Planning Alaska Trip
I would like to make a trip to Alaska with the family before the kids are too old to go with us. How much time is reasonable to spend in Alaska? Two weeks? Keep in mind this would have to be do...
Forum Discussion
In my opinion, the only way to see portions of Alaska upon time constraints is to fly to Anchorage and rent an RV, period...
As noted, Anchorage is the largest city and has the most resources for RV rentals and everything else barnone...
Also, Anchorage is centrally located close enough to the more scenic places accessible by road such as the Kenai Peninsula area and many other places in the Susitna or Matanuska Valleys...
Also in my opinion weighing the options between renting an RV versus renting a car and staying in lodging rooms is like comparing apples and oranges that are no comparison :
Renting an RV gives you that unlimited flexibility in which you have lodging on wheels 24 hours a day and not a worry in the world of where exactly you have to be present at in order to spend a night under shelter...
As comparing to renting a car and relying on lodging rooms during the summer months means reservations are highly recommended for most places which translates to pretty much you have to plan on being present at that specific location on that specific day and so forth as you are now stuck on a schedule (you cannot always count on vacancy in some parts as if you do happen to find something available with no reservations, prepare to pay a lot more money like my brother in law did by changing plans he thought he could get around when I advised against it but then did it anyway as it cost an extra day and hurting the wallet even more)...For a first time Alaska visitor not knowing the areas, underestimating the greater vast distances between towns (thinking mentality of the same 400 mile distance in Alaska are like interstate road travel), while facing the potential road construction delays, plus dealing with the when not to travel on the roads when the sun is staring at you in the face while you travel, and any other possible potential delays or potential hazards that could happen in between you would end up losing more time when you are on a schedule versus the flexibility you have in an RV as you can spend the night in comfort wherever you are at with no reservations to worry about.
Once someone has visited Alaska for the first time, they would have a much better idea planning upon a day by day agenda when renting a car and making lodging reservations if that is the desire - which I would be ok with provided a person stays in a same proximity area over a length of time to explore, or knowing for sure other places you plan on being on the exact days specified (like I had carefully planned in great detail on my 1994 Southeast Alaska vacation with lodging and ferry reservations before I obtained my first RV in 1996).
These two options between renting an RV or renting a car with lodging aren't going to be a whole lot of savings between the two should you find any deal, as the advantage of having the flexibility in an RV would be worth the extra few bucks anyway (if so happens to be) in my opinion...
I don't know about now but in the past the packaged airfare bus transport and lodging tours were the more economical way to go, however you have no control and are subjected to their tight schedule to tag along upon when to wake up and board the bus, when to eat, where to eat, when the bus departs, where the bus only stops at upon specific locations to sightsee or stretchbreak reststops, for how long it stops before back on the road, etc (as sitting in a nice charter bus you do get to see either the left or right roadside view unless you got the very front seat near the bus driver)....the good thing was you didn't have to worry about driving around or making lodging reservations as it was all taken care of, however should their own schedule go wrong or a mishap occurs such as a road closure or breakdown or what have ya, they have a plan B that might work or might not work that could inconvienience the customer.
As also noted, whether in an RV or a car rental there are certain contract restrictions that do apply for remote or unpaved surfaced roads that are prohibited to drive on and worth checking into should you plan on driving the main four routes of the Dalton Highway, McCarthy Road, Denali Highway, or Taylor Highway if permitted upon the form of transportation used.
As noted, Anchorage is the largest city and has the most resources for RV rentals and everything else barnone...
Also, Anchorage is centrally located close enough to the more scenic places accessible by road such as the Kenai Peninsula area and many other places in the Susitna or Matanuska Valleys...
Also in my opinion weighing the options between renting an RV versus renting a car and staying in lodging rooms is like comparing apples and oranges that are no comparison :
Renting an RV gives you that unlimited flexibility in which you have lodging on wheels 24 hours a day and not a worry in the world of where exactly you have to be present at in order to spend a night under shelter...
As comparing to renting a car and relying on lodging rooms during the summer months means reservations are highly recommended for most places which translates to pretty much you have to plan on being present at that specific location on that specific day and so forth as you are now stuck on a schedule (you cannot always count on vacancy in some parts as if you do happen to find something available with no reservations, prepare to pay a lot more money like my brother in law did by changing plans he thought he could get around when I advised against it but then did it anyway as it cost an extra day and hurting the wallet even more)...For a first time Alaska visitor not knowing the areas, underestimating the greater vast distances between towns (thinking mentality of the same 400 mile distance in Alaska are like interstate road travel), while facing the potential road construction delays, plus dealing with the when not to travel on the roads when the sun is staring at you in the face while you travel, and any other possible potential delays or potential hazards that could happen in between you would end up losing more time when you are on a schedule versus the flexibility you have in an RV as you can spend the night in comfort wherever you are at with no reservations to worry about.
Once someone has visited Alaska for the first time, they would have a much better idea planning upon a day by day agenda when renting a car and making lodging reservations if that is the desire - which I would be ok with provided a person stays in a same proximity area over a length of time to explore, or knowing for sure other places you plan on being on the exact days specified (like I had carefully planned in great detail on my 1994 Southeast Alaska vacation with lodging and ferry reservations before I obtained my first RV in 1996).
These two options between renting an RV or renting a car with lodging aren't going to be a whole lot of savings between the two should you find any deal, as the advantage of having the flexibility in an RV would be worth the extra few bucks anyway (if so happens to be) in my opinion...
I don't know about now but in the past the packaged airfare bus transport and lodging tours were the more economical way to go, however you have no control and are subjected to their tight schedule to tag along upon when to wake up and board the bus, when to eat, where to eat, when the bus departs, where the bus only stops at upon specific locations to sightsee or stretchbreak reststops, for how long it stops before back on the road, etc (as sitting in a nice charter bus you do get to see either the left or right roadside view unless you got the very front seat near the bus driver)....the good thing was you didn't have to worry about driving around or making lodging reservations as it was all taken care of, however should their own schedule go wrong or a mishap occurs such as a road closure or breakdown or what have ya, they have a plan B that might work or might not work that could inconvienience the customer.
As also noted, whether in an RV or a car rental there are certain contract restrictions that do apply for remote or unpaved surfaced roads that are prohibited to drive on and worth checking into should you plan on driving the main four routes of the Dalton Highway, McCarthy Road, Denali Highway, or Taylor Highway if permitted upon the form of transportation used.
