Land only vacation in Alaska

[sharod]

I know it is a cruise forum, but everyone here is very helpful.

 

My husband, another couple and I are planning on visiting Alaska late August, early September in 2017. Originally, I thought about a cruise/cruisetour with Princess, and that is still a possibility. But now I am also looking into Alaska land tour packages, and also just going to Alaska, renting a vehicle, and doing it on our own.

 

My question is for anyone that has taken a land based tour and enjoyed it. Anybody that wants to throw in suggestions for tour operators would be appreciated.

 

Also, anyone that has any info they would like to share about visiting Alaska on your own, please do!!!!!

[happy_traveller]

One of the disadvantages of Alaska is the long way to drive up and down most of time there is only one road to go.so you will see it twice and that takes time!,

If you go by ship you will see it in a most fantastic way,leisure travel.just enjoying the sights you want to see.

We took the Statendam and the Denali overland tour and especially the train only for HAL or Princess made a stop for us so we could take better pictures off a mam bear and her cubes!!

Food was excellent and we had a beautifull 3 weeks stay without any harassment of broken cars or whatever can go wrong may be a little bit more expensive but it is totally worth it.

before this first cruise we travelled all over the world by car with or without drivers now we are only cruising due to this trip.hope you don.t mind my English but we are Dutch.

 

 

Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met behulp van Tapatalk

[xlxo]

planning on visiting Alaska late August, early September in 2017.

If you double check the climate charts..... that's when Alaska gets kinda wet. I would plan for a visit that ends in mid-August.

[happy_traveller]

We visited it in sept 1 and everywhere we left they closed down after us end of the seizon!! Be aware of this

We left Denali with snow and when we arrived it was full in autumn colors the weather we had was excellent all the 3 weeks.

 

 

Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met behulp van Tapatalk

[diesel1973]

I spend 6 weeks every summer fishing in Alaska. Been doing it for 15+ years. Have never taken a cruise yet but have done some interesting Ferry trips. My nephew lives in Eagle River so he is my personal guide and fishing expert. Spend most of my time on the Kenai Pen. but have also done travel North of Anchorage. I always fly into Anchorage but driving up there is on my bucket list. Have also spent time up there in winter ice fishing and snowmobiling(snowmachining).Alaska is a wonderful state and I just can't get enough of it. My suggestion would be to purchase a Milepost directory and do some research. Fly into Anchorage and rent a Motorhome and do some exploring as the state is very suited for campers. You really can't get lost as the highway system is very limited. Of course if you need to see the lower part of state you will need to take a cruise. I find the best time to visit is June to early Aug. Good luck with your plans.:):):)

[AKStafford]

AS you mentioned, Cruise Critic is more geared towards planning a cruise. For land trips, you might also visit the TripAdvisor forum for Alaska: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g28923-i349-Alaska.html

I think DIY land trips in Southcentral and Interior Alaska is a great way to do a trip.

Reserve your rental car next fall for the best prices for 2017. Book your lodging in the spring of 2017.

The Milepost is a great guide for traveling.

Late August/early September will get you fall colors in parts of the state and is a great time to visit.

A typical DIY trip would involve flying into Anchorage and picking up a your rental car. Then north to Denali followed by south to Seward, with multiple options along the way.

Since you've got plenty of planning time, you'll be able to do a lot of research to put together your own perfect trip.

[Budget Queen]

To see and do the most, time is your best friend go for as long as you can afford. Do not underestimate distances.

 

I do a lot of "land" trips and have been all over the state, and still have a long way to go, in seeing it. THE MILEPOST is essential, try your library for a look.

 

Rent a car, there are few roads and it's simple to get around. Choose the areas of YOUR interest, and avoid in getting into the rut of what is popular. :) Take your time and find out about different areas, activities they offer and where they are.

[Cruise_More_Often]

We're doing a land-only trip next summer, probably in early June. We have decided we're using the Alaska Railroad to get us to/from Seward and to/from Denali. After reading all the great suggestions on this board about renting a car and driving, neither of us wants to drive. We live in an area with limited public transportation, so we drive everywhere. Next summer we want to be driven. Our prior experience on the Alaska Railway was wonderful, and we look forward to a relaxing time between adventures.

 

We plan to spend one night in Seward and repeat the Kenai Fjords cruise we did in 2012, then spend at least two nights in Denali. We are also considering stopping on the way to Seward at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and rafting among glacial icebergs at the Spencer Glacier before overnighting at the Alyeska Hotel. There are so many wonderful things to choose from that it's hard to make a decision!

[mapleleaves]

Sept is very late in the season. Vendors start shutting down around Labor Day and there's a risk of a nasty Fall storm.

As already mentioned, tripadvisor is the best resource for land travel. Look under Top Questions on the Alaska forum and you'll find lots of helpful information, web sites to help with planning, and detailed trip reports.

[Glaciers]

Most of the main roads are paved and it’s easy to navigate Alaska as long as you understand distances. There are some beautiful drives on maintained gravel roads such as the Denali Highway between Paxon and Cantwell and the road to McCarthy as well as several others. The main stream car rental companies don’t allow driving on gravel roads although there are a view others that do. Something to consider if you do plan on renting a car, depending on your itinerary.

