What did you do in Anchorage to kill time until your flight leaves to go home?

[Cheryl H]

We have a tour from Seward hitting the various sights on the way back to Anchorage. It arrives at the airport at 2:00pm. Flights home to Indiana look to go out pretty late at night. So we are left with all this time on our hands, plus 3 large suitcases, 3 carryon's, and a 6 year old.

 

So my options are to add an optional add-on tour of a cruise of Portage Glacier (this adds 1.5 hours onto our Seward tour/transport)...so that brings us to late afternoon.

 

Would you add that, and then scope out somewhere for dinner? Has anyone done the cruise of Portage Glacier. I'm not sure where it is.

 

Also what do we do with our luggage at the airport until time to check it in. I'm thinking the airline is not going to want our luggage in the afternoon if our flight departs later that night.

 

What else would you suggest? Museums or art galleries are probably not good with a child along. But I wouldn't be opposed to a nice place to have a sit down dinner.

 

Any ideas? Thanks!

[Cruisematic]

Check with your cruise line about storing your luggage with them in Anchorage till your transfer to the airport. We did. I know Princess does and I think HAL does, don't know about the rest. We walked around and mingled with the locals for a couple of hours then ate fried halibut at a great restaurant. Lots to see and do in a four block area.

[34TigerLily]

If you go on the airport website, it mentions a baggage storage service. For $6 to $8 a bag, depending on size, you can store your bags at the airport all day. We are planning on doing this since our flight home doesn't leave until 1:40 a.m.

[Cheryl H]

Thank you! I will check on that luggage service.

 

 

Oh where did you find the fried halibut? Sounds delicious!! Do you mean you walked the immediate area around the airport...was it safe? Maybe I need to see a map. I was thinking Anchorage was a pretty big city.

 

Thanks for the info.

[leahsdad]

we took the earliest xfer to the airport and rented a car for the day--we went to the aleyska tram--the wildlife center and the portage glacier--we kept our luggage with us--then we stopped for a nice dinner and were back to the airport in plenty of time for our flights---

 

Paul

[Budget Queen]

Thank you! I will check on that luggage service.

 

 

Oh where did you find the fried halibut? Sounds delicious!! Do you mean you walked the immediate area around the airport...was it safe? Maybe I need to see a map. I was thinking Anchorage was a pretty big city.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

There is no "walking " around the airport area. This person was very likely referring to the Egan Center downtown Anchorage. A central drop off/pick location for cruiselines.

 

 

It depends how late the flights are, but if 11pm or later, and sailing into Whittier, an excellent use of time is to do a PWS boat tour, then take the Alaska RR to downtown Anchorage, and a cab to the airport.

 

IF you have a 1am or later flight and sailing into Seward, I highly recommend a Kenai Fjords boat tour, then the Alaska RR to Anchorage, cab to airport.

 

A car rental is another excellent option from either Seward or Whittier, although costly, it makes excellent use of your time, can head in several directions of touring, including Talkeetna, glacier trekking, Independence Mine/Hatcher Pass etc etc etc People complain about the high drop fee costs, I look at "costs" in time, of which mine is valuable. Time is wasted hanging around waiting for shuttles, loading, inconvenient times etc etc, If you have an interest in other touring.

[tpbf]

I am guessing that we will have had our fill of glaciers by the end of the cruise so our Anchorage/airport plans include:

 

1. If the weather is predicted as great we will try to book a flight with Rust's either the local 2 hour tour or the longer to Mt. McKinley (given their space) along with a tour of the air museum ending with dinner from a hotel where we can watch the planes take off and land.

 

2. If the weather is questionable then to the Egan center with a tour of the Alaska museum/ulu knife factory by shuttle and dinner at one of the nearby brew pubs (fried halibut anyone?)

 

We don't have to be at the airport until late. Either way, I figure you have to flex Alaska with the weather.

