Need advice- 3 days post cruise in Alaska

[pwc115]

We are taking Princess Northbound May 10 cruise - ending in Whittier on May 17.

We have 3 days after the cruise to do on our own touring. Originally, we were booked on a later cruise and would be starting the "on our own" portion at beginning of June so we planned to go up to Denali.

However, from reading the boards, I gather that it will be too early for Denali around the 18th. We will be renting a car so we are flexible on locations and times. Our daughter wants to go to the North Pole but I think our time would be better spent on the Kenai Peninsula area.

Any suggestions on where / how we should spend our time?

My husband and I have been to Alaska before but this will be the first trip for our daughter and her friend. (22 years old)

[donaldsc]

We are taking Princess Northbound May 10 cruise - ending in Whittier on May 17.

We have 3 days after the cruise to do on our own touring. Originally, we were booked on a later cruise and would be starting the "on our own" portion at beginning of June so we planned to go up to Denali.

However, from reading the boards, I gather that it will be too early for Denali around the 18th. We will be renting a car so we are flexible on locations and times. Our daughter wants to go to the North Pole but I think our time would be better spent on the Kenai Peninsula area.

Any suggestions on where / how we should spend our time?

My husband and I have been to Alaska before but this will be the first trip for our daughter and her friend. (22 years old)

 

Do a search on North Pole on this board. North Pole is a dinky nothing town that sort of thrives on convincing people that there is something there to see. Think Christmas decorations 365 days per year. Think lots of souvenir shops selling Santa Clauses in July. Think fake Christmas trees all over the place. Think a town where the best restaurant in town may be McDonalds or KFC.

 

Do Kenai instead regardless of what your 22 year old daughter wants. If she does force you to go to North Pole instead of Kenai and you give into her, you will regret it for the rest of your life.

 

These comments totally ignore the fact that if you had checked distances on Google maps, you would have found that it is 88 miles from Whittier to Seward at the end of the Kenai and 488 miles from Whittier to North Pole. This means that you will have time to see things on the Kenai but if you do North Pole, you will spend 1 day driving to North Pole, 1 day driving from North Pole, and 5 minutes seeing all that there is to see in North Pole.

 

Does your daughter really think that she will be going to THE NORTH POLE instead of North Pole AK?

 

DON

[Budget Queen]

We are taking Princess Northbound May 10 cruise - ending in Whittier on May 17.

We have 3 days after the cruise to do on our own touring. Originally, we were booked on a later cruise and would be starting the "on our own" portion at beginning of June so we planned to go up to Denali.

However, from reading the boards, I gather that it will be too early for Denali around the 18th. We will be renting a car so we are flexible on locations and times. Our daughter wants to go to the North Pole but I think our time would be better spent on the Kenai Peninsula area.

Any suggestions on where / how we should spend our time?

My husband and I have been to Alaska before but this will be the first trip for our daughter and her friend. (22 years old)

 

3 days, isn't a lot of time, so I suggest you consider distances. Seward and a day in Anchorage would work out well. But I would suggest you, budget for a one way car rental from Avis and head directly there, and not waste your short time back tracking. You can do a lot with 2 nights in Seward, then enjoy the transit back to Anchorage. Ideal would be an overnight flight home on the 4th night.

 

But first, I suggest you figure out what YOU want to see and occupy your time with. It isn't just an easy selection of an area. Is it where you want to be? Have activities of interest?

 

Do more of a look at the "North Pole" it is hardly worth a visit, with extensive time touring Fairbanks. You really do not have the time to waste all that driving for such a limited place, in my opinion. It is over 700 miles round trip Anchorage. Now- if you want to invest some more time, highly recommended would be a flight to Fairbanks, then an add on tour with Northern Alaska tour company for Prudhoe Bay. :) In May a good look at the midnight sun. Very worthwhile.

Edited January 6, 2014 by Budget Queen

[pwc115]

Thanks for the advice- With our original trip, we were going to have 5-6 extra days after the trip to go up to Denali, etc. But our daughter got accepted into a grad school program and orientation is the 21st, so we have to come back on the 20th. That only leaves us 3 days......So, we decided to rent a car in Whittier and drive over to Seward- stay there for a couple of days and drive up to Anchorage to fly home. Car rental will be a little pricey but worth it to be flexible....

My husband and I will plan to come back in 2015- thinking of doing the northern tour to Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay

[Budget Queen]

My husband and I will plan to come back in 2015- thinking of doing the northern tour to Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay

 

I am going to Prudhoe/Deadhorse again this year. :) It's a fantastic area. :) A great trip to look forward to.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Budget Queen

[donaldsc]

Thanks for the advice- With our original trip, we were going to have 5-6 extra days after the trip to go up to Denali, etc. But our daughter got accepted into a grad school program and orientation is the 21st, so we have to come back on the 20th. That only leaves us 3 days......So, we decided to rent a car in Whittier and drive over to Seward- stay there for a couple of days and drive up to Anchorage to fly home. Car rental will be a little pricey but worth it to be flexible....

My husband and I will plan to come back in 2015- thinking of doing the northern tour to Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay

 

Good choice. The Kenai is really great. They run great boat tours out of Seward. Take the longest one. We have done it twice.

 

BTW - congrats on her being accepted at grad school.

 

DON