Reveal Your 2014 Alaska Itinerary Plans

[Paula_MacFan]

I saw that, and I think I decided to skip it because it was so questionable on bear viewing location. I'm possibly going to be carrying two 8-9 pound lenses that essentially need to be on a monopod (they're 20-25" long when ready for use). As much as I'm willing to hike wherever to get the shot, I don't want to just go for a stroll and hope we see something. I also don't think I can get those lenses into a floatplane with me.

 

 

The Photo Safari is definitely fantastic!

 

 

CWC goes to Carroll Inlet, definitely different than Neets Bay. http://www.snowscove.com/Pricing.html

 

If we end up going on the CWC, I will definitely come back and post a review. Thanks for the info on Carroll Inlet. I didn't see that on their website.

[rjeffler]

I'm on the 06/06/14 Southbound Seward to Vancouver on Radiance. My husband lived in Alaska for 7 years, so we are taking a couple of days in Fairbanks as well.

 

05/30 Fly to Anchorage

05/31 Drive to Fairbanks (stopping along the way)

06/01 Fairbanks - Running Reindeer Ranch, North Pole

06/02 Fairbanks - Chena Hot Springs

06/03 Drive to Anchorage (stopping at other places)

06/04 Train to Seward, Hike Exit Glacier

06/05 Seward - Full Day fishing through Alaska Northern Outfitters

06/06 Board Ship - Maybe Sealife Center

-------- Juneau - Helicopter to Dogsled on Glacier with ERA

Skagway - Avis Car Rental, driving to Yukon and Emerald Lake

Icy Straight Point - Whale Watching with FISHES

Ketchikan - Self-Tour Walking and Lumberjack show

06/13 Arrive Vancouver - Hop-on/Hop-off

06/14 Vancouver - Grouse Mountain & Eye of the Wind

06/15 Fly back home L

[tlcoke]

Here is my Itinerary for My Birthday trip to Alaska

 

7/29 -Drive to Indianapolis for Night before 6 a.m. flight

7/30 Fly Indianapolis to Vancouver - Stay at Pan Pacific - Go to North Vancouver to Capilano Suspension Bridge, Grouse Mountain & Cleveland Dam Lookout

7/31 Vancouver - HoHo Touring & Possibly go to Lynn Canyon

8/1 Vancouver -HoHo Touring then board the Celebrity Millennium for Alaska

8/2 Inside Passage at Sea Day

8/3 Ketchikan - Sea Kayaking in Orcas Cove with Southeast Seas Kayaks Tour Creek Street & Town

8/4 Icy Point Strait - Whale Watch & Bear Search with Misty Bay Lodge

8/5 Juneau - Mendenhall Glacier Trek with Above & Beyond Alaska

8/6 Skagway - Rent Car from Avis - Drive to Emerald Lake

8/7 Hubbard Glacier

8/8 Disembark at Seward - Go on Kenai Fjords Tour & Alaska Sea Life Center

Pick up rental car from Hertz

8/9 Drive from Seward to Talkeetna - Stopping along route Alaska Conservation Center - Girdwood - Wasilla - Scenic Stops along Seward Highway & Parks Highway

8/10 Talkeetna - Flightseeing Denali w/Glacier Landing- still planning rest of days activities (looking at Jetboat ride or Flag Stop Railroad excursions)

8/11 Drive from Talkeetna to Denali National Park - Checkout Visitor Center area and Whitewater Rafting Tour

8/12 Kantishna Bus Trip into Denali National Park

8/13 Drive from Denali to Fairbanks - Depart on Fly/Drive Arctic Circle Adventure

8/14 Drive From Fairbanks to Mantanuska Glacier on Richardson Highway & Glen Highways

8/15 Tour Mantanuska / Drive to Anchorage with stops in Hatcher's Pass, Palmer, Eagle Creek

8/16 Tour Anchorage / Fly out of Anchorage on Red Eye flight home

8/17 Arrive back in Indianapolis & Drive Home

 

I am still working out details of some of our stops along the route, using the Milepost Travel Planner.

[SightCRR]

Here is my Itinerary for My Birthday trip to Alaska

 

 

8/9 Drive from Seward to Talkeetna - Stopping along route Alaska Conservation Center - Girdwood - Wasilla - Scenic Stops along Seward Highway & Parks Highway

 

Yours is one of the best itineraries that I have seen. 8/9 will be a long day so start early. Nice to be able to shuffle things around a little if there are weather issues at Talkeetna.

