Save Topic 4 Nights trip. Ideas and suggestions please (Anchorage, Palmer: renting, hotels)

[wheretogo]

Need your Ideas and suggestions on a 4 night Alaska trip. We (parents and 2 kids 9 and 13) are planning to come at Anchorage mid June. Interested in Scenenery , Glaciers, Wild life. Not big hikers ( may do a Round trip 2 miles ). Car and hotels are booked.

After some research, we’ve decided to skip Denali and planning to base at Anchorage with one night at Seward. Want to see Anchorage, SeaLife center, Wildlife center, Portage , Seward, Whittier tunnel, Exit Glacier, Matnasuka, Day cruise etc. Its our understanding that all these places (except Seward) is around 2 hours or less from Achorage and all are scenic routes. Prefer a relaxing trip with many stops in between.

Any thoughts/advise is appreciated specifically

Which day-cruise from Seward/Whittier

Any place that does not require a long hike to see bear catching a running Salmon ? (kido is very interested seeing this on video)

Family friendly food options at these places.

As we base in Anchorage, we *may* have some extra time there. Our mid town hotel has free parking. if we roam around in anchorage, is it better to take the car (parking ?) or Uber ?

Though Denali is not in our plans, should we try Talkeetna for a distant view ?

Appreciate your thoughts

[AKStafford]

In addition to any advice you receive here on the City-Data forum for relocating to Alaska, you might also want to research on the TripAdvisor forum for visiting Alaska" https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForu...49-Alaska.html
Four days is an incredibly short trip for Alaska... Can you add any more days? Right now your plan has you spending a lot of time in a car. Oops. Just noticed that your car and hotels are already booked... So never mind.
Anchorage is just a town on the edge of Alaska. I'd spend as little time in Anchorage as possible.
Bears: https://flyrusts.worldsecuresystems....ing/index.html

[Northrick]

Originally Posted by wheretogo

Need your Ideas and suggestions on a 4 night Alaska trip. We (parents and 2 kids 9 and 13) are planning to come at Anchorage mid June. Interested in Scenenery , Glaciers, Wild life. Not big hikers ( may do a Round trip 2 miles ). Car and hotels are booked.

After some research, we’ve decided to skip Denali and planning to base at Anchorage with one night at Seward. Want to see Anchorage, SeaLife center, Wildlife center, Portage , Seward, Whittier tunnel, Exit Glacier, Matnasuka, Day cruise etc. Its our understanding that all these places (except Seward) is around 2 hours or less from Achorage and all are scenic routes. Prefer a relaxing trip with many stops in between.


You straight up can't do all that in four days, let alone in a relaxing trip. They are all good options and within 2 1/2 hrs drive of Anchorage.


Any thoughts/advise is appreciated specifically

Which day-cruise from Seward/Whittier


Both are good. Can't go wrong with either. Out of Seward you will see more wildlife less ice, Whittier, more ice less wildlife (compared to Seward). But, you will see plenty of both on either trip. A day trip from Anchorage to Seward that involves a day tour boat and the Sealife Center and the drive back will be a long day. And that's skipping Exit Glacier.



A trip to Whittier and a day tour boat and a visit to the Portage visitor center or the wildlife center will also be a long day.


Any place that does not require a long hike to see bear catching a running Salmon ? (kido is very interested seeing this on video)


In mid-June, not really. You could fly on Katmai Air to Brooks Camp and have a chance at that, but it will be very expensive and mid-June might be a little early. 4th of July is peak for red salmon running up the river there and getting snatched by bears at the falls.


Family friendly food options at these places.


You won't have time to eat given all you want to do.


As we base in Anchorage, we *may* have some extra time there. Our mid town hotel has free parking. if we roam around in anchorage, is it better to take the car (parking ?) or Uber ?


Downtown has parking meters and pay parking lots but if you already have a car paying for parking will be cheaper than Uber. Just drive, Anchorage isn't like a real big city.


Though Denali is not in our plans, should we try Talkeetna for a distant view ?


On a clear day you can see Denali from Anchorage. Driving up the Parks Highway, right as you come into Willow, is a spectacular view of the mountain. Just as you come into Talkeetna is another awesome view. However, if you drive all the way to Talkeetna you should take a flight seeing tour of the mountain. All this is weather dependent. Mid-June is usually nice though.