[bucksfan]

We also have a late flight (11PM), but will be driving back to Anchorage from a 4 day stay in Denali. Any suggestions for what to see or do either between Denali and Anchorage or in Anchorage that afternoon/evening? Before Denali, we are cruising so we will already have done the glaciers. Are there any little towns or sights between Denali and Anchorage that are particularly worth a visit? Thanks!

[Budget Queen]

We also have a late flight (11PM), but will be driving back to Anchorage from a 4 day stay in Denali. Any suggestions for what to see or do either between Denali and Anchorage or in Anchorage that afternoon/evening? Before Denali, we are cruising so we will already have done the glaciers. Are there any little towns or sights between Denali and Anchorage that are particularly worth a visit? Thanks!

 

Talkeetna, Hatcher Pass, Palmer, Musk Ox Farm, Wasilla Sled dog museum, Eagle River nature center, Alaska Heritage Museum, Drive along the Arm, etc etc etc etc

[melodyina]

We have a tour from Seward hitting the various sights on the way back to Anchorage. It arrives at the airport at 2:00pm. Flights home to Indiana look to go out pretty late at night. So we are left with all this time on our hands, plus 3 large suitcases, 3 carryon's, and a 6 year old.

 

So my options are to add an optional add-on tour of a cruise of Portage Glacier (this adds 1.5 hours onto our Seward tour/transport)...so that brings us to late afternoon.

 

Would you add that, and then scope out somewhere for dinner? Has anyone done the cruise of Portage Glacier. I'm not sure where it is.

 

Also what do we do with our luggage at the airport until time to check it in. I'm thinking the airline is not going to want our luggage in the afternoon if our flight departs later that night.

 

What else would you suggest? Museums or art galleries are probably not good with a child along. But I wouldn't be opposed to a nice place to have a sit down dinner.

 

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

Since you hope to also have a meal, and you have a child, I would spend the later afternoon at the Sour Dough Mining Company and Alaska Wildberry Products Factory which are next to each other. Along with a great menu/meal at the mining company there are activities along the grounds perfect for a 6yr old, including a petting zoo. You are within 5 minutes from the airport, and there is a shuttle service too. Yes, its a tourist spot, and the chocolate waterfall is impressive, its a great alternative to make a 6yr old smile than the airport.

[Cheryl H]

Since you hope to also have a meal, and you have a child, I would spend the later afternoon at the Sour Dough Mining Company and Alaska Wildberry Products Factory which are next to each other. Along with a great menu/meal at the mining company there are activities along the grounds perfect for a 6yr old, including a petting zoo. You are within 5 minutes from the airport, and there is a shuttle service too. Yes, its a tourist spot, and the chocolate waterfall is impressive, its a great alternative to make a 6yr old smile than the airport.

 

That sounds do-able. I'll google it. So the shuttle is back and forth to the airport from those two places? I'll check it out.

 

I'll google the Egan Center also.

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. We are already scheduled on a tour that morning that includes lunch at Alyeska, and the wildlife center. We won't have time for the Kanai Fjord tour because our tour/transport lasts 6 hours.

 

I sort of agree with the other poster...I not sure I want to spend time at Portage Glacier when we've already seen Mendenhall & Hubbard. Maybe we'll pass on the Portage Glacier add-on.

[Cheryl H]

There is no "walking " around the airport area. This person was very likely referring to the Egan Center downtown Anchorage. A central drop off/pick location for cruiselines.

 

 

It depends how late the flights are, but if 11pm or later, and sailing into Whittier, an excellent use of time is to do a PWS boat tour, then take the Alaska RR to downtown Anchorage, and a cab to the airport.

 

IF you have a 1am or later flight and sailing into Seward, I highly recommend a Kenai Fjords boat tour, then the Alaska RR to Anchorage, cab to airport.

