Alaska Cruise and Land

My wife and I will be going for a cruise from Vancouver to Seeward in
late July and then spend 4 days in Alaska before flying back.

We are above 55 years and not into extreme adventures but anyone care
to recommend activities?
We have a tentative plan to take the train to Fairbanks and then drive
back via Valdez.
Thanks

wrote:
My wife and I will be going for a cruise from Vancouver to Seeward in
late July and then spend 4 days in Alaska before flying back.

We are above 55 years and not into extreme adventures but anyone care
to recommend activities?
We have a tentative plan to take the train to Fairbanks and then drive
back via Valdez.
Thanks

Four days in Alaska is not a lot of time to do what you are suggesting.
Also, do you plan to rent a car to drive from Fairbanks to Valdez,
then Anchorage? Someone more familiar with one way rentals can advise
you better but I don't think that is cost effective.

I don't live there but have visited many times. For just 4 days, I
wouldn't recommend trying your tentative plan. Roads in Alaska, while
all paved, are not superhighways where you can travel at 70 mph.
You will have to allow time for road crews fixing the highway.

Fairbanks is less than 500 miles but if you travel that far north,
surely you will want to see Denali Park. (The main reason to go to
Fairbanks.) The bus ride into the park takes at least 4 hours (then 4
hours out) to see anything of interest. To get to Mirror Lake will be 8
hours in and 8 out. Another favorite of mine is the tourist-themed
Ester with the Malemute Saloon and Bunkhouse, just before Fairbanks.

My recommendation would be to stick to the coastline and save Fairbanks
for your second trip. (And there will be a second - I think you'll fall
in love with the place.) Besides, if you happen to get clear weather,
you can see Denali from Anchorage.

Does the cruiseline provide you with transportation to Anchorage? Rent
a car and drive to Valdez past the Musk Ox farm and the Mantanuska
Glacier. While I LOVE Valdez, I think the best part is the drive into
the town, past Worthington glacier (that you can practically walk on)
and through the Keystone Canyon and waterfalls. You'll probably be
tired of cruising but instead of driving back the same way, I'd book the
ferry (in advance) to haul you back through Prince William sound with
more glaciers. You'll arrive in Whittier with a short drive back to
Anchorage.

Or, drive to Homer stopping at Anchor Point (the farthest west you can
drive on the continent). Homer Spit is a curleycue jut of land. The
town has a store that makes chocolate jelly candy, known all over Alaska.

Whatever you decide, have a great time. I may see you there since this
year will be my 17th trip. I'd move there but my DH won't go.

Travlr

On Sun, 23 Mar 2008 19:43:11 -0700 (PDT) in
rec.travel.usa-canada, wrote:

My wife and I will be going for a cruise from Vancouver to Seeward in
late July and then spend 4 days in Alaska before flying back.

We are above 55 years and not into extreme adventures but anyone care
to recommend activities?
We have a tentative plan to take the train to Fairbanks and then drive
back via Valdez.

How are you getting from Valdez back to Anchorage? Doubling back
on the road, or taking a ferry? Ferries get booked well in
advance, see http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/index.html

You're not going to have much time for "activities" on the car
trip, except to drive miles and miles of miles and miles. Did
you check those distances? 4 days is a VERY short time for such
a trip.

If you will be driving, you need to get a copy of "The Milepost",
see www.themilepost.com --- most bookstores with travel books
will have it, or you can order it online.

wrote:
My wife and I will be going for a cruise from Vancouver to Seeward in
late July and then spend 4 days in Alaska before flying back.

We are above 55 years and not into extreme adventures but anyone care
to recommend activities?
We have a tentative plan to take the train to Fairbanks and then drive
back via Valdez.
Thanks

For only four days I'd probably forget Fairbanks and instead take the
train to Denali Park, then take a bus tour into the park. You can drive
back, or there is a bus.
"http://www.alaskatravel.com/bus-lines/anchorage-denali-am.html"

Visit the Exit Glacier near Seward prior to going back to Seward to get
the train. There is a shuttle service, see
"http://www.exitglacierguides.com/shuttle.html".

We liked renting bicycles in Anchorage and riding the Tony Knowles
trail. See "http://www.alaska-bike-rentals.com/".

The train is nice, but it is very slow and very expensive, so one way is
really enough. Just don't book the cruise line's rail trip, as you see
much less wildlife from the cruise line's rail cars that are hooked to
the back of the train (by the time the cruise line's cars get to where
the wildlife was, the train has scared the wildlife away).

If you do make it to Fairbanks, above all, forget about doing the
Eldorado Gold Mine. The paddleboat tour (Riverboat Discovery) is a bit
touristy, but it's enjoyable.

wrote in message
...
My wife and I will be going for a cruise from Vancouver to Seward in
late July and then spend 4 days in Alaska before flying back.

We are above 55 years and not into extreme adventures but anyone care
to recommend activities?
We have a tentative plan to take the train to Fairbanks and then drive
back via Valdez.
Thanks

By "activities", do you mean walks ? , sightseeing ? Bus tours ?
On your drive back down:
"The inter-port ferry routes connect the smaller communities of Southeast
Alaska with each other"
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/Trav...tes/index.html

For local ideas:
http://www.frommers.com/destinations...210026644.html

Pick the towns you'll visit - lots of info on each:
http://www.travelalaska.com/Regions/StateCommunity.aspx

http://www.sewardak.org/news%2Devents/calendar/
http://www.seward.com/directory.htm
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/usa/alaska/
Info on "things to do" for most port cities:
http://www.alaskacruiseexperts.com/ports.asp

wrote in message
...
My wife and I will be going for a cruise from Vancouver to Seeward in
late July and then spend 4 days in Alaska before flying back.

