Fly or Drive? (Anchorage, Haines, Tok: crime rates, home, neighborhood)

[sraekesteloot24]

Hello Everyone!
Myself and two friends, plus my toddler may be moving to Anchorage in the next month or so. Just waiting to hear if my friend gets her job or not. Anyways I have been researching since I have a child moving from Colorado to Alaska is a huge step for myself. I am hoping someone can help with a few of my questions:

1. Should we fly or drive to Alaska? I have looked into furnished housing, which I have found is mainly corporate.

2. That leads to my next question, is there any furnished long-term housing in Anchorage?

3. Can anyone suggest an Early Learning Center for my 2 1/2 year old?

4. I am a degree holder in the tourism industry, what kind of job might I find in Anchorage?

5. Finally, housing; I have read that Fairview, Mt.View, Spendard and Muldoon have high crime rates, so what is a good neighborhood to live in?

Thanks for helping a Colorado native out!!

[lellenn]

With a 2 and a half year old I would fly and ship your stuff up. It takes about a week to drive - we drove from Wyoming.
I would not recommend any furnished housing here, it is very cost prohibitive.
As far as Early Learning Centers go, you can look up all the data on them as far as their inspections go, and what the inspectors found through the Municipality of Anchorage website at hhs.muni.org/childcare.
I have mostly used home based care for my kids and have had good people.
I don't know what kind of job you'd find in Anchorage with your degree, but since you have one you could at least get some kind of decent job that may not be what you went to school for.
I would live in South West or South East Anchorage, or West - the Turnagain area is pretty good.

[warptman]

I'd say drive. A week? Where did you get that from? Megansmom came up from the east coast in five days. Last summer I took my parents down to Montana from Alaska in four days. The fastest I've done it was three days to Seattle from Anchorage. The longest for me was six days, that was taking my time and enjoying myself. I've done the Alcan 13 times now and I'm ready for more.

[sraekesteloot24]

Thank You for the words of advice. Hopefully this week my friend will find out if it's a go or not!

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by warptman

I'd say drive. A week? Where did you get that from? Megansmom came up from the east coast in five days. Last summer I took my parents down to Montana from Alaska in four days. The fastest I've done it was three days to Seattle from Anchorage. The longest for me was six days, that was taking my time and enjoying myself. I've done the Alcan 13 times now and I'm ready for more.

Not everyone drives 100 mph down the Alcan. It took me 8 days to drive to Anchorage from Los Angeles (3,695 miles), but I was also hauling a one ton trailer. From Denver to Anchorage it is 3,213 miles. A week driving time is a very reasonable estimate.

[*Farmgirl]

Have you considered taking the ferry? I just took it from Bellingham to Haines this past weekend and would highly recommend it! But, if you're leaving in the next month, cabins are probably sold out and I can't see where camping out on deck with a toddler would be any fun...but if you are flexible with dates then you may be able to get a cabin. The ferry is costly, but I personally found it to be well worth it.

[GiffdaGreat]

if ur not used to driving long distances than a drvie from colorado would be brutal, and it really depends on the mileage on ur car about whether it'd be better to just fly, but i wish u luck !

[mmcguy]

I remember driving from Oregon to Anchorage in 1971 on the Alcan. In those days, from Ft. Nelson BC to the Alaska border, it was basically a 1500 mile one lane pot-hole ridden, dusty, gravel path. We averaged about 30 mph on a good day. However, being only 15 years old, this as a GREAT adventure (before the days of the oil pipeline, i-Pods, DVD players and CD's). Our in-car entertainment was watching the scenery, the wildlife and keeping an eye out for on-coming trucks (kicking up clouds of dust) so we could roll up the windows. Of course, my pot-head brother helped me pass the time with a little smoke when we stopped to stretch our legs.

Even more adventurous were the diners, truck-stops and dives along the way (about every 50-100 miles). However, my fondest memory was the strip of smooth pavement we hit late one night just outside of Whitehorse. After 5 days of pot holes, dust and mosquitos, the silence was incredible. Too bad it only lasted for about 10 miles. The next pavement was at the Alaska border. We drove into Tok Junction and had our first shower in about a week and slept in a REAL bed. We hit the road the next morning. However, it being summer time, the pavement was nothing even close to smooth sailing. The frost heaves rendered the road a mini-roller coaster, still limiting our speed to about 30-40mph (but NO DUST!!).

As I underastand it, the Alcan is now basically a paved 2 lane highway all the way. The trip can be done from Vancouver BC to Anchorage in about 4 days. Ahhhh the good old days......

[alaskangirlforever]

Originally Posted by warptman

I'd say drive. A week? Where did you get that from? Megansmom came up from the east coast in five days. Last summer I took my parents down to Montana from Alaska in four days. The fastest I've done it was three days to Seattle from Anchorage. The longest for me was six days, that was taking my time and enjoying myself. I've done the Alcan 13 times now and I'm ready for more.

My hubby and I have driven it 3 times... YES...a week is a fair estimate. Especially with a small child in tow.

We did 5 days to Seattle and that was driving about 12-14 hours/day (at the speed limit)...and still stopping to get good sleep each night. Nice drive.

[AKLinda]

I think another consideration is the cost of shipping your vehical or replacing it verses driving. Also the need for transpertation when you get here. I drove to Northern Washington in February in 5 days and that was stopping every night to sleep and stopping to eat and take pictures. (had to pick up my standed 23 yo daughter) Also you can bring alot of things with you, you are going to need instead of waiting on shippers or replacing. I am a mother of 5 grown kids and have driven the Alcan with said children to visit in the past. I would give myself a little more time with a 2 1/2 year old just because they need to stretch and move about a bit more than an adult would.