Driving time and off the beaten path tourism --Anchorage to Fairbanks? (Palmer: bus, cabins)

[DreamworksSKG]

Hi, I am wondering

what would the drive time be from Anchorage - Fairbanks?

How many days would you suggest staying in Fairbanks for sightseeing and such?

What is there to do in the area?

I prefer not only the top sights, but also off the beaten path places

any help/info would be appreciate

---Jeff-
Winchester, MA

[Barkingowl]

You'd have to stop at Skinny Dicks for a beer.

[RayinAK]

Beaten path? I would suggest the Glenn Highway from near Palmer to Glennallen, then left on the Richardson Highway all the way around Delta Junction, and then back toward Fairbanks. This would be an excellent and scenery drive, specially the Glenn Highway and then from Paxon to Delta Junction, on an RV. At Big Delta (just past Delta Junction on your way to Fairbanks), stop by Rika's Roadhouse. Once you are in Fairbanks, go to the Hot Springs. On the way down to Los Anchorage from Squarebanks, stop at Skinny Dick's (as mentioned above), and a few miles later at The Monderosa if you like nice and fattening food such as a huge hamburger and fries, topped with a beer or two.

[warptman]

Could also drive up to Cantwell and hang a right over through the Denali Highway over to the Richardson and then northward to Fairbanks. Or south to the Tok Cutoff and then the Alaska Highway to Delta (mmm Delta Meats) and then to Fairbanks.

[DreamworksSKG]

How long would these mentioned drives be? Would it be longer than a day? Is there lodging or B+B's , wilderness lodges, and such to stay at along the way? Cabins?

Thanks!

- What is the drive time between Anchorage-Fairbanks?

--jeff--

[warptman]

Usually takes me six hours to Fairbanks with a few stops, well, since I got a new camera it's many stops. I've driven this many times, but since I got the new Canon 40D, it seems I'm always pulling over to take pictures.

Here is some information on the the highway

Denali Highway, Denali National Park

[starlite9]

IF you are going to make the "Loop" in mid to late summer, there is a bunch of neat places to see.

When you leave Anchorage, drive to Eklutna Lake, it is about 18 miles (or so) North of Anchorage. Then drive up to Hatcher Pass and come down the other side where it comes to the Parks Highway. From there go North to the Veterans Memorial (about mile 130 or so), on a clear day there is a good view of Mt. McKinley from the parking lot and the memorial is pretty somber.

Head up to Denali National Park, you can drive back to about Savage River, take lots of photos and you may look into taking the bus tour all the way back to Wonder Lake which is neat (ask at the Park Visitor's center).

From there you can drive North to Fairbanks, keep going North up the Haul road to the Arctic Circle (get you picture taken by the sign), then head back down and stop at Chena Hot Springs and get into hot water (really the hot springs are great for the body)...

Then drive down the Richardson Highway to Valdez and then either catch the State Ferry to Cordova and/or stay a few days then catch it again to Whitter and that brings you to just South of Anchorage and that makes for a pretty neat "Round". You can also backtrack up from Valdez to Paxton and then drive west across the Denali Highway and that comes out at Cantwell, from there you hang a left and head back down the Parks Highway to Anchorage.

Get a "Milepost" it will give you all sorts of ideas and where to go too. Mostly there are advertisements for the businesses, but there is also a lot of other stuff that you can use in there too.

Good luck on the trip...

[warptman]

This is my drive through the Denali Highway from Paxson to Cantwell.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/alask...i-highway.html