North of Anchorage-give me ideas, transportation, lodging, food, etc.

[Mountaineer0313]

We are booked on Radiance Northbound next August. We have done Alaska twice already, once northbound and once southbound, but neither time did we venture north of Anchorage. We stayed on the Kenai peninsula, which has plenty to do and see and I would be totally okay with doing it again, but I would like to go further north. With that said, if 3 full days is all we had, what would you suggest for a couple, myself 40 and my husband 36. We are not hikers, but enjoy seeing the beauty Alaska has to offer. We don't fish either. We like to sight-see, eat great food, see wildlife on both land and water, and I'd love to go into Denali National Park but I'm turned off by the fact that the only real ways you can are to take a tour that involves many hours on a bus, which is 100% not our idea of a good time. Also, best way to get from Seward to Denali (or closer to Denali), best place to stay, best places to eat, etc.

[AKStafford]

3 days is a pretty short visit, so there'll be plenty to fill it.

 

If you use a shuttle bus at Denali National Park, you can get off and hike as you want. However, the park road is closed at Mile 43 due to road repair. This is short of some of the better areas for wildlife viewing. And with just 3 days, that's about all you'd have time for. Here's the details on the shuttle: https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm

 

For getting from Seward to Anchorage, you can use a bus, a train, private transport or a one-way rental car. Does your  three days include the day you dock in Seward? If so, I'd say the one-way rental car or an early morning bus to Anchorage would be a good choice. Otherwise, do a Kenai Fjords cruise and take the evening train from the Alaska Railroad to Anchorage. Lots of wildlife to be seen on the day cruise.

 

Once you get to Anchorage, rent a car. The Matanuska Glacier, Hatcher Pass, Talkeetna, Knik Glacier are all good choices. Don't try to "base" yourself in Anchorage. And don't underestimate driving times. Once you get north of Palmer or Wasilla, it's two lane road with limited passing opportunities. 

[Northern Aurora]

AKStafford has provided great info as he always does.

 

Just a few comments -- as someone who lives abut a 2.5 hour drive north of the Denali National Park entrance I've always thought that folks who don't go into the park as far as Eielson Visitor's Center (mile 66) short-change themselves on the full park experience.  Unstable land conditions prompted closure of the single park road at the Pretty Rocks section.  At this time the shuttle buses go in as far as mile 43 ish. According to the DNP website the closure is expected to remain in effect through the summer of 2024.

 

The Independence Mine State Historical Park is located in Hatcher Pass.  

 

Mahay's Jet Boat Adventures is a good option in Talkeetna.

 

Three days is not enough to explore the Wrangell -- St. Elias National Park & Preserve.

[Mountaineer0313]

2 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

AKStafford has provided great info as he always does.

 

Just a few comments -- as someone who lives abut a 2.5 hour drive north of the Denali National Park entrance I've always thought that folks who don't go into the park as far as Eielson Visitor's Center (mile 66) short-change themselves on the full park experience.  Unstable land conditions prompted closure of the single park road at the Pretty Rocks section.  At this time the shuttle buses go in as far as mile 43 ish. According to the DNP website the closure is expected to remain in effect through the summer of 2024.

 

The Independence Mine State Historical Park is located in Hatcher Pass.  

 

Mahay's Jet Boat Adventures is a good option in Talkeetna.

 

Three days is not enough to explore the Wrangell -- St. Elias National Park & Preserve.

so would doing Denali be best to wait until after 2024?

[Mountaineer0313]

7 hours ago, AKStafford said:

3 days is a pretty short visit, so there'll be plenty to fill it.

 

If you use a shuttle bus at Denali National Park, you can get off and hike as you want. However, the park road is closed at Mile 43 due to road repair. This is short of some of the better areas for wildlife viewing. And with just 3 days, that's about all you'd have time for. Here's the details on the shuttle: https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm

 

For getting from Seward to Anchorage, you can use a bus, a train, private transport or a one-way rental car. Does your  three days include the day you dock in Seward? If so, I'd say the one-way rental car or an early morning bus to Anchorage would be a good choice. Otherwise, do a Kenai Fjords cruise and take the evening train from the Alaska Railroad to Anchorage. Lots of wildlife to be seen on the day cruise.

 

Once you get to Anchorage, rent a car. The Matanuska Glacier, Hatcher Pass, Talkeetna, Knik Glacier are all good choices. Don't try to "base" yourself in Anchorage. And don't underestimate driving times. Once you get north of Palmer or Wasilla, it's two lane road with limited passing opportunities. 

right now, I really could extend the time. I just know me and I know I’ll be anxious to get home to my dogs lol. 
i definitely don’t want to base in or near anchorage. Cities don’t do anything for me, no matter how pretty the view. I’d rather be out closer to Denali. 

[AKStafford]

Does your three days include the day you get off the ship and the day you leave? Or is it three full days in addition to those days?

[Gardyloo]

You know what I'd do?