Have Fun, Sightcrr

[theloo]

Our itinerary:

 

Day 1 - embark @ Vancouver

Day 2 - at sea

Day 3 - Ketchikan: Misty Fjords float plan & Totem Bight

Day 4 - Juneau: whale watching, Mendenhall Glacier, possibly Mt. Roberts hike

Day 5 - Skagway: rental car to Emerald Lakes, possibly hiking or visit Dyea

Day 6 - Glacier Bay

Day 7 - at sea

Day 8 - Seward: Northwestern Fjords day trip

Day 9 - drive to Denali

Day 10 - shuttle bus to Eielson visitor center

Day 11 - hiking around Denali entrance visitor center; drive to Anchorage & fly home

[Gemlea]

Getting close for us. Very excited:-

 

May

07 Fly Manchester to San Francisco, 2 nights at Hotel Argonaut.

08 SF - HOHO Tour & Ferry to Sausalito

09 SF - Board RSS Navigator "Alaska & British Columbia" cruise

10 Sailing the Pacific Ocean

11 Astoria - "Ale Trail" and Lunch at the Wet Dog Cafe

12 Sailing the Outside Passage

13 Sitka - "Sea Otter & Wildlife Quest"

14 Skagway - "White Pass Scenic Railroad" & "Red Onion Saloon & Brothel" !!

15 Icy Strait (Hoonah) - In the morning, "Whale & Marine Mammals Cruise" to Point Adolphus. Afternoon - "Forest & Nature Tram & Beach combing"

16 Cruising Hubbard Glacier

17 Juneau - Early morning "Mt Roberts Tramway" followed by "Taku Glacier Lodge Flightseeing (5 Glaciers) & King Salmon Feast"

18 Ketchikan - "Misty Fjords Seaplane Adventure" in the morning and "Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show" after Lunch. Walk through town to Creek Street.

19 Cruising the Inside Passage

20 Victoria - "Buchart Gardens" & "Grand Victoria & High Tea at The Empress"

21 Vancouver - Disembark. 2 day HOHO Tram ticket & Lookout pass. In the early evening tour to "Capliano Suspension Bridge & Sunset from top of Grouse Mountain".

22 Vancouver - HOHO & Aquabus tours. Evening flight home to Manchester.

 

And after all that - we'll need a holiday !!!!:D

 

These boards have been an enormous help in planning our Alaska Trip. We were booked for this same cruise in 2013, but health issues got in the way and we had to cancel at the last minute. We have waited a long time for this to come round again.

Have a good time everyone.

[SoCalKJ]

Dang! Y'all have really awesome, LONG, vacations! I'm lucky I could break away from work for a week (I'm a wedding DJ...booked this one LAST SUMMER...as far in advance as possible) in the middle of my busy season. We loved Alaska when we went in 2011, but first week of May vs. middle of July?! No question we HAD to go again! :)

 

7/8 - Fly LAX to Seatac - we're Platinum so we are kinda cool and have priority embarking. :rolleyes:

7/9 - Day at Sea

7/10 - Tracy Arm Fjord - probably sit in a hot tub on the Serenity Deck and give thanks to God for His amazingness!

7/11 - Skagway - Hopefully a Green Jeep rental (email reservation pending)

7/12 - Juneau - Gold Mining and Salmon Bake

7/13 - Ketchikan - Undecided...we went fishing last time...not sure if we want to repeat...it was about $550 for our own boat for 4 1/2 hours, 3 rock fish and a biased, right-wing, homo-phobic, overly-opinionated captain. :(

7/14 - Victoria - is there even time to do anything?

7/15 - Debark - cry - stop at Pike's Market for some Salmon Chowder and drown our sorrows - shuttle back to Seatac and fly home.

 

Compared to everyone else, ours is piddly. But we're excited anyway. :D

[tlcoke]

Yours is one of the best itineraries that I have seen. 8/9 will be a long day so start early. Nice to be able to shuffle things around a little if there are weather issues at Talkeetna.

Have Fun, Sightcrr

 

Thanks, our plan is to get on the road early and to be at the Conservation Center when it opens at 8am. We decided on two nights in Talkeetna to gives us options in case the weather is bad for our Flightseeing trip.

[Okie1946]

June 3 - Fly from Minneapolis to Seattle - getting there early enough to do some exploring - Space Needle, Pike's Market and Downtown

June 4 - fly from Seattle to Anchorage and meet our Journey Host (plan of visiting the "Quilted Raven" Quilt shop and then connecting with my best friend's daughter (she lives in Anchorage) and her 4 kids.

June 5 - Travel by train - Mckinley Explorer from Anchorage to Denali

June 6 - Doing the Tundra Wilderness Tour

June 7 - Free Day at Denali - DH playing golf, Okie doing the Photography Workshop and hope to get some excellent flora and wildlife photos.

