My hubby is lucky enough to take a paid business trip to Anchorage in May. I would like to meet him when his business portion of the trip is finished. I have looked into cruises and that is way out of our budget. We really want to take this opportunity while he is there to make it a once in a lifetime vacation but realize it may not be possible at this time on our shoestring budget. Any suggestions for economical sightseeing, tours for two 30 somethings? Also, would you recommend a trip like this with two small children ages three and six? Thanks!!!
May 2007 land trip ???s
When in May? Many of the tourist type things don%26#39;t open until the middle of May, though there are many other things to do in the state. In regards to your kids, how well do they car travel? To see much of anything around here involves plenty of driving, so I would weigh that thought. Also, what exactly do you want to see and do? Give us a few more details, and we would be happy to help! :)
May 2007 land trip ???s
Thanks coalminer! His business portion of the trip ends May 27th so we%26#39;re looking at the last week in May. The kids travel pretty well and are used to 2 hour car trips to visit family. We would love to see the beauty of Alaska and are interested in seeing wildlife and nature. At this age it may be a little much for the kids but I want to keep researching and weighing things out. This really could be a vacation of a lifetime, I dont want them to miss out. I also dont want them, and us for that matter, to be miserable. Thanks for any info!
hello again! Well, I think it%26#39;s very doable . . . you may want to read thru trip reports on the forum - see what has worked for most people. I think it would be easy to break up your drives from each area with plenty to stop and see. Many folks rent RV%26#39;s - as camping is usually the cheapest way to go up here (you could also car camp, but most folks aren%26#39;t up for that), and another poster made the suggestion to rent one in your area and try it out -see if it%26#39;s really an option for your family. If not camping, I would suggest cabin or other type rentals where you have some kitchen facilities, as that really helps cut down on food costs. Plus dining out for every meal wastes time and $$, esp. with kids. :)
I think you would want to spend time in the Anchorage area, Seward and more of the Kenai Peninsula as well as Denali Park and possibly Fairbanks. There is the Sealife center in Seward as well as hiking to Exit Glacier and perhaps a boat tour into Kenai Fjords. In Denali(www.nps.gov/dena), you will want to take a shuttle bus trip . . . do a doggie demo and in both places, participate in the Jr. Ranger programs. There is the museum in Fairbanks, the Riverboat discovery and your kids would like Pioneer park as well. Ah, I could go on, but read a few reports - that will help you will ideas and timing of things.
Write back for more specifics, if you want/need them. :)
Coalminer gave some good tips... You may want to think about going in an RV. They aren%26#39;t cheap, but you don%26#39;t have to pay for accommodations or eating out all the time, which is nice.
I would highly recommend getting Lonely Planet’s guide to Alaska, which is great for budget travelers and can help you a lot with your itinerary.
You said “…so we%26#39;re looking at the last week in May.” Are you only going to stay for a week? If so, you won’t be able to do all the things Coalminer suggested. You would only probably have time to take a quick trip up to Denali then down to Seward for a few days, or something like that. However, I would recommend spending a little more time so you can enjoy Alaska at ease.
Here’s a sample one week itinerary:
Day 1: Fly into Anchorage, meet up. (Anchorage)
Day 2: Drive up to Denali National Park. (Denali)
Day 3: Take a bus tour to Eielson or maybe farther, then come back for a possible doggie demo. (Denali)
Day 4: Drive down to Anchorage, see the Alaska Zoo (Anchorage)
Day 5: Drive to Seward; see SeaLife Museum (Seward)
Day 6: Kenai Fjords Tour and maybe Exit Glacier if time allows. (Seward)
Day 7: Drive back to Anchorage and fly out.
The above itinerary is pretty strenuous. You could also just spend the days in Anchorage and Seward/Whittier (or only to Denali), which would allow a slower pace and time to see everything in depth.
Blue
Thanks a million Coalminer and Blue for all of the great info!
