Fairbanks vs. Talkeetna vs. Alyeska

[wailea4me]

If you had to choose between these stops on a tour, what are the pros and cons to each?

[oaktreerb]

If you had to choose between these stops on a tour, what are the pros and cons to each?

Are they just stops or an overnight? They are quite far apart and on a cruisetour I think Alyeska cruisetours include Fairbanks. Are you doing this on your own? From what I have read Talkeetna is not worth much of your time. Fairbanks is usually a starting place or an ending place for a tour and it's not worth your time if you can't spend at least a day to see what it has to offer (discovery tour, gold dredge, university). Alyeska is near Anchorage, Seward, and Whittier by Alaska standards and is more centrally located for Turnagain Arm exploring.

[wailea4me]

Just trying to decide on different cruisetours with different stops.

[oaktreerb]

Just trying to decide on different cruisetours with different stops.

How much time do you have? Which cruiseline do you prefer? HAL has a wide selection of cruisetours of which most start the land part in Seward or Fairbanks. What do you want to do? Look at Holland America D6 or D7. Talkeetna is a stop for Princess cruisetours on the way to Denali. Add the Kenai Fjords National Park if you can.

[JoRoy218]

We did a Princess cruisetour last Sept. One of the stops was a two-night stay in the Denali Lodge and it was an hour away from Talkeetna. It was a beautiful but isolated spot and there are a variety of activities you can take advantage of, depending on your interests. (hiking, flightseeing, rafting, boating, etc.) You can walk through Talkeetna

in minutes -- many artsy type shops, lunch spots, etc.

[rayliang]

Talkeetna is only worth staying if you are doing a fly tour of Mt McKinley with glacier landing.

 

I'd recommend do the land portion DIY instead of cruise-tour, to tell the truth.

[donaldsc]

If you had to choose between these stops on a tour, what are the pros and cons to each?

 

I have been in all 3 places.

 

Talkeetna is worth about 10 minutes of your time on a good day - klitchy souvenir shops and so so restaurants and nothing worth seeing. Only go there if you are planning to do the Denali flight.

 

Fairbanks has a great museum, a great saloon that sometimes has wonderful blues bands, one of the best antique car museums anywhere (hard to believe but true), and a few other things. Also, it is closer to Denali that Anchorage.

 

Anchorage is a good central location for sightseeing, has a wonderful museum with a great collection from the Smithsonian, the Native Cultural Center (I was disappointed in that one) and a street market on weekends.

 

If it were my choice, I would pick Anchorage.

 

DON

[mapleleaves]

Why don't you buy an Alaska travel book or borrow a few from your library? If you learn about the various destinations in Alaska you can make an informed decision.

Alyeska is a ski resort about 1 hr south of Anchorage. It's a beautiful area with lots to see and do, but without a car you'll be trapped at the resort. Their tram ride is beautiful on a clear day.

Talkeetna is a tiny little town known for flightseeing around MtMcKinley. It is 2 1/2 hrs south of Denali, or 5 hrs south of Fairbanks. If you're staying at the Princess property you won't even be in Talkeetna; you'll be in an even more remote area 40 minutes away.

Fairbanks is a city. Most cruisetours take you to Riverboat, ElDorado Gold Mine, Pipeline exhibit. If you have a car there's lots more to see and do.