First Trip to Alaska

Hi! My husband and I are planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip for our 25th wedding anniversary, and Alaska seems like the perfect place to visit. We would definitely like to see the Northern Lights, but Google searches yield too many (and seemingly too touristy) choices. Any suggestions on the best place to view them? Do we really need a tour package? And all that rental winter gear?

Any recommendations for unique things to do during the winter months if we come to see the Northern Lights? We really want to experience Alaska. We love history and culture and nature. I read in one of the other topics about flying to and landing on a glacier. Where would I find out more about that? And crossing the Arctic Circle--I think it would be just plain fun to be able to say we%26#39;d done that. Is it really something to commemorate, or is it just hype I%26#39;ve read?

I realize some of these things are touristy, but we%26#39;d like to experience them in an off-the-beaten path kind of way, if possible. I would appreciate any suggestions! Thank you for your help!

Susan

First Trip to Alaska

Susan, congratulations and what a great destination you chose to celebrate such special occasion. I suggest you start out by reading posts here, go to your library and look through guide books for Alaska, go to your local bookstore and browse though all books on Alaska. Take notes. I just told my dear friends who are going to Alaska for the first time next year, to get %26#39;Frommers Alaska%26#39;. It has a chapter titled %26lt;The Best Things'; or something like that. See what interests you the most besides Northern Lights and flight seeing.

For your first visit to Alaska I strongly recommend going in a summer. For us the best time to visit Alaska is the end of August and the first couple weeks of September but mid-June is great. July and August are wonderful too. One time we saw Northern Lights in August from the plane on the way back from Anchorage to Newark. It happened only once and still feel very lucky. When you book your tickets chose seats on a left side of a plane returning from Anchorage. Who knows, maybe you%26#39;ll be lucky too.

My husband and I went already many times to Alaska but never in a winter. Northern Lights are just one of many great things in Alaska. However, even if you go winter time it is no guarantee you are going to see them. Besides it is not possible more than a day in advance to predict Northern Lights. So, it seems the best it would be to stay somewhere outside of Fairbanks for a 5days or better a whole week in order to have a better chance of seeing Aurora Borealis, still no guarantee you will see it.

Once you are reading through guide books, try not to be not become overwhelmed. There are endless choices of activities in Alaska. For this reason we go back every year. There are so many more places to see.

I strongly recommend going for not less than two weeks.

You definitely do not need a travel agent. We never dream of having one. Going on your own at your own pace is the best thing while visiting this fascinating state. There is so much history, native culture and breathtaking scenery around every corner. You need to also remember that you cannot control the weather but if you are on your own you are able to adjust your itinerary. When you are on organized tour you don%26#39;t have a luxury of making any changes.

I would suggest flying to Anchorage, spending 2-3 nights there. Then driving to Talkeetna for flight seeing tour with flight over the top of majestic Mount McKinley. Then continue for 2-3 nights to Denali. It is only two hours, I think, drive from Denali to Fairbanks where you can take a tour to Arctic Circle. There is more to Fairbanks so stay for 2-3 nights. Continue to Valdez from there. You may also chose to stop overnight in Sheep Mountain Lodge on Glen Highway and take a hike with crampons on Matanuska Glacier. After that drive on one of the most scenic roads, Richardson Highway to Valdez. This small town has great museums and endless hiking possibiliites. You can take a cruise from there to Columbia Glacier or go kayaking. Next, take a ferry to Whittier and the same afternoon drive to Homer for 3-4 nights. In Homer we always go brown bear watching with Emerald Air and each time it has been unforgettable experience. Homer is the best and most popular place for halibut fishing. On the way from Homer stop in Cooper Landing and go salmon fishing. Finally visit Seward for 2 nights and take a 9.5 hours cruise to Fjords National Park for marine wildlife viewing. From Seward return to Anchorage with a stop in Girdwood for a tram ride but only if it is a clear bright day.

This is just a small sample what Alaska has to offer but you need to make your own choices based on your and your husband%26#39;s preferences.

Including all the above places in your itinerary would give you variety of scenery, chance of seeing wildlife, opportunities to learn about history and culture. All is doable on your own. It is so easy to make your own arrangements and planning your own independent trip is fun too. Also while planning your trip to Alaska you have to keep in mid you won%26#39;t be able to fit all in your itinerary. Alaska has so much to offer but plan accordingly and include time for relaxing, stopping and breathing everything in. Don%26#39;%26#39;t worry about too touristy. Nothing is too touristy in Alaska.