You got many great suggestions from Coalminer and Blue. Personally I don%26#39;t think I would take two such small children on the shuttle bus all the way to Eielson in Denali NP. It can be somewhat boring to some very young kids just to look at scenery especially if is not clear sunny day. However you know your kids better than we do so you need to decide. Every child under 4 years or/and 40 pounds needs to be in a carseat on the shuttle bus in Denali NP. Maybe focusing on Anchorage and Seward would be a better option for you and your children? As much as I love Denali I feel that a drive and visit to Denali with three year old and six year old may be too difficult for such a short visit. Lots of inexpensive or free things to do in Anchorage, Seward and between.
Don%26#39;t forget Eagle River Nature Center........north of Anchorage about 1/2 hour......It has a visitor%26#39;s center that has children%26#39;s programs and guided trail walks on boardwalk trails.....it%26#39;s a very educational park.....each time we have been there I think of my grandchildren and how much they would enjoy it......
Coal miner is right about getting accomodations with a kitchen.....you can really save money by not having to eat in restaurants.......much more relaxing with young children to stick to an at-home routine at mealtimes.........remember that the best grocery prices will be in Anchorage and will be higher the further out you travel......Get a small picture album, take lots of pix ( press a few wildflowers to put include in some of the pages) and the children can keep this trip alive for years..........
I would also suggest you don%26#39;t bring the kids. It will just be so much easier for you, and give you more flexibility. You wouldn%26#39;t need to limit your driving time, schedule exploring around their nap time, decide what activities they would enjoy without getting bored and cranky, etc., and you and your husband would be able to enjoy a quiet ';once in a lifetime'; kind of a trip by yourselves. And if you bring them they wouldn%26#39;t remember much of this trip anyway. Maybe you can come back with them in another 5-10 years and enjoy a more extensive trip together.
Are you going for only 1 week? Then you will be able to enjoy some parts of Alaska, but will have to come back for more. See if your husband can get a corporate discount for the car rental and rent from downtown Anchorage not the airport. That will save you a lot of money. If you enjoy tent camping then your lodging will be free or almost free each night. You can camp almost anywhere. Most hotels / motels are overpriced, some B%26amp;B%26#39;s and cabins are also expensive, but others are cheaper but also nice. We stayed in 10 places on our trip, ranging from $75 to $100 per night for 2 adults. You might read that food is expensive in Alaska. If you stay in B%26amp;B%26#39;s then your breakfast is included in the rate. We went to the supermarkets and bought supplies for lunches, snacks, and breakfasts (that were not included some days), so we never went out for breakfast or lunch and saved a lot of money that way (and enjoyed picnics in the most amazing scenery). We went out to dinner each night and it wasn%26#39;t too much more expensive than elsewhere in US - dinner entries between $15 and $25. Some B%26amp;B%26#39;s and cabins allow people to use their kitchens and/or grills, so you can make dinner and save more money.
Most of the parks / hiking trails are free or inexpensive. If you go to Denali do go far into the park on the shuttle bus - it%26#39;s worth it. Do make sure to get off and hike in the park. You can then come back on another bus. By the way, if you bring the kids they will get bored on the bus and you will have to carry the car seats with you if you hike and switch buses. A 6 hour (not less) boat tour from Seward is also well worth the money if you are interested in marine wildlife and glaciers. It%26#39;s $140 per person, but you can get a Toursaver book (used from ebay) for the second person%26#39;s trip for free. There are many other coupons in this book for activities and hotels, just choose what you are interesting in first to see whether it%26#39;s worth it for you to buy the book. With or without kids a hike on Matanuska Glacier is amazing (walking on ice!)
Get some guidebooks and start reading. You have to decide for yourself what you would like to see most, what activities are worth the extra money for you, and how much driving you are willing to do.
Places is probably right, Denali isn’t the way to go, especially if the bus tour wouldn’t work out. There is little to do there if you can’t do the shuttle, flightsee, hike, or go river rafting. Plus you have the long drive to get up there. You ought to spend a day or two in Anchorage, then spend the rest of your time in Seward. Plus, the drive down there is one of the most scenic in Alaska.
I agree, Eagle River Nature Center is a wonderful place to visit with or without kids
www.ernc.org
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