Need Alaska Advice

[fourontheroad]

Unfortunately, I have only 8 days in Alaska. Or shall I say, fortunately, I have at least 8 days in Alaska! We are a family of four; the kids are ages 3 and almost 6. We fly into Anchorage July 3rd and fly out July 12th. I am seeking advice on campgrounds.

We rent a small RV on July 5th and return it on July 12th. I was planning an itinerary along the lines of this:

July 4: Anchorage (stay in a hotel)
July 5: Talkeetna
July 6: Byers Lake or Denali NP
July 7: Byers Lake or Denali
July 8: Girdwood
July 9: Seward/ Kenai Peninsula
July 10: Seward/ Kenai Peninsula
July 11: Seward/ Kenai Peninsula
July 12: Return to Anchorage for flight out at night

We are thinking of limiting the amount of times that we change campgrounds to avoid having to waste time on checking and out and hooking up. Does that seem to make sense? Which campgrounds do you recommend that have some activities for the kids (a lake, a playground), a nice view, maybe an on site restaurant, and a camping, natural, feel.

Also, once parked at a campground, for example, if I stayed at a Seward campground, is it easy to get around the city without using the RV to leave the camp site? Can I see much of the peninsula if I stayed in one campground? Would you recommend an overnight in Girdwood or a day stop and then continue on to camp/park in Seward? Same question for Talkeetna. Do you recommend staying in the Denali NP campground or somewhere nearby? I think we will probably do the bus tour, but if so, is it easy to do other hikes and activities if parked at the NP?

Sorry, really new at this! Never RVed before.

[2gypsies1]

tonymull wrote:
You greatly increase your chances of seeing wildlife by going into the park for as many days as you can.

Exactly. We spent 5 nights in Teklanika campground and 5 nights in Denali's front campground, Riley Creek. This was in August and we saw every one of the 'big 5', many multiple times.

If you plan only 1 day in Denali you won't see much - especially if you stay outside the park and just do a day trip. We saw bear and moose in our campgrounds while staying IN the park.

[tonymull]

You greatly increase your chances of seeing wildlife by going into the park for as many days as you can. The drivers radio back and forth as to where animals are near the road and that multiplies your chances of seeing them. Also animals outside the park are far more wary of people and usually will be moving away from you when you see them, not always but usually.

[jnharley]

We stayed in Denali in August (last year) and saw tons of bears because they were out feeding for their winter sleep. The bus in front of us reported a mamma grizzly with her 2 two year old cubs in the road. Mama grizzly was upset with the bus being in her territory and slapped the bus door with her paw, nearly breaking the door, thrilling and scaring the passengers. By the time we got to that location, the bears had moved off the road onto the hillside to continue feeding. Must have been the time of year we visited Denali but we saw tons of wildlife with the exception of the elusive wolf.

[His_Hers_Alaska]

I completely understand your situation. Having a limited time frame and trying to take in as much as you can. I have a saying, Alaska is not just a destination, it's a state of mind. Meaning you should make realistic expectations for your trip.

IMHO the Kenai Peninsula alone deserves 7 days for a first time visitor. This will give you time to enjoy yourself and not spend so much time driving. We live here in Seward and could help you with some local knowledge, if needed.

Denali is great but it's a long drive and truthfully gets mixed reviews. The natural beauty is there but seeing Bears, Wolves, Moose, Caribou, etc. is all a gamble because it's not a zoo. I have learned you need to be in the right place at the right time so see wildlife. Sometimes you will see more moose in Anchorage than Denali.

Enjoy the trip.

[SBradley]

Most rentals are limited to wheels, very strict about where you can land. Usually restricted to FAA maintained runways, some even restrict further to paved runways.

It would be more cost effective to simply take a commercial flight seeing trip.

[PA12DRVR]

fourontheroad wrote:
Do you know Of any planes on skis? Prefer float over cub. Have already done cub. Any idea of prices? also do you know of anywhere he can get a checkout and then rental to take the family up?

ACME offers training on floats (180 HP PA-18) in the Summertime from Lake Hood.

Land & Sea Air offers rental from Merrill...they include (IIRC) the fleet formerly at Take Flight Alaska...152's up to 207

I believe Artics in Palmer rents as well, but limited to 172 for multi-pax.

