Me, again! Final questions...

[pug85747]

Sorry this is long. Okay. Attached is my updated itinerary for a cruise/self-land-tour from June 23rd to July 10th. Along with me (24 y.o.) on the trip will be my DH (25 y.o.) and 16 mo. daughter. Some things to know about us...

 

We are the extremely athletic/adventurous type (have hiked Grand Canyon rim to rim in a single day, have done lots of multi-day backpacking and canyoneering trips like Kalalau Trail in Kauai, etc.) We are definitely rain ot shine type people. If we were not taking our DD with us, we'd probably be spending more time within Denali, and definitely would have gone into the Kennikott/McCarthy area for some off-the-beaten-path sort of adventures. However, we also enjoy the tourist traps (I mean...they're tourist traps for a reason), and I think we are really trying to find a balance with this trip.

 

Furthermore, we don't mind long drives, especially if they're scenic, and our DD has been on several already, and has so far always done super well. I don't want to feel like we spent our entire vacation in the car, but as long as the destinations are well worth it, I think we'll be fine.

 

I feel I have researched thoroughly, read several books, purchased the milepost, searched the cc forums, and the following itinerary is what I have come up with that fits our family needs and interests. Some have seen it before in an earlier post, but I now feel it is nearly finalized, with a couple last minute questions, though feel free to leave comments about any portion of the itinerary. The only thing I probably would not change at this point is the order in which I visit places, and the length of time I spend at them. My schedule and route is pretty much set in stone at this point, regardless of how long the drives are, etc.

Anyway, my most important question has to do with Denali NP. Currently, you’ll see that for the full day we have in the park that we have planned to “visit the visitors’ center/museum and go to 10am dogsled demonstration, hike Mt. Healy overlook trail, get dinner around the park entrance.” I have seriously been regretting our plans to not take the shuttle into the park, at least to Tolkat. I know we’ll have our DD with us, which is why I originally had planned not to (Trust me, I totally get the whole “don’t take a toddler on the shuttle bus” argument.). Plus, we’re going to be doing so much driving as it is, that the day in the park without the shuttle might have been a nice break. BUT, I can’t help but thinking this is a terrible decision, and that I will be thoroughly disappointed to be at the incredible Denali Park, and not truly experience its glory. OPINIONS?

My second question has to do with our drive from Denali to Copper Center. I feel like if we’re going to be in Alaska, we ought to pan for gold at some point. I heard really good things about Fairbank’s El Dorado Mine Tour, and thought…why not? It seems to be one of the better mine tours for small children. It might be a nice break in the day’s drive, but then it’ll get us into Copper Center 2-3 hours later. Is it worth it? Or, should we drive straight through. Again, OPINIONS?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

ALASKA ITINERARY 2011.pdf

[bqkali]

I was intrigued by your post - sounds like we are very similar in traveling style. So I will add a few thoughts on your itinerary. Please keep in mind even though I have a similar travel style, I don't have any children and can't speak to how you will need to accommodate her throughout your travels.

 

June 23rd - Home to Vancouver

Have you considered getting from Bellingham to Vancouver any other way than the 3pm shuttle? You are wasting several hours inbetween your flight and the shuttle time. Is there an earlier shuttle? Option for a one-way rental car? In my experience, sitting around and waiting is the most exhausting (and frustrating) part of traveling. There is a lot to do on Grouse Mountain in addition to the cable car/chairlift (wildlife refuge, birds demonstration, lumberjack show, hiking, ziplines) and with your current plan, you won't get there until 6:30 or later, which doesn't give you a lot of time to explore especially if you need to eat dinner as well! At $40/ticket, I'd want to have the time to see everything! I'd also keep this night flexible...it wouldn't be worth heading up there unless there were clear skies so you could enjoy the view. If it's not ideal conditions, maybe do Stanley Park this night and save Grouse Mountain for the next morning.

 

June 24th - Vancouver and Embarkation

Stanley Park is just lovely! Walk the seawall (or rent bikes?), and take some time to head down toward the tidepools. I loved it, and think your daughter would like it too :) I saw TONS of starfish, and a few other critters. Great walking trails, nothing too strenuous. The aquarium was nicely done, as well if you're interested in that sort of thing. Keep in mind you can probably board the ship anytime between 11am-3pm, so you'll have some flexibility in how long you want to stay here.

 

June 25th - At Sea

Finally some time to rest ;)

 

Ketchikan

How long do you have in port? The town is small, and doesn't take too long to walk from one end to another. If you wish, you have time to see everything you described. I was there 7-3 and fit in a great walk through town with funicular and Married Men's Trail, lumberjack show, museums, lunch, and about 30-40 minutes of shopping. Takes a little planning to line everything up so this works (taking into account opening time of museums, the timing of the lumberjack show, etc), but it worked just fine. With shorter time, you'd have to prioritize. The lumberjack show was fun (and cheesey), but absolutely not a "must-do". Each museum really only takes about 30 minutes on average; they aren't huge unless you are reading every sentence of every display. My favorite was the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, across from the lumberjack show.

