Anchorage, Alaska, USA trip: 14-Day Alaskan Family Adventure (AlaskaTours, Tour 153) | TripWiser: Social Trip Planner for Family Trips and Road Trips

Travel through the fertile Matanuska Valley and continue though mountain passes to the oil tanker port of Valdez. Then journey across Prince William Sound aboard the Alaska ferry to Seward, known as the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park. Seward is home to the fascinating Alaska SeaLife Center and one of Alaska's leading Iditarod dog mushing families. Experience the thrill of riding behind an Iditarod dog team, with a 2-mile ride on a specially designed wheeled dog sled. Your next adventure takes you rafting on the world famous Kenai River, and a cruise on Portage Lake to view Portage Glacier. Then, it's onto Homer, & then even further to Kodiak. Afterwards, drive the scenic route to Denali National Park, where you will have a wildlife tour in the park. Your adventures conclude in Fairbanks, the Golden Heart of Alaska, where you can experience the Interior of Alaska. Aboard the Riverboat Discovery cruise, learn the Alaska Native, trapper, and gold mining histories of the area. Optional: Return to Anchorage by air to complete your tour. This trip is one trip offered by Alaska Tours: http://www.alaskatours.com/driving/alaska_family_adventure.htm Please see their website for more details or for other trips. http://www.alaskatours.com This tour is designed as a one way route starting in Anchorage and ending in Fairbanks. This is done to maximize time to see each area visited. The tour works very well with flights on Alaska Airlines and Northwest Airlines, as these airlines serve both cities. Tour includes: 13 nights hotel accommodations. 14 days mid-size car rental from Anchorage to Fairbanks including one way fee and unlimited mileage. Ferry passage for passengers and vehicle from Valdez to Whittier. Admission to the Alaska SeaLife Center and Seavey's Ididaride Kennel including dog sled ride. 2-hour Kenai River float, Kachemak Bay Lunch Boat, Portage Lake Cruise, bus tour into Denali National Park with snack and Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler tour in Fairbanks. All taxes.

