re: RogerTheShrubber All things you want to know about Alaska!

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have my family cruise set for mid May,

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You're going to love it. I went a few years ago in June and it was hands down the best cruise I've ever been on.

Got to see a pod of humpbacks bubble-feed really, REALLY close. As in we all almost shite our pants close

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Got to see a pod of humpbacks bubble-feed really, REALLY close. As in we all almost shite our pants close 

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That is an amazing experience. Watch for the birds hovering above and you know its coming.

We have been going every year for 12 years.

1st trip we flew into ANC, then drove to Denali area for 2 days. Took the park bus all the way to the lodge and saw lots of wildlife. It is, however a full day trip. You cannot take your own car very far into the park.

Since then we fly into ANC and spend time in Homer and then in the Kenai area.
3 nights is good for Homer. One of the Kilchers has a lovely cabin for rent near the old Homestead (the Kilchers aren't in the wilderness, their places are about 8 miles out of Homer.) Homer has a major art community and is a very interesting little community. Great Halibut fishing out of here.

We spend about 7 days at Daniels Lake Lodge in Nikiski. They have several cabins on a lake. We do fly out fishing with Alaska West Air, which is also a great opportunity for wildlife. We prefer silver (coho) salmon fishing to red (sockeye) as you can only snag sockeye in the mouth and we like the fight of the silver.

Alaska is HUGE, so you can't see it all. One trip to the Denali area did it for us. If you are going to do Denali and then down to the Kenai, then I would say at least 10 days. It doesn't look far from ANC to Denali, but with road construction (and there are a LOT of repairs after winter) it could take 6 hours. As most flights from the east arrive late in the day, would recommend spending the night in ANC and then driving up to Denali and spent 2 nights. You would probably need to spend a night on the way down to the Kenai area (recommend Wasilla). I would spend 2-3 nights then in Homer and then 4 to 5 in the Kenai area taking at least one fly out trip to fish and view wildlife and fish on one of the rivers.

Since flights from ANC back are in the evening, you can drive the 3 hours back from the Kenai and spend the day before the flight in ANC, which is plenty of time to wander around as it isn't very big.

Great people! Good food, plain hearty fare but not gourmet. Don't take any dress up clothes, you will be out of place.

We have also been to Fairbanks twice in the winter to see the Aurora.

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would recommend spending the night in ANC and then driving up to Denali and spent 2 nights

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The train is a good option to Denali and I highly recommend spending time in Talkeetna. There is a rail station there too.

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I highly recommend spending time in Talkeetna

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When I graduated college I went and spent a week in Alaska with a family member who lived in Wasilla. Got to do a little exploring, but not enough to wow anyone.

My host did bring me up to Talkeetna and dropped me off one morning and left me to do my thing. I took a small plane up to the base camp to Deanali and landed at base camp and walked around. Also rented a mountain bike and explored some trails in the area outside of Talkkeetna. Ended that evening sitting down on the edge of town on a river bed where the two rivers came together with a stiff drink in my hand while the sun go down.

It was cool as hell to explore that little area and spend the night at a little inn that was above a local bar. Before then I hadn't traveled much and it was pretty damn amazing for a guy from La who had never been out of the south for the most part.

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My first time there there were two younger ladies bathing nude in the river.

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Now you are just showing off....

WITHOUT PICS!!!!!

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I kinda figured that would be overly opportunistic at the time.

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As long as the crab legs deliver all is forgiven!

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Th old TV show Northern Exposure was kinda modeled on Talkeetna

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Talkeetna is cool as hell. I have relatives that worked the summer there and we got to know a few Talkeetnans. We were there on a perfect Friday afternoon with a homegrown band playing in the park and all the locals socializing with Denali as a backdrop. Just a really nice, laid back day. It really felt like being in a Northern Exposure episode. I love the stark beauty of the remote areas of Alaska but that day really stood out too.

The couple we got to know there led to my wife and I buying a VW camper van and making the drive up there and all over the west. Awesome times.

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Th old TV show Northern Exposure was kinda modeled on Talkeetna


Talkeetna is cool as hell. I have relatives that worked the summer there and we got to know a few Talkeetnans. We were there on a perfect Friday afternoon with a homegrown band playing in the park and all the locals socializing with Denali as a backdrop. Just a really nice, laid back day. It really felt like being in a Northern Exposure episode. I love the stark beauty of the remote areas of Alaska but that day really stood out too.

The couple we got to know there led to my wife and I buying a VW camper van and making the drive up there and all over the west. Awesome times.

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Ive never been disappointed there. Some great people and a very unique location.