 

A car rental is another excellent option from either Seward or Whittier, although costly, it makes excellent use of your time, can head in several directions of touring, including Talkeetna, glacier trekking, Independence Mine/Hatcher Pass etc etc etc People complain about the high drop fee costs, I look at "costs" in time, of which mine is valuable. Time is wasted hanging around waiting for shuttles, loading, inconvenient times etc etc, If you have an interest in other touring.

 

Would you mind to describe Egan Center to me? I googled it, but all that came up was a convention center. Is the term Egan more an area of town? What is there? Thanks! I'm guessing we would just catch a cab to there from the airport?

 

p.s. I would love to do the Kanai tour, but our tour departs Seward at 8:00 am and ends at the airport at 2:00pm.

[basser]

Eat the all you can eat crab legs at Phyllis's in downtown Anchorage. Amazing!

[mytime53]

Would you mind to describe Egan Center to me? I googled it, but all that came up was a convention center. Is the term Egan more an area of town? What is there? Thanks! I'm guessing we would just catch a cab to there from the airport?

 

p.s. I would love to do the Kanai tour, but our tour departs Seward at 8:00 am and ends at the airport at 2:00pm.

 

The Egan Center is the convention center, and nothing more, used by the cruiselines as a central place downtown to drop and collect people.

[Cheryl H]

The Egan Center is the convention center, and nothing more, used by the cruiselines as a central place downtown to drop and collect people.

 

Oh, I guess we can scratch that off the list. Ha!

[Adri204]

Would you mind to describe Egan Center to me? I googled it, but all that came up was a convention center. Is the term Egan more an area of town? What is there? Thanks! I'm guessing we would just catch a cab to there from the airport?

 

p.s. I would love to do the Kanai tour, but our tour departs Seward at 8:00 am and ends at the airport at 2:00pm.

 

 

It is the Egan Convention centre and it is smack in the middle of down town. Also check the bus systems as thier are buses that go down town to the airport I belive.

 

Keep in mind prices in Alaska are expensive for visitors and for us (but we Alaskans get used to it) Put it this way I went to Disney world and found park food prices comparible to Alaskan prices as we have to ship most things up here by plane, barges or Trucks.

 

 

If you rent a car I do suggest wild berry and sourogh dough mining company. Also if you want a good sized mall check out Dimond mall. Its also got Ice skating, bowling, a big movie theatre and plenty of stores and its right next to Wal-Mart.

 

Thier is also plenty to do right smack down town by the Egan convention centre. Thier is the 5th avenue mall, thier are lots of gift shops, Thier are some great out door Alaskan type places to eat that serve Salmon and other fare that people enjoy.

 

Thier is also tours of Anchorage that depart from down town that take you all over the city including a stop at Lake Hood which has the distiction of being the busiest float plane base in the world.

 

My family has a small float plane a Cessna 185 its green and white and seats about six if fully loaded although we tend to stick with at most 4 plus food and bags. My Father lives at a remote place in Ak in Lake Clark National Park and the only way to get thier is to fly by small float planes.

 

Anyway Ive joked for years that our plane has had its picture taken thousands of times on take off and landing in the summer at Lake Hood.

 

Also be prepared for changing weather. Rain for five minutes then sun then anything else alaska likes to throw at you.

 

Oh and Anchorage is a fairly large city completly surrounded by wilderness on three sides and the ocean on the other :)

 

Adri

[Adri204]

We also have a late flight (11PM), but will be driving back to Anchorage from a 4 day stay in Denali. Any suggestions for what to see or do either between Denali and Anchorage or in Anchorage that afternoon/evening? Before Denali, we are cruising so we will already have done the glaciers. Are there any little towns or sights between Denali and Anchorage that are particularly worth a visit? Thanks!

 

 

The whole drive will probly be an expierence for you in Alaskan culture. I would suggest you make sure to keep the car filled with Gas as gas stations get a bit few and far between. Also make sure to take some bottled water, snacks and the like as food places can get a bit scarce as well. If you dont have a cell phone and run in to trouble pull off to the side and flash your blinkers. Dont be afraid to wave someone down if you really need to.

