My daughter and her recently minted husband will be heading to Alaska in August. This is their first time there and are looking for recommendations on activities and places to stay.

• Plan to base out of Anchorage and do day activities in and around the area.
• They would like to keep things fairly reasonable.
• Will be there for a week.

Will also post on the travel board, but figured many here would have some good ideas as well.

Don't limit yourself to just Anchorage. There's a lot to do not far from there. Spend two days in Seward. Do the 8 hour Kenai Fjords day cruise on day 1 and the second day go hike in the park and visit the aquarium. The drive to Seward is spectacular. There's a wildlife center on the way down that worth a stop. Drive up to Talkeetna and catch a flight seeing tour of Denali. There are also a few glaciers to hike a few hours from town. In Anchorage, I enjoyed the zoo (one of the few places with snow leopards) and the private tour at the Native Cultural Center.

One thing we absolutely enjoyed in Anchorage (which was in August) was renting bikes and biking the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. Highly recommended!!!

I was there last august. Home basing out or Anc is not a great idea. Everything they will want to do is 90 minutes or more away. The drive is pretty, but 3+ hours in the car every day is no vacation.

Stay a couple days in Seward, stay a couple days in Homer or somewhere else. I wouldn't spend more than a day in Anchorage.

Alaska is expensive. Like real expensive. Doing it on the cheap will not be easy. Try Turo for the car rental. VRBO for lodging. All the excursions will be expensive. Eating and drinking is high as well.

There are a million fishing charters for them to pick. I will say it again, flossing for salmon is mind numbingly boring and stupid. It is standing in a cold river foul hooking fish, hoping you hit one in the mouth. It works and you will fill the box, but not the kind of fishing I like. Go on a halibut trip. That isn't real sporty fishing either, but the sights from the boat are amazing.

I should also add that things will be crowded. Not like Disneyworld on spring break crowded, but don't expect this wild frontier solitude from those destinations. There will be lots of people. Places staff up to handle the crowds, so it is not bad, but just something I wasn't expecting. I am sure there are plenty of spots to get out into the wild, my trip just didn't take me there.

REALLY appreciate all the valuable input. I will pass this information along to them. It will be a BIG help!

Go to Whittier and do a glacier cruise in PWS

https://phillipscruises.com/whittier/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD8k4wtnGlhxphm28s_ekt1TSUtx8&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtJ6_BhDWARIsAGanmKcG_EZ6ahC2vo-ruRpvHMUfaYGuW-jgLzHrYB3ikZ7Ot8TFzFPEPMEaAqK2EALw_wcB


If it is too expensive, go to Whittier just to go. The tunnel is cool and the sound is beautiful

Anchorage zoo has a polar bear which is somewhat rare to see

You can take a helicopter to a glacier for dogsled in Alyeska, but it is expensive

Go hang out in Talkeetna

We're taking the train to Fairbanks

B-1 83 said:

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We're taking the train to Fairbanks

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From where?

BoerneGator said:

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B-1 83 said:

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We're taking the train to Fairbanks

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From where?

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Anchorage….

Its a hike, but my trip to Valdez and Prince William Sound was my favorite place in Alaska. Better than a clear day at Denali.

BSD said:

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Don't limit yourself to just Anchorage. There's a lot to do not far from there. Spend two days in Seward. Do the 8 hour Kenai Fjords day cruise on day 1 and the second day go hike in the park and visit the aquarium. The drive to Seward is spectacular. There's a wildlife center on the way down that worth a stop. Drive up to Talkeetna and catch a flight seeing tour of Denali. There are also a few glaciers to hike a few hours from town. In Anchorage, I enjoyed the zoo (one of the few places with snow leopards) and the private tour at the Native Cultural Center.

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Nailed it!

There is also dog sledding in Girdwood between Anchorage and Seward....Seavey's Ididaride Sled Dog Tours....they helecopter you up to Punchbowl Glacier where they have all the dogs

Its cheaper to go to Europe than Alaska. AK + budget don't go hand in hand.

I also recommend the tips of driving around and staying in different areas for 1-2 nights each. There's more to do south than north and to this end, really look at distances because Alaska is BIG and most people don't appreciated the time it takes to get from A to B.

Hotel/motels will be expensive for B- places and if they want to do certain things I'd pay in advance to secure a spot. Tourism season is 3 months and a lot of $$$ has to be made.

Other tips, when driving south pack a cooler with snacks and drinks. A single wreck can snarl traffic for HOURS because of the time it takes just to get crews to remote areas.

Have them set alarms to remind them to eat. If you're down in Homer by the time their biological clocks tell them they're hungry it could be after 9 and everything has shut down.

Shouldn't have to say it, but stay away from moose. And if there's a moose calf stay FAR away.