 

Use whatever means of transportation you choose to get to Anchorage.  Then instead of renting an expensive car for a couple of days, jump on an Alaska Airlines jet and fly up to Kotzebue, around $300 round trip.

 

Kotzebue is a Native (Inupiat) community located on an inlet of the Arctic Ocean, above the arctic circle.  There's a comfortable Native-owned hotel right across the street from the beach - around the same price as hotels in Anchorage or near Denali - and while 24-hour sun will be over, you'll still get midnight sun if that's of any interest. (The hotel has blackout curtains.)  

 

Learn about this remarkable culture, maybe visit a fish camp, and just enjoy seeing a part of Alaska overlooked by the vast majority of visitors.  

 

Or, for a few dollars more in airfare (around $350) you could fly up to Nome instead.  Nome sits on the Bering Sea, a bit south of the arctic circle, but the best thing about Nome is that there's a fairly extensive road system that extends into the Seward Peninsula bush.  You can rent a car locally and explore the countryside near Nome, which is home to lots of wildlife - muskox, caribou and reindeer, moose, bears, umpteen bird species... and offers some pretty dramatic subarctic scenery.  There's also a lot of gold mining still going on, both on land and offshore, and Nome's history is nothing if not colorful beyond words.  

 

 

[Mountaineer0313]

53 minutes ago, Gardyloo said:

You know what I'd do?

 

Use whatever means of transportation you choose to get to Anchorage.  Then instead of renting an expensive car for a couple of days, jump on an Alaska Airlines jet and fly up to Kotzebue, around $300 round trip.

 

Kotzebue is a Native (Inupiat) community located on an inlet of the Arctic Ocean, above the arctic circle.  There's a comfortable Native-owned hotel right across the street from the beach - around the same price as hotels in Anchorage or near Denali - and while 24-hour sun will be over, you'll still get midnight sun if that's of any interest. (The hotel has blackout curtains.)  

 

Learn about this remarkable culture, maybe visit a fish camp, and just enjoy seeing a part of Alaska overlooked by the vast majority of visitors.  

 

Or, for a few dollars more in airfare (around $350) you could fly up to Nome instead.  Nome sits on the Bering Sea, a bit south of the arctic circle, but the best thing about Nome is that there's a fairly extensive road system that extends into the Seward Peninsula bush.  You can rent a car locally and explore the countryside near Nome, which is home to lots of wildlife - muskox, caribou and reindeer, moose, bears, umpteen bird species... and offers some pretty dramatic subarctic scenery.  There's also a lot of gold mining still going on, both on land and offshore, and Nome's history is nothing if not colorful beyond words.  

 

 

 

I love this idea. We actually have a friend from our state, and former coworker, who lives in Nome, after moving to Alaska about 12 years ago. And right now I'm trying to convince my brother and his girlfriend, who are avid birders, to go with us, so this would be totally up their alley.

[Mountaineer0313]

1 hour ago, AKStafford said:

Does your three days include the day you get off the ship and the day you leave? Or is it three full days in addition to those days?

 

See above ^

[Gardyloo]

34 minutes ago, Mountaineer0313 said:

 

I love this idea. We actually have a friend from our state, and former coworker, who lives in Nome, after moving to Alaska about 12 years ago. And right now I'm trying to convince my brother and his girlfriend, who are avid birders, to go with us, so this would be totally up their alley.

This is a very useful resource - 

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewinglocations.sewardpeninsula

 

 

[Northern Aurora]

On 11/29/2022 at 11:39 AM, Mountaineer0313 said:

 

I love this idea. We actually have a friend from our state, and former coworker, who lives in Nome, after moving to Alaska about 12 years ago. And right now I'm trying to convince my brother and his girlfriend, who are avid birders, to go with us, so this would be totally up their alley.

 

My husband is an avid birder and we have flown to Nome to bird.  We were there in early June and that year the road to Teller had just opened; we had rented a four wheel drive pick up and we needed it to get through some rough spots.  The Kougarok Road wan't even open to Pilgrim Springs and the road to Council was also not fully open either.  But the birding was spectacular.  

[Gardyloo]

The OP is traveling in August. 

 

Depending on when during the month, you'll probably be seeing some fall color on the tundra (glorious) and - hopefully - most of the mosquitoes will be gone.  It's an ideal time for the area.

 

If you do decide to go to Nome, book accommodation but especially a vehicle asap as they're not in huge supply.  

[Mountaineer0313]

1 hour ago, Gardyloo said:

The OP is traveling in August. 

 

Depending on when during the month, you'll probably be seeing some fall color on the tundra (glorious) and - hopefully - most of the mosquitoes will be gone.  It's an ideal time for the area.

 

If you do decide to go to Nome, book accommodation but especially a vehicle asap as they're not in huge supply.  

 

Yes, we've been to Alaska twice, once the last week of August into first week of Sept, and once mid September, and neither time did we see a single mosquito and the colors were beautiful.