 

We have Alaska State Troopers who also patrol and in the summer on the Highway you wont be stranded to long hopefully but best to take water and some food along to.

 

Be very very very very very carefull walking down side roads or driving down side roads without a map. Also be care ful about Moose and Bear they are not afraid to cross the Highway and will do so. Also watch out for Porcupines as well thier slow moving when crossing the road to.

 

As far where to stop. Well Talkeetna is worth a look around watch for signage on the road. Talkeetna is a very small community not a city but a town and part of an unincorporated community.

 

If you pass Wal-Mikes at least stop and take a pic lol and check it out if you can its on the highway.

 

Once you get through the community of Willow you will see signs for the town of Willow. It is a town not a city important distiction. Then you will enter Houston. Now im about to give away a big secret here right after leaving Willow thier is the actual Spread out very tiny city of Houston. Houston has city police officers who will get you for speeding as you are actually in the city but its hard to tell.

 

So look for the welcome to houston signs and slow down a bit no cruising at 70 miles an hour.

 

Then when you are going through Houston look around blink blink and keep blinking and then all the sudden you will see a dancing gorrilla if he or she is out.

 

Thats right folks a dancing gorrilla at a fireworks stand.

 

Fireworks are perfectly legal in two places in Alaska and one of them is in Houston, AK.

 

One of the fireworks stands is named after the gorrilla.

 

Anyway sometimes they do pony rides at this stand and thier is also a batmobile sitting their and its very entertaining.

 

Then once you get past that. You pass or come up to an intersection that says biglake. If you want to see biglake turn that way and follow the signs to biglake burkeshore marina and see a very large lake and check out some areas.

 

Thier is a gas station in Willow, gas stations in biglake but no gas stations in Houston.

 

If you keep going forward on the gourge parks Hwy and its the only main highway between Denali and Anchorage so your good. You enter the spread out unincorportiated community of Medowlakes. (This is where I live) so you will be passing very close to my place. If you see a stand selling "Hymilian blue poppies" very soon after entering Meodow lakes just after leaving Houston then yep thats exactly where I am at.

 

Anyway if you keep going past the turn lane to my home stead about five miles past my homestedYou will then come to the bustling city of Wasilla. Wasilla spelled backwords is "allisaw" just for fun.

 

Wasilla is and was an unplanned city so its spread out. Its been in the news lately but im not going thier for a lot of reasons lmao. Anyway the Iditarod headquarters are thier and worth a stop and a tour. You can call ahead for operating times and so on and so forth.

 

If you need a Wal-Mart fix Wasilla has one, An applebee's fix, a Mcdonalds fix, a grocery store fix, basically a small amount of civilization fix well Wasilla has it.

 

If you are interested in Muskox and/or raindeer head to Palmer. If you are interested in some interesting Alaskan History head to Palmer. The signs after leaving Wasilla will direct you on how to get to Palmer. The signs are very well marked and the signs to get to Anchorage from Palmer are welmarked as well.

 

Thier is a Palmer's visitors centre which is right smack in beatiful small down town Palmer.

 

Palmer was where the original colonists as part of the "New deal" settled. So it has a lot of history.

 

The area where I live and where all im describing is called "The Matanuska-Susitna Valley or we say "The Valley for short.

 

Thier are only three citys in the Valley and they are Houston, Wasilla and Palmer. The rest of us residents live in unincorporated communites. All the citys have city taxes but unincorparated communites do not.

 

Anyway thats probly more information then you want or need but thier ya go enjoy,

 

Adri :)

 

P.s oh and take plenty of bug dope(Mosquito repelent and sunscreen as not only are we in the land of the midnight sun in the summer but the Mosqitoes and the sun dont sleep in the summer hee )

[bucksfan]

Adri204 - Thanks so much for the detailed reply! I'm excited to experience real Alaskan culture and love checking out new places...this will be our first trip to Alaska! We'll definitely make it a point to stop along the way and visit the small towns and interact with the towns' folk.

