Pre-trip Planning: Day 13: Girdwood area

This is our last full day in Alaska.  Our flight does not leave Anchorage on Day 14 until after dinner, so we have a lot of hours on Day 14 as well;we could stay in Girdwood or just go back to Anchorage--it might come down to doing something that we filed away for "later".  There are a LOT of activities in the Girdwood area that I think my family would enjoy.  We probably won't have time for all of them, but I'm going to put them all here (and probably add to them) and it might help me get my priorities set.

• Crow Creek--I mentioned this earlier, and this is where we'll probably mine for gold, if we haven't already.

•  Alyeska Tram--If we can fit it in...this might be something we all enjoy

• Alaska  Wildlife Conservation Center--Earnest really wants to see bears, and if we haven't seen them in the wild yet, this might be our last/only chance.  I'm viewing this as a must do.

• Byron Glacier

• Portage Glacier--I don't know if either of these are a must, after all the other things we'll have seen. 

•  Williwaw Fish Platform--Might be interesting, even though we will have already watched fish.  This is close to Portage and Byron Glaciers 

• Begich Boggs Visitor Center

•  Bird Point--heard this was fun for kids.  Maybe good views? 

•  Winner Creek Hand Tram--Although this sounds cool and I know some of my family would like it, I'm not sure if we all would...and would we be able to fit one parent with two kids?  Edited to add:  I have done a little more research and watched a few videos.  I'm not sure that this would actually work with my family of 5, since I doubt the kids would actually help at all, and I don't know if I am strong enough to cart two of us across...and would Chretien have to go twice to get two of the kids across?  I've moved this to the end of my list, and think I might just let it go.  We'll see.  Maybe sticking to Alyeska Tram might be better for us.

Pre-trip Planning: Day 12--Seward --> Girdwood

We have the 7.5 hour Major Marine tour today.  I am very much looking forward to this.

I debated back and forth about Kenai Fjords and Major Marine.  I was all set to book a 6 hour tour with Kenai Fjords, because that tour leaves around 8 AM and it would free up our day to be done around 2 PM.  The 7.5 hour MM tour doesn't depart until 10 AM, so we won't be back on land until 5:30 PM.  It pretty much eats up the entire day.

However, I kept hearing that "longer is better", so that affected my decision.

And, when the 40% off Cyber Monday sale rolled around for Major Marine, the decision was made...especially since one of our kids is considered an adult on this cruise.

There is an optional lunch which is available.  We will likely add that to our fare, since that can be our big meal for the day.

So...when we are done, we need to get to Girdwood.  It would be nice if we could swing by Exit Glacier on the way out of town, but we'll have to see.  There are a lot of activities to pursue in the Girdwood area, and like I said, Seward is hosting a special event and the hotel prices were crazy high for the night of our Major Marine trip.  It's about a 2 hour drive, but that won't be too bad.  I don't think we are going to be up for much more touring at that point.

Our last two nights will be in a motel which has two full beds and a rollaway.  No kitchen facilities, no breakfast, but we'll make do.  We've already paid for this lodging, so that helps with the final bill.

Pre-trip Planning: Day 11--Mat-Su Valley to Seward

This day I am still uncertain about.  There are a lot of activities we could potentially do as we drive to Seward.  Because there are so many activities, doing the glacier hike on Day 10 would be preferable.

The things I've noted, and I'll probably add to this, include the following:

• Reindeer Farm in Palmer
• Musk Ox Farm in Palmer

Both of these sound interesting.  If we go to the Large Animal Research Facility in Fairbanks, we might skip these.  But we'll see.

• Knik Glacier--I have this on our list, but I doubt we'll do it, given the limitations on our time and the additional expense when we have other somewhat pricey activities

•   Cooper Landing--This would be a bit of a detour, but the Russian River Falls sound like they have the potential to be really cool.  Depending on how we feel on Day 12, this could get bumped to that day...but I doubt it

• Exit Glacier--I am not sure if we can fit this in or not, but I'm putting it here as well as on Day 12.  

• Alaska Sea Life Center--I am thinking of this as a "must see".  It's open until 9 PM, so we should be good to get a few hours in after dinner.  

 Typing this out has helped me sort my priorities.  After I had booked our plane tickets, I learned that there are two major events in Seward during our time frame.  One I knew about already, but the second one was a complete surprise...so I had to rearrange a few things in order to get a hotel room that would not break the bank.  Because I could only get one night in Seward at that hotel, we will only be in Seward that one night.  That hotel does have a full kitchen, so again, we might be eating in.   We've paid for half of the lodging costs for this hotel.

Pre-trip Planning: Day 10--Valdez--> Mat-Su Valley

This day is essentially a travel day.  We have nothing planned, so we can visit some of the things we missed on the way down.  We have reservations at a cabin near the Matanuska Glacier.  The cabin will have a full kitchen, so we could re-stock groceries in Glenallen and eat in the cabin.  We have a $50 deposit paid for this lodging.

I am not certain if we will pay for a walk on Matanuska Glacier.  I have read such terrific things about it.  However, the price is a concern, as well as the condition of the road to access the glacier.   I think if we do it, I would probably want to hire a guide to be safe, so that compounds my concerns.  Imp is not the most coordinated kid to begin with, and I don't think I want to have to worry about him (or me!) on this...but we'll see.