 

Icy Straight

Again, what are your port times? There isn't a whole lot going on here and for someone athletic, the mile or so to walk into town won't take too long. The nature loop trail is nice, but relatively short and flat. I love to hike, but this is more like a walk in the park...still very enjoyable, though. Just to give you an idea on timing, I had time for everything you mentioned AND a 3-hour whale watch. These towns (at least the tourist centers) really are small.

 

Juneau

The only thing I did that you mentioned was walking through town. I didn't go into any of the museums/sights, just walked by the exteriors, since I was mostly just spending an hour or so taking it in before my excursion started.

 

Skagway

This is the one day you may have scheduled a bit much...are you heading all the way to Emerald Lake? If so, you won't get back until 3 or so. If you want to go into any of the historical buildings in Skagway, that should be your first priority before they close for the day. Then maybe grab something to eat at the Red Onion and plan on 2 hours for Lower Reid Falls, 1 hour for Yakutania (I love Yakutania...again, an easy walk :)). You might have to pick one or the other.

 

Seward

Sounds fine. Keep in mind the hike once again may not be what you are used to. I went to Seward late-season (September) on a non-cruise ship arrival day, did a long hike, and still ran into many hikers. If you're only spending 2-3 hours there, you probably won't get much solitude on the trail (not sure if that's important to you).

 

Anchorage to Denali

Sounds okay, close to the "busy" side of things, but maybe I just stopped to many times along the drive to take pictures :) You add about 45 minutes to your total driving time with a detour to Talkeetna, plus another detour to Hatcher Pass.

 

Denali

We got hot on our hike to Mt. Healy, even in September. By the end of the hike, I had stripped down to a tank top and shorts. So if it's even remotely warm, you may want to plan on doing this first thing in the morning before it warms up even more (I can't remember exactly what time we started in the morning, but we were back in Anchorage in time for dinner, so it must have been fairly early). Then see the dog sled demo later in the afternoon when you want to rest your legs ;)

 

Side note...is there any way you can add another day to Denali? The shuttle is WELL WORTH IT in my opinion, and what you'll see near the entrance of the park looks NOTHING like the far interior of the park. I 100% understand your concerns about taking a toddler on a 8-12 hour bus ride...but you & your husband would probably love the opportunity. If you're there for 2 days, maybe you go one day while he stays back with DD and then switch for day 2? There's so much wildlife and such beautiful scenery...food for thought. Your best option would be to simply add another day to Alaska and keep the rest of your itinerary as is, but if your flights are booked and can't be changed, I'd still add another day to Denali and take a day from Anchorage at the end. You can see zoos and science museums in Arizona, but you definitely can't see Denali anywhere else in the world.

 

Denali to Fairbanks to Copper Center

This will be a loonng day, but doable, in my opinion. You realize it's 8.5+ hours of driving, not including stops? Just be prepared for a lot of road time. With the short stops you have planned, plus lunch, bathroom breaks, gas fill-ups, etc., I think it would be quite an accomplishment to arrive by 6pm. Do you realize it's an hour shorter drive if you go via Wasilla? You could do your stops at Matanuska this day instead...in my opinion, it's better to have the stops toward the end of the drive when you reallllly need to stretch your legs and get your eyes off the road instead of the beginning (El Dorado, for example is only 2-3 hours into your day from Denali).

 

Copper Canyon to Valdez

Haven't been here, so can't entirely comment. But food for thought - I know there are Prince William Sound cruises out of Valdez that are supposed to be spectacular - might be worth looking into while you're there anyway instead of driving separately to Whittier later on. You already have a lot of time in the car, so I'd seize the chance to make things easier for once! If you do decide to keep Whittier in your itinerary, also check into the option of a ferry from Valdez to Whittier (if the timing works out in your schedule).

 

Anchorage Day 1

Haven't been to the zoo or science museum, so can't comment on those. The coastal trail won't nearly take you all day before your red-eye (unless you're exhausted from all this travel and get a late start ;)), so perhaps have another option "just in case". Perhaps Flattop Mountain or Native Heritage Center, etc.

 

Overall, you have a lovely trip, and I'm sure you'll love Alaska.

[Budget Queen]

Cruise Portion

June 23rd – HOME TO VANCOUVER

Leave after DH gets off of work, and depart from the Phoenix airport at 6:00am (Alaska Airlines), arrive in the

Bellingham airport at 12:05pm. Take 3pm shuttle from Bellingham Airport to Hyatt Regency Hotel Vancouver at

5:35pm. Check into the hotel, and head back out to Grouse Mountain Park.