[Adri204]

Adri204 - Thanks so much for the detailed reply! I'm excited to experience real Alaskan culture and love checking out new places...this will be our first trip to Alaska! We'll definitely make it a point to stop along the way and visit the small towns and interact with the towns' folk.

 

I am not sure when you are heading out.

 

Your seriously going like right by my place and thier is no choice but to go right by heee ;)

 

If anyone is driving thier own vihicle in either direction your welcome to email me and ask questions or ask questions here or whatever. Just email me and we can work it out no biggie :)

 

Just all stay safe, keep plenty of gas in your tanks, pack some extra food and water and enjoy your selves also get some bug spray and sunscreen oh and Alaskan prices are expensive so keep that in mind :)

 

Adri :)

[Cheryl H]

Thought I'd report back. I think we may have made up our minds. We are doing the 6 hour Seward to Anchorage sight seeing. Then a quick stop to the airport to drop off luggage into storage.

 

Then adding on the 2 hour chocolate tour!! It includes a city tour of Anchorage including Bootlegger's Cove, Lake Hood, and Earthquake Park. Then our driver is leaving us at Wildberry & Sour Dough. We will kill time there checking things out and have dinner before taking the shuttle back to the airport.

 

I can't wait for this trip.

 

Thanks everyone for the info.

[Adri204]

Thought I'd report back. I think we may have made up our minds. We are doing the 6 hour Seward to Anchorage sight seeing. Then a quick stop to the airport to drop off luggage into storage.

 

Then adding on the 2 hour chocolate tour!! It includes a city tour of Anchorage including Bootlegger's Cove, Lake Hood, and Earthquake Park. Then our driver is leaving us at Wildberry & Sour Dough. We will kill time there checking things out and have dinner before taking the shuttle back to the airport.

 

I can't wait for this trip.

 

Thanks everyone for the info.

 

 

I think this will be fun for you. All the places you mentioned like "Bootleggers cove". Bootleggers cove has quite a fun and interesting history. Lake Hood is the largest float plane base in the world so its great to take pictures of it and fun. EarthQuake park is great as well.

 

The Wildberry place is excellent and the food at the Sourghdough Mining company is very tasty and also it all has a great alaskan feel to it. The airport is not to far from the Wildberry and the Sourghdough Mining company.

 

Enjoy your visit and stay in my beatiful state.

 

Adri :)

[Cheryl H]

I think this will be fun for you. All the places you mentioned like "Bootleggers cove". Bootleggers cove has quite a fun and interesting history. Lake Hood is the largest float plane base in the world so its great to take pictures of it and fun. EarthQuake park is great as well.

 

The Wildberry place is excellent and the food at the Sourghdough Mining company is very tasty and also it all has a great alaskan feel to it. The airport is not to far from the Wildberry and the Sourghdough Mining company.

 

Enjoy your visit and stay in my beatiful state.

 

Adri :)

 

Thank you!! I got an email from Wildberry today. Such nice folks. They told us not to waste money paying to store our luggage at the airport. Wildberry has a secure storage for luggage for us.

 

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

[bethaniesmom]

we took a cab out to the zoo...saw the moose and polar bears that we didn't see on the trip. then took the free shuttle from the zoo to the mall near the airport (do not remember its name) and had lunch, wandered some there. beautiful day and we had a nice time unwinding.

 

Beverly

[nanlee6]

Cheryl, what is the email address for Wildberry? We will also be in Achorage from 8:30am til 8:30 pm and would like to store out luggage. Thank you.

[Cheryl H]

info@akwbp.com

 

or you can contact them from their website which is:

http://www.alaskawildberryproducts.com

 

 

The email was from Cody. He said if an airport transport is needed, they just need to know the day before, or even the day of. The luggage storage is free. The airport transfer was 2.50 last year (one way) or 5.00 round trip. He said they hadn't set their price for this season yet.