If we decide to do Matanuska, it would probably be better to do it on this day, rather than Day 11. 

Pre-trip Planning: Day 9--Valdez

We have a reservation on the Stan Stephens Columbia Glacier tour.  This tour is 6 hours long, and takes you out into Prince William Sound as far as the Columbia Glacier.  There is a longer one, to Meares Glacier, but I figured that 6 hours would be long enough for this first ride.  A light lunch is provided, so we won't have to bring our sandwiches this day.  

I waited and watched for discounts for this trip, but none came around.  I hurriedly booked it one night when I visited the site and noticed that there were only five spots left on the one date that we could do this trip. 

I have subscribed to all sorts of Alaska newsletters, and in an ironic twist, about a month after I booked it I noticed a discount code in one of them to save 15% off of all the cruises.  I called and received a credit for that amount. 

This tour will take up most of the day.  I would like to pay a visit to the Solomon Gulch Hatchery as well.  Hopefully, we'll also see some bears, sea otters, sea lions, and other wildlife along Dayville Road.

Pre-trip Planning: Day 8: Delta Junction--> Valdez

This day will be a day of driving.  From Delta Junction to Valdez.  Google Maps says it's about 270 miles and 5 hours.  I figure, it'll take all day because I've read that Google Maps underestimates time and who knows how long we'll stop at the various sites.

I've read over and over that this drive is one of the most scenic ones in Alaska.   Bring it on!

• Tangle Lakes Campground--This is at the end of the paved portion of the Denali Highway.  I've mentioned that you can only drive the entirety of the highway if your rental company allows it (or you break the contract), but you can drive the paved part with no issues.  

•  Wrangell St. Elias Visitors' Center--I debated actually visiting McCarthy and Kenecott for a good long time.  I mentioned our decision about the gravel roads.  Shuttles and flying into McCarthy isn't in the cards for us, either.   However, it would be nice to visit the easily accessible Visitors' Center and learn a little bit more about this park...and probably get Chretien to say that we're coming back some day.  :-)

•   Worthington Glacier--who can pass up an easily accessible glacier?

•  Keystone Canyon--want to see Horsetail Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.  

The nice thing is if we don't see this all on Day 8, we can see some of it on Day 10 when we leave Valdez.

We have reservations for two nights in Valdez.  We have a double room with a king and two twins.  I think we asked for a rollaway, or we'll just put the kids in the king and we'll take the two twins.  This lodging provides continental breakfast and I think there is laundry, which will be helpful.

Pre-trip planning: Days 6 and 7: Fairbanks

So, we have two days in Fairbanks.  These are the possible activities that I have as possibilities:

• Riverboat Discovery--this is probably a likely activity.  I haven't made reservations yet, but I need to call because I bought the TourSavers coupon book on Cyber Monday for a discount and there is a coupon in it to get a tour free when you buy one.  I've heard great things about this, and you figure--outdoors and culture.  Since I posted this, I booked the 9 AM tour on our second day (Day 7). 

•  Gold Dredge #8--I had thought all along that this might be an activity, and it still might.  However, we might save our gold panning for Crow Creek Mine, so this is not a definite.

•  Gold Daughters is another option to pan for gold.  Still, though, I'm learning toward Crow Creek for now.

• Pipeline Visitors Center--for whatever reason, there is a pull for me to see the pipeline.  So we will likely swing by.

•  University of Alaska/Museum of the North--culture again, you know?  I haven't tortured the kids with a lot of museums yet, so it might be time.

•  University of Alaska/Large Animal Research Facility--This might be interesting as they give tours.  

• Creamer's Field for a hike

•  Pioneer Park--maybe the Big Stampede Show?  Or the Golden Theater Review?  Salmon Bake?  

I am looking forward to seeing Fairbanks.  There sounds like there is a lot to do there, so I don't know why many say to "skip it".  Maybe because the scenery pales in comparison to some of the other scenery in Alaska?  Because the possible activities sound comparable to other places folks visit in the Lower 48.

Update on 5/2--We now have a dinner reservation at the Salmon Bake and then reservation to see the Golden Theater Show at Pioneer Park after that on Day 6.  There is a TourSaver coupon for the show.  This will allow us to see Pioneer Park for a bit as well.  There might be time between the dinner and the show, or maybe we'll get to the park a bit earlier.

On Day 7, we need to leave in enough time to visit the Santa Claus House in North Pole.  I think we'll be OK, since they are open until 8 every day in the summer.  Under the advice of some Alaska pros on Trip Advisor, we are staying in Delta Junction this night and not Fairbanks.  Delta Junction puts us 1 hour and 45 minutes closer to our next destination...not to mention, we won't have to spend time at the Santa Claus house on Day 8.  I hear that there is a lot to see as we drive toward our next destination.  We have a room reserved in Delta Junction that has 2 queen beds and a pull out couch, so we should be OK.

There is no breakfast served here, but there is an IGA grocery store close by...and they open at 6:30 AM, so we can probably get something from the bakery.  An IGA is probably a good place to restock our snacks/food supplies.