June 24th – VANCOUVER and EMBARKATION

Spend the morning exploring Stanley Park. Go back to hotel and check-out – depart on cruise ship

June 25th – day at sea

June 26th – KETCHIKAN

Self-guided Downtown Walking Tour – arch and rain gauge, Alaska Fish House (@end of Main Street), Creek

Street to visit Dolly’s House and shopping, Funicular Tram (if in operation), Married Men’s Trail, Salmon viewing

at Harris St. Bridge, through the neighborhoods to Nob Hill Overlook, back down to Front St. to see tunnel and have

lunch – after lunch is open for museums, totems? lumberjack show? more walking tour?

June 27th – ICY STRAIGHT POINT

I will ride the Zip Rider (DH and DD will meet me at the bottom), remaining time spent hiking the nature loop trail

and walking the beach back to dock...then to Hoonah to explore and have lunch at The Office Bar so DH can get

dungeness crab.

June 28th – JUNEAU

Mt. Roberts Tram and hiking, Gold Creek Salmon Bake, Project Playground, remaining time spent doing Downtown

Juneau Walking Tour

June 29th – SKAGWAY

Chilkoot Charters train/bus combo tour, lunch at Red Onion Saloon, self-guided walking tour around Skagway with

our remaining time (visit cemetery and Reid Falls first, then hike to Yakutania Point) before boarding.

June 30th – day at sea

July 1st – SEWARD and DISEMBARKATION

Check-in luggage to the depot after 8am, 10:30pm Kenai Fjords National Park shuttle to hike Exit Glacier and tour

visitors center, have lunch and visit Alaska Sealife Center, return to depot to board Alaska Railroad for Anchorage

(train departs at 6pm), arrive in Anchorage at 10:15pm (take cab to get rental car, and check-in to Howard Johnson

Plaza Anchorage).

Land Portion

July 2nd – ANCHORAGE to DENALI

Leave Anchorage by 9am, and travel to Independence Mine State Park and Hatcher’s Pass, (*maybe a stop at the

Iditarod Headquarters depending on how we are doing on time and lunch at Wonderland Playground), stop in

Talkeetna along the way, visit Savage River in Denali Park and do a little hiking (have dinner in the Glitter Gulch),

overnight in Healy at Denali Park Hotel.

July 3rd – DENALI

Visitors center/museum w/ 10am dogsled demonstration, hike Mt. Healy overlook trail, get dinner around the park

entrance, if we feel up to it.

July 4th – DENALI to COPPER CENTER

Leave by 7a.m., El Dorado Gold Mine Tour in Fairbanks, (make a quick stop at North Pole’s Santa’s House, Rika’s

Roadhouse for lunch) to Copper Center for a stay at Copper Moose B&B (*should arrive between 6pm-8pm).

July 5th – COPPER CENTER to VALDEZ

Leisure drive to Valdez – stop at Worthington Glacier along the way – hiking in Keystone Canyon (rain or shine) –

check-in to the Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn, have a nice dinner.

July 6th – VALDEZ

Valdez museum, rent bikes (still trying to figure out how to accommodate DD on the bike ride – purchase an

attachable seat in Anchorage? Online request to Valdez residents to see if any of them have a child attachment we

could borrow or rent from them?), enjoy the harbor.

July 7th – VALDEZ to ANCHORAGE

Stop at Matanuska Glacier and maybe Musk-Ox Farm along the way if we are doing well on time, stay the night at

Copper Whale Inn

July 8th – ANCHORAGE

Alaska Zoo, Alaska Museum and Science Center, spend evening in downtown Anchorage (***Itinerary can be

switched with the 10th if weather is predicted to be better for riding the Coastal Trail), check-in to the Diamond

Center Hotel

July 9th – WHITTIER

Day trip to Whittier stopping at the Alyeska Tram along the way, must be to the tunnel by 11:30am, 26 Glacier

Cruise on Prince William Sound, dinner at the Inn at Whittier, drive back to Anchorage stopping at Potter’s Marsh

along the way

July 10th – ANCHORAGE

Bike the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, prepare to fly home (10:50pm flight home to Tucson)

 

I copied the itinerary, as it is about impossible to comment on, without having it in front of you.

 

 

In my opinion, you have too long of a drive, Denali/Copper Center. I would use your Anchorage day and move everything back. You are underestimating the time, and if you are going to add Gold Panning????? More time you don't have. I would not consider going to Fairbanks anyway. That section of the drive is hardly worth all the miles and time on the road. The significant scenery is on the Glenn Highway and south on the Richardson. Not the northern section. If you truely want to experience something worthwhile and have all that time on the road, WAY superior is the Denali Highway- I suggest you get a gravel approved car, perhaps, and forget the lack luster upper loop. In the past, National, allowed gravel road driving?? There are Anchorage indepedents who do.