[fourontheroad]

Do you know Of any planes on skis? Prefer float over cub. Have already done cub. Any idea of prices? also do you know of anywhere he can get a checkout and then rental to take the family up?

[tonymull]

Lake Hood in Anchorage is the largest float plane base in the world.

[SBradley]

Instruction depends on what you are wanting learn cub or float plane?

[fourontheroad]

Great thanks

[PA12DRVR]

fourontheroad wrote:
Great advice. Thanks for the detailed itinerary suggestion. Carrera glider- my husband is a CFI with ATP. Do you have any recommendations for a flight school where he can take a lesson in Alaska flying? He would love that!

- ACME Cub Training, Lake Hood
- Artic's Air Academy Palmer
- Alaska Cub Training Specialists (? IIRC, Jay Baldwin is the instructor) at Wolf Lake near Palmer

There's a theme to the above (Super Cubs, obviously) but they can all get you into Alaska Airspace. Artic's Air and Jay Baldwin are pretty close to the Knik Glacier and can offer some mountain/glacier flying time.

[fourontheroad]

Great advice. Thanks for the detailed itinerary suggestion. Carrera glider- my husband is a CFI with ATP. Do you have any recommendations for a flight school where he can take a lesson in Alaska flying? He would love that!

[SBradley]

I live in Alaska (all my life). I agree with other messages, only 8 days choose a direction.

There is no way to see Alaska in 8 days , but you can experience some of the things make this a great place to live.

As an example I have live here all my life, I fly airplanes and my Dad flew commercially for 30 yrs and I can say that I been to nearly all the extreme areas of the state but still have many things on my to do list.
One of our favorite trips is a loop from Anchorage to Dawson to Whitehorse and back that takes us a week trying to fit fishing hiking in.
My wife is a photographer taking trips to Kaktovic to photograph Polar bears 9 day trip up the Dalton hwy and a flight out of prudhoe to Kaktovic. We are heading to Katmai to photo graph Brown bears only accessible by air $700 ea just air fare so just do what you can.
Everything is a long drive or flight, 6 hours just to drive to the entrance of Denali.

I would go South because everything North is a long distance between things to do or see.

Day 1 Anchorage to Whittier, Prine William Sound (26 Glacier Cruise) back in port by 6 PM. Drive to Seward 2 hours in a motor home. Camp either in PrimRose camp ground or into Seward.
Day 2 choose to go out fishing on a charter & Sea Life center or hike the Primrose/Lost Lake trail 16 miles can be done in 5 1/2 hour or 6 1/2 if you are taking your time. Or add a second day and do both
Day 3 drive Kenai sight seeing on the drive stop do some fishing.
Kenai River Scenic Float | Kenai River Trips
www.alaskarivertrips.com/rafting/kenai-river-scenic-float
A serene two-hour float along a non-motorized stretch of the scenic Upper Kenai River offers wildlife viewing opportunities and natural history interpretation.
Day 4 Homer plenty of things to do, this is good place to start choose something to do stay a day or two.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g31009-Activities-Homer_Alaska.html

Day 5, 6 or 7 depending how much time spent South; head back toward Anchorage take a few short trips.
Hatcher Pass camp see the mine hike mountains.
Palmer http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31086-d144679-Reviews-Musk_Ox_Farm-Palmer_Alaska.html
Eklutna is on the way so you can camp, hike the mountains, rent a kayak
Great way to relax before getting back on an airplane.

Just have fun playing in our back yard.

[SkipStock]

Lots of good advice here from seasoned travelers and past/present residents.
Your first glimpse of Alaska as you fly in if it's clear will be "holy******- It's big"......which is why the advice from those who've said go north or south but don't try both in 8 days is sound advice.

The least amount of driving and most amount of activities will be to go south to Girdwood/Whittier/Portage/Seward/Kenaii/Homer.

Please be very mindful of the traffic - you wouldn't think it would be a problem, but since we only have two seasons up here - Winter and Construction - there is a lot of competition for the (often torn up) roadways.

One last note - you can bank on the kids sleeping well when you finally get them to bed. You are here when it will still be light nearly 24 hours and it will be 10pm when you suddenly realize you need to start thinking about dinner!