Help - trip planning

We just booked our tickets to go to alaska for the first time in the first week of september. It was a nice surprise from our daughterinlaw. we are about 60 in good shape but dont want to stetch ourselves too much. our interest are sightseeing, wildlife watching etc.,

We are staying for 5 days in a place called wasila about 45min from anchorage. We have a car and can drive about 7 hours a day easily.

denali is a place on our list. Because we didnt have too much time to plan, dont know where else to go.

thanks for any help

Help - trip planning

Staying at Wasilla for 5 days on your first trip here is a VERY bad idea. You can day-trip, but will spend most of your holiday driving. Can you change that?

Murray

Help - trip planning

Spending two nights in denali would make a day shuttle trip easy and give you some time to look around the next day before heading back to Wasilla. It would be about a 4.5-5hr drive to denali. A stop in Talkeetna would be nice stop and a summit flt from there would be perfect.

After returning to Wasilla, a drive down to Seward for at least one night would be great. Stop at all the things on way down there, including Portage Glacier, Potter Marsh, Exit Glacier at Seward, Sealife aquarium, Seavey Family Ididarod dog sled demos and kennel tour, and most importantly, a 6hr or longer kenai fjords boat tour. A day around Anc area including Alaska Heritage Ctr. Eklutna Spirit houses, musk ox farm could be a day or two.

As you can see, I live in Wasilla. The state is so large, and getting to places takes a lot longer than you think. I have to agree with the previous poster. You can do a few day trips out, but not to Denali, Valdez, or Kenai Peninsula.

However, if you are trying to see Denali, but not go to the park, you can easily drive up to Talkeetna for the day. From there you can take a flight seeing tour of the mountain and a glacier landing. Highly recommend it!

A glacier cruise out of Seward is not possible in a day, but Whittier is doable. But, I prefer the cruises out of Seward over Whittier. I still think you would enjoy Whittier.

In the valley here, I recommend going to 3 places; Independence Mine (Wasilla - Hatcher Pass), The Musk Ox Farm (Palmer) and Martin Buser%26#39;s (sled dogs in Big Lake).

I%26#39;ll get back to you with other suggestions.

Also, you can do a great day trip by going on Glenn Highway past Palmer upto about mile 122. You will pass many different beautiful mountains, Matanuska Glacier (go for a hike on it), and different plant environments.

Hi there! Yes, you would have to change out some of your days in Wasilla, though there are many things to do in that area . . . more specifically, the Glenn Hwy to the Matanuska glacier - stop %26amp;/or stay at Sheep Mtn Lodge.www.sheepmountain.com You could also do a day trip to the Hatcher Pass area.

For Denali Park, you really need about 2 days, as a bus ride in the Park pretty much takes one full day, and there is much more to see in the area. Lots of local accommodations though: www.denalichamber.com If you need specific recommendations, I would be happy to help.

If I were up here, I also wouldn%26#39;t want to miss Seward - take a boat tour to see the marine animals, the Sealife Center,etc. www.seward.com The rest of the Kenai peninsula is great as well. I hope that helps you some more - best of luck! :)

Hi JQ and Coalminer.

Glad to see that you are both back, providing wonderful recommendations for first timers! You%26#39;ve surely helped me plan my trip. (Where oh where is Glacierlady???)

David2222, I have to agree that Seward is a must see.

thanks for all the responses. I changed my hotels. Here%26#39;s my thought based on what everyone said.

Day 1: Anchorage Heritage museum and anchorage town visit

Day 2: Glenn Highway past Palmer upto about mile 122including ox farm

Day 3: Drive to Denali early morning. Stop for views in Talkeetna.

Go for the bus ride. Stay in Denali

Day 4: Denali (dont know what to do. may be some hiking or tours based on what I see in the bus ride. any suggestions?). Drive back late night to Wasilla for the hotel

Day 5: Go to Seward. Stop in Portage Glacier, Potter Marsh, Exit Glacier at Seward and a 6hr or longer kenai fjords boat tour

Stay in a seward hotel

Day 6: Relax in seward and take a flight out in the evening from acnhorage

How does this look?

Thanks again for the help. I am going to exactly follow this unless I missed something or am too ambitious

Like you (and most folk), I also felt the need to stop in Anchorage. Probably because it is the most well known of the Alaskan cities. But there really is not much to do there, in my opinion. Not for an entire day.

Also, you may wish to change the Kenai Fjords tour to Day 6, since it departs rather early...11:30am. Not sure what time your flight out of Anchorage is.

I found the Wildlife Conservation Center near Portage glacier to be interesting, if you like animals.

Hopefully, some one else will jump in and assist with your itinerary.

Also, remain flexible. Sometimes situations happen (ie. weather) that may cause you to change your plans.

We loved our 3 days on the Glen Highway. We stayed at Sheep Mountain Lodge thanks to Coalminer and enjoyed everything about it. Also hiked the glacier which was fantastic. Seward was also great. I am not sure about your plan to drive, and stop, and take the fiord tour all in one day. Seems very rushed to me. Seward is fun and the sea life center and glacier tour both require a good amount of time.

tremblant - will be get a trip report soon?? Glad you liked your time at Sheep Mtn . . .isn%26#39;t that a gorgeous area?!! It%26#39;s one of my favorite areas in the state. :)