Finalizing three weeks

I am putting the last tweaks to our June trip. Comments or advice is appreciated. It is just DH and I. He lets me do all the planning, very easy going. I am the only driver, so didn%26#39;t want to plan

long driving days. No hiking or fishing, DH is vision impaired, so thought bear watching might not be good. Also, wanted a little down time.

Concentrating on nature, glaciers, local color. This board, which I have been reading for two years, is fabulous. Thank you all so much.

6/6 Arrive Seattle. We were lucky to get bumped

last year and got 2 free round trip flights from

home to Seattle. Have famiy in Seattle, very

convenient.

6/8 Seattle to Anchorage. Already booked car thru

Enterprise last July per John%26#39;s advice. Nine

days at $180 and free upgrade from the Northern

Lights book. Get some groceries, etc.

6/9 Drive to Whittier, do Prince William Sound

Glacier Cruise, stay at Breeze Inn, Seward

two for one Northern Lights for cruise

6/10 Kenai Northwestern Fjords Tour, overnight

Seward, two for one Northern Lights for Tour

6/11 Leave Seward, drive to Wasilla, see stuff on

the way there, stay at Toller%26#39;s Timbers

6/12 Still in Wasilla, hopefully flightseeing tour

out of Talkeetna today (two fer again) or

6/13 Flightseeing next choice, drive to Healy, stay

at Touch of Wilderness, go up to Denali

6/14 Shuttle ticket for Denali

6/15 Shuttle ticket for Denali

6/16 Last flightseeing chance, drive to Anchorage to

overnight

6/17 Morning in Anchorage, afternoon flight to Juneau

Stay at Beachside Villas

6/18 Whale watch with Harv and Marv, other Juneau

stuff

6/19 Trip to Tracy Arm with Adventure Bound

6/20 Fly to Glacier Bay National Park, stay in

Lodge for two nights, two for one coupons for

flight, and lodge in Toursaver

6/21 Glacier Bay cruise

6/22 Return to Juneau. Catch ferry to Skagway.

Ferry gets us there late, but I want to see

the scenery, so not flying. Stay at Historic

Skagway Inn four nights, also coupon in

Toursaver

6/23 Maybe rent car, drive to Emerald Lake, maybe

go horsebackriding there

6/24 Fast ferry to Haines for the day, maybe rent a

car, do float trip

6/25 Skagway, maybe Dyea Dave tour, or hike someplace

6/26 Leave Skagway, return to Juneau at 1:30, see

something I missed

6/27 Return to Seattle

6/30 Return to home.

Finalizing three weeks

Wow, you%26#39;ve really packed a lot into your trip !!.....looks like all your advanced planning will definitely pay off by using all those coupons...I also like the way you have given yourself back-up dates for the Denali flightseeing and that you are staying for more than one night in most places....Looking forward to reading your trip report !!

Finalizing three weeks

I really like your itinerary. Just a couple of suggestions.

First of all, I love that you got bumped. I just got bumped last week on my trip to Anchorage. Got $300 voucher and arrived 5 hours later than scheduled.

I love that you got a great rate on your car. $180 for 9 days including taxes is great. Many people are now spending $100/day!

Are you staying in Wasilla two nights (June 11 and 12th?). Just seems like a bit of a drive from Wasilla to Talkeetna to flightsee then back to Wasilla then back north to Denali. personally I would stay closer to Talkeetna to save both time and gas costs, but it is a personal choice.

Please, please, confirm and reconfirm your Adventure Bound tour and insist that they mail you the boarding passes in advance. I had major logistical problems with them last year. The tour was great but the booking and confirmation process was a nightmare - they lost my booking no less than THREE times!

Consider a whale watch tour in Gustavus as well (with Taz). Prime whale viewing area. I did both Taz and Harv and Marvs last year and both were great. In fact, Harv and Marvs would even tell you that if you had to choose one, choose Gustavus/Pt. Adolphus. Jay was shocked that I was on a Juneau whale watch after having been on the one at Pt. Adolphus.

Four nights in Skagway is a lot of time. I would strongly suggest you plan out your time there a bit more firmly.

I am planning on going to Skagway for 4 nights in 2010 but I will only stay in Skagway 2 of the nights - I will stay in cabins the other two nights on overnight hikes.

Personally I think Haines is worth more than just a day trip. Perhaps you could consider an overnight in Haines on the way to/from Skagway - most if not all ferries between Juneau and Skagway stop there anyway. So that way no need to take a day trip to Haines and you actually end up spending more time there. If you already have your ferry tickets, in my opinion it would be worth paying the change fee to add the overnight in Haines to or from Skagway.

John

Gosh John, I was hoping to have lunch with Sarah, and see Russia while I%26#39;m in Wasilla. (Hope I%26#39;m not stepping on anyone%26#39;s toe%26#39;s here).

I%26#39;ll check out the ferry/Haines/Juneau schedule more closely. I need to see if Joni at the stables at Emerald Lake can arrange a private, non-beginner ride for us, that%26#39;s a high priority. I haven%26#39;t bought ferry tickets yet.

Thanks for the Gustavus whale watch info. I found Taz%26#39;s website and will check it all out.

Thanks for all your help.

%26gt;%26gt;Gosh John, I was hoping to have lunch with Sarah, and see Russia while I%26#39;m in Wasilla. (Hope I%26#39;m not stepping on anyone%26#39;s toe%26#39;s here).

All I usually see when I drive through Wasilla is the Fred Meyers to go grocery shopping before heading to Denali:-) In June I do hope to get to the Iditarod HQ.

%26gt;%26gt;I%26#39;ll check out the ferry/Haines/Juneau schedule more closely. I need to see if Joni at the stables at Emerald Lake can arrange a private, non-beginner ride for us, that%26#39;s a high priority. I haven%26#39;t bought ferry tickets yet.

That is what I love about Alaska. Totally different strokes for different folks - so much to do there. I have been on a horse twice in my life. And for me, it has been twice too many! I trust it will work out for you.

%26gt;%26gt;Thanks for the Gustavus whale watch info. I found Taz%26#39;s website and will check it all out.

If you enjoy whale watching, I think you would love doing it both in Gustavus and Juneau. But there are time and cost factors to consider.

John

On Sat 6/20, we are booked for 1pm flight from Juneau to Gustavus, arriving 1:25. The only earlier flight is 6am. (Believe me I am not an early morning person). Taz%26#39;s whale watching is at 8:30 and 1:30. We%26#39;d never make it.

There is the 3hr dinner and whale watch trip Sat evening we could do, thru the park service. Its in the Toursaver book. Would you suggest that?

I think the park%26#39;s dinner/whale watch also goes to Pt. Adolphus (you can ask but it is relatively close I would be surprised if they didn%26#39;t). I would do it, especially with a toursaver coupon. I love the coupon books!

I figure I am saving over $700 in June alone with the Toursaver, less the $100 for the book. I can probably sell the book when I return and get $40 out of it.

John

Are you driving to Seward? If so you really should think of a day in Homer, Alaska. The drive from Anchorage to Homer is unforgetable. I think you would see more and enjoy it better than two days in Wasilla.I am thinking that the Healy part will be a slight disappointment and the rest would be great.

Enjoy and dress warm for June.

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