[Gsel]

We have done this in a motorhome we rented in Anchorage. We did it in late May/early June. It was our first trip to Alaska and one of the most memorable. The "Milepost" magazine was the most valuable purchase we made and we used it constantly. I would suggest you get one now and read it before you make your plans. Try Amazon.com. As said before, some of the roads can be off limits to rented vehicles so you have to be careful of those, but otherwise you can go places other tourists rarely see. You can also meet people you would not otherwise get to meet. We have now been to Alaska five times and will do our sixth trip this summer. It can be habit forming!

[sharod]

Wow, lots of good advice!

 

Looks like I will order the Milepost magazine. I see that Amazon has it.

 

I would like to go a little earlier in the summer, but unfortunately, my husband and the other fellow work at the same place. They have to compete with about 150 other employees to bid for their vacation. Summer can be hard to get 2 weeks off back to back. Although their supervisor did say he would work with them.

 

As far as TripAdvisor, I frequent that site anytime I am planning a vacation. Lots of good info. I have written a few reviews there myself :)

 

If anyone thinks of anything to add, please do!! I appreciate everyone's input so far!

[xlxo]

One of the disadvantages of Alaska is the long way to drive up and down most of time there is only one road to go.so you will see it twice and that takes time!,

If you go by ship you will see it in a most fantastic way,leisure travel.just enjoying the sights you want to see.

Good point about time... I'll add that an inside/oceanview cabin can be cheaper than the drive (gas, food, accommodations).

 

In addition to driving vs cruise.... additional options can be flying or using the Alaskan ferries. This allows you to spend as much time as necessary in each port.

[tovin]

We heavily considered both doing our own land stuff, or taking a cruise. We decided to go this summer on a cruise to see some of the coast, and we'd plan next time to do more inland stuff. I know we'll be back...time, health, and money, providing. I'm excited to see any posts you may have here and on Tripadvisor to see how it goes for you!!

 

I would recommend reading the 2015 trip reports closely. A LOT of people took some time pre-cruise to do their own thing, and I found a ton of really helpful information in those posts!!

[donaldsc]

I have done cruises to AK. I have done small ship (50 passenger) trips to AK. I have done driving trips ton AK. I have done combined driving and Alaska Marine Highway trips to AK. Our driving trip was the best. The small boat trip was a close 2nd. The combined driving / Marine Highway was 3d. The cruises were 4th.

 

Just my opinion.

 

DON

[sharod]

I have done cruises to AK. I have done small ship (50 passenger) trips to AK. I have done driving trips ton AK. I have done combined driving and Alaska Marine Highway trips to AK. Our driving trip was the best. The small boat trip was a close 2nd. The combined driving / Marine Highway was 3d. The cruises were 4th.

 

Just my opinion.

 

DON

 

The renting a car and doing it on our own is definitely on the top of my list.

 

Interesting update! Two days ago at my office I ran into a client that was born and raised in Alaska. Mat-Su Valley to be exact.

 

Her family raised sled dogs and ran the Iditarod. She has worked in the tourist industry. One being sled dog tours, the other I can't remember :confused:.

 

I will be seeing her again in a month and is compiling a list of Alaska info for me :)

[Tyskie]

The renting a car and doing it on our own is definitely on the top of my list.

 

Interesting update! Two days ago at my office I ran into a client that was born and raised in Alaska. Mat-Su Valley to be exact.

 

Her family raised sled dogs and ran the Iditarod. She has worked in the tourist industry. One being sled dog tours, the other I can't remember :confused:.

 

I will be seeing her again in a month and is compiling a list of Alaska info for me :)

 

This has been my dilemma, after seeing pictures of the Princess lodges in Denali plus the "tons" of people, turned me right off. I do use Trip Advisor but have always depended on CC for DIY land excursions. The more info everyone has would be a great help.

[onespots]

Hello Sharon

 

If you go back on the Alaska board/forum I started a post about our trip.

Titled... Just returned on the Celebrity Millennium Seward to Vancouver B.C.

Date is September 19th 2015 by Onespots This is the handle I use on CC.

 

We did a land trip for 7 days prior to catching the ship in Seward. It is fairly detailed & gives you some of the vendors & lodges we stayed at during our trip.

Should you need more information you can always email me at sfaigle@aol.com

 

Planning is the key & allowing yourself enough time to cover these vast distances. We chose to try to stay at least 2 nights in each location. Less time time packing & handling luggage all the time.

 

You will have a great time & wonderful memories.... John

[sharod]

Hello Sharon

 

If you go back on the Alaska board/forum I started a post about our trip.

Titled... Just returned on the Celebrity Millennium Seward to Vancouver B.C.

Date is September 19th 2015 by Onespots This is the handle I use on CC.

 

We did a land trip for 7 days prior to catching the ship in Seward. It is fairly detailed & gives you some of the vendors & lodges we stayed at during our trip.

Should you need more information you can always email me at sfaigle@aol.com

 

Planning is the key & allowing yourself enough time to cover these vast distances. We chose to try to stay at least 2 nights in each location. Less time time packing & handling luggage all the time.

 

You will have a great time & wonderful memories.... John

 

Thank you! I have subscribed to your thread.

 

I can't wait to read what you have to say, but it is time to call it a night :D

[baxley]

We took a Globus tour...and loved it. We had already done Alaska cruising and were hungry to see the interior. Our tour guide took us everywhere and informed us along the way. We just relaxed and took it all in. We did paddleboats, dog camps, Denali, Heritage centers, train, boat trip with them...and were very glad to have taken this trip.