Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Alaska vacation input

Take the ferry up from Prince Rupert and see the inside passage on your terms. Get off at Haines, Skagway or Valdez and do the rest on land and see Alaska.

No diss- but I've been 45 years in Alaska, and I've yet to "see"" it all.

I've been about a little.. but there are places to go and things to see that I haven't yet been...

This is a BIG fuggin place, especially if you are into micro rather than macro, and a lifetime isn't enough.

Tourists be welcome, however, as long as I am on the road with them... ie (Keep Alaska Green- bring money)

after the road trip to Valdez (best drive in the state imo) particularly if you stop at Copper Center, Chitina, McCarthy and the park entrance on that side on the way.


after that fave road trips would be Tok Cutoff all the way to Anchorage via Palmer

going up the haul road and Denali are great trips as well, but sticky situation with the rental car companies last I knew.

Damn! You offered sage advise and did not threaten to fight the guy! Good job!

I've made a couple of trips via car and hotel, and were were not disappointed. We toured Denali park and the peninsula and were never short on things to do, only time to see them all.


I wouldn't miss Denali park, Hatcher pass, and Seward (boat tours and hike the glacier). We migrated around and did a little gold prospecting without having too many set plans and had a blast.

Me and my wife flew up in the mid 90's rented a car and spent 21 days
Trying to see all we could. Had a great time. First thing we did when landing
In anchorage was to buy a small tent, fishing poles(cheap), and a few more
Items for car camping. We camped in tent only 7 or 8 days of the 21 there and
Motels the rest of time. It was the best vacation I have ever had. Only thing I would do different is go about a month earlier, we went in September and days
We're getting short fast. Really enjoyed staying at a small town on the west end
Of the Denali highway in a small motel and talking to the owner but don't recall
His name.

Cantwell

Cantwell is right. Had a bar there with dollar bills all over the walls.
Noticed the Op was bringing his wife, might want to toughen up his
Knuckles if his wife is as pretty as mine. Good lookin women were
Far and few when I was there.

I would suggest last week in June - first week in July for a first trip. Start in Fairbanks, down to Homer and leave from Anchorage. (Do some halibut fishing out of Homer and ship it back home) Stay at Denali for a night or two and do the train trip.

We are leaning towards the start in Fairbanks, end in Anchorage. Might do a day or two north out of Fairbanks first though.

Thanks

When in Fairbanks, head over to Ester and eat at the restaurant (crab!) and visit the saloon...

lmao! just now saw this

I always offer sage advice

but I only offer to fight the azzholes

wait..........what?

tag

Another suggestion to consider, when you make it over to this side of the state, take the train to Seward, pend the night and return back to Anchorage. We've never done this before but it is high on our list of things to do in Alaska.

We have done the train to Denali fron Anchorage and stayed at one of the lodges and it was a relaxing trip. You could probably do the train from Fairbanks to Denali then on to Anchorage and pick up a rental car.

Tag for later. I flew in with my father and grandfather in '97 and rented an RV in Los Anchorage. Drove to Seward and down to Homer then flew out to a lake/river for a week. I am thinking of going in the next few years with the wife kids. I want to drive the camping trailer, but it is such a long drive from the central US I think flying and renting an RV is a better idea.

sorry I think both those places are closed these days


was just talkin to my 16 year old the other day that when I was around his age, Ester was a happening place.

still worth going out there to visit with the Postmaster, he's a hoot, but that's about it from what I can glean

Yes! you won't be sorry doing this, I don't believe....

Can anyone else provide some tips for a non-cruise Alaska trip? What window of months would you suggest for a family trip?

I would look at early to mid August, tourist season is winding down and a lot of the rv rental companies offer lower rates later in the season.

Sept is my favorite month in Alaska, the fall colors are in full bloom and there's a crispness in the air. It also helps that the hunting season is in full swing too.