Comments on: Oh What a Beautiful Morning http://susanstevenson.com/blog/2009/04/oh-what-a-beautiful-morning/ The thoughts and photography of Susan L Stevenson Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:23:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Another Susan http://susanstevenson.com/blog/2009/04/oh-what-a-beautiful-morning/#comment-3220 Another Susan Fri, 08 May 2009 05:39:21 +0000 http://susanstevenson.com/blog/?p=100#comment-3220 Thank you Susan for taking the time to give me the 'real' life version of seeing AK's interior. I actually love the idea of cruising into Anchorage and then renting an RV! We obviously would me more free to stay in an area that we enjoyed longer and skip others. I'll keep you posted if we head North and West! S. Thank you Susan for taking the time to give me the ‘real’ life version of seeing AK’s interior. I actually love the idea of cruising into Anchorage and then renting an RV!
We obviously would me more free to stay in an area that we enjoyed longer and skip others. I’ll keep you posted if we head North and West!
S.

]]> By: susanstevenson http://susanstevenson.com/blog/2009/04/oh-what-a-beautiful-morning/#comment-3197 susanstevenson Fri, 01 May 2009 05:43:23 +0000 http://susanstevenson.com/blog/?p=100#comment-3197 Hi Susan! If you take a land/cruise combo, the typical itinerary takes you from Seward to Anchorage and then by train to Fairbanks, with a stop in Denali. Denali is ALWAYS a must see. The shuttle bus into the park (various distances) is relatively inexpensive, and best of all kids under 16 ride free. I usually take my guests on the 8 hour RT shuttle ride which goes to the new Eielson Visitor Center. The new VC has awesome views of the mountain (when she's out) and several interactive 'please touch' displays about wildlife, geology, etc. With smaller kids, they might not do so well on such a long shuttle ride (there are bathroom stops, but no place to buy food/water, so you have to be prepared with snacks, lunch, etc.) At the park visitor center you can catch a shuttle to a free dogsled demonstration. The kids can pet the dogs, meet new puppies, and learn about the sport of mushing. They even hook up some dogs to a sled and pull it on a trail to show how it works. If your travels bring you to Fairbanks, the land/cruise tour almost always includes the Riverboat Discovery and Eldorado Gold Mine. The Riverboat is quite informative and interesting, and you get to pan for gold (all ages) at the Eldorado Gold mine. If you decide instead to cruise and then rent a mobile home (or just fly in and rent a mobile home), you'd have much more flexibility on things to see and do - on your own. More and more folks are seeing AK that way. Check out the TripAdvisor website (tripadvisor.com) and skim through the Alaska forums. There's a wealth of information there from travelers - including cruise passengers, RV renters, and everyone in between. OH, and time of year has a lot to do with recommended activities and sights too. Do you have a particular month you were thinking about making a trip? Weather varies from month to month, and later in the summer (late August to Labor Day when most businesses shut down) brings the possibility of seeing the aurora if you're in the interior (Fairbanks area). Hi Susan! If you take a land/cruise combo, the typical itinerary takes you from Seward to Anchorage and then by train to Fairbanks, with a stop in Denali. Denali is ALWAYS a must see. The shuttle bus into the park (various distances) is relatively inexpensive, and best of all kids under 16 ride free. I usually take my guests on the 8 hour RT shuttle ride which goes to the new Eielson Visitor Center. The new VC has awesome views of the mountain (when she’s out) and several interactive ‘please touch’ displays about wildlife, geology, etc.

With smaller kids, they might not do so well on such a long shuttle ride (there are bathroom stops, but no place to buy food/water, so you have to be prepared with snacks, lunch, etc.)

At the park visitor center you can catch a shuttle to a free dogsled demonstration. The kids can pet the dogs, meet new puppies, and learn about the sport of mushing. They even hook up some dogs to a sled and pull it on a trail to show how it works.

If your travels bring you to Fairbanks, the land/cruise tour almost always includes the Riverboat Discovery and Eldorado Gold Mine. The Riverboat is quite informative and interesting, and you get to pan for gold (all ages) at the Eldorado Gold mine. If you decide instead to cruise and then rent a mobile home (or just fly in and rent a mobile home), you’d have much more flexibility on things to see and do - on your own. More and more folks are seeing AK that way.

Check out the TripAdvisor website (tripadvisor.com) and skim through the Alaska forums. There’s a wealth of information there from travelers - including cruise passengers, RV renters, and everyone in between. OH, and time of year has a lot to do with recommended activities and sights too.

Do you have a particular month you were thinking about making a trip? Weather varies from month to month, and later in the summer (late August to Labor Day when most businesses shut down) brings the possibility of seeing the aurora if you’re in the interior (Fairbanks area).

]]> By: Another Susan http://susanstevenson.com/blog/2009/04/oh-what-a-beautiful-morning/#comment-3196 Another Susan Fri, 01 May 2009 04:55:44 +0000 http://susanstevenson.com/blog/?p=100#comment-3196 I'm so in love with Alaska and drooling over the incredible prices of cruises I'm seeing now. We have taken the inside passage cruise, but would like to see more of the interior of your beautiful state. Any "must do's" if we make it all the way up the inside passage into the 'real' :) AK? Loaded question isn't it??!! I’m so in love with Alaska and drooling over the incredible prices of cruises I’m seeing now. We have taken the inside passage cruise, but would like to see more of the interior of your beautiful state. Any “must do’s” if we make it all the way up the inside passage into the ‘real’ :) AK? Loaded question isn’t it??!!

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