The third annual Alaska vacation thread

Parent Cafe
1

<p>OK, CCers. This time it’s we who are heading for Alaska and asking for some advice.<br>
The general outline is clear. 4 or 5 days in the Kenai Peninsula, a weekend in Anchorage, go to Fairbanks by train or bus, take a trip across the Arctic Circle and a little time in Fairbanks. About ten days, total.
Looking for recommendations for reasonably priced places to stay and to eat.</p>

<p>Staying: OK, we already know that there aren’t any really resonably priced places to stay in the Kenai; we understand that folks in Alaska have three months or so to make their earnings for a year. We plan to stay at some central location, e.g, between Cooper’s Landing and Kenai, and drive hither and yon to visit Seward, Homer, etc. Moose Pass is central but seems too small. There are 3 of us, me, DW, DS. Any specific thoughts on staying in a small town vs. a larger one. Lots of B&Bs but can’t tell much about realities from website descriptions; same with cabins. Any specific recommendations from Alaskans or others welcomed.</p>

<p>Likewise in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Do we need a car in those cities?</p>

<p>Eating. Looking for vegetarian or fish; hopefully won’t be eating salmon every night. Again, any recommendations based on personal knowledge welcomed.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance</p>

2

<p>Dad of Sam, You are in for the trip of your life! You will learn first hand why Alaska is, and always will be, the last frontier. Unfortunately, it looks like I have loaned out my Alaska travel materials. We flew into Anchorage and visited the local Walmart and REI, where we purchased everything needed for camping. Alaska is remote - there aren’t a lot of hotels. Your bed and breakfast idea is wonderful - the locals love to share their passion for their state with you! Don’t miss Denali, local salmon fishing with a guide, and a boat cruise to see the glaciers at Prince William Sound. You may wish to consider a plane ride to see the summit of McKinley (wish we had done this). Check out REI’s website for a terrific tour. $3000 sounds expensive, but it includes transportation, food, and lodging. Have a wonderful time!</p>

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<p>We use the Travel Smart guide books for every trip we take. They have specific recommendations for itineraries and accommodations all over the US and have never misguided us. Check it out on Amazon.com or at Barnes and Noble - much more concise than an internet search</p>

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<p>We stayed in Coopers Landing, but I wouldn’t recommend the cabins we stayed in. My husband and kids like them, but I thought they were too rustic - (I didn’t find the cabin clean enough).</p>

<p>You didn’t mention if you needed a place to stay at Denali, but if you do, I would highly recommend The Dome House Bed and Breakfast in Healy. It’s gorgeous, close to the park, VERY clean and the owners are fantastic.
[Denali</a> Dome Home Bed and Breakfast - Healy, Alaska](<a href=“http://www.denalidomehome.com/]Denali”>http://www.denalidomehome.com/)</p>

<p>We prefer to do our own driving so we can make stops and sightsee at our own pace. So, we had a car in Fairbanks, but if you’re just planning to stay in town, you definitely don’t need one. We did a lot of driving around Anchorage, so a car proved handy there. </p>

<p>We used the guide, The Milepost, to plan most of our trip. It came highly recommended to us, and deservingly so. [Alaska</a> Travel Guide and Alaska Trip Planner, The MILEPOST: Alaskan travel guide and Alaskan trip planner for Alaska, Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta and Northwest Territories](<a href=“http://www.themilepost.com/]Alaska”>http://www.themilepost.com/) </p>

<p>Stopping at the Anchorage Walmart is a great suggestion. We loaded up on bottled water, snacks, paper products and food for picnics, and the kids bought their souvenirs there, and they have a huge selection.</p>

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<p>ksm: thanks for the info. Believe me, between brochures and the Internet, I shouldn’t need any more materials. Unlike some friends, we are not going to RV it, so need a nice place to stay, comfy but not luxurioius. I did check guidebooks at B&N a while ago but will double back. Afraid that an REI-type tour won’t do for us. This is a big year for us, a graduation, a special birthday and a special anniversary all rolled into one. I wouldn’t be surprised if the cost came out to about that. Rental cars are verrrry expensive up there.</p>

<p>Coronax: I wasn’t planning to see Denali; in Cooper’s
Landing did you stay at Gwin’s or somewhere else? What if anything was there to do in the evenings? Any restaurant recommendations?</p>

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<p>oops…now, I feel bad, but yes it was Gwin’s. The cabins were the trailer type that have log siding, and they’re setting all in a row. It’s not like a cabin in the woods type of experience. My husband loves the outdoors, and Gwin’s was recommended in his outdoor magazines. For a group of guys who are going up there for a fishing trip, it would be ideal, because the location is perfect. For a family vacation, I’d hesitate to recommend it. I had envisioned a cabin in the woods. The “cabins” were very cheaply made. For instance the vinyl floor in the tiny bathroom was loose and coming up, the shower was a small fiber glass stall (and shower had a constant leak), and I also thought the furniture seemed on the dirty side. </p>

