- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Winter Olympics
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
first time to Alaska - Kenai Peninsula and more??
Posted on 6/4/21 at 8:46 am
Posted on 6/4/21 at 8:46 am
Getting excited for my trip next week, flying to Anchorage to set foot in my 50th state for my 50th birthday! I have most of the 14 days figured out, and I can list the itinerary if y'all wanna see it. But my question, as a complete Alaskan novice, in a nutshellis... Kenai Peninsula or Anchorage??
I leave Valdez on a car/passenger ferry on early on Saturday (6/12), arriving around noon at Whittier, and making my way to Seward. Should I do two nights in Seward and one in Anchorage, or vice-versa? A few notes:
- the way the trip is set, we have very little Anchorage time, and I'm ok with that, as I expect to return to AK
- I fly up to Fairbanks late-afternoon Tuesday (6/15)
- so is Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday doing activities around Seward (Kenai Fjords, etc.), then Sunday and Monday night in Anchorage the way to go?
- OR add another night plus half-day to the Kenai Peninsula and arrive late-Monday in Anchorage, thus basically having ~24 hours to see Anchorage?
I'm happy to clarify anything further, and I do appreciate any insight!
JP
P.S. since I am asked a lot, yes I did my 49th state, North Dakota last year for my 49th birthday, but no, my 48th state, South Dakota was about a decade ago.
I leave Valdez on a car/passenger ferry on early on Saturday (6/12), arriving around noon at Whittier, and making my way to Seward. Should I do two nights in Seward and one in Anchorage, or vice-versa? A few notes:
- the way the trip is set, we have very little Anchorage time, and I'm ok with that, as I expect to return to AK
- I fly up to Fairbanks late-afternoon Tuesday (6/15)
- so is Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday doing activities around Seward (Kenai Fjords, etc.), then Sunday and Monday night in Anchorage the way to go?
- OR add another night plus half-day to the Kenai Peninsula and arrive late-Monday in Anchorage, thus basically having ~24 hours to see Anchorage?
I'm happy to clarify anything further, and I do appreciate any insight!
JP
P.S. since I am asked a lot, yes I did my 49th state, North Dakota last year for my 49th birthday, but no, my 48th state, South Dakota was about a decade ago.
7
Posted on 6/4/21 at 8:49 am to JPinLondon
Kenai Peninsula
Don't spend much time in Anchorage. The attraction of AK is outside the city limits.
Don't spend much time in Anchorage. The attraction of AK is outside the city limits.
Posted on 6/4/21 at 9:13 am to JPinLondon
Haven't been to Alaska in probably 15 years but back when I used to go for work we would make the drive from Anchorage to Seward every trip. The drive is spectacular. Its a postcard view around every turn. Seward is (or was) a very small fishing village. Off of memory only - The drive between the two towns has Exit Glacier which was fun to see, theres a ski mountain where Tommy Moe trained, theres another glacier also plus the drive is just literally mindblowing. We saw moose, whale in the bay we were driving around, mountain goats on the side of range beside you, spectacular valleys with river running through it. Get a car and drive you cant go wrong. And while many don't care for Anchorage I always thought it was a good home base but again I was there for work. Roger is the expert on where and what to see there but that's my two cents on what I remember.
Posted on 6/4/21 at 9:18 am to JPinLondon
quote:
- so is Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday doing activities around Seward (Kenai Fjords, etc.), then Sunday and Monday night in Anchorage the way to go?
I'd spend at least a full day in Seward. Kenai Fjords cruise takes a day if you want to do it right. Exit Glacier is just a few miles out of town.
Posted on 6/4/21 at 9:25 am to JPinLondon
Spend as little time as possible in Anchorage. There is not much to see or do in the city itself. Spend the extra day in Seward and take the boat tour of the Kanai Fiords National Park. You will see whales, wildlife, glaciers, and snow covered mountains. The scenery is spectacular. (Although I will say that the day we took this tour, the waves were so rough everyone got seasick and we had to cut the excursion short)
Posted on 6/4/21 at 9:45 am to geauxpurple
quote:
The scenery is spectacular. (Although I will say that the day we took this tour, the waves were so rough everyone got seasick and we had to cut the excursion short)
Yep, last time I was escorting a group, we had the entire vessel chartered and 90% of the people were barfing.
Kenai Fjords seas are open ocean, so you get rollers. Prince William Sound has similar glaciers, and the water is generally a lot calmer.
Posted on 6/4/21 at 10:14 am to JPinLondon
From Anchorage check out Girdwood and Hatcher Pass.
Posted on 6/4/21 at 10:27 am to RogerTheShrubber
quote:
check out Girdwood
At Girdwood check out the Double Musky Inn - fabulous restaurant owned by a Louisiana couple.
Posted on 6/4/21 at 10:33 am to blueridgeTiger
quote:
Double Musky Inn -
Bingo
Lunch on top of the mountain isn't bad either.
