Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Alaska > Anchorage
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 03-27-2014, 06:21 AM
 
2 posts, read 11,029 times
Reputation: 11

Advertisements

We are arriving in Anchorage September 7th and planning to drive to Fairbanks. Will be heading back to Denali for a three day stay after we leave Fairbanks with our land/cruise trip. Decided to drive rather than fly to Fairbanks. I understand the drive is anywhere from 6-8 hours so we figured we'd take our time and do it in two days (sleepover in Healy).. Wondering what kind of weather we should expect? Any suggestions on any off the beaten path sites to see on our way would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 03-27-2014, 08:17 AM
 
Location: Alaska
173 posts, read 380,555 times
Reputation: 167
It's a very nice time of year for that drive. If you are lucky and it's a clear sky day, you'll have a great view of Denali (Mt. McKinley) on your way up to Fairbanks. There are plenty of places along the way to pull off and take photos. Some people like to walk around and get some lunch in downtown Talkeetna, as they have some good restaurants there. You could also stop at the Visitor's Center at Denali National Park and they have some cool things to see at the center. All in all, it's a fun drive up and it is still very green and pleasant that time of year.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-27-2014, 09:49 AM
 
Location: Wasilla, AK
2,795 posts, read 5,614,247 times
Reputation: 2530
The weather that time of year can literally be anything. I've seen it sunny & 70 degrees and I've seen it 40 degrees, dumping rain and blowing.
So the trick with Alaskan weather is to hope for the best, prepare for the worse and determine to have fun no matter what.
Overnighting in Healy is a good idea. The Denali Chamber has a list of lodging: Denali Chamber of Commerce
You could get to Fairbanks in one day, but with construction it could easily take 8 hours. So two days will give you time to enjoy the drive.
The Trip Advisor forum for Alaska would also be a good resource: Alaska Forum, Travel Discussion for Alaska, United States

I know you'll do Denali as part of your tour, but I would also recommend driving the first 15 miles of the park road into Savage River. I've seen a lot of wildlife along that area.
I would also recommend driving into Talkeetna for lunch. There's several very good restaurants there.
The South Denali View Point at mile 135 of the Parks Highway and the Veteran's Memorial at mile 147 are both good stops to stretch your legs and enjoy the view.
The Milepost has a great guide to the drive too: The MILEPOST: Alaska Travel Guide and Trip Planner
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-27-2014, 10:05 AM
 
Location: Smithville, TX
552 posts, read 1,055,903 times
Reputation: 508
Quote:
Originally Posted by oakes View Post
We are arriving in Anchorage September 7th and planning to drive to Fairbanks. Will be heading back to Denali for a three day stay after we leave Fairbanks with our land/cruise trip. Decided to drive rather than fly to Fairbanks. I understand the drive is anywhere from 6-8 hours so we figured we'd take our time and do it in two days (sleepover in Healy).. Wondering what kind of weather we should expect? Any suggestions on any off the beaten path sites to see on our way would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Firstly, rental cars, better yet, 4x4's, between Anchorage and Fairbanks are very, very expensive. Check out the cost plus gas.

Having made the RT once in February no less, I suggest:

Alaska Railroad Travel - Train Schedules

In brief, weather in Alaska: http://www.adventurouspirits.com/wp-...7/IMG_0593.jpg

Weather predicted for Fairbanks, Sept. 2014:

Fairbanks September Weather 2014 - AccuWeather Forecast for AK 99701

It was a long, dangerous and boring drive between two snowplows on the way up.
Recommended music. . . on my way back . . .to remain calm and focused:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_H-LY4Jb2M

Suggestion . . .don't get off the beaten path!

Read: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer.

Do try and get a hotel room with picture window facing north/northwest.

This is a sight to behold:aurora - Google Search

Aurora Forecast | Geophysical Institute

The Paris Bakery and Cafe in downtown Anchorage was great. Steak dinner for two $100.00 Get used to it.

Fairbanks has some great food: Lemongrass Thai Cuisine

It was truly a magnificent trip!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-27-2014, 10:57 AM
 
