flossboss Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 We're planning a 9-day trip in June - our 1st trip to Alaska! (I'm already going crazy getting HS materials on Alaska, the Ididarod, Salmon runs, brown and black bear, etc.). DS (7) is absolutely going nuts with excitement! We can't wait!!! :D We'll be staying on the Kenai Peninsula the entire trip so we can take our time and explore. Any advice, recommendations or thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Fun little tidbit: we're taking an Ididarod Tour with the Seavey family in Seward that includes a 35 minute ride with the sled dogs (on a wheeled cart), a kennel tour and "talk" about the Ididarod itself. It turns out that they are a HS family! Can't wait to meet them! Anyway, to those that have been, would LOVE to hear about your adventures and recommendations! Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 No suggestions... but just wanted to say "I'm jealous!!!" :tongue_smilie: Have an awesome trip!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainbowSprinkles Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) Are you going to rent a car? Where are you staying more specifically? While in Seward, I recommend the Sea Life Center. A day cruise may be worth it. Portage Glacier is close to Seward and also worth it. Are you planning on visiting Anchorage at all? ETA: Bring raingear!! Edited January 22, 2012 by RainbowSprinkles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edelweiss Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 No suggestions, but just wanted to say that we are taking our first trip to Alaska this year too! We doing an Alaskan cruise though. I can't wait! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossboss Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Are you going to rent a car? Where are you staying more specifically? While in Seward, I recommend the Sea Life Center. A day cruise may be worth it. Portage Glacier is close to Seward and also worth it. Are you planning on visiting Anchorage at all? ETA: Bring raingear!! We're staying in Seward and Cooper Landing. We're just having a 1/2 day in Anchorage. Yes, we're renting a car in Anchorage for the whole trip. We've heard good things about the Sea Life Center so I think we'll definitely visit there, thanks for recommendation! Raingear: we live in southern CA and have zero raingear. :lol: Guess we'll be doing some shopping - all of our tours suggest (strongly) raingear and then some (like neoprene gloves for our sea kayaking tour). Let the shopping begin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmeraldGirl Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 No suggestions... but just wanted to say "I'm jealous!!!" :tongue_smilie:Have an awesome trip!! :iagree: That is one trip I hope to take one day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paz Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 We did a cruise to Alaska 2 years ago and loved it. We went to the Seavy's and it was great. Got to hold the puppies, etc. My geography is not great so I don't know how far you are from Talketna but it was one of our favorite places. It is a really small town but it is where all the climbers go to begin their climbs of McKinley. You can see the mountain really well there and can go to the check in point where the climbers sign in before climbing and see various gear from the years and so forth. There is a homestyle restaurant there when you eat at long tables and we were able to meet and talk with some weekend climbers. They have the best breakfasts and cinnamon rolls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I'm following this thread! We're thinking of booking an AK vacation for 2013! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiCO Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 We're planning a 9-day trip in June - We'll be staying on the Kenai Peninsula the entire trip so we can take our time and explore. Anyway, to those that have been, would LOVE to hear about your adventures and recommendations! We went to the Kenai Peninsula in June 2011! It was great fun. We stopped at a place between Anchorage and Homer, and did a "panning for gold" place. It was a nice way to break up the drive, and the kids had fun (my kids and cousins.) A highlight of our trip was going Halibut fishing. We went on a small boat- only 6 passengers max. On the other hand, part of our party went on a different day and go horribly sea sick. We also went sea kayaking, we did not need any special gear. We saw whales in the bay though! Plus lots of birds, otters, and other sea life. You'll have a blast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainbowSprinkles Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 We're staying in Seward and Cooper Landing. We're just having a 1/2 day in Anchorage. Yes, we're renting a car in Anchorage for the whole trip. We've heard good things about the Sea Life Center so I think we'll definitely visit there, thanks for recommendation! Raingear: we live in southern CA and have zero raingear. :lol: Guess we'll be doing some shopping - all of our tours suggest (strongly) raingear and then some (like neoprene gloves for our sea kayaking tour). Let the shopping begin! For your 1/2 day in Anchorage: Eagle River Nature Center, Native American Museum, Thunderbird Falls... Have fun! We lived in Anchorage for 3 years and had a really good time there. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theguptas Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 We went to Alaska in 2010 on a group tour. Absolutely LOVED it. Definitely Denali if you can make it up there. And definitely do the long tour (8 hours) into the park on the National Park Service bus. Reserve online in advance because these tours sell out. So much wildlife, the mountain is awesome. The buses are comfortable. They have screens where the drive will stop, use a camera to focus on the wildlife and display it on the screens so everyone gets a good look. Pack snacks and water because the meal they provide isn't much. Get onto a glacier. If you can go out on a boat to see the glaciers where they meet the ocean, it's amazing to see them calving. But, if you aren't sure if you or members of your family will get seasick, take Dramamine beforehand to be on the safe side. I thought I would be fine if I could be outside in the cool, fresh air but the seas were so rough they made us all go inside. Not good. Both of my daughters had never been on rough seas before so all three of us were hugging the barf bags....hubby was kind enough to not take pictures. We remember it well enough! Even though it is June, take warm clothes, layers, waterproof pants and coats, gloves, hats, etc. especially if you are going to do any sea voyages. We were unprepared and we went in August. I wasn't expecting it to be quite so cold and that we would get as wet as we did. The Sea Life Center in Seward is awesome. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center near Girdwood is also worth a stop. Have a great time. It was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us but I would really love to go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Definitely do a glacier cruise. We took one out of Seward this summer and it was really fun. We did the 7-1/2 (or was it 8-1/2) hour one. Just make sure to take something to use if someone gets seasick. I didn't think we would need it but two of us felt a bit crummy in the head and unsettled stomach part of the way. These worked great for us and we could go on and enjoy the trip. Make sure you go on deck at the glaciers. It just isn't the same from the cabin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) Go see Homer. The wildlife boat tours from Seward are really cool definitely do that. Girdwood and the Portage Glacier is cool to stop at. You will drive past them on the way out of Anchorage. The exit glacier hike in Seward is really cool. So is the Byron Glacier hike in Portage. That one is a short hike and brings you right up to the Byron Glacier. Edited January 22, 2012 by MistyMountain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 If you are into custom knives there is a 3 generation knife making shop called IRBI in Moose Pass (close to Seward). Ask them for a tour. They are really nice people and do a great job on knives. Take a tram ride at Alyeska Ski Resort, it is a little pricey but an incredible view. If you get a chance try to see the bore tide on the hwy between Anchorage and Seward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 In addition to activiites already mentioned, hike Exit Glacier outside of Seward, and we enjoy the Pratt Museum in Homer. If you're just in Anchorage for a half-day, I would skip the Native Heritage Center and go to the Museum. They have a really nice Alaska history exhibit which might set the stage nicely for the rest of your trip. There are often Native groups performing there also. The museum's art collection is ho-hum, imho, but there is a nice Children's Discovery Center that is always enjoyable. If you're only going south from Anchorage, then Thunderbird Falls and Eagle River Nature Center are both in the wrong direction for you. Definitely bring warm clothes & raingear!! Hope you have a fabulous trip!! Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Sounds like fun. I am hoping for an Alaska trip this summer as well. It would be just me though as dh doesn't want to go and finances won't allow us to all go. I am planning on going to see a friend. Flying into Anchorage and then possibly going to Fairbanks and then up to Barrow where she lives and then back. Not sure what we will see/do but as she has lived there for almost 20 years I figure she can guide me well. Your trip sounds like a great time for a family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossboss Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 For your 1/2 day in Anchorage: Eagle River Nature Center, Native American Museum, Thunderbird Falls... Have fun! We lived in Anchorage for 3 years and had a really good time there. :) These sound like great ideas for our Anchorage visit! Thanks!!! Do you miss living in AK? I know there are pros and cons to everything but it sure seems like a nice life there, even with the severe weather. I love adventure (you'd think I get plenty of it HS'ing our 7 y.o. boy!!!) and cold weather. If this trip was completely up to me, we'd travel when there was snow...I'd love to do some of the winter weather activities AK has to offer (like driving a snow mobile, maybe a mush dog-tour, etc.). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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