MrsStreff

tshott

Tell me about Alaska!  It looks like I might get stuck going to Alaska for our big anniversary trip.  I'm NOT so excited.  My idea of a vacation does NOT include my winter jacket.  Can you change my mind?

moviesprincess

I am butting in but dear, you will be too far along to go that far from home.

tshott

Haha!  Thanks for your concern, but we're planning on summer 2013.  And sans children!

moviesprincess

So you are planning way ahead for the 5th anniversary! That sounds like fun though.

brie&drew

I've not been myself, but the ILs went last year for a cycling trip. Two weeks biking through Alaska. FIL is prettly hard to please when it comes to vacation spots, and Alaska was his favorite. He loved everything about it. He'd go back in a minute and it's made me totally interested in going.

lolabright

My sister and BIL went on a cruise up there and they loved it.

tshott

moviesprincess:

So you are planning way ahead for the 5th anniversary! That sounds like fun though.

Yeah, we're looking to budget about 10k, inclusive.  What did you think of Paris?  Could we do that for 10k?

SSM&JLM

lolabright:

My sister and BIL went on a cruise up there and they loved it.

This is our plan for Summer 2012.  Alaska is gorgeous and has such undisturbed wildlife.  Imagine the photos you'll be able to take.  I cannot wait to go.  I imagine once we take a cruise we'll want to do a land tour.

We're going in either July or August though, when it at least won't be frigid.

tshott

SSM&JLM:

lolabright:

My sister and BIL went on a cruise up there and they loved it.

This is our plan for Summer 2012.  Alaska is gorgeous and has such undisturbed wildlife.  Imagine the photos you'll be able to take.  I cannot wait to go.  I imagine once we take a cruise we'll want to do a land tour.

We're going in either July or August though, when it at least won't be frigid.

We'll be going in the summer months also because Drew's bff's wife is a teacher.  I told Drew's bff that I'd be more open to going on a cruise because if I got annoyed with the cold I could just spend the day at the spa.

MrsStreff

Well first off, you wont need your winter coat in Alaska in the summer! If I were planning a trip this is what I would do.

Fly in to Anchorage, rent a car and stay for one night. Drive to Homer and stay at Lands Ends for at least 2 nights, eating dinner at their restaurant and one dinner at Fat Olives(if you like pizza). I would do a fishing charter out of there if that was something I liked to do, or take the Danny J over to Halibut Cove for the day. I would then drive to Seward for a day ( no need to stay the night) hang out there and then head back to Anchorage for a night. The next day I would hop into the car and head north (Homer was south). I would stop into Talkeetna to check out the weirdos and also stop into the West Rib ( i think thats what it is called) and enjoy an Ice Axe beer (its really high in alcohol). I would then leave the car there and get on the Alaska Railroad (if you do that I can get you really cheap tickets because thats where DH works) and take the train to Denali Park. I would stay in Denali for two nights at one of their many hotels,eat at the Salmon Bake and Crows Nest. There is no need for a car here because everything is walking distance. I would if you wanted take a bus back into the park, sometimes you can get lucky and see lots of wildlife. I would then head back on the train, pick you car up in Talkeetna and head back to Anchorage for a few nights ( dont know how long you are planning on being here). There are tons of hikes in the area and coastal trails as well as good food!

I hope that helps a little. And of course you would have to make a date with me and Little Who at some point:)

tshott

I checked weather.com and the average high in July in Anchorage is 65.  6freaking5!!!!!  For an average high.  That's a long sleeve shirt for me.  That means at night it probably gets to 45, right?  Brrrr!!!!!!!

Would the summer months be when you have, like, all day sunlight?  Because I could be a-ok with that!

Drew's bff sent me this link: http://www.alaskatravel.com/alaska-vacations.html  I think that we're looking at less than 2 weeks, probably more around 10 days or so.  Would we be better of doing a trip using that link, or planning something all on our own?  What are your feelings about cruises around there?

Would love to meet up with you and Little Who, who won't be so little at that point!

MrsStreff

tshott:

I checked weather.com and the average high in July in Anchorage is 65.  6freaking5!!!!!  For an average high.  That's a long sleeve shirt for me.  That means at night it probably gets to 45, right?  Brrrr!!!!!!!

Would the summer months be when you have, like, all day sunlight?  Because I could be a-ok with that!

Drew's bff sent me this link: http://www.alaskatravel.com/alaska-vacations.html  I think that we're looking at less than 2 weeks, probably more around 10 days or so.  Would we be better of doing a trip using that link, or planning something all on our own?  What are your feelings about cruises around there?

Would love to meet up with you and Little Who, who won't be so little at that point!

Our summers are always different, we can have some julys that are in the 50s and some that are in the 70's. Yes its cold to a lot of 'tourist' but its still worth it. The more north you go the hotter it gets, Fairbanks in the summer get into the 90's. I would plan the trip yourself and not use that link. I think the more freedom you have the better. keep in mind that we are a HUGE state and it takes 4 hours of not stopping (which you will do) to get to Homer alone. I have never done one of the cruises,but I know they mainly stay down by Juneau and all it does is rain down here in the summer. You could take  a Kenai Fjords tour out of Seward those are always a whale of a time (because you see whales) We have sun light all summer long and its pretty fun! I love it! You can forget that its 10 pm and still be out playing in the wilderness:) And it makes road trips at 4am awhole lot easier!

www.travelalaska.com

check out that site...

tshott

Thanks for the link.  I requested a travel guide.  I'm still not sure if I'm sold on it, but I'll definitely keep doing research.  Thank you for all your help and I'll let you know if I have anymore questions.

lolabright

SSM&JLM:

lolabright:

My sister and BIL went on a cruise up there and they loved it.

This is our plan for Summer 2012.  Alaska is gorgeous and has such undisturbed wildlife.  Imagine the photos you'll be able to take.  I cannot wait to go.  I imagine once we take a cruise we'll want to do a land tour.

We're going in either July or August though, when it at least won't be frigid.

They went in June I think. Summer should be a great time to go.