We are above 55 years and not into extreme adventures but anyone care
to recommend activities?
We have a tentative plan to take the train to Fairbanks and then drive
back via Valdez.
Thanks

South of Anchorage, Mt Alyeska Hotel is VERY nice place to stay and even
if you don't stay there, if it is NOT CLOUDY, take the tram to the peak.
( If it's cloudy = no view)
http://www.alyeskaresort.com/

http://www.alyeskaresort.com/page.asp?intNodeID=10836

The Seven Glaciers restaurant at the mount peak is 'top rated'. (
tram-ride free with restaurant reservations) Menus( with pricing) are
online too - under Hotel - Resort Dining. South of Mt Alyeska there is
an animal shelter for injured wild animals - entry fee is a few bucks -
good driving / bathroom break and you do get to see a lot of them up
close.

THANKS GUYS for all the helpful info.
We will rent the car for 4 days from Fairbanks and return in Anchorage
before flying off.
The plan is to take the train from Anchorage to Denali park for 1
night there.
Avis does not charge more for the one-way.

The total time we will spend in Alaska is 7 nights.


On Apr 1, 9:22*pm, "- Bobb -" wrote:
wrote in message

...

My wife and I will be going for a cruise from Vancouver to Seeward in
late July and then spend 4 days in Alaska before flying back.

We are above 55 years and not into extreme adventures but anyone care
to recommend activities?
We have a tentative plan to take the train to Fairbanks and then drive
back via Valdez.
Thanks

South of Anchorage, Mt Alyeska Hotel is VERY nice place to stay and even
if you don't stay there, if it is NOT CLOUDY, take the tram to the peak.
( If it's cloudy = no view)http://www.alyeskaresort.com/

http://www.alyeskaresort.com/page.asp?intNodeID=10836

The Seven Glaciers restaurant at the mount peak is 'top rated'. (
tram-ride free with restaurant reservations) Menus( with pricing) are
online too - under Hotel - Resort Dining. * South of Mt Alyeska there is
an animal shelter for injured wild animals - entry fee is a few bucks -
good driving / bathroom break and you do get to see a lot of them up
close.

wrote in message
...
THANKS GUYS for all the helpful info.
We will rent the car for 4 days from Fairbanks and return in Anchorage
before flying off. The plan is to take the train from Anchorage to Denali
park for 1night there.
Avis does not charge more for the one-way.
The total time we will spend in Alaska is 7 nights.


How are you gonna get from Seward to Anchorage ? (125 miles) I would
think the train ride from Anchorage to Denali will take most of the day
( about 500 miles and stops " wherever people want to get off" ).
Also the fare : $220 pp one- way - seems pretty expensive to then - not
stay , but hop in a car and drive back
http://www.akrr.com/arrc18.html





On Apr 1, 9:22 pm, "- Bobb -" wrote:
wrote in message

...

My wife and I will be going for a cruise from Vancouver to Seward in
late July and then spend 4 days in Alaska before flying back.

We are above 55 years and not into extreme adventures but anyone care
to recommend activities?
We have a tentative plan to take the train to Fairbanks and then drive
back via Valdez.
Thanks

South of Anchorage, Mt Alyeska Hotel is VERY nice place to stay and even
if you don't stay there, if it is NOT CLOUDY, take the tram to the peak.
( If it's cloudy = no view)http://www.alyeskaresort.com/

http://www.alyeskaresort.com/page.asp?intNodeID=10836

The Seven Glaciers restaurant at the mount peak is 'top rated'. (
tram-ride free with restaurant reservations) Menus( with pricing) are
online too - under Hotel - Resort Dining. South of Mt Alyeska there is
an animal shelter for injured wild animals - entry fee is a few bucks -
good driving / bathroom break and you do get to see a lot of them up
close.

- Bobb - wrote:

How are you gonna get from Seward to Anchorage ? (125 miles) I would
think the train ride from Anchorage to Denali will take most of the day
( about 500 miles and stops " wherever people want to get off" ).
Also the fare : $220 pp one- way - seems pretty expensive to then - not
stay , but hop in a car and drive back
http://www.akrr.com/arrc18.html

The train line starts in Seward.

Yes, the train is expensive and slow, but scenic, and the food on the
train in the dining car is good.

"SMS" wrote in message
...
- Bobb - wrote:

How are you gonna get from Seward to Anchorage ? (125 miles) I would
think the train ride from Anchorage to Denali will take most of the
day ( about 500 miles and stops " wherever people want to get off" ).
Also the fare : $220 pp one- way - seems pretty expensive to then -
not stay , but hop in a car and drive back
http://www.akrr.com/arrc18.html

The train line starts in Seward.

Yes, the train is expensive and slow, but scenic, and the food on the
train in the dining car is good.

Ok, just checking - as he said that they would "take the train from
Anchorage to Fairbanks". ( Not Seward to Fairbanks)