<p>On the other hand, the restaurant/roadhouse at Gwins was very nice. It was historic, and the food was very good; sandwiches, pizza, soups, etc. The people who worked there were very helpful in getting us in contact with a good fishing guide and a great stable for horseback riding. </p>

<p>There wasn’t a lot of choices of restarants there. I can’t remember eating anyplace else except Gwins’s. We didn’t spend a lot of time there anyway. We drove to Seward and for fishing and sightseeing, we spent a day in Homer, and and that was very enjoyable. There are seveal restaraunts in both towns. We also took a glacier tour and went on short hikes.</p>

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<p>Coronax: your description of Gwins’ cabins is similar to those on Tripadvisor; think I will look elsewhere to stay but might try out the restaurant. Reviews on Tripadvisor of another place, Kenai Magic Lodge, sound so glowing they might have been written by the owner’s cousins. Anyone know of this place?</p>

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<p>I stayed in Soldotna at the Aspen Hotel… It was new and very decent at the time–about 8 years ago. Soldotna has decent restaurants and fishing nearby.
The only good thing in Seward is the sea life museum. Hardly worth the drive over.</p>

<p>[Alaska</a> Aspen Hotels in Soldotna ane Valdez Alaska](<a href=“http://www.aspenhotelsak.com/]Alaska”>http://www.aspenhotelsak.com/)</p>

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<p>dadofsam,</p>

<p>During the course of my time in the military, I had the privilege of living in Anchorage for a few years. Absolutley fell in love with the place, and the family all agrees we would go back there in a heartbeat if we could (too far from rest of family). Always dreamed of buying a second home there, but the “have to win the lottery” plan hasn’t panned out as of yet.</p>

<p>Some advice about Alaska:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Don’t expect 5 star hotels and amenities in the hotels / restaurants / cabins you may stay at. Heck, don’t expect 4 stars, or even 3! But this is Alaska, you came up here for the “rustic” experience, right! Most of the cabins / motels are “Mom and Pop” places if you’re outside of downtown Anchorage, and mom and pop are the “rugged, out-doorsy” types. Besides, with it light out until 2 AM, you’ll probably stay up all night anyway until you drop asleep from exhaustion.</p>

<ul>
<li>Do yourself a favor, and spend the money to book a float plane ride out into “the bush” when you’re in Anchorage for a day. You will NEVER forget the beauty and majesty of the experience. And the guide will takeyou to some “out-of-the-way” sites where you’ll see and experience moer of the wildlife. TAKE A CAMERA!!! (“Look honey, that bear just ate our cooler!”)</li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>The Kenai: Seward, Homer and the rest are prety much the same, a small town with a “rustic” feel, one main road (by the docks to catch the cruise ship tourists) with a LOT of Tourist shops. But how many T-shirts with Bald Eagles on them and carved miniature totem poles can you want in a lifetime? Book some excursions. Get a car, and explore some of the beautiful scenery. But be forewarned, if the Slamon run is on (May - July), the2-lane roads will be PACKED! Go find “the hot-spot” and watch “combat fishing” (people standing shoulder-to-shoulder three deep trying to land a 60 pound salmon). The Fish and Game Commision is SERIOUS in Alaska, you need either a license to fish 9hard to get as a tourist), or be with a guide or they will take your gear, your car, and your $.</p></li>
<li><p>Anchorage: The bus trip form Seward to Anchorage is 4 HOURS or more, but plenty of stops for “scenery” along the way. Check out Portage Glacier if you can. Plenty of opportunity to see Beluga whales in the bay, or wildlife on the hillside on the ride up. If you want a “fine dining experience” in Anchorage, go to “Simon and Seaforts”. DW’s favorite restaurant, with fantastic food. Ask for a window table, this restaurant has the BEST view of the Bay (1/4 mile away) and the Alaskan range (in the far distance, on a clear day you can see Mt McKinley) in Achorage. All the “touristy” things and shopping is in a three block radius on 4th Street (where all the big hotels are). Get a car and explore the Chugiak Mtns and parks nearby (under 45 minutes away). Lots of people take the double decker train ride from Anchorage to Denali, pricey but worht it for the scenery and ease. The ride is an all day affiar, with stops at the small towns along the way for more exploring.</p></li>
<li><p>Denali Park: Don’t expect to see Mt McKinley unless you are prepared to take an 11-hour bus ride (on a converted school bus, no less) into the park. Yes, the park is THAT BIG! LOTS of opportunity to see the wildlife on teh ride though. But it’s hit and miss. Some days you see dozens of moose, bear, wolves, caribou, etc… Some days, you spend 11 hours staring out of a window at bushes. The parkis beautiful, and ther are plenty of activities by the entrance. </p></li>
<li><p>A word about camping in Alaska: The Federal park campgrounds are well maintained (showers, real toilets), handicap accessible, and the Rangers are fantastic! They even hold classes / demonstrations for the families and kids. The federal campgrounds are paved, even the trailer spaces, with hook-ups. Do yourself a favor and rent a trailer or camper for a few days, and stay at a federal campground. Lots of Mom and Pop campgrounds in Alaska, but remember what I said about the Mom and Pop operations before.</p></li>
<li><p>Fairbanks, more of the same, but now the sun doesn’t even go down if your there from June to August! It takes a while to get used to.</p></li>
<li><p>Other odds and ends: bug spray, bring a bunch, the misquitoes are in abundance, huge, and very annoying. Bring rain gear for the outdoors, it just always seems wet out there. Day time temps can range from 80’s in the day, to 40s at night. Layer, layer, layer (easy to take off a sweatshirt in the day and wear it at night than lug 4 different types of clothing!</p></li>
</ul>

