Alaska planning with kids- advice needed

Starting to plan our August 2019 pre-cruise portion. Want to have a good idea of what we want to do by the time we can actually book flights, hotels, car, etc. Cruise is Sat Aug 10th, 2019 out of Whittier and we are thinking of arriving Tuesday August 6, 2019.

We are a family of 4- kids will be 6 and 8. Our main goal is to be outside in nature and going on easy hikes (probably no longer than 1.5-2 miles long). We do not want to visit Denali on this trip.

Planning on renting a car in Anchorage and returning it in Whittier before boarding the cruise. Thinking of making Girdwood our home base, possibly at the Alyeska Resort. Activities I've found that I think the entire family would love would be: visiting the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, hikes to Exit Glacier and Portage Glaciers and a Kenai Fjords tour from Seward.

Am I missing any obvious family friendly activities/areas that don't require long travel times? (No more than 3-4 hours of straight driving would be ideal) How far in advance can Alaska hotels/cars/activites be booked? I know flights are 11 months.

Thank you!

You will find that renting a car in Anchorage and returning it to Whittier will expose you to a horrendous one-way fee. If you have the car for several days before heading to Whittier the surcharge could easily be in the hundreds of dollars. Instead, I'd get a car in Anchorage and use it for your touring, then the day before your cruise leaves, return it to Anchorage and swap it for a one-way car just for one day. (In other words, two separate car bookings.) You'll save a fortune this way.

If you're staying in Girdwood, you'll have ample opportunity to explore the Turnagain Arm area, so you might also price using the cruise line's rail transfer service from Anchorage to Whittier. The view from the train will be (mainly) the same as you'll already have had, so no loss on the flexibility front. Just do the numbers.

I think most hotels etc. can be booked out a year in advance; cars too. Keep checking.

I’m still finishing up the post cruise DIY report we just finished with my 6 and 9yo boys but we did some of those you list with kids and they were great!!

Trip report Vancouver, Golden Princess northbound 6/30, Kenai Peninsula DIY

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2655871

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I’m still finishing up the post cruise DIY report we just finished with my 6 and 9yo boys but we did some of those you list with kids and they were great!!

 

Trip report Vancouver, Golden Princess northbound 6/30, Kenai Peninsula DIY

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2655871

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thank you! This is perfect information!

These are both in Seward - you may consider spending a night in Seward as you have some other great plans for Seward.

You may want to consider the Wilderness Dog Sled tour:

https://ididaride.com

Sealife center may be a good option if you have more time or if it is bad weather outside:

http://www.alaskasealife.org

here Is s good trip report with a 6 year old that I used to plan our trip. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2537470

We just got back this June and had a 12 and 14 year old with us. Favorite activities were the MICA trek on Matanuska Glacier, the ride up to Indeprndrnce mine at Hatcher pass (nice hiking) and the 6 hr Keanu’s Fjords tour with Major Marine (got 40% offby booming on Black Friday, so watch for specials). We also want to Denali but you said you are going to skip it. The sled dogs were big hits too, we stopped by Iditarod headquarters in Wasilla and did a Seavey Iditaride tour in Seward. Recommend both. Here is our trip report: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2654043

Hi, we just returned from our Alaska trip with 4 kids (12,8,6,4). If you stay in Girdwood, I would highly recommend the Girdwood Mushing Company dog sled tour. We did it yesterday, and it was at the top of our list of favorite things we did in Alaska!

The conservation center was okay, the bears were cool but we only spent about an hour there. It's a good stop in between Anchorage and Seward, though. We all enjoyed the Exit glacier hike.

These are both in Seward - you may consider spending a night in Seward as you have some other great plans for Seward.

 

You may want to consider the Wilderness Dog Sled tour:

 

https://ididaride.com

 

Sealife center may be a good option if you have more time or if it is bad weather outside:

http://www.alaskasealife.org

A dog sled tour never even crossed my mind! Thank you for the suggestion!

here Is s good trip report with a 6 year old that I used to plan our trip. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2537470

 

We just got back this June and had a 12 and 14 year old with us. Favorite activities were the MICA trek on Matanuska Glacier, the ride up to Indeprndrnce mine at Hatcher pass (nice hiking) and the 6 hr Keanu’s Fjords tour with Major Marine (got 40% offby booming on Black Friday, so watch for specials). We also want to Denali but you said you are going to skip it. The sled dogs were big hits too, we stopped by Iditarod headquarters in Wasilla and did a Seavey Iditaride tour in Seward. Recommend both. Here is our trip report: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2654043

Thank you for the suggestions! I'd love to do Denali someday and I know our trip is still a year away, but as of right now, my kids would not do so hot with the long travel to and from Denali, plus the bus ride in the park. A small part of me is still considering it but I think everyone will be happier if we skip it this time around.

Hi, we just returned from our Alaska trip with 4 kids (12,8,6,4). If you stay in Girdwood, I would highly recommend the Girdwood Mushing Company dog sled tour. We did it yesterday, and it was at the top of our list of favorite things we did in Alaska!

The conservation center was okay, the bears were cool but we only spent about an hour there. It's a good stop in between Anchorage and Seward, though. We all enjoyed the Exit glacier hike.

Thanks for the advice!

Seward is only 3 hrs from Anchorage, less than 2 from Girdwood. Seward is kid friendly and closeby so I would suggest spending 2 nites there and 2 nites in Girdwood.

My caution regarding the Kenai cruise is motion sickness, so be prepared. Even on a good day there's a rough section as you enter the Gulf of Alaska. Or maybe consider the Major Marine cruise in Whittier instead.

Are you choosing Alyeska Resort so the kids have a pool ?

If you split your trip it could look like this:

TUE - arrive Anchorage. Pick up car and head towards Seward ( 3 hrs plus stops). Make a few stops so the kids can blow off steam .... Potters Marsh Boardwalk is primarily for bird watching but sometimes moose can be seen at the end, Wildlife Center, Summit Lake lodge for icecream or a meal. Overnight in Seward. (Motel 360 is probably the only hotel with pool)

WED - Kenai cruise.

THU - dog cart ride at Ididaride Kennel. Exit Glacier. Drive to Alyeska

Fri Turnagain Arm activities. Several hikes available at Beggich Boggs Visitor Center. Winner Creek Trail at Alyeska. Byron Glacier.

SAT - morning activies. Mid afternoon, drive to the staging area for the tunnel to Whittier (open on the half hr once an hr).

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/index.shtml

Milepost guide for driving Seward Hwy out of Anchorge:

https://www.themilepost.com/highways/seward-highway/

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/chugach/home/?cid=stelprdb5251148