Stay in Anchorage for the whole week? (Fairbanks, Kenai: showing, hotels)

[fsval]

My husband and I want to visit Alaska around September for a week. We bought two books (Alaska for Dummies & Unofficial guide to Alaska). They recommended to stay in Anchorage for the first night, then travel to Seward area for two nights, then head back to Anchorage for the Denali area. We love to do road trips (GPS in handy) and don't mind driving for 2 hours back and forth. I rather stay in Anchorage as the base throughout the whole week because we are afraid that we can't get any hotels in Seward and other areas. What do you guys think?

[Rance]

I think you'll be able to find hotels in September. The majority of tourists will be gone.

[Barkingowl]

Originally Posted by fsval

I rather stay in Anchorage as the base throughout the whole week because we are afraid that we can't get any hotels in Seward and other areas. What do you guys think?

We initially thought that way till I saw how expensive the hotels in Anchorage are. We decided to base ourselves in Wasilla & save some money. Don't forget to check out the MatSu valley & Kenai on your trip.

[warptman]

Take a drive to Valdez for a night. Head north on the Richardson Highway and stop in Fairbanks for a couple nights. Drive down the Parks and stop in Denali. Continue on down to Wasilla and Anchorage. A perfect round Alaska vacation.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by fsval

My husband and I want to visit Alaska around September for a week. We bought two books (Alaska for Dummies & Unofficial guide to Alaska). They recommended to stay in Anchorage for the first night, then travel to Seward area for two nights, then head back to Anchorage for the Denali area. We love to do road trips (GPS in handy) and don't mind driving for 2 hours back and forth. I rather stay in Anchorage as the base throughout the whole week because we are afraid that we can't get any hotels in Seward and other areas. What do you guys think?

Since your time is limited to a week, it sounds like a good plan. Be sure to make reservations well in advance in Seward. Accommodations go pretty quickly in the small town, but if you make your reservations at least 3 months in advance, you should be able to get a nice place.

A trip to Homer, visiting Cooper Landing, Sterling, Soldotna, Kenai, and Ninilchik would be very scenic and informative. There is a lot of Russian history in the panhandle, Aleutian Islands, and Kenai Peninsula areas.

I wouldn't rely too heavily on your GPS. Most of the road information used by GPS' in Alaska is off by miles. GPS' are great at showing you where you have been, but not so good at showing you how to get someplace.

Be sure to stop and visit the Seward Glacier while in Seward, and the Portage Glacier and Portage Wildlife Park on your drive to Seward or your drive back to Anchorage.

Stop at Beluga Point for some nice pictures and watch for Dall sheep on the cliffs above the road, and beluga or killer whales in Turnagain Arm.

Hopefully you will leave Alaska wanting to come back again for a longer stay.

[rickers]

I've never been to Alaska, But my best friend spent half his life there commercial fishing.
He has told me stories that most folks would scoff at. Same here, I've lived in Montana for ten years and spend a lot of time tooling around everywhere.
Believe me it would take ten lifetimes to see all of Montana, multiply that by a gazillion and you might be able to really see everything in a place like Alaska. I can't imagine what Siberia must be like, I hear they have huge land locked salmon and six foot high freshwater sponges and land locked freshwater seals. Lake Baikal ! Wow !
I know "wow" "I say it louder" !

[Barkingowl]

Warpt are there hotels in Bethel or can I bunk with you?

[warptman]

Theres a Long House, not sure what they charge. There are also numerous Korean owned places, not highly recommended. When are you heading up? I might head back down to Montana at the end of August for a couple weeks. My coworkers and I are playing vacation tag, they keep changing dates and it is starting to aggravate me.

[Wrennie]

FSVAL:
The Hotel Seward is actually very nice and not too expensive. Also in Seward there's a boxcar restaurant--I've forgotten the name this late at night---but it has excellent breakfasts..While there you can go to the Sealife Center....and since you're going that way, you can stop at the Wildlife Conservation Center--- near Girdwood. And for sure you should go to the top of the tram at the Hotel Alyeska either on your way down or on the way back to Anchorage and have the beef tips and baked Alyeska----awesome. All of that would make a very nice two day excursion outside of Anchorage and the drive is beautiful. It is definitely what I would recommend to anyone visiting Anchorage. Good luck and have a great trip!

[elgusano]

Don't forget Exit Glacier and/or Portage Glacier.

One of the whale watching cruises with Kenai Fjords Tours should be taken, as well.