Day 1 Arrival Anchorage; Pick up a rental car upon arrival at the airport (please advise flight arrival time at time of booking). Enjoy the remainder of your day at your leisure. Within walking distance of your hotel is the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, and other downtown attractions as well as many restaurants. Overnight Anchorage.
Day 2 Enjoy a full day today to get acclimated to Alaska and to experience the many activities in Anchorage and its surroundings. Nestled between the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet, Anchorage is Alaska's largest city. The city began as a tent community in 1915, during the construction of the Alaska Railroad which connected the ice-free port of Seward to Alaska's Interior. Today, tour the city visiting sights including the historic downtown area, the Ship Creek fish ladder, Lake Hood sea planes, the Alaska Zoo, and the Alaska Native Heritage Center. The day is free for you to explore or select one of many optional excursions available from Anchorage, such as Bear Viewing or Flight Seeing Tours. Overnight Anchorage.
Day 3 Anchorage to Sheep Mountain / 114 miles Plan 2.5 hours drive time, not including stops. Enjoy a scenic drive along the Glenn Highway, northward from Anchorage. This is one of the oldest and most scenic highways in Alaska. Just outside of the agricultural center of Palmer, suggested stops include the Musk Ox Farm and the historic gold mine at Hatcher Pass. This route follows the Matanuska River up to its beginning at the Matanuska Glacier. Along the way, there are opportunities for guided glacier hikes and river rafting. Final stop is Sheep Mountain Lodge, nestled at the base of the Talkeetna Mountains. Dall sheep are frequently seen in this area. Overnight Sheep Mountain Lodge. (If you booked the upgraded program, you will overnight at the Copper River Princess Lodge near Copper Center if available.)
Day 4 Sheep Mountain to Valdez / 189 miles Plan 4 hours drive time, not including stops. Take some time today to explore and visit the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park headquarters and ranger station, then continue into the Chugach Mountains and through Thompson Pass. Along the way there are several places to stop and enjoy the amazing landscape. Look for Worthington Glacier and Bridal Veil Falls. Overnight Valdez.
Day 5 Prince William Sound Cruise: A Day on Prince William Sound / 6.5 hours aboard the ferry from Valdez to Whittier, and 85 miles from Whittier to Seward. Plan 2 hours drive time, not including stops. Drive your car aboard the Alaska Marine Highway ferry from Valdez to Whittier. As you depart Valdez you will sail past the huge oil tankers which transport Alaskan oil to the "Lower 48." Enjoy the scenery and relaxing pace as you cruise into Prince William Sound, where playful sea otters and lazy sea lions abound - don't forget your binoculars! On arrival in the port of Whittier, drive off of the ferry and into a mountain tunnel which takes you to Portage Glacier Valley. From here, it is a beautiful drive to Seward. Along the way, you can stop at Portage Lake or Exit Glacier. Overnight Seward.
Day 6 A Day with Alaskan Sea Life and Iditarod Sled Dogs; Seward is known as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, and it is one of Alaska's most historic towns. Visit the state-of-the-art marine science facility at the Alaska SeaLife Center and also experience an Alaska husky dog sled team at the kennel of the Seavey family. You get an up-close look at the lifestyle of one of Alaska's most competitive Iditarod Sled Dog Race families, and then you get to be pulled by sled dogs on a wilderness trail! You also have the option to take a Cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park. We also suggest a visit to the Exit Glacier, a massive ice sheet flowing out of the Harding Ice Field. There you can literally walk to the face of the glacier along an interpretive trail illustrating the historical path that the glacier has followed as it has receded over the last 100 years. Overnight Seward.
Day 7 Seward to Homer / 173 miles Plan 4 hours drive time, not including stops. Traveling between mountains and along the turquoise blue lakes and rivers makes today a great day of touring. A 2-hour scenic float trip on the Upper Kenai River is included. This is the world famous salmon river where Alaskan salmon run in huge numbers to their final spawning grounds. The day also presents an opportunity for an optional guided fishing charter, instead of river rafting. The final destination is Homer, positioned at the tip of Kachemak Bay. This is as far west as you can drive on the North American continent. You may wish to participate in optional activities such as Halibut Fishing or Sea Kayaking. Overnight Homer.
Day 8 Homer on Kachemak Bay; Today cruise across Kachemak Bay aboard a comfortable water taxi to Gull Island, and to the picturesque wilderness beach of Otter Cove. Enjoy a nice lunch in the hand-crafted lodge and some time to relax before returning to Homer later in the afternoon. Overnight Homer.
Day 9 Plan 4.5 hours drive time, not including stops. The drive back toward Anchorage is along Cook Inlet to the resort village of Girdwood. Girdwood is the home of the only 5-star resort in Alaska, the Alyeska Prince Hotel. Upon arrival at the property, there is plenty of time to relax and enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. In the evening, take an optional tram ride 2,300 feet up the side of Mt. Alyeska for a panoramic view of the valley and Turnagain Arm. There are also many hiking trails and quaint shops to explore in the area. Overnight Alyeska Prince Hotel.
Day 10 Today features Alaska's glaciers and the natural history of the area. The Portage visitor center offers a 20-minute, award-winning film “Voices From the Ice.” Portage Glacier has receded too far to be seen from the visitor’s center, so we've included a 1-hour cruise aboard the MV Ptarmigan. This is your opportunity to get a close-up view of the glacier. After your Portage visit, we suggest stops at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and the Crow Creek Mine. This historic 1898 mining camp lends the feeling of a long-forgotten era. Eight original buildings still stand and old mining equipment and artifacts decorate the grounds. Your hosts will show you how to pan for gold, and you get to keep all that you find. The day is free to explore your beautiful surroundings. Overnight Alyeska Prince Hotel.
Day 11 Alyeska Resort to Denali National Park / 279 miles Plan 5.5 hours drive time, not including stops. Spend the day touring by car to Denali National Park. Plenty of interesting stops en route including the Iditarod Sled Dog Race headquarters visitor center, as well as the small town of Talkeetna, known as the gateway to Mt. McKinley. Travel at your own pace and enjoy the great scenery of Alaska's vast interior region. If you arrive early enough in Denali you may wish to take an optional tour such as Whitewater Rafting or the Denali Jeep Safari. Overnight at a Denali park entrance area hotel.
Day 12 Denali National Park: Early this morning you will depart on a bus tour into Denali National Park. In the northern part of the Alaska Range is the Denali National Park, the second largest National Park in the United States, with an area of 9375 sq. mi. - a region of depressions and wide river valleys, areas of tundra and high alpine ranges of mountains from which glaciers flow down. In the south-west of the park is majestic Mount McKinley (20,320 ft), the highest mountain in the United States. This is the home of grizzly bears, wolves, reindeer, elk and other animals, the reflection of which in Reflection Pond is popular with photographers. Visitors can try their hand at panning for gold in Moose River. The travel time into the park is 6-8 hours, which varies due to the spotting of wildlife within the park. Sightings can include moose, bear, wolves, caribou, Dall sheep and many small mammals. Your experienced driver will provide narration into Denali's natural history and unique sub-arctic desert terrain. Overnight at a Denali park entrance area hotel.
Day 13 Denali to Fairbanks: Time is available for a hike or optional tours in the Denali area, before your 2.5-hour drive to Fairbanks. Spend the remainder of the day exploring this historic gold mining town, also known as Alaska's "Gateway to the Arctic." We suggest a visit to the University of Alaska Museum of the Arctic and the Musk Ox farm. Just out of town are several options for Gold Panning and Gold Mine Tours. This afternoon, take a ride aboard a classic sternwheeler riverboat. On this 3.5 hour river cruise you visit the old Chena village site, see an Indian fish camp, Alaskan bush pilot demonstration and a championship sled dog team. Overnight Fairbanks.
Day 14 Time to drop off your car & head home! Be sure to come back to www.Tripwiser.com to personalize this trip with hints or recommendations for others to see. 1 4 all, all 4 1!

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