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Can't decide, Denali DIY ?


NitaO
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How do you get saving $500? First option is 232+300 = 532. Second option is 737. Savings wold only be 205. Right, or am I confused?

 

Seriously, I screwed this one up and you are not confused. I am.

 

$232 is cost of bus + Rental of car is $300 = $532

Rental of car in Seward is $737. The savings is only $205.

 

So, you are right. It might make sense just to do the drive from Seward and save the time. It could be 2.5 hours saved even if we split up the day with a nice lunch and shopping somewhere. It's a thought.

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A significant point you are missing is on a bus, you won't have any opportunity to take advantage of Seward, the Arm, Girdwood, Portage etc. You also are underestimating time with the tight timing you are stating. A given you WILL encounter construction. eg this year, I again- (happens a lot to me :) ) I missed a pilot car on the Richardson and had a 30 wait, at the second area I was first stopped and had a 20 minute wait. Both of these times, vehicles are shut off, people outside their cars, I fixed my lunch and sat in the back of my RV. This is common. So, consider being more generous with your time estimates.

 

As a suggestion- consider getting a copy of THE MILEPOST, try your library. Read the Parks, Seward Highways. You'll see the details of what you are passing and may want a closer look at some of the briefer stops. Could really enhance your trip.

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Besides any construction delays there could be wrecks - we were delayed about an hour because of a wreck [that didn't appear to be all that bad...] in Wasilla because of how they were directing traffic. Instead of having us move to the outer lane and drive past the wreck (that was mostly in the left turn lane - someone rear-ended someone else) everyone was having to turn a corner, drive down that road maybe a half mile, do a u-turn then come back to the intersection and make a turn back onto the highway... very crazy and time consuming...) I also think you are WAY underestimating how long it will take you to get to Denali from either Seward or Anchorage. You will be passing so many intriguing things to see that you'll probably stop much more than you're anticipating. We left Denali for Anchorage and it was a very full day even though it's only a couple hundred miles. Way more to see than you think! If you can ignore all of that and just drive you'll be fine. It's hard to ignore... ;p

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As I stated earlier, the drive from Seward to Denali can be anywhere from 8 to 14 hrs.

Under perfect conditions, the drive time is 8 hrs ......with no stops for points of interest, for wildlife sightings, for lunch, etc. But when you add in a few stops and an hour for lunch, then the inevitable construction delays, it can easily reach 14 hrs.

I've made the drive in one day before and since you have 4 adults to share the driving, it's certainly do-able, but what's your rush? You're coming all the way to Alaska to see the sights and enjoy the scenery .... take 1 more day and make it an enjoyable and scenic land tour, rather than rushing down the hwy without enjoying anything.

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As I stated earlier, the drive from Seward to Denali can be anywhere from 8 to 14 hrs.

Under perfect conditions, the drive time is 8 hrs ......with no stops for points of interest, for wildlife sightings, for lunch, etc. But when you add in a few stops and an hour for lunch, then the inevitable construction delays, it can easily reach 14 hrs.

I've made the drive in one day before and since you have 4 adults to share the driving, it's certainly do-able, but what's your rush? You're coming all the way to Alaska to see the sights and enjoy the scenery .... take 1 more day and make it an enjoyable and scenic land tour, rather than rushing down the hwy without enjoying anything.

Sounds like I should add one day.

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So, you are right. It might make sense just to do the drive from Seward and save the time. It could be 2.5 hours saved even if we split up the day with a nice lunch and shopping somewhere. It's a thought.

It ends up being slightly more to rent in Seward but we plan to do the same thing, rent there and drop in Anchorage. The time gained and less complexity with more flexibility made the most sense. We looked at ending in Fairbanks but they wanted almost twice as much per day to drop there.

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As I stated earlier, the drive from Seward to Denali can be anywhere from 8 to 14 hrs.

Under perfect conditions, the drive time is 8 hrs ......with no stops for points of interest, for wildlife sightings, for lunch, etc. But when you add in a few stops and an hour for lunch, then the inevitable construction delays, it can easily reach 14 hrs.

I've made the drive in one day before and since you have 4 adults to share the driving, it's certainly do-able, but what's your rush? You're coming all the way to Alaska to see the sights and enjoy the scenery .... take 1 more day and make it an enjoyable and scenic land tour, rather than rushing down the hwy without enjoying anything.

 

They only have 2 adults to share the driving or, for an additional fee, 3 adults. Hertz's website says that drivers have to be at least 20 so the 18 year old won't be able to drive. There is an "age differential fee" that depends on location for drivers 20 to 24.

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They only have 2 adults to share the driving or, for an additional fee, 3 adults. Hertz's website says that drivers have to be at least 20 so the 18 year old won't be able to drive. There is an "age differential fee" that depends on location for drivers 20 to 24.