Location: Wasilla, AK
2,795 posts, read 5,614,247 times
Reputation: 2530
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rust Never Sleeps View Post
Firstly, rental cars, better yet, 4x4's, between Anchorage and Fairbanks are very, very expensive. Check out the cost plus gas.
One way car rentals are expensive. But the just riding the train up eliminates the possibility of getting out and exploring on your own. And if you are still planning to overnight in the Denali/Healy area, it limits you to only staying at lodging that offers a shuttle from the train station. I personally would not do this trip via train.
And a 4x4 is completely unnecessary. It's a two lane, paved highway. Coming in early September, there is very little chance to encounter any snow.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rust Never Sleeps View Post
It was a long, dangerous and boring drive between two snowplows on the way up.
It is a long drive. So breaking it up into two days is a good idea.
And it's not a dangerous drive in September. Even in the winter, I don't think it's any more dangerous than any other road.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rust Never Sleeps View Post
Do try and get a hotel room with picture window facing north/northwest.
This is a sight to behold:aurora - Google Search
Aurora Forecast | Geophysical Institute
By early September, it is getting dark enough at night to see the Aurora. Some hotels offer a wake up call for when the lights are out. But it is a hit & miss/random luck thing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rust Never Sleeps View Post
The Paris Bakery and Cafe in downtown Anchorage was great. Steak dinner for two $100.00 Get used to it.
The Paris Bakery & Cafe is on Muldoon Road. Maybe you mean Club Paris in downtown Anchorage? And yes, they are spendy. But good. Typically if the wife & I go out, we are spending around $35-$40 for both of us to have a nice meal. Maybe a little more if we are splurging. So while prices in Alaska are typically higher than other places, you can eat without breaking the bank.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rust Never Sleeps View Post
It was truly a magnificent trip!
I completely agree. It is a great drive.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-27-2014, 06:20 PM
 
4,715 posts, read 10,517,762 times
Reputation: 2186
The drive is fine in a non-4x4. It is awesome. We did it in a non 4x4 F150 truck and didn't have any issues on that part of our drive. (Other areas if snow/ice are possible, I would have been a little concerned) Had to be careful at some pull-outs in some OTHER areas. Ice is ice no matter where it is - so if that is a possibility in September than get something you are comfortable driving. (I have no idea if it is or even if it is, will that happen this year?) I don't think anyone thought that Fairbanks would get as warm as it did this winter either.... Nature sometimes has surprises for you. So I like the prepare for the worst, hope for best, and deal with whatever is thrown your way.

We were there in the End of June to July time frame and the weather was 40s - 70s in AK... Sometimes within hours of each other. That dress in layers thing is no joke. Even if you walk out and are fine in shorts and t-shirt, we learned to carry light jackets with us.

The wildlife around Savage lake was incredible we saw all kinds of four legged critters. We brought a picnic lunch and ate at a shelter that overlooks the savage river. It is by the ranger station that basically tells you, you can't go any further. We then stopped at a couple of hiking trails on the way back. Spent a great deal of time in the visitor center too. We were really lucky as it was a crystal clear day. BTW, I found the actual views of Denali to be better at the State Park then the Federal Park. We didn't do the bus ride into the actual park that time. We are saving that for another time.

Careful with the restaurants in small towns or areas around Denali. We ended up eating at subways instead of a sit down/nice local restaurant, because there was a 2 1/2 hour wait. And after hiking around all day long we were starving.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-27-2014, 07:08 PM
 
Location: Airports all over the world
7,487 posts, read 8,002,323 times
Reputation: 106086
You should not have any problem driving between Anchorage and Fairbanks during the 2nd week of Sept. The highway for the most part will be 2 lane. However it is a good 2 lane highway. I think the 2nd week of Sept is one of the best times to drive the highway. Tourist traffic drops off after Labor Day.

The hotels around Denali pretty much all close for the season on Sept 15th. Often they offer some pretty good discounts the week before they close. It could be worth your time to do a little checking online. Most of the gift shops around Denali put things on sale before closing for the season.

Once you pass Talkeetna you should start seeing fall colors. The weather could be anywhere from clear and sunny to pouring rain. I really doubt if you will see snow. Be sure to bring a light jacket and maybe some rain gear.

Be sure and check all of the major car rentals for pricing. While some people do ok renting from mom and pop places, every time I rented from a no name company I ended up with a car 7 to 10 years old with well over 100,000 miles on it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-27-2014, 07:36 PM
 
Location: Bethel, Alaska
21,368 posts, read 38,123,667 times
Reputation: 13901
Make sure to stop in for a great burger/steaks at Clear Sky Lodge south of Nenana or the Monderosa north of Nenana!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-27-2014, 07:38 PM
 
Location: Idaho
836 posts, read 1,661,800 times
Reputation: 1561
Overnite at Denali Fairview Inn 101 Main St Talkeetna, AK 99676

Stay in the bar as late as you dare
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-27-2014, 07:42 PM
 
Location: Bethel, Alaska
21,368 posts, read 38,123,667 times
Reputation: 13901
Monderosa Bar, Nenana - Restaurant Reviews - TripAdvisor

Clear Sky Lodge, Anderson - Restaurant Reviews - TripAdvisor
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Alaska > Anchorage

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top