Two days pre-cruise mid-Sept, what to do and should we drive from Anch to Whittier ourselves?

[Barkingowl]

We did the reverse of what you're planning to do. Save some money & rent a limo.

[richelles]

Having done the Whittier thing a number of times I'd suggest you consider both renting a car and taking the Alaska Railroad to Whittier. First I don't know if you can drop off a rental car in Whittier. So rent a car off airport in Anchorage (to avoid these extra taxes) and drive down the Seward Highway to Whittier. Things to remember: (1) The highway goes down Cook Inlet and you turn at Girdwood to go East to Whittier. There is almost nothing on the way to Girdwood on the highway. (2) To get to Whittier you need to get there when the train isn't using the tunnel. Otherwise you have to wait until it's your turn. Bad luck to be going East in the tunnel when the train is going West. Find out when you can get back through the tunnel. Equally bad luck to be going West in the tunnel when the train is going East. By the way the tunnel is the only way you can get to Whitter except by boat. (3) There is almost nothing in Whittier (no taxis, a bar or two, a couple of restaurants, a big apartment complex where almost everyone lives, and lots of high mountains around the place), (4) Take the Alaska Railroad to Whittier but find out if your cruise gets you there by another method since the train stops short of where you need to be in the town and you might have to walk with your baggage to the ship. Or (5) stop before you get to the tunnel and go to the Portage Glacier Park and then go back to the highway and go see the wildlife park in Girdwood before you drive back to Anchorage. But find out how your cruise ship expects you to get to Whittier before you consider anything else. And if the la femme belle needs nourishment try the Brewhaus in Anchorage. They serve decent food and make their own beer. I like the place since I like good food and good beer.

[warptman]

You don't exactly turn at Girdwood to get to Whittier. You drive down past it and the Alaska Wildlife Center isn't at Girdwood either. It's across the highway from the Portage Glacier road, this is how you get to Whittier, too.