Talkeetna?

[Cruisefanatic71]

So we are thinking about taking the train up to Talkeetna and spending some time there and then grabbing the train back down to Anchorage. The question is is a same day train to and from the best or should we stay the evening in Talkeetna? We just don't want to really lug around our luggage if we were to stay over night. Is there much to do there? Thanks for all info.

 

John

[AKStafford]

If you want a scenic train trip, do the Glacier Discovery Train to Grandview, going south of Anchorage.

[wolfie11]

41 minutes ago, AKStafford said:

If you want a scenic train trip, do the Glacier Discovery Train to Grandview, going south of Anchorage.

Agreed.  Talkeetna is a small town and you can see it in an hour or two.  Also likely to be packed with cruise tour passengers.

[donaldsc]

My question is why do you want to spend an extended time in Talkeetna or worse yet overnight.  On our driving trip in AK we spend maybe 1 hour or so in town and then drive out.  I might have been missing something there but I was not excited about the place.

 

DON

[edinburgher]

16 hours ago, Cruisefanatic71 said:

So we are thinking about taking the train up to Talkeetna and spending some time there and then grabbing the train back down to Anchorage. The question is is a same day train to and from the best or should we stay the evening in Talkeetna? We just don't want to really lug around our luggage if we were to stay over night. Is there much to do there? Thanks for all info.

 

15 hours ago, AKStafford said:

If you want a scenic train trip, do the Glacier Discovery Train to Grandview, going south of Anchorage.

Some of this railway line runs alongside part of the Seward Highway, one of the most scenic driving routes in N. America.

cruisefanatic 71, should you want to consider renting a car and driving, if only as far as  Anchorage r/t to Portage Glacier, there have been a number of past threads describing what can be seen along the route and you could search for them and read about it.

[Glaciers]

When we lived in Anchorage we would drive up to Talkeetna and spend the night. It takes on a different “local” feel after most of the visitors leave by around 8pm. The locals and seasonal workers will come out into the streets and socialize and many times end up at the Fairview Inn where local Alaska bands will play. Check the schedule. Not sure it’s worth many hours on the train otherwise.

[Cruisefanatic71]

On 2/25/2024 at 8:38 PM, wolfie11 said:

Agreed.  Talkeetna is a small town and you can see it in an hour or two.  Also likely to be packed with cruise tour passengers.

So we were thinking if we went up for a couple hours it could be just a daytrip on one day. 

[Aquahound]

I love the little town of Talkeetna.  It's worth the trip with a rental car and if making other stops.  But train to/from?  Nah.  Not that great.