June 8 - Leave Denali for Fairbanks via Coach Bus where along the way we will stop to pan for gold at Gold Dredge 8 - Hope I have time to shop at the "Northern Threads Quilt Shop" :D

June 9 - travel from Fairbanks to Dawson City

June 10 - partial free day where we are taking a Yukon River paddle boat cruise that is included in the Land Cruise then will just wonder around town looking at the historical buildings and just enjoying the atmosphere

June 11 - Leave Dawson traveling by bus to Whitehorse -

June 12 - Travel by bus from Whitehorse to Skagway

June 13 - Skagway - DH and I doing the Ghost and Goodtime Girls Walking Tour - some free time to explore the town - want to find the Rushin'Tailor Quilt Shop ;)and do some shopping

June 14 - I am taking the Taste of Skagway at Jewell Gardens excursion - then we transfer from the hotel to the "Volendam" for the sea portion of the Land/Sea Cruise

June 15 - will be cruising either Glacier Bay or Tracy Arm - we are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary at one of the most beautiful places in the world.:D

June 16 - Ketchikan - since we have been here on three previous cruises will catch the free trolley and hope to visit the Totem Heritage Center, wander along Creek Street, shop at "The Silver Thimble Quilt Shoppe" and just do some last minute shopping.

June 17 - Sea Day cruising the Inside Passage

June 18 - Disembark in Vancouver - transferring to bus that will transport us to SEA/TAC for flight home.

 

Overall we hope that we will be able to see more of Alaska than what we have in the previous three cruises. But we do plan on going back again. Alaska is just so beautiful and there is so much to see.

 

Hope everyone has a great trip.

 

Barbara

 

Previous Cruises:

 

Alaska - Westerdam - 7 days - September 2009

Alaska - Rotterdam - 7 days - September 2010

Mexican Riviera - 7 days - April 2011

Alaska - Amsterdam - 14 days - September 2012

 

Planning Stages: Panama Canal - December 2014, Eastern Med - 2015, 14 day Alaska - June 2015

[Paula_MacFan]

7/13 - Ketchikan - Undecided...we went fishing last time...not sure if we want to repeat...it was about $550 for our own boat for 4 1/2 hours, 3 rock fish and a biased, right-wing, homo-phobic, overly-opinionated captain. :(

 

Yuck -- who were you booked with? I want to know so we don't get on a boat with him! That would be an oil and water mix for us and not be a good use of our precious vacation time:( Our excursion in Ketchikan is with a company that also does fishing charters.

Edited March 20, 2014 by Paula_MacFan

[MNfamilycruiser]

We are a family of four - my husband and myself and our two teenage daughters. We have booked all tours privately using information from this site and trip advisor.

 

5/21 - Flight from Minneapolis to LAX to Anchorage with quick trip to our Dr. in LA

 

5/22 - Anchorage sleep-in, recover from long travel day. Rent bikes and ride Coastal Trail

 

5/23 - Coastal Classic Train from Anchorage to Seward. Embarkation. Sea Life Center in Seward possible.

 

5/24 - At Sea, Cruising Hubbard Glacier

 

5/25 - Juneau, 8 hr. Mendenhall Glacier Trek with Above & Beyond Alaska

 

5/26 - Skagway, Chilkoot Charters and Tours - Yukon Rail and Bus Excursion. My daughters will be adding the Dogcart Ride.

 

5/27 - Icy Strait Point, Whale Watching with Glacier Wind Charters

 

5/28 - Ketchikan – Misty Fjords Flightseeing tour with Island Wings. Tour Ketchikan on our own after.

 

5/29 - At Sea – cruising Inside Passage

 

5/30 – Flight home from Vancouver

[SoCalKJ]

Yuck -- who were you booked with? I want to know so we don't get on a boat with him! That would be an oil and water mix for us and not be a good use of our precious vacation time:( Our excursion in Ketchikan is with a company that also does fishing charters.[/QUO

 

Please send me an email as I would rather keep the information private. While I don't publicly slam, I can privately protect. robinlle@gmail.com

[Dismomx5]

We're sailing HAL for our anniversary in July. First time for both HAL AND Alaska. :)

 

Saturday: embark in Vancouver

Sunday: scenic cruising inside passage

Monday: cruising Tracy Arm

Juneau-haven't anything planned yet for this port

Tuesday: Skagway - Best of Skagway (HAL)

Wednesday: Glacier Bay

Thursday: Ketchikan- 2 hour flight seeing tour to Misty Fjords National Monument (Island Wings Air Service)

Friday: scenic cruising inside passage

Saturday: disembark in Vancouver

[3luv2travel]

Thanks to everyone who shared so far. Seeing all these plans has been fun!

