]

Yes, yes, yes! Cute little town. Have lunch there, go to the museum, walk around town, & visit the park on the edge of the river -- you can see the 3 rivers coming together, and view Denali if it's out that day.

[Maverick6969]

My wife and I are on a Princess Cruisetour are coming in on the train for 2 nights at the Princess McKinley Lodge before heading to Denali. We're planning on staying in Talkeetna for the afternoon and taking an evening shuttle to the lodge. I'm guessing that this will not cause a problem with Princess. My question is - what is the latest a shuttle leaves for the lodge? Thanks in advance

So ready for our Alaskan trip. Been planning it for about a year. The problem is - there is sooooo much to do. Having to choose what to do was hard. Guess it manes we'll have to return someday :D

[ncgolferette]

DH and I have a tour booked to Talkeetna when we are docked in Anchorage for the day sailing on the Amsterdam. I wanted to see some of the interior in addition to what was along the coast on our 14 day cruise. We are also going to do the jet boat ride with mahay's in the afternoon. Looking forward to exploring the town.

[Adri204]

DH and I have a tour booked to Talkeetna when we are docked in Anchorage for the day sailing on the Amsterdam. I wanted to see some of the interior in addition to what was along the coast on our 14 day cruise. We are also going to do the jet boat ride with mahay's in the afternoon. Looking forward to exploring the town.

 

mahay's is also quite popular with locals as well. They have a great reputation and are very safe and reliable. So you picked a great one imo :)

 

Adri

[cbowler]

If we are driving from Anchorage to Denali National Park, is a detour to Talkeetna worth it if we are not doing a flightseeing tour? Maybe just walk around the town and see the buildings, etc....?

 

Absolutely yes! Some of the best views of Mt. McKinley are from Talkeetna. If you walk down to the river at the end of the main street you can get some really nice photos of Mt. McKinley with the river in the foreground.

 

Plus, it's a neat little town, good food, nice shops, what's not to like??? :)

 

Also, I'd recommend popping over to the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge and walk through the lobby and out onto the back deck for a really nice view of the mountain. It provides incentive for your next return trip to Alaska. :)

[lorilea]

We were lucky to stay a night in Talkeetna on our trip last July. We stayed at the Denali Fireside Cabins, had some awesome pizza at Mountain High Pizza for dinner. My husband and son got up early in the morning to go fly fishing with Just Fly Fish. My daughter and I enjoyed breakfast at The Roadhouse and then took our time looking through the shops!

 

Next trip to Alaska - we'd go again but would probably take a flightseeing tour.

[phabric]

Does Princess have transfer bus through the day from Talkeetna and their Lodge?

[Mary Ellen1]

Does Princess have transfer bus through the day from Talkeetna and their Lodge?

 

Yes. Last summer it was $20 pp round trip.

[compozer]

We stopped their yesterday. A bus picks you up from the train and will drop you off at the Princess office. They don't charge you anything if you go directly from the train to town but if you check into the lodge and then go to town, you pay the $20 per person charge. The shuttles run every hour on the half hour. Get to the shuttle at least 10 minutes early. There were a number of people who got there just as we were pulling out and the bus was full - I felt sorry for them because they had to wait a hour. And the train ride was fun but after getting up early in ANchorage - everyone was dead tired.

[ncgolferette]

Check out Mahay's web site. I believe that I read that they will drop you off at the Princess Mckinley lodge near the end of their three hour jet boat excursion. That might be an option for someone who wants to do an excursion and not take the bus back to the Princess lodge.