Appreciate your thoughts

Here they are.

[wheretogo]

Thanks northrick. Very helpful.

One thing I might not have stressed in OP is, even though we are planning to be based at Anchorage (3 night), we have one night stay (2nd night of our trip ) in Seward. So, our plan is to leave ANC on 2nd day morning to Seward ,stay in seward that night and come back to Anchorage the following late evening. So, kinda 40 hours for that RT trip which would give is enough time for SeaLife center, Wildlife center, Portage , Seward, Whittier tunnel, Exit Glacier , Day cruise etc...and ofcourse, some time to eat

We are planning only one boat trip. Still have not decided whittier/seward one. Do they need to be reserved earlier ?
Yeah, I read that bear snatching slamon trips are very expensive..so, leave it alone for now.

Originally Posted by Northrick

Here they are.

[Northrick]

Spending the night in Seward is a good idea. Still, you have more on your list than would be "relaxing" if you try to hit them all.


Given you are staying in Seward, I'd do a boat tour from there. There are a number of tours to choose from, I'd recommend one that goes beyond Resurrection Bay. You will see a lot more if you go with a longer tour. If you decide to take a boat tour the same day you drive down, make sure you leave early. It can take a good 2.5hrs to drive there from Anchorage, not counting stops. You will get stuck behind an RV going maddeningly slow. It's a 2 lane highway but there are passing lanes to keep you from going insane.


Still, it will take longer than you think to drive there. Scenery is gorgeous though, so there's that.


When driving down, keep in mind that there is nowhere to eat or get gas between Girdwood and Seward. If you don't eat before leaving Anchorage, I'd plan to stop in Girdwood. Chair 5, The Bake Shop, and Jack Sprat are all good.


In Seward, Ray's and Chinooks are good places to eat but more on the expensive side. We like the Breeze Inn, but it can get crowded and service can be slow. If they are packed I'd find somewhere else. There are numerous other places to eat and they seem to keep changing so I don't really have anymore suggestions for Seward that would be reliable.

[wheretogo]

Thanks again. I dint realize that there is nowhere to eat or get gas between Girdwood and Seward. I thought moosepass, or portage may have some.

On our 4th day, we plan to drive to Matnasuka. Anything important to consider ? No plans for stress full hikes.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by wheretogo

Thanks again. I dint realize that there is nowhere to eat or get gas between Girdwood and Seward. I thought moosepass, or portage may have some.

On our 4th day, we plan to drive to Matnasuka. Anything important to consider ? No plans for stress full hikes.

Why are you driving to the valley? For the glacier?
My time in anchorage has always been in business or medial or shopping runs. You got a lot planned for the distance you will be covering.

[military spouse]

We visited last year, and our favorite things to do were the wildlife center and renting bikes and riding along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. The trail was great-saw lots of moose- and allows for visualization of the forest, water, and wildlife! Enjoy your trip--we're still trying to figure out how to move there....

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by military spouse

We visited last year, and our favorite things to do were the wildlife center and renting bikes and riding along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. The trail was great-saw lots of moose- and allows for visualization of the forest, water, and wildlife! Enjoy your trip--we're still trying to figure out how to move there....

If your handle is current, PCS.

[Northrick]

Originally Posted by wheretogo

Thanks again. I dint realize that there is nowhere to eat or get gas between Girdwood and Seward. I thought moosepass, or portage may have some.

On our 4th day, we plan to drive to Matnasuka. Anything important to consider ? No plans for stress full hikes.

I should have said nowhere reliable to eat. Seems like stuff comes and goes and I haven't driven down there this year. It's not a big deal though. Girdwood is close to Portage and Seward is close to Moose Pass and it's less than two hours between the two. It is possible that there will be a food truck or snack bar at the Portage Wildlife Center or over by the Chugach National Forest Visitor Center, or possibly at Summit Lake, but best not to plan on it.


When you say Matanuska do you mean going to the Matanuska Glacier? If so, you'll be going north out of Anchorage and will pass through Palmer. Palmer will be the last stop for gas and most food. Sheep Mountain Lodge farther north has a restaurant. I believe there are a couple others but can't remember specifics. When we go that direction we are usually heading to McCarthy and once out of Anchorage we don't stop until Glennallen.