 

 

 

Only you can figure out what you want to do in Denali Park. The age of your daughter is totally unpredictable, and frankly, what she is today, has nothing to do, with what is in store, a few months from now. :) You can consider Toklat, with the plan to exit the bus, if necessary. I would book the shuttle bus tickets now, if you decide to try it, since walk up space availability is slim.

 

Valdez is excellent bike riding, all flat and can go all around the harbor, but they also have extensive hiking trails, that are well marked. You will enjoy their museum, it is excellent.

 

Just some opinions to consider. I have done these drives many times.

[pug85747]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your detailed responses. This really helps, and I'm glad I'm asking early enough that it's still possible to make some changes.

 

With Denali, I keep hearing that Tolkat might be doable, IF we're willing to exit the bus. Well, we are. Seriously not a problem. HOWEVER, if we take an earlier morning bus (when we think it would be best for our DD and seeing wildlife), and we have to get off the bus because she gets fussy and we realize it was an awful idea, isn't there not going to be a return bus for hours? Won't we be forced to continue going forward IF there is a seat available? And because we are going at a heavier traveled time...what is the likelyhood that there will be space on a bus? AND, aren't there new car seat regulations that require us to bring a car seat for her? We'll have to figure out how to carry that around with us...it's certainly heavy and not comfortable to hike with.

 

It might seem that I've already made up my mind to not go because of the possible difficulties, but I haven't. I really think we should try to go into the park. I'm just wondering if I'm overthinking the horrificness of it...or, maybe someone can give me a better "plan" who has done this with a toddler before.

 

Ugh. I hope my daughter appreciates later what we were missing out on for her to be able to come with us (which it was never really an option to leave her home anyway). It'll be a long time before we venture back to Alaska. It took us 5 years to save up for this trip alone, and there's other places we despreately want to see before we would consider visiting the same place twice...

[Budget Queen]

The beauty of the Toklat buses is the shorter distance, and ALL the other shuttle buses, available for a return seat. You WILL have to bring your car seat. All passengers are required to be belted.

 

You have some hard choices to make. I was on a bus once, with a disruptive toddler, that family would have been thrown off the bus by some passengers, if they hadn't exited. :) That bad. Fortunately the driver also "suggested" they needed a "break". You do have to understand, on the shuttle buses people are on the bus for one reason- to see stuff. There is intolerance if something interfers with it. Kids just aren't seen on the buses, and it can be too long of a day for many. My opinion only, having gone into Denali park many times, it really isn't appropriate for toddlers. Just a fact and nothing more.

 

Not only will you be required to haul the car seat, but you had also better have triple the toddler stuff that you think you'll need. There is NOTHING in the park. :)

 

Good luck with your decision.

[mapleleaves]

- If you can afford it, a whale watching trip would sure be a great experience, especially since you'll be at Icy Strait.

- And you aren't going to walk the trails at Mendenhall Glacier?

- in Ketchikan be sure to visit either Totem Bight or Saxman to enjoy the totems.

- While El Dorado is a fun experience, the dirt is seeded to ensure you 'find' gold. For a more realistic experience but probably no gold, visit Crow Creek Mine along the Turnagain Arm as you head to Whittier.

-I enjoyed the entire drive from Fairbanks to Valdez along the Richardson Hwy. I thought it was superior to the Glenn hwy. It's all subjective.

-in Valdez we drove out to Alison Point to see the pipeline terminus and fish hatchery. But we were there during a salmon run.

- I'll be the first to say that I don't enjoy kids period, and a fussy kid will sure ruin everyone's trip, but, I would certainly try the shuttle into Denali. The MOMENT dd starts to fuss, just hop off the bus and go for a walk. Another bus will come along in 30 minutes or so, and at that point you can decide to head back to the entrance or carry on, or maybe 1 of you carries on. The shuttles stop every 90 minutes at a rest stop so you could also wait there instead of walking. The majority of the wildlife I've seen is between Toklat and Eielson so I would book to Eielson. Book a time that works for dd's schedule; the most important factor. We had kids from a few months old to 16yrs on our last trip and they were great. It was a loud talkative adult who was irritating. The kids all fell asleep on the ride back.

And you will need a child seat. The driver reminds you to fasten your seatbelts but they don't check; however if you don't have a child seat you won't be let onboard.

Also, since you have a car, be sure to drive out to the Savage River turnaround each evening to look for wildlife.

