Any comments on my plans?

[JustThinking23]

So, after many months of reading posts here and asking a few questions, I think I have my plan.

We are a family of 5, (me, DW, DS 15, DS 13 and DD11). This will be our first visit to Alaska, and our second cruise. We are on a South-bound Princess cruise in mid-August.

Feel free to comment or suggest!

Day 1 we arrive very late (11:30pm local time, and we are from east coast) to Anchorage and take hotel shuttle to Embassy Suites in mid-town.

Day 2 I don’t want to plan too much with jet lag and all. Pick up rental car, get some provisions, and maybe see the Native Heritage and Anchorage Museums.

Day 3 take drive to Portage Glacier. Stop at Beluga Point and other places.

Day 4 Drive to Denali. Stop for pictures on the way. Perhaps do a gentle river raft ride in the evening. Perhaps drive the road into Denali as far as cars are allowed. I haven’t booked a place yet, but there are a number of cabins and B&B’s that seem suitable.

Day 5 Shuttle into Denali. Goal is Ellison Visitors Center. Plan to arrive in time to have lunch, see visitors center and take short ranger walk. Will reserve shuttle tickets to Wonder Lake in case we decide to go there if it is a clear day.

Day 6 see visitors center near entrance, 10 am sled dog demo, and maybe drive into the park as far as allowed. Then drive South back to Anchorage. Photo stops along the way. ( I have a fairly recent Milestone book)

Day 7 take early train to Seward. We are thinking of the train as an excursion, not just transportation. When we get to Seward, do either Exit Glacier or Sea Life Center, depending on the weather. I’m still looking at places to stay.

Day 8 take a long Kenai National park boat ride. Most likely Major Marine. Hope to see the other of the two choices from day before.

Day 9 take Seward bus or PJ’s taxi to Whittier and board ship. I think we will skip the Prince William Sound tour if we just did the other tour the day before.

Day 10 Hubbard Glacier

Day 11 Glacier Bay

Day 12 Skagway. Rent a Green Jeep and drive to Emerald Lake. Stop in lunch and perhaps the summer sled dog ride.

Day 13 Juneau. I think we will kayak Mendanhall Lake and then go to Glacier visitors center and take a short hike.

Day 14 Ketchikan. Thinking of a half day Salmon charter and then exploring the town.

Day 15 Sea Day

Day 16 Arrive Vancouver. Plan for 2 days HOHO trolley. Reservations at Holiday Inn on Howe Street

Day 17 HOHO trolley. I still am hoping to find reasonable airfare from Vancouver, but may end up going out of Seattle for a red-eye home.

Thanks for any input!

[epixx]

Do you like to ride bicycles? Our family really enjoyed (1) riding the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in Anchorage and (2) riding around the city of Vancouver (very safe with tons of bike lanes) and around Stanley Park.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I like your plans.

Sounds wonderful.

[laurasue]

May I suggest that you book something soon for Denali? The B&B we wanted for mid-June was already full and our second choice lodging was almost full as well (we had to split into two cabins instead of the two-bedroom one we wanted)

[JustThinking23]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

Laura, I will be booking soon. I just wanted to settle the plan in my mind. I go back and forth between trying to compress my Anchorage days to try and get one more day in Seward. I don't want to start a two week vacation with a grumpy family!

[vbmom87]

Looks like a great plan. You obviously did a lot reading and planned the trip you want. You will have a great time.

 

Depending how much your family enjoys scenery, the PWS tour may or may not be a good idea. On our first trip to AK, I did not plan the PWS tour because I thought we were going to be all "boated" out. (7 days on a cruise ship, all day boat tour into Tracy Arm Fjord, and the 9 hour Kenai Fjords Northwestern Fjords Tour) I was so wrong!!!! We just loved the scenery and couldn't get enough of it. I know everyone would not feel the same way, so you need to be the judge of what is best for your family. Either way you will have a great time. You planned a wonderful trip.

[Northern Aurora]

I also think you have a reasonable and interesting itinerary. But I also would urge you to your Denali hotel/motel/B&B reservations very soon.

 

In Seward we have stayed at the Edgewater Hotel, which is a Best Western property. It is directly across the street from the Sea Life Center. We would definitely stay there again. There is also a Holiday Inn Express right near the small boat harbor, which would be very convenient for a morning Kenai Fjords tour. While I've never stayed at the Holiday Inn I suspect the two hotels are of very similar quality.