 

Exactly correct and my wife is not a fan of driving rental cars. That is why we will take the transfer bus, which is a nice coach to Anchorage. I found one that is a scenic and narrated ride and pick up is at the cruise terminal, leaving at 8 and arriving at the Anchorage airport by 10:45. It's also only $50 per person or $200. That leaves a 5-hour ride to Denali and that is the plan. We'll do two stops. One will be in Talkeetna for a roadhouse lunch and the other will be a supermarket somewhere to get some snacks and deli for our tour lunch on Saturday.

 

The five hours would get us to Denali by 4 pm without stops. However, we'll add in 1 hour for lunch, and a combined hour for supermarket and other stops and get in by 6 to 6:30 and get dinner at the Creekside. I know others advise against this plan, but I'll give it a shot. I see two advantages to the bus to Anchorage. The first is taking that amount off of my one-day drive and that cannot be appreciated enough. The second is the savings, which is $237.

 

It will give us all day Saturday in Denali to do Denali Backcountry Adventure (13 hours) and a raft trip (with Denali Raft Adventures) on Sunday morning before heading back to Anchorage and flying overnight. JetBlue only flys out to Boston at midnight or later. We can do somewhat of a scenic drive as we head back to Anchorage. We'll leave at 2 pm after lunch and figure out what to do near Anchorage before arriving at airport to return car by 11 pm.

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Exactly correct and my wife is not a fan of driving rental cars. That is why we will take the transfer bus, which is a nice coach to Anchorage. I found one that is a scenic and narrated ride and pick up is at the cruise terminal, leaving at 8 and arriving at the Anchorage airport by 10:45. It's also only $50 per person or $200. That leaves a 5-hour ride to Denali and that is the plan. We'll do two stops. One will be in Talkeetna for a roadhouse lunch and the other will be a supermarket somewhere to get some snacks and deli for our tour lunch on Saturday.

 

The five hours would get us to Denali by 4 pm without stops. However, we'll add in 1 hour for lunch, and a combined hour for supermarket and other stops and get in by 6 to 6:30 and get dinner at the Creekside. I know others advise against this plan, but I'll give it a shot. I see two advantages to the bus to Anchorage. The first is taking that amount off of my one-day drive and that cannot be appreciated enough. The second is the savings, which is $237.

 

It will give us all day Saturday in Denali to do Denali Backcountry Adventure (13 hours) and a raft trip (with Denali Raft Adventures) on Sunday morning before heading back to Anchorage and flying overnight. JetBlue only flys out to Boston at midnight or later. We can do somewhat of a scenic drive as we head back to Anchorage. We'll leave at 2 pm after lunch and figure out what to do near Anchorage before arriving at airport to return car by 11 pm.

 

It sounds like you have't even been there yet?

 

Your information will be a lot more helpful when it is first hand, as your plan is "ideal" which doesn't always match Alaska road travel.

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Exactly correct and my wife is not a fan of driving rental cars. That is why we will take the transfer bus, which is a nice coach to Anchorage. I found one that is a scenic and narrated ride and pick up is at the cruise terminal, leaving at 8 and arriving at the Anchorage airport by 10:45. It's also only $50 per person or $200. That leaves a 5-hour ride to Denali and that is the plan. We'll do two stops. One will be in Talkeetna for a roadhouse lunch and the other will be a supermarket somewhere to get some snacks and deli for our tour lunch on Saturday.

 

The five hours would get us to Denali by 4 pm without stops. However, we'll add in 1 hour for lunch, and a combined hour for supermarket and other stops and get in by 6 to 6:30 and get dinner at the Creekside. I know others advise against this plan, but I'll give it a shot. I see two advantages to the bus to Anchorage. The first is taking that amount off of my one-day drive and that cannot be appreciated enough. The second is the savings, which is $237.

 

It will give us all day Saturday in Denali to do Denali Backcountry Adventure (13 hours) and a raft trip (with Denali Raft Adventures) on Sunday morning before heading back to Anchorage and flying overnight. JetBlue only flys out to Boston at midnight or later. We can do somewhat of a scenic drive as we head back to Anchorage. We'll leave at 2 pm after lunch and figure out what to do near Anchorage before arriving at airport to return car by 11 pm.

I think it sounds like a good plan. The transfer will let you enjoy the scenery since that route is supposed to be especially scenic. Even if there are some delays on the road from Anchorage to Denali, as others have suggested are common, you wouldn't get in terribly late.

 

You might consider getting enough on your supermarket stop to cover a picnic dinner in case your arrival in Denali is delayed and you want something faster than a restaurant dinner.

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It sounds like you have't even been there yet?

 

Your information will be a lot more helpful when it is first hand, as your plan is "ideal" which doesn't always match Alaska road travel.

 

Ideal would be great, but it's not necessary. I have two hours of cushion built in to get to Denali and then get a late dinner.

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