Cruise/land, my best experiences

[Ktoo]

Just back from 8/22-8/29 cruise on Carnival Spirit followed by 8/29-9/2 self-guided RV land tour

 

Best experiences

 

Winning $300 in ship casino :) ($150 two times about 10 minutes apart)

 

Train to White Pass (port: Skagway)

 

Dock-purchased local operator "wildlife quest" (port Ketchikan). Under $50 pp and he drove us all over the place including the totem park and saxman village, short rainforest hike, Creek Street for shopping, etc. Knew everybody on the island and had lots of interesting stories to tell, too.

 

Raptor Center in Sitka. Reindeer sausages on a bun for lunch purchased on the street.

 

Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Center Mile 79 Seward Highway. Spent many hours watching orphaned grizzly cubs (teenage equivalent) playing, mock-fighting, swimming, and just generally having a great time. So did we.

 

Alaska State Fair, Palmer. Yes, they really do grow 80 pound cabbages.

 

Hiking on and RV camping next to the Matanuska Glacier at Glacier Park. Getting there on the curvy mountain roads with steep drop offs and no guardrails and spectacular views was half the fun.

 

Seeing the twin peaks of McKinley for a brief shining moment.

 

Picking wild blueberries at Wonder Lake in Denali and having them in pancakes in the RV next morning (RV camping at Teklanika)

 

Seeing a 1500 bull moose up close and personal within first 10 minutes of entering Denali.

[pattycat1]

Your trip sounds WONDERFUL. Thanks for sharing. Can you tell me the name of the tour operator (if you can call them that-would love to spend time with a local if possible!) you used in Ketchikan?

 

Thanks!