[Budget Queen]

- If you can afford it, a whale watching trip would sure be a great experience, especially since you'll be at Icy Strait.

- And you aren't going to walk the trails at Mendenhall Glacier?

- in Ketchikan be sure to visit either Totem Bight or Saxman to enjoy the totems.

- While El Dorado is a fun experience, the dirt is seeded to ensure you 'find' gold. For a more realistic experience but probably no gold, visit Crow Creek Mine along the Turnagain Arm as you head to Whittier.

-I enjoyed the entire drive from Fairbanks to Valdez along the Richardson Hwy. I thought it was superior to the Glenn hwy. It's all subjective.

-in Valdez we drove out to Alison Point to see the pipeline terminus and fish hatchery. But we were there during a salmon run.

- I'll be the first to say that I don't enjoy kids period, and a fussy kid will sure ruin everyone's trip, but, I would certainly try the shuttle into Denali. The MOMENT dd starts to fuss, just hop off the bus and go for a walk. Another bus will come along in 30 minutes or so, and at that point you can decide to head back to the entrance or carry on, or maybe 1 of you carries on. The shuttles stop every 90 minutes at a rest stop so you could also wait there instead of walking. The majority of the wildlife I've seen is between Toklat and Eielson so I would book to Eielson. Book a time that works for dd's schedule; the most important factor. We had kids from a few months old to 16yrs on our last trip and they were great. It was a loud talkative adult who was irritating. The kids all fell asleep on the ride back.

And you will need a child seat. The driver reminds you to fasten your seatbelts but they don't check; however if you don't have a child seat you won't be let onboard.

Also, since you have a car, be sure to drive out to the Savage River turnaround each evening to look for wildlife.

 

Bears can be more seen, between Toklat and Eielson, BUT, I have always seen a lot of wildlife Savage River- Toklat. It is only a little more for the shuttle bus to Eielson, so that probably is the better solution, then they at least have that option.

 

One point that is not clear in this post. IF you get off a Toklat bus, on the way out, you will have to wait for another TOKLAT bus to continue on into the park. But IF you wish to return to the park entrance, then you can get on ANY bus.

[wolfie11]

I highly recommend the shuttle in Denali as well. I have been on a number of shuttles with small children and they are usually ok for at least a few hours. Mine would always fall asleep even as teenagers. You might as well opt for the Eielson tickets just in case she decides to sleep the whole way. The shuttles run every 15 minutes as far as Toklat and then about every half hour. You can always get a shuttle going either way, although you will be there 4th of July weekend when the park is full. Usually it is the early shuttles that are the fullest and if you get one after around 8am, they are relatively empty.

 

I agree with BQ on the Fairbanks loop. Little Eldorado is a huge tourist trap with salted pokes. If you really want to pan, an hour or so at the dredge in Skagway is as good as anyplace. A gravel-road approved car would be much better as the Denali Highway will cut considerable time off your trip and is an exceedingly beautiful route in July.

[pug85747]

As always, I appreciate the help! I know we have a busy schedule, but I would rather over schedule stuff to do, and then eliminate if don't feel up to doing something a particular day. I hate sitting around on vacations in the hotel until noon trying to figure out what to do when there is precious time being wasted. I need to check on my reservations in Copper Center, Valdez, and Anchorage, but I think it's early enough that I can move things around a little. I am beginning to consider spending two full days in Denali as earlier suggested to really break up the driving, and book the shuttle into Denali. We'll manage with the car seat, and do whatever it takes to make the ride enjoyable for us and fellow travelers. Then, head to Valdez like normal, just a day later. We'll cut a day from Anchorage at the end, but I think we're totally okay with doing that. Our priority in Anchorage was biking the Coastal Trail, which we will still be able to do on our last day there. A nice ending to what I imagine is going to be the trip of a lifetime.

[Itasca]

Don't miss the boat! In Vancouver I mean.

L suspect you're over-scheduled, but as long as yu won't be bothered too much if you

drop some of your plans .....

[bqkali]

As always, I appreciate the help! I know we have a busy schedule, but I would rather over schedule stuff to do, and then eliminate if don't feel up to doing something a particular day. I hate sitting around on vacations in the hotel until noon trying to figure out what to do when there is precious time being wasted. I need to check on my reservations in Copper Center, Valdez, and Anchorage, but I think it's early enough that I can move things around a little. I am beginning to consider spending two full days in Denali as earlier suggested to really break up the driving, and book the shuttle into Denali. We'll manage with the car seat, and do whatever it takes to make the ride enjoyable for us and fellow travelers. Then, head to Valdez like normal, just a day later. We'll cut a day from Anchorage at the end, but I think we're totally okay with doing that. Our priority in Anchorage was biking the Coastal Trail, which we will still be able to do on our last day there. A nice ending to what I imagine is going to be the trip of a lifetime.