So good luck and have fun planning your trip.

First Trip to Alaska

Places,

WOW, thank you for posting! What great information! I%26#39;ll definitely be getting the guide book. You%26#39;ve boosted my confidence about planning the trip on our own and given me some great ideas. :-)

Susan, it%26#39;s my pleasure to share my personal Alaskan experiences with you and anyone eager to go there and before that to get involved in planning own itinerary. Ask for more details. I%26#39;m new on this board but I found already many generous posters willing to share their knowledge and own first hand experiences.

I f you do come after about the 15th of September most our tourist will be shut down. But believe it or not there are things going on all winter in the state. We have dog races the most famous being the Iditarod in Anchorage and the hardest less known Yukon Quest in Fairbanks. If you have not been to the start of a Dog Mashing Race you have missed one of the great thrills in life. There are also Sled Dog tours that you can go on day trips and overnighters. We also have hot spring resorts around the Fairbanks area that have wonderful Northern Light Shows. As a matter of fact the Japanese seem to enjoy our Hot Spas in the winter as plane loads of the come here. The winter views of our landscape is unbeatable anywhere the mountains are so clear it will take your breath away. Another plus is Hotels charge a lot less in the winter then in summer. Just because tourist season is over does not mean that Alaska is closed, we stay open all winter and live our lives.

Places - I am really enjoying your posting here on the forum . . . we have been needing more people on the Alaska forum . . . especially from a traveler%26#39;s perspective rather than just us residents. It will really be an asset for other travelers when they are trying to plan their trips.

And I agree with Alaskarat - while many tourist things do shut down from middle of September until middle of May, there is SO much you can do up here on a year round basis . . . winter travel is cheaper, and no mosquitos either! :)

Susan, Buffaloboy posted here a wonderful report on visiting Arctic Circle, try to find it. I think it is titled %26lt;Barrow, July trip%26gt;

Alaskarat , after many visits to Alaska my husband and I will be coming in March for our first winter visit. I hope I can count on your help with details of our itinerary.

Hi Coalminer, thank you.

It is funny you mentioned mosquitoes. We just talked about our friends from Texas we traveled with once a while all over the world. We finally persuaded them to visit Alaska. They gave up on this destination after someone told them mosquitoes are so terrible in Alaska that people have to stay inside. We can only laugh since we can%26#39;t figure out why would anyone say something like this. I%26#39;m not saying there are no mosquitoes but not as bad as some stories go.

I%26#39;m very sensitive to any bugs but during all our trips only two times we had a problem with mosquitoes. Once it was near Wonder Lake in Denali. The second time on the same trip when we try to stop somewhere between Healy and Fairbanks to stretch our legs. Our windshield got covered with mosquitoes at instance. Both times it happened during our first visit 12 years ago. We were in Alaska in June and I think in Denali around June 18-20.

For those extremely sensitive to mosquitoes but who want to visit Alaska in a summer I always recommend going in the end of August and beginning of September.

Thank you all for the continuing info. I did a ';Barrow'; search and came up with some great ideas! That was very helpful.

We really have our hearts set on seeing the Northern Lights (or at least taking a chance on seeing them), so I really appreciate the winter things-to-do suggestions.

Are roads open in the winter? Or should we be thinkiing more about flying around?

Does anyone know if Barrow is still ';open'; during the winter months? How about Seward and Kenai?

Does anyone know anything about Bettles Lodge?

Susan: most roads and communities are open year round . . . I know it%26#39;s hard to believe, but it%26#39;s true. The only road that comes to mind is the Denali Hwy - they don%26#39;t plow that all winter. Generally, the state hwy does a good job keeping the roads in good shape - and ours in the interior are usually the best, as we have very dry and cold winters, so roads generally don%26#39;t get icy, though that can change suddenly with a chinook.

You can still fly, but always bear in mind that winter weather can quickly alter your plans - you might get stuck some where for awhile waiting for weather. Just something to keep in mind when making your plans. :)

Places

March is a great month to come! The sun is returning and the day time temps are up to 0 below! It is play time here in the interior. I will be glad to help you out!

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