 

Our June itinerary (it's ambitious, I know!!)

 

Day 1 Fly into Seattle

Day 2 take AM Amtrak into Vancouver; sightseeing with rental car

Day 3 embark on the NCL Sun

Day 4 Inside passage

Day 5 Ketchikan-2 of us are going Flightseeing in Misty Fjords, 2 on the Bering Straight Crab tour (possibly go to Totem parks in the afternoon)

Day 6 Juneau kayaking on Mendehall Lake (spend time in town afterwards)

Day 7 Skagway Chilkoot Charters to Lake Bennett (and train back)

Day 8 Glacier Bay

Day 9 Hubbard Glacier

Day 10 disembark in Whittier; transfer to ANC and pick up a rental car. Drive to Seward seeing sights along the way tonight or in the morning (Exit Glacier, etc)

Day 11 POSSIBLE boat trip to Kenai Fjords; train back to ANC that evening

Day 12 Pick up rental car in ANC and drive to Healy/Denali. Staying at Denali Dome Home for 3 nights

Day 13 Denali Jeep Adventures and time at Denali Visitor Center

Day 14 Denali Bus to Wonder Lake

Day 15 Drive to Fairbanks (possibly do Riverboat)

Day 16 Excursion with "Rainer" to the Arctic Circle (4 of us with Rainer in a Pick up truck (NOT a 17 passenger van excursion ;) ) (Not a "fly and drive"--the money is running out!)

Day 17 Fairbanks to Talkeetna (and hopefully a good view of Denali if we've missed it so far)

Day 18 return to ANC and fly out in before midnight

Day 19 home

 

This trip marks our daughters "49th state"--she will have slept in every state except Hawaii. We plan a LOT of things to do and see--we can always catch up on sleep once the vacation is over. :)

[Halehuaka_i]

8/21 Fly to Anchorage (arrive 8/22 early morning). Meet up w/ Aussie travel friends, overnight @ Duke's 8th Ave Hotel

8/23 Drive to Healy (stopping along the way), stay at Aspen Haus BNB

8/24 Denali DIY hiking, possibly WAC/visitor center area

8/25 Eielson Shuttle Bus, early in, late return

8/26 Denali DIY hiking, possibly Savage River

8/27 Drive to Anchorage (stopping along the way) possibly Talkeetna. Duke's 8th Ave Hotel

8/28 Anchorage museums and sightseeing

8/29 Alaska Dome Train to Seward - Board Ship Radiance of the Seas

8/30 at sea - Hubbard Glacier

8/31 Juneau - DIY Mendenhall Glacier Nugget Falls and/or East Glacier

9/01 Skagway - Avis Car Rental, driving to Yukon and Emerald Lake

9/02 Icy Straight Point - walking around, maybe to Hoonah

9/03 Ketchikan - Self-Tour Walking, possibly city bus to totem park

9/04 At sea

9/05 Arrive Vancouver - Delta Suites Hotel and Hop-on/Hop-off DIY tour

9/06 Vancouver - Capilano/Grouse Mountain/Butchart Gardens + whatever

9/07 Fly back home:(

 

Also on the intinerary: Glacier Brew House, Denali Brewery, 49th State Brewpub, Blue Line Pub, Alaska Brewing Co, Skagway Brewing Co, Fat Stan's Ketchikan, Midnight Sun Brewery....get my drift?

[VermeulT]

Also on the intinerary: Glacier Brew House, Denali Brewery, 49th State Brewpub, Blue Line Pub, Alaska Brewing Co, Skagway Brewing Co, Fat Stan's Ketchikan, Midnight Sun Brewery....get my drift?

Don't you mean... Get my DRAFT? :)

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Halehuaka_i]

Hee hee...exactly! We are wine drinkers at home, but like to try regional brews while traveling!

[travelbug11]

7/13 - Ketchikan - Undecided...we went fishing last time...not sure if we want to repeat...it was about $550 for our own boat for 4 1/2 hours, 3 rock fish and a biased, right-wing, homo-phobic, overly-opinionated captain. :(

7 :D

 

That is so disgusting..

 

I like the pic of you singing with your dog.

[SoCalKJ]

That is so disgusting..

 

 

 

I like the pic of you singing with your dog.

 

 

Thanks. Rupert has a lot of talent!

[alyxkat]

we're doing a NB cruisetour with HAL in June. it's coming up soon!!

 

1 Vancouver (departs 5pm)

2 At Sea

3 Ketchikan (7:00a-3:00p)

4 Juneau (9:00a-10:00p) - either extended dog sledding adventure w/ERA Flightseeing or whale watching? self-guided Mendenhall Gladier/Nugget Falls?