 

Sounds like a fantastic plan :) Enjoy your trip!

[Budget Queen]

As always, I appreciate the help! I know we have a busy schedule, but I would rather over schedule stuff to do, and then eliminate if don't feel up to doing something a particular day. I hate sitting around on vacations in the hotel until noon trying to figure out what to do when there is precious time being wasted. I need to check on my reservations in Copper Center, Valdez, and Anchorage, but I think it's early enough that I can move things around a little. I am beginning to consider spending two full days in Denali as earlier suggested to really break up the driving, and book the shuttle into Denali. We'll manage with the car seat, and do whatever it takes to make the ride enjoyable for us and fellow travelers. Then, head to Valdez like normal, just a day later. We'll cut a day from Anchorage at the end, but I think we're totally okay with doing that. Our priority in Anchorage was biking the Coastal Trail, which we will still be able to do on our last day there. A nice ending to what I imagine is going to be the trip of a lifetime.

 

Ok, you keep making your "point" about going ahead with your "plan". You are continuing to underestimate time on the road and distances. You can be significantly delayed with construction- of which you are GOING to run in to. Doing your "loop" is adding hours of so so driving.

 

IF you really are going to "change" your plan, then really look at the total, before you get into piece mealing it.

[Cheryl H]

Pug,

I just wanted to say "wow"! What a vacation! You've done a lot of homework. I hope you link us to your pictures on our meet & mingle board. It sounds like you are going to see a lot.

 

Cheryl

[Cheryl H]

PS, what is Project Playground in Juneau?

[pug85747]

PS, what is Project Playground in Juneau?

 

Project Playround is just a really big playground. It might not be that exciting for some, but we don't really have any playgrounds in Tucson that nearly compare. Since we're going to be at the Gold Creek salmon bake anyway, which I've been told is a 10 minute walk to the playground, we figured we would go check it out.

 

http://www.juneau.org/parkrec/ProjectPlayground.php

[pug85747]

Ok, you keep making your "point" about going ahead with your "plan". You are continuing to underestimate time on the road and distances. You can be significantly delayed with construction- of which you are GOING to run in to. Doing your "loop" is adding hours of so so driving.

 

IF you really are going to "change" your plan, then really look at the total, before you get into piece mealing it.

 

Agh. I've struggled with the issue of which direction to go after Denali, and how long it'll take to get there. I've purchased and read the Milepost. I've read so many contradictory comments about which route is better/faster, what the drive times are, etc. I've talked to the person at our Copper Center b&b that says he's done the dirve many times and relatives that live in Anchorage. They've all told me to expect an 8-12 hour drive from Denali to Copper Center (and that includes short stops along the way). That seems totally doable for me. I'm not disagreeing or trying to be argumentative, but please, explain.

[mapleleaves]

instead of driving all the way to Copper Center, you might consider the cabins near Paxson or hotels in Glenallen. It will shorten the long drive from Denali but won't substantially alter your time in Valdez.

[pug85747]

- If you can afford it, a whale watching trip would sure be a great experience, especially since you'll be at Icy Strait.

- And you aren't going to walk the trails at Mendenhall Glacier?

 

My husband and I did an incredible whale watch in Maui during peak whale watching season in Maui. An amazing memory. With that said, aren't they the same whales that travel back and forth between Hawaii and Alaska? :) If we were able to go on a smaller boat (with DD, we're not going to), we would have done a whale watch. However, we don't feel we're missing out based on our previous experiences.

 

We've also decided to skip Mendenhall, because we're going to be hiking Exit Glacier, and stopping at Worthington Glacier and Matanuska Glacier. Plus, we'll be doing the 26 Glacier cruise. I'm already feeling like we're overdoing with the glaciers, but I'm sure Mendenhall is beautiful.

 

Also, thanks for your suggestion about the drive. I'll do some rethinking, and see what I come up. I still have to check with all the hotels, and see if I can move things around as easily as I'm hoping.

[donaldsc]

My comment is that you are trying to jam way too much into way too little time. In most cases, you are spending just 1 day in a spot and trying to see everything - it just can not be done. If I were you and it is probably too late, I would pick several spots and stay several days at them.

 

We are driving to Alaska this summer and spending 2 1/2 months there. I realize that we are in a different situation than you but we have 3 or 4 days in Anchorage, 1 day in Palmer, 3 days in Homer, 2 or 3 (I forget) in Seward, 2 days in Denali and also 2 days inside the park in a wilderness lodge.

 

We are scheduled to drive only about 200 miles each day on the way up so I have time to stop and look st and photograph scenery.

 

I would rather see a few things well than a bunch of things barely - but that is just my opinion.

