Im planning on a trip to Alaska, dont really want to do a cruise as i dont feel get the real place via doing that and spend 2 long on a boat, wondering if anyone here has any good tips on anything to do with best way to get there, any good tours to do, best time of year, places to stay etc.
Appreciate any advice
Reply to this We've never been, but I do know that if you aren't looking to do a cruise, my recommendation would be to fly into one of the larger cities (Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks I believe have regular flights from the US and probably from Canadian cities like Vancouver, BC). Most tourists visit between May-September when the weather is more cooperative and everything isn't as snowed in. Also, be sure to treat yourself to some fresh caught wild salmon -- season usually opens sometime in May -- it is delicious!
Sorry I can't be of more assistance. Here's the
Alaska Tourism website which might help guide you.
Reply to this I live in a small coastal Alaska town, Cordova. I recommend you take the Alaska Marine Highway vessels. You can check the schedule at AKferry.com. Traveling alone, you don't need a stateroom. There are showers available in the public restrooms. Food can be pricey on the vessels, so pack some snacks. SE Alaska Panhandle is a must by ferry. Travel light--layers, good rain gear, hiking boots. You might consider bringing a mountain bike along. Take the ferries from Bellingham or better, Prince Rupert BC. Explore SE towns along the route, as far as Haines, then hit the road. You must actually go back into Canada to get back into Alaska on the highway. Check with Haines Library or City to find out over-land transportation from there. If you go overland from Haines, take the road south from Tok to Valdez, and Prince William Sound. Or you can take the cross-gulf ferry Kennicott from Juneau to Whittier. Nice boat, great trip. From Whittier, you can take the fast ferry Chenega to Valdez and Cordova. I am partial to Cordova of course. We are off the beaten path, few tourists, and make our way by commercial fishing. We also have some spectacular scenery, the largest west-coast of North America wetlands, farthest north temperate rain forest, and a stellar glacier you can watch calve from across a swiftly running river (the Copper River and Childs Glacier). There are campgrounds and B&B's as well as a very nice hotel overlooking the harbor (great deck & fresh seafood). The Cordova Ranger District of the Chugach National Forest has trail maps and info about hiking. World class hiking right from town. Also have some cabins that can be reserved, but books up early, so check it out on line to reserve. Wildlife abounds. Bears do too, but have never posed a problem if you make lots of noise and don't surprise them. Sing! Return to Whittier via Valdez, head from there to either Seward or Anchorage. Lots of options and guide book info on that road system. If you want more water-borne adventure, take the ferry Tustimena (Trusty Tusty) from Homer to Kodiak, or really out-there, to Dutch Harbor. This is coastal Alaska, and you will meet locals on the ferries, and see a different side of things. From SE to Dutch would be a terrific trek. For info on Cordova, check out CordovaChamber.com.
Reply to this Hey. I highly recommend Juneau as one of your stops. I agree with cordovan that the Alaska Ferries is the best way to go. I've been in Juneau three years going to the University of Alaska Southeast and I love it! There are some pics on my blog if you want to see. Taking a cruise would be more convenient because then you wouldn't have airline costs (which are outrageous and inconvenient because the Alaskan southeast weather is pretty unreliable). The only drawback of the ferries is that most ports are out of town so you'll have to walk or take a cab to the downtown area. But you meet some amazing people on the ferries! I love taking them.
If you do make it up here, I definately recommend a good pair of walking shoes (waterproof), lots of batteries (very expensive up here), lots of film or a big memory stick for all of the amazing picture opportunities, and a calling card to call back home or a taxi to come get you. Juneau, Sitka, and some of the smaller ports to the North are pretty cool areas. Lots of glaciers...lots of hiking...lots of tourists...and some amazing wildlife. If you'd rather stay inland, Fairbanks is a good place to fly to and then maybe hop on a train and head to Denali where the wildlife is astounding. Good luck!! 😊
Reply to this I'd like to go to Alaska. I was rather amused when watching a TV show and observed that moose had been walking free in Anchorage. I doubt that's the usual case, but knowing that increases the magic.
Reply to this Stay On Land: I went to Alaska by Cruise (Princess) and I definitely got the feeling that I would have had a better Alaska experience if we had just stayed on land. Princess was great for a our big family gathering because we had older people in the group but for the money we spent we could have stayed longer and done more on land... and we were always around hordes of cruise boat people which kinds of kills the natural beauty.
Glacier Trek: I HIGHLY recommend doing a helicopter glacier tour. we did a several and our favorites were dog sledding and ice climbing. You can take a short helicopter flight (30 minutes of awesome views) from town in Skagway, Juno and I'm sure several other cities and then touch down at base camp on the glacier before heading out.
Here is a map of most of the hotels in southern Alaska and their prices:
Alaska Map
Reply to this The moose do wander around and about Anchorage. It is by no means unusual. Makes the gardeners spitting mad, cause they eat the ornamental trees that cost 'em a fortune here. They can be especially dangerous when they wander into the street and cause a collision. They are big and heavy, and dangerous when coming through a windshield.
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Alaska is a beautiful state, Last time I went to Alaska on a cruise which I booked at www.ultimatedestination.net, it was a great experience. It is beautiful and breath taking, I wish I had more time to stay and visit the land. I recommend this trip to anyone, expecially group travel.
I think you're going to find this site helpful, for group cruises and travels,
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