5 Skagway (7:00a-8:30p) - Glacier Point Wilderness Safari

6 Glacier Bay

7 At Sea (Gulf of Alaska)

8 Seward to Alyeska

9 Alyeska Resort - summer snowmobiling w/Glacier City Tours?

10 Alyeska to Anchorage - Portage Lake Cruise, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (included)

11 Denali National Park

Board the luxurious domed rail cars of the McKinley Explorer to Denali for a two night stay at this magnificent national treasure

12 Denali National Park - TWT (included), Mt. McKinley glacier landing via floatplane?

13 Denali to Fairbanks - Riverboat Discovery Tour (included)

14 Fairbanks

Edited March 21, 2014 by alyxkat

[JoanVA]

In case anyone was thinking of stopping by the museum:

 

Closure Notice: The Alaska State Museum at 395 Whittier Street will close its doors following the Final Friday event on February 28, 2014. Expected reopening in the new State Library, Archives and Museum (SLAM) building will take place in April 2016.

[Budget Queen]

I'll be in Alaska about 2 months this year.

 

On the Miracle 5-13 round trip Seattle, end of May, going home to pick up my nephew- 3 week mainland Alaska trip, including Prudhoe Bay tour out of Fairbanks, will be doing the loop Anchorage, Mat Su area, Denali Park, Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay (3 day tour), down the Richardson, Copper River Princess, Valdez, ferry to Whittier, then Seward.

 

Will be late booking any Princess deals in July/ August, will be especially looking for those 14 day give aways. :) then return to Vancouver Sept 18 for Miracle to Hawaii, will be picking up a separate Alaska cruise prior,, again late booked bargain. :)

[SeahawkSiren]

May 18 - Leave Seattle (no flying to Seattle for me, just a ferry ride from Bremerton!)

May 19 - At Sea

May 20 - Juneau – Mount Roberts Tram

May 21 - Skagway – Train ride excursion, hike to Yakutania Point, Skagway walking tour

May 22 - Cruising through Glacier Bay National Park

May 23 - Ketchikan - TBD

May 24 - Victoria, BC - TBD

May 25 - Back in Seattle

 

Not doing as many pre-arranged shore excursions this trip. I’m now starting to research restaurants for the ports. In Juneau, we would like to eat at Red Dog Saloon. It was too crowded last trip and we couldn’t get a seat. Will probably have the same issue this trip. What other restaurants are recommended?

 

Would also love restaurant recommendations for Skagway and Ketchikan. We are thinking about Skagway Brewing Company in Skagway, but it sounds like Red Onion Saloon is also a popular choice. Does anyone recommend Bar Harbor Restaurant in Ketchikan? Other comments and suggestions are welcome. Planning is part of the fun! Happy cruising everyone!

[UPGrandma]

August 10th leave Michigan for Vancouver. Embark 8/13 Island Princess - Ketchikan- tour the city and some hiking on our own. Juneau, Harv and Marv, Skagway, train to boarder the. Dyea Dave to Emerald Lake and back to ship. Disembark 8/20 Whittier, pick up a car an "mosey" to Homer. Fishing on the 21st. Unknown 22nd, Alaska State fair the 23rd and Head home early on the 24th.

[Hekla]

I am traveling in a group of 7: 3 couples and 1 child.

 

June 20 - Leave Seattle. I live in the area, so...zzz.

 

June 21 - Drunk at sea.

 

June 22 - Cruise Inside Passage in the morning. Port afternoon/evening in Juneau. We are going to visit the Mendenhall Glacier, hike a few trails around it. Come back to town, grab a bite to eat, explore the town a bit, and then meet up with the others. The second couple is going to rent bikes and go trail riding. I am not sure what the third couple is doing.

 

June 23 - Port day in Skagway. My family is taking the Glacier Point Wilderness Safari over to the Davidson Glacier. Hope to see some whales and have fun canoeing to and walking around the glacial tongue. The second couple in our group is going salmon fishing. The third couple is I think taking the railroad, but not 100%.

 

June 24 - Tracy Arm Fjord in the morning. Nap in the afternoon. Group formal dinner at Chops at around 7:30.

 

June 25 - Drunk at sea. Husband and I may do the couples massage.

 

June 26 - Victoria. My family has been here before, but others in our party haven't. There really isn't too much to do here that we haven't already done, so that sort of sucks for us. There really hasn't been anything of interest for the rest of my party either. Oh well, always booze, rite?

 

June 27 - Back in Seattle. Dropping the second couple off at the airport then driving home to spend the weekend recovering from our vacation. :p