<p>PM me if you want more info. I’m JEALOUS!</p>

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<p>My recommendation for the Kenai is to stay in Seward for a day or two, then drive to Homer and stay there for the rest of the time. Unless you want to spend all your time fishing - Soldotna & Kenai are not that interesting. Seward has some great boat trips to Kenai Fjords Park, Exit Glacier and the SeaLife Center. Most beautiful trail in Alaska (IMHO) is 5 minutes out of town - Lost Lake. </p>

<p>Homer is an interesting mix of artists and fishermen. About 100 years ago I spent my wedding night at the Brass Ring B&B in Homer. “The” place in town is Lands End Resort at the end of the spit - probably pretty pricey in the summer. I highly recommend taking the boat the “Danny J” over to Halibut Cove and having dinner or lunch at the Saltry Resturant. You’ll never forget it. There are one or two B&B’s in Halibut Cove. Soldovia is a pretty interesting little town also across the bay from Homer to spend the night. There are quite a few more places to stay in Soldovia. I’ve stayed at Annie’s Boardwalk Inn a while ago. I’d probably scout around for another more interesting place.</p>

<p>If you insist on staying in Soldotna - I’d recommend the Soldotna Bed & Breakfast Lodge [Alaska</a> Fishing Lodge](<a href=“http://www.soldotnalodge.com%5DAlaska”>http://www.soldotnalodge.com). I’ve only stayed there in the winter when the place is full of skiers. It looks like it caters to fisherman in the summer time. Nice family runs it - clean, small, simple place with bath rooms down the hall.</p>

<p>In my home town, Anchorage I’d highly recommend the Cooper Whale Inn - right next door to Simon & Seaforts. [The</a> Copper Whale Inn](<a href=“http://www.copperwhale.com%5DThe”>http://www.copperwhale.com).</p>

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<p>Anyone ever been to Wrangell? Just wondering what it’s like. Have relatives there and it would be on the itinerary if we ever took the plunge and made the trip.</p>

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<p>Greetings! Some of you may know - I actually LIVE in Anchorage:) Thank you for your interest in contributing to the economy of the beautiful state of Alaska. I am happy to share info regarding your summer vacation planning.</p>

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<p>lspf72,
Wrangell is a VERY small town north of Ketchikan on the panhandle of Alaska. I’ve been through there as a brief stop on the Alaska State Ferry. SE Alaska is a beautiful place and a great place to sea kayak. I view SE as a destination all on it’s own (Kethikan, Sitka, Misty Fjords Park, Petersburg, Juneau, Glacier Bay, Haines, Skagway, Chilkootot Trail). I highly recommend hopping on and off the State Ferry to visit these places. Unless you’re planning a very long vacation I think you’d be very rushed to include SE Alaska on the usual tourist trail of Anchorage-Kenai-Denali-Fairbanks. If you have relatives in Wrangell they can probably show you some pretty great places you wouldn’t see otherwise. Bring a good rain coat and pants - that way you’ll guarentee sunshine.</p>

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<p>thanks skiers-mom–
Guess I underestimated the size of the state! I think the traditional/northern tourist routes would probably be preferable for a first visit.
And yes, from the photos we’ve seen of Wrangell ver the years, it looks very green, lush and damp. Not the way most of us envision Alaska–</p>

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<p>I was in Wrangell for a day on a small-ship cruise. The children of the town own a garnet mine, and they dig out and sell garnets to tourists for pocket money. It’s a charming tradition. I still have the garnets I bought.</p>

<p>It’s often foggy and misty even when it isn’t raining, but the rainforest is just gorgeous!</p>