Posted on 6/4/21 at 1:00 pm to RogerTheShrubber
quote:All of you, thank you!! I am booking my final items now due to you guys' advice.
Kenai Fjords seas are open ocean, so you get rollers. Prince William Sound has similar glaciers, and the water is generally a lot calmer.
Roger, since I am taking the Alaska Marine Highway System (car ferry) for 5.5 hours through Prince William Sound from Valdez to Whittier, a specific question to you, if you don't mind... would you say the sights on THAT route through PWS is a scenic enough journey such that booking a boat tour of Kenai Fjords is more or less of a repetitive view? Or there are enough differences that you definitely recommend the Kenai Peninsula boat tour?
And I know that sounds like I'm saying "seen one glacier, seen 'em all" but I am not... just trying to optimize my limited time in the Last Frontier!
Posted on 6/4/21 at 1:12 pm to JPinLondon
No, the ferry route is through basically open water for the most part. The sightseeing vessels go to places like Blackstone Glacier, or College Fjord.
One advantage to Seward over PWS (Whittier) is you probably will see more wildlife.
I like Seward though, the waterfront is cool. Harbor area has some restaurants and bars.
One advantage to Seward over PWS (Whittier) is you probably will see more wildlife.
I like Seward though, the waterfront is cool. Harbor area has some restaurants and bars.
Posted on 6/4/21 at 1:29 pm to RogerTheShrubber
quote:
I'd spend at least a full day in Seward. Kenai Fjords cruise takes a day if you want to do it right.
I thought the full day Kenai Fjords cruise was excellent. Several Orcas and Humpbacks close to the ship, and other wildlife. That and a flight over Denali (get a plane with oxygen) were our two favorite things we did on the trip.
Posted on 6/4/21 at 5:32 pm to JPinLondon
quote:
Getting excited for my trip next week, flying to Anchorage to set foot in my 50th state for my 50th birthday!
Nice. Any foreign countries?
quote:
Kenai Peninsula or Anchorage??
Kenai Peninsula.
Posted on 6/4/21 at 6:18 pm to Tigris
quote:
I thought the full day Kenai Fjords cruise was excellent.
Did y'all stop at Fox Island? I know some packages don't have that stop, others do. I've seen Orcas and humpbacks every time I have been to Kenai Fjords. Otters most of the time.
Posted on 6/5/21 at 8:27 am to RogerTheShrubber
quote:
Did y'all stop at Fox Island?
No, it wasn't an option that we saw. Before we came up we bought a coupon book that had a lot of discount tickets and 2/1 tickets. We had an option of a 2/1 full day or half day Kenai Fjords trip, we opted for the full day and really liked it. Fox Island wasn't on that companies route. We also used the book for 2/1 on the flight over Denali (get a plane with oxygen so you can go higher) and a 2/1 on the paddle boat in Fairbanks. If that coupon book is still around it's a great deal for a couple that has plans to see a lot.
Posted on 6/5/21 at 9:06 am to Tigris
its just an island on the way out to Kenai Fjords, they have a lodge set up there and a salmon bake.
I enjoyed it. Nice little break from the boat. You go by it on the way out. Good kayaking in the cove.
I enjoyed it. Nice little break from the boat. You go by it on the way out. Good kayaking in the cove.
This post was edited on 6/5/21 at 9:07 am
Posted on 6/5/21 at 9:37 am to JPinLondon
quote:
my 50th state for my 50th birthday
Okay now that is pretty cool.
Posted on 6/8/21 at 8:07 am to Globetrotter747
quote:Either 33 or 36 of 'em; I should count 'em up again. 2020 caused me to put all that, mentally, on pause. Never crossed the Equator though, and never to South America. I think nine times to Asia. Most "off-beaten-path" stops probably Libya or Haiti. Favorite might be Austria. Lived in Moscow.
Nice. Any foreign countries?
Thanks to ALL for the advice here!! I'm sipping coffee near Talkeetna, wife sleeping-in after a long travel day, Mt. McKinley is in view from this deck.
I'm at 50 states now!! I turn 50 in two days. Unless the deranged Leftists running Washington manage to make Guam a state, I am done for a while now, having already been to D.C. and Puerto Rico.
Y'all have a great day!
Posted on 6/8/21 at 9:07 am to JPinLondon
quote:
McKinley is in view from this deck.
If its a nice day, go down to the river. Great view of the mountain.
Posted on 6/8/21 at 9:51 am to JPinLondon
A while back I made a "50 for 50" list of travel goals I wanted to accomplish by the time I was 50 It was all 50 states, 50 foreign countries, 50 natural attractions, 50 museums, monuments, etc. It was basically a highlights of the world list.
Covid and a few other things threw a monkey wrench into that. Would have to go dig up the list but I think I still need 3 or 4 states, 10 foreign countries and maybe 25% of the other goals. I could still do it but it would require some very proactive travel planning. Two weeks a year probably won't cut it considering I have some far flung places left to check off, like Alaska, Australia, Africa...
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News