 

DON

[bqkali]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you have gotten good advice to stop and smell the roses a little. You truly are all over the state! In addition to another day at Denali (won't it feel nice to stay at the same hotel two nights in a row? ;)), another easy option to slow down is to move your glacier cruise to somewhere other than Whittier. You are making a special trip just for that (at least, that's what it looks like on paper) when you already have plans to be in Seward and Valdez - two places that also offer spectacular glacier cruising opportunities. Considering how much research you've done, you probably have a reason. But please also consider the advantages of staying in Seward or Valdez instead of driving another couple of hours out of your way.

 

I'll back off now :o

[mytime53]

You travel like us...hit the road and keep going until about dark, although since we're usually traveling in the lower 48 in the winter, we can only get in about 200 miles/day (we like to be able to stop whenever something catches our attention, or go for a hike each day). I've made a couple of suggestions in your itinerary (I saw that you have already possibly planned on making some changes to your plans, but I couldn't keep straight what you might have changed, so I'm just working off the original plan you posted.):

 

July 2nd – ANCHORAGE to DENALI

Leave Anchorage by 9am, and travel to Independence Mine State Park and Hatcher’s Pass, (*maybe a stop at the Iditarod Headquarters depending on how we are doing on time and lunch at Wonderland Playground), stop in Talkeetna along the way, visit Savage River in Denali Park and do a little hiking (have dinner in the Glitter Gulch), overnight in Healy at Denali Park Hotel.

Buy lunch in Wasilla or Palmer, whichever city you go through before you head up Fishhook for Independence Mine...there are many beautiful places along the way to stop for lunch, or depending on time, wait for Talkeetna. Most likely you won't need to stop at the playground, as there is lots of open space for running off energy and having fun for a kid...it will just take up time better spent elsewhere.

July 3rd – DENALI

Visitors center/museum w/ 10am dogsled demonstration, hike Mt. Healy overlook trail, get dinner around the park entrance, if we feel up to it.

July 4th – DENALI to COPPER CENTER

Leave by 7a.m., El Dorado Gold Mine Tour in Fairbanks, (make a quick stop at North Pole’s Santa’s House, Rika’s Roadhouse for lunch) to Copper Center for a stay at Copper Moose B&B (*should arrive between 6pm-8pm). I agree with others that you have probably really underestimated time on this day. I'm not saying don't do it; I just want you to be aware. The Denali Highway is a beautiful alternative to driving up to Fairbanks and back down on the Richardson to Paxson, but it can be awfully washboardy or, if it's been raining a lot, full of holes. I'm loathe to recommend more traffic on that highway, but in all honesty, you'll likely see more wildlife.

July 5th – COPPER CENTER to VALDEZ

Leisure drive to Valdez – stop at Worthington Glacier along the way – hiking in Keystone Canyon (rain or shine) – check-in to the Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn, have a nice dinner.

July 6th – VALDEZ

Valdez museum, rent bikes (still trying to figure out how to accommodate DD on the bike ride – purchase an attachable seat in Anchorage? Online request to Valdez residents to see if any of them have a child attachment we could borrow or rent from them?), enjoy the harbor. I would suggest you go to craigslist and post under "wanted." Although the odds of getting a reply for a kids seat from Valdez are probably slim, you might be able to get one in Anchorage, Palmer, or Wasilla before you leave the area on the 2nd.

July 7th – VALDEZ to ANCHORAGE

Stop at Matanuska Glacier and maybe Musk-Ox Farm along the way if we are doing well on time, stay the night at Copper Whale Inn

July 8th – ANCHORAGE

Alaska Zoo, Alaska Museum and Science Center, spend evening in downtown Anchorage (***Itinerary can be switched with the 10th if weather is predicted to be better for riding the Coastal Trail), check-in to the Diamond Center Hotel Save yourself some frustration, and if you don't make it to Anchorage by 4:30, don't plan on getting there until after 6:00--you might as well spend time sightseeing out of town as fighting traffic.

July 9th – WHITTIER

Day trip to Whittier stopping at the Alyeska Tram along the way, must be to the tunnel by 11:30am, 26 Glacier Cruise on Prince William Sound, dinner at the Inn at Whittier, drive back to Anchorage stopping at Potter’s Marsh along the way Plan on a lot of traffic headed out of town with you on a Saturday morning, much of it motorhomes or trucks pulling boats. So plan on taking your time, and maybe skipping the tram if necessary.

July 10th – ANCHORAGE

Bike the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, prepare to fly home (10:50pm flight home to Tucson)

Whatever you decide, have a great time!

[pug85747]

Thank you for the traffic advice. That helps A LOT! I've updated the land portion of our itinerary. I hate to keep bothering people about an issue, but does my itinerary look ANY better? In case it is hard to tell, I added kind of another day in Denali. Instead of staying the night, though, we'll head to Fairbanks. At the end, we'll lose a day in Anchorage.

 

Land Portion

 

July 2nd – ANCHORAGE to DENALI

Leave Anchorage by 9am, and travel to Independence Mine State Park and Hatcher’s Pass, (*maybe a stop at the Iditarod Headquarters depending on how we are doing on time), stop in Talkeetna along the way, visit Savage River in Denali Park and do a little hiking (have dinner in the Glitter Gulch), overnight in Healy at Denali Park Hotel.

 

July 3rd – DENALI

7:00-4:00 park shuttle to Eielson Visitors Center (going to be flexible for DD, and just accept whatever happens: if we have to get off the bus and carry the car seat, or we stop at Tolkat and skip Eielson, etc.), relax in hotel for the evening.

 

July 4th – DENALI to FAIRBANKS

Early morning hike on the Mt. Healy overlook trail, spend time at the visitors center/museums/shopping, lunch, then off to Fairbanks in the late afternoon/evening. Overnight in Fairbanks, haven't chosen a hotel yet.

 

July 5th – FAIRBANKS to COPPER CENTER

El Dorado Gold Mine Tour in Fairbanks, (make a quick stop at North Pole’s Santa’s House, Rika’s Roadhouse for lunch) to Copper Center for a stay at Copper Moose B&B

July 6th – COPPER CENTER to VALDEZ

Leisure drive to Valdez – stop at Worthington Glacier along the way – hiking in Keystone Canyon (rain or shine) – check-in to the Best Western Valdez Harbor Inn, have a nice dinner.

July 7th – VALDEZ

Valdez museum, rent bikes (still trying to figure out how to accommodate DD on the bike ride – purchase an attachable seat in Anchorage? Online request to Valdez residents to see if any of them have a child attachment we could borrow or rent from them?), enjoy the harbor.

 

July 8th – VALDEZ to ANCHORAGE

Stop at Matanuska Glacier and maybe Musk-Ox Farm along the way if we are doing well on time, check into the Diamond Center Hotel and enjoy downtown Anchorage

 

July 9th – WHITTIER

Day trip to Whittier stopping at the Alyeska Tram along the way, must be to the tunnel by 11:30am, 26 Glacier Cruise on Prince William Sound, dinner at the Inn at Whittier, drive back to Anchorage stopping at Potter’s Marsh along the way

 

July 10th – ANCHORAGE

Bike the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, prepare to fly home (10:50pm flight home to Tucson).

[mytime53]

For the 8th and the 10th: I'm not sure if you realize that the Dimond Center Hotel is at the opposite end of Anchorage from downtown, so exploring downtown is better left for the 10th, along with your biking.

If you haven't stopped for a hike earlier in the day and still have energy and time after your trip on the 8th, there are hiking trails with magnificent scenery on the Dimond Center end of town. Or if you want one before you get all the way back to Anchorage, http://www.alaskahikesearch.com/Hikes/Bodenburg.htm

http://www.great-vacation-in-alaska.com/alaska-hiking-trails.html Right at the base of the Butte is the reindeer farm, although I'm guessing you won't be back from Valdez before they close: http://www.reindeerfarm.com/tour.html

 

I think you'll be happier with your new plans for the 4th - 6th.

[mapleleaves]

Are you going to buy a little styrofoam cooler when you arrive, to carry snacks, drinks etc?

Independence Mine and Talkeetna both require a detour off the hwy; the drive alone will add another 45 minutes for each location not including extra time if you stop. I've been to Talkeetna twice and both times the weather was miserable so our flightseeing was cancelled. IMHO Talkeetna is a cute and quirky place on a sunny day, but when it's cold and raining, not worth a stop. Whereas Independence Mine is an interesting photo stop regardless of the rain.

I think you'll arrive in Glitter Gulch closer to 9pm. Remember to pick up sandwiches and drinks at Subway for the shuttle trip (unless you've brought a cooler and can make your own lunch).

To save driving back to Anchorage after the Whittier cruise, how about staying near Girdwood? That would also give you some extra time to enjoy a few stops along the Turnagain Arm when you drive to Anc the next day. Another gold panning option. http://www.crowcreekmine.com/index.htm/History_of_a_Gold_Mine.html

You might to plan some other activities in Anch in case it's too rainy for biking the Coastal Trail.

I think you did a good job with the tweaks. It's a lot of driving but similar to what we did last yr. When you're stopping frequently and enjoying the views, it's all good. Have a great time !

[Budget Queen]

Crow Creek Mine, near Girdwood, is also an option to consider